Bus from Guadalajara is about 3,5 hours and costs less than 300 pesos in the luxury buses of Omnibuses de Mexico, just make sure not to get a "de paso" bus which usually arrives very late.
La Gloria, nice deck.
El Mexicano a hostel type hotel in downtown Tepic, fine service for only 180 pesos, no luxuries, but a bed and a fan.
Hotel Tepic behind the busstation is also nice and has the restaurant "Los Tulipanes". Here a single room costs a little under 500 pesos with wifi, hot water and a ceiling ventilator.