3-star hotels in Saltillo

Saltillo rewards a short visit. The cathedral, the Plaza de Armas, the sarape museum and the bird museum sit within a few blocks of each other in the Centro Histórico, which fits comfortably into an afternoon on foot, though the streets empty out after nine and the choice of places to stay there is thin. For fossils dug up in Coahuila, the Museo del Desierto is the city's strongest card and deserves a good two hours.

Most of these 3-star hotels lie outside the old centre, along the Bulevar Venustiano Carranza and the Periférico Luis Echeverría, where the chains, the malls and the late-opening restaurants cluster and a car makes everything easy. A few sit in the Centro Histórico itself, on Aldama, Allende and Nazario Ortiz. The mix suits couples on a short break, families who want pools and family rooms, and business travellers heading for the industrial corridor, which only makes sense for work.

Getting there and around

The site's guidance is simple: Bulevar Venustiano Carranza has the chains, the malls and the late-opening restaurants, and works well with a car; Ramos Arizpe and the industrial corridor only make sense for work. For sightseeing, the Centro Histórico puts the cathedral, the Plaza de Armas, the sarape museum and the bird museum within a few blocks, though the streets empty out after nine. If you would rather walk, the centre fits into an afternoon. With a car and more time, Arteaga and the Sierra de Zapalinamé are 25-30 minutes away, cooler and greener.

When to go

The site offers no dates or seasons for Saltillo, so the surest guidance is about how long to give things rather than when to come. The Museo del Desierto deserves a good two hours. The centre fits into an afternoon on foot: cathedral, plazas, market, coffee. With a car and more time, Arteaga and the Sierra de Zapalinamé are 25-30 minutes away, cooler and greener, which makes them a good escape from the city heat.