General Reports

[QUOTE=AmericanPi;2791510]I'm usually the one providing answers, but it seems I have questions these days!

I'm looking for a nice, pretty nice hotel where I can pay with cash and not have to use a credit card, even for incidentals. To be off the grid. Not have it on show up on my credit card statement.

Does anyone know if Mansion is like that? Or others? I know the ones on Coahuila are but that's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for something a little nicer and in a better part of town.[/QUOTE]Yes you can just pay cash. However if you walk up or come in a taxi they will want to hold your ID until you leave. And if you drive your car they will record your plate # . So not sure if that is totally considered off the grid.

I guess back when I was using these love motels the GF would drive there and I would pay cash and therefore no record of me being there except for some video they might be recording.

[QUOTE=Scbb1;2791466]I recently got my Sentri card and read that Pedwest is opened from 6 am until 2 pm. I have used my Sentri card twice at Pedeast but never at Pedwest. Which is faster crossing by land back to the USA If my car is parked at border station parking?[/QUOTE]Pedwest has no dedicated Sentri lane but you can walk past the entire line and there isn't a wait. Will take less than 5 m and most of that is walking.

I'm not sure where your car is but the walk from pedwest to the trolley station is 10-15 m.

[QUOTE=AmericanPi;2791510]I'm usually the one providing answers, but it seems I have questions these days!

I'm looking for a nice, pretty nice hotel where I can pay with cash and not have to use a credit card, even for incidentals. To be off the grid. Not have it on show up on my credit card statement.

Does anyone know if Mansion is like that? Or others? I know the ones on Coahuila are but that's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for something a little nicer and in a better part of town.[/QUOTE]You can pay cash at Mansion. US $40/ night weekday. On the weekend maybe only for 4 hours, I don't know. - Mansion is ok, TV with porn channels, comfortable big beds, air condition, shower. You can order food and drink to your room.

[QUOTE=Dogers69;2791225]Social media? You never met her? If your paying this girl, do not go anyplace that's her idea. You may return to usa in a pine box. I'd be hesitant to take her anyplace off revulxuion street. If its a set up revoilcion street gona be thr toughest for them to do it. Guys get set up like this all time in the states too. So far I've had three incidences in mexixo of robberybor near robbery from girls. One they used a thin pretty girl to ask me for sex, said, no then she wanted a dollar till the 5 friends attacked me. The 2nd one showed me her hotel room near hk even though it was 7 am and I told her I wasn't interested till maybe later she said just look at the room now. Her boyfriend was in room I saw him immediately he didn't have time to hide in bathroom so inwas already in hallway before they could grab me up. 3rd time a girl I have had fichas with ten times in 2 years outright grabbed my wallet from me and took money out when she was pissed I wouldn't give her money for no reason and basically told her I didn't even want sex just be social friends at her bar and ill buy her a few beers.[/QUOTE]You're making Tijuana sound as dangerous as Medellin.

[QUOTE=Turgid;2791648]You're making Tijuana sound as dangerous as Medellin.[/QUOTE]One time a hooker across from the tecate store said she would sleep with me for free. I said there is no free sex in la Zona. I'm sure her guy friend was waiting in the room. You need street smarts in Tijuana. It's as dangerous as you make it. Mexican guys are the most morally bankrupt uneducated people you will meet. Trust none of them.

[QUOTE=StRobert;2791586]You can pay cash at Mansion. US $40/ night weekday. On the weekend maybe only for 4 hours, I don't know. - Mansion is ok, TV with porn channels, comfortable big beds, air condition, shower. You can order food and drink to your room.[/QUOTE]They don't even run your credit card for incidentals like most hotels do?

Is it a dodgy hotel or nice? Like could you take a civvie girl there and not have her feel like an escort? It is it an "escort kinda of hotel?

[QUOTE=MoreyKid;2791573]Pedwest has no dedicated Sentri lane but you can walk past the entire line and there isn't a wait. Will take less than 5 m and most of that is walking.

I'm not sure where your car is but the walk from pedwest to the trolley station is 10-15 m.[/QUOTE]If you have global entry it's really about where you park. If you park the other side of the bridge no point walking the bridge maybe 15 min just to cross in and out. Might as well cross there. If you park along San ysidro Blvd then cross ped east. Global entry is so short on ped east that why even make that a consideration. It's more where you're leaving your car.

[QUOTE=TjBrazil;2791652]One time a hooker across from the tecate store said she would sleep with me for free. I said there is no free sex in la Zona. I'm sure her guy friend was waiting in the room. You need street smarts in Tijuana. It's as dangerous as you make it. Mexican guys are the most morally bankrupt uneducated people you will meet. Trust none of them.[/QUOTE]You made the right decision not to take the chica up on "free" sex obviously but don't know about the "morally bankrupt" "uneducated" generalization. Most Mexicans I've met down there are laid-back and super cool actually. Sure, there's a high level of hustling and crime in and around the Zona but IMO that's much more so out of economic necessity / doing what you have to do to make ends meet than it is being morally decrepit.

[QUOTE=AmericanPi;2791665]They don't even run your credit card for incidentals like most hotels do?

