Dr. Corvala himself, as well as his medical team are competent, attentive, and good-natured. Dr. Corvala is a no-nonsense type of guy who’s very passionate and confident in what he does. You will always see him with a small entourage of training physicians who are probably the next generation of bariatric specialists.

The Hospital: Clean, quiet, enormous. The private rooms are comfortable and modern, and the bathroom is stunningly elegant and comfortable. This facility could give most modern US hospitals a run for their money. The WiFi is not blazing fast, but respectable, hassle-free and reliable, which is more than I can say about the hotel’s internet.

The support team: Esmeralda is always buzzing around the hospital, checking on people and wanting to make everything go smoothly. When I requested an extra wheeled table so my father could use his laptop, as well as an extra daybed mattress, they were provided to us immediately. Dr. Corvala’s medical team are in your room literally every day and speak English very well.

The neighborhood: Tijuana’s Zona Rio is a pleasant, though bustling center of business and city life. Just don’t drive down there and you’ll be fine. It’s Americanized enough not to be intimidating, though Mexican enough to give you a little taste of the country’s culture. Never did I feel unsafe or unwelcome. Every single person I met was kind and courteous, both inside the hospital and out.

The procedure: I should probably say, as someone who is about three months post-op, that I am satisfied with my surgery. I have had no complications or difficulties adjusting to my gastric sleeve and I would highly recommend Dr. Corvala to someone I cared about.

The Hotel (Camino Real): The hotel was great. They had a flatscreen I could hook my laptop to, their staff was courteous and prompt, and the rooms were clean and spacious.