ACCOMMODATIONS

Places to stay in Mexico City run the gamut, from spartan hostels to no-nonsense business hotels to plush inns in historic surroundings. In the expensive to premium categories, you can pretty well request and receive any service you desire. In the shoestring and budget classes, make sure you know what you’re getting before moving in. If it’s important to you to have a window, look before accepting a room. Check for security, too—is there a safe deposit box or some similar place to leave your valuables while touring? Though the weather in Mexico is usually mild, it can get cold at night in the winter; check for heat or ask for plenty of blankets. In the summer, it can get warm on occasion, so consider looking for air-conditioning or a fan.

Best Budget Accommodation: Hugely popular with the backpacker crowd, Hostal Moneda is well-known for its inexpensive but clean dorm rooms and slightly more expensive private rooms. It’s a great spot to meet other travelers, too. (read more)

Best Colonial Inn: Originally built in 1660 as an inn for monks, the Best Western Hotel de Cortés is certainly a historic building. The tranquil two-story courtyard makes a great place for a drink even if you aren’t staying there. (read more)

Most Socially-Aware Hotel: Near the Monumento a la Revolución, the Casa de los Amigos is a Quaker-run hostel that rents out dorm beds to all sorts of interesting travelers, including many who are socially active in non-governmental organizations in Latin America. You can meet some interesting people cooking up dinner in the communal kitchen. (read more)

Most Charming Hotel: In a quiet neighborhood just north of Paseo de la Reforma is Casa González, a cluster of little buildings spread out across a grassy yard. This inexpensive little inn is a lovely oasis in the middle of the city, where you can sit on their quaint patio to wind down from the day. (read more)

Best Luxury Hotel: There’s a number of world-class hotels in Mexico City, but the Hotel Four Seasons is the crème de la crème. Rooms here are homier than most luxury spreads, which is perhaps why it’s favored by the international business crowd. The courtyard is a popular breakfast spot for local politicians and power brokers. (read more)

Most Artistic Hotel: Designed by architect Ricardo Legorreta, the Camino Real Mexico City is a truly bizarre cubist structure. As you wander the spacious hallways, check out the art works by Rufino Tamayo, Alexander Calder, Pedro Coronel, Davíd Alfaro Siqueiros, and Gunther Gerzo. (read more)

Best Chic Hotel: The ultra-modern, sleek Hotel Hábita is nothing if not stylish. The rooms feature clean lines and elegant simplicity. On the rooftop is an open-air bar called El Área, usually filled with the local jet set. (read more)

Best Quaint Hotel: Built in a Porfiriato-era mansion in the Roma neighborhood, La Casona has only 30 rooms, each decorated with period furniture and lacy curtains. It’s a relaxed, quiet alternative to the busier high-rise hotels along Paseo de la Reforma. (read more)

Best New Hotel: Housed in a lovely mansion in the Condesa, the chic Condesa df, with the help of imaginative designer India Mahdavi, is an innovative new hotel