Is it a dodgy hotel or nice? Like could you take a civvie girl there and not have her feel like an escort? It is it an "escort kinda of hotel?[/QUOTE]I've been there once with my favorite regular from Adelitas. She suggested the place and drove us there in her jeep. I did not have to use a credit card. Only used cash. The room was nice and spacious, definitely much better than the basic or even "deluxe" rooms they have at Cascadas. The weekend we went there was a line of cars we had to wait in to check in, though I think that only took us about 15 minutes or so to get through from what I recall. The hotel rooms even have a garage where you can park your car. If you order food / drink from what I recall you don't even have to deal with the person delivering the food face to face. There was a dropbox in the room they can deliver the food / drink to your room through and you could make the cash payment through that same box (at least for the room I had).

4 hour limit on the weekends and no in-and-out privileges. It's a pretty nice hotel but it is known as a hotel mostly for guys with escorts / hookers.

[QUOTE=BrotherMouzone;2791685]You made the right decision not to take the chica up on "free" sex obviously but don't know about the "morally bankrupt" "uneducated" generalization. Most Mexicans I've met down there are laid-back and super cool actually. Sure, there's a high level of hustling and crime in and around the Zona but IMO that's much more so out of economic necessity / doing what you have to do to make ends meet than it is being morally decrepit.[/QUOTE]I don't buy that excuse. That same excuse is made in the states by all these gang banging thugs that sell drugs and spray graffiti ever. They say there are no jobs, that's why they do it. I call BS. I've always found a job since a teenager. There are 10 million jobs openings in America as we speak. They can't fill the positions.

Nobody wants to work. Get rid of all welfare and section 8. We will see these jobs fill faster than you think. Lazy ass country we live in now. I've seen the deterioration for the last 15 years. People are just lazy and think they are entitled to a certain salary to start or they will go illegal. You have to start somewhere and get experience.

[QUOTE=Turgid;2791648]You're making Tijuana sound as dangerous as Medellin.[/QUOTE]Tijuana is the murder capital of the world and there's like 4 people in jail for murder. 99% of murders result in no jail time. And a gringo is going to be the best target. Just ask Mexicans how often they are stopped walking by policia. They will say never. Everyone's fav target is the gringo.

[QUOTE=BrotherMouzone;2791690]I've been there once with my favorite regular from Adelitas. She suggested the place and drove us there in her jeep. I did not have to use a credit card. Only used cash. The room was nice and spacious, definitely much better than the basic or even "deluxe" rooms they have at Cascadas. The weekend we went there was a line of cars we had to wait in to check in, though I think that only took us about 15 minutes or so to get through from what I recall. The hotel rooms even have a garage where you can park your car. If you order food / drink from what I recall you don't even have to deal with the person delivering the food face to face. There was a dropbox in the room they can deliver the food / drink to your room through and you could make the cash payment through that same box (at least for the room I had).

4 hour limit on the weekends and no in-and-out privileges. It's a pretty nice hotel but it is known as a hotel mostly for guys with escorts / hookers.[/QUOTE]Thanks. This sounds like my spot then.

[QUOTE=TjBrazil;2791652]One time a hooker across from the tecate store said she would sleep with me for free. I said there is no free sex in la Zona. I'm sure her guy friend was waiting in the room. You need street smarts in Tijuana. It's as dangerous as you make it. Mexican guys are the most morally bankrupt uneducated people you will meet. Trust none of them.[/QUOTE]I don't think it is a Mexican guys issue at all. I think it is a pimp issue. And it just so happens that the pimps in this Zona Norte are Mexican. I think that if you were to visit a red light district in China or Europe, you are going to meet men of lower quality regardless of race, culture or national origin. Once I left the Zona Norte, I thought the quality of people, men in particular improved greatly.

[QUOTE=Jackie888;2791784]I don't think it is a Mexican guys issue at all. I think it is a pimp issue. And it just so happens that the pimps in this Zona Norte are Mexican. I think that if you were to visit a red light district in China or Europe, you are going to meet men of lower quality regardless of race, culture or national origin. Once I left the Zona Norte, I thought the quality of people, men in particular improved greatly.[/QUOTE]Maybe you're right. I just think the mongering scene overall has deteriorated since I started 20 years ago. Tijuana was a lot more fun back in the day and now seems like a constant ripoff at every corner by everyone. It started going downhill when they started the dollar robe fee. LOL.

[QUOTE=StRobert;2791586]You can pay cash at Mansion. US $40/ night weekday. On the weekend maybe only for 4 hours, I don't know. - Mansion is ok, TV with porn channels, comfortable big beds, air condition, shower. You can order food and drink to your room.[/QUOTE]I guess I've been getting screwed or I'm just to gringo. They always sell me the 4 hours no matter what day it is. I paid in pesos, but less for the no jacuzzi room and more for the jacuzzi. The jacuzzi room didn't have a functioning heater, but at least the water was warm. The regular room had heat, but missing remote. Once I called down for a remote a guy showed up trying to sell me on his harem of women. I didn't get any photos, but I think he wanted $150 for an hour for a chica. I told him chica was prearranged and maybe next time. It is a convenient and discreet place as the garages have doors you can close and no one would even know you were at the motel. Definitely better experience than Zona Norte ST joints, but Zona Norte just makes it convenient in one spot.