Fodor's Expert Review Gran Hotel Diligencias

The 2003 renovations of this 18th-century building into a stately hotel transformed the entire Centro Histórico: it lends elegance to the laid-back zócalo. Locals grumble that the decorations in the rooms lack any trace of Veracruz, but all you have to do is throw open the French doors to enjoy warm winds blowing through the palm trees and marimba bands in the square below. The second-floor terrace, which surrounds a small pool, is a great place to escape the heat.