Until fairly recently, Mexico City’s most sought-after hotels were located in one of two areas: upscale Polanco or along the skyscraper-lined Reforma Avenue. But in recent years, a number of small, independent properties have sprung up in the trendier (and immigrant-heavy) municipalities of Condesa and neighboring Roma, many of them moving into the beautiful old buildings that characterize this verdant enclave of the vast capital city. . The more attractive hotels of this new crop tend to favor low-key charm over unbridled luxury, but in a design-conscious part of town, they fit the bill. Here, three of the newest standouts.
For their first hotel project, the 10-room Casa Cuenca, which opened in September just off Condesa’s leafy Avenida Veracruz, photographer Mara Sánchez-Renero and her sister, interior designer Gala Sánchez-Renero, were determined to renovate a historic property. “It’s about preserving the architectural heritage of Mexico City,” says Mara, “and [honoring] the legacy of our culture as a melting pot of influences’. The sisters, along with Gala’s husband, architect Ivan Esqueda, transformed a 1930s mansion-turned-office building into a minimalist retreat that combines Beaux-Arts touches—like the grand staircase in the outdoor courtyard—with modern decor. and mid-century furniture. Rooms are split between the main building and a newly built addition, where brick walls border private courtyards, and throughout the property, rooms are furnished in mostly neutral tones, while bathrooms feature a mix of colorful tiles. The hotel’s restaurant, Maleza, launched last month with a menu overseen by American chef Christina Lecki, who draws from her varied influences, serving Spanish, Portuguese and French dishes with Mexican ingredients. Among the recent notables: grilled shrimp seasoned with chili and topped with tangerines. Rooms from about $175 a night.
The largest hotel of the bunch, Casona Roma Norte offers 32 earth-toned rooms in a 1920s building in the heart of Roma Norte, a neighborhood filled with lively restaurants and bars. After reemerging last fall from an 18-month top-to-bottom renovation, Casona is now a culinary hub in its own right. Beyond the lobby, with its original marble floors and plush sofas, is a Japanese and Sinaloan restaurant (with dishes like crispy tofu and sweet and sour pork belly). On the ground floor there is also a matcha tea room and, on a light-filled patio, Aquiles, an upscale Mexican restaurant run by chef Aquiles Chávez, while downstairs there is an agave bar. And in the spring, a steakhouse and cocktail bar are scheduled to open on the hotel’s rooftop. Rooms from about $455 a night.
The 17-room Hotel Dama, which opened last summer in a renovated 1950s apartment building on a mostly residential street in Condesa, exudes retro glamour. There is a small sunken living room just off the lobby, furnished with a sofa for receptions and a library full of Mexican literature, as well as Oaxacan ceramics and textiles. The rooms, spread over three floors, have beautiful checkerboard floors and rust or mustard colored accents. There’s also a shaded rooftop lounge and restaurant where you can order mezcal-based cocktails and small plates like sea bass ceviche and fried pumpkin flowers. Rooms from about $280 a night.
