I see a lot of review saying that the hotel is very old and needs renovations. I disagree. Yes, it is very old and it shows, but there was a time when hotels were less cookie cutter and far more grand, and you can absolutely see that in its heyday, this was definitely an elegant hotel.
For us, it more than served its purpose. The bed was comfortable, Papantla is HOT so we appreciated having air conditioning, the room was very clean, and the location was unbeatable. We were steps from the zocalo, markets, the museum Teodoro Cano and restaurants. The pool was small, but it was a welcome respite from the heat and had lovely aesthetics and decor. Overall, the staff was kind and helpful. There is no elevator so if you have mobility issues, you might want to stay on the first floor. There are several steps to come up to the hotel from the front, but there is actually a back entrance right at street leve. We can’t to return to Papantla and would definitely stay here again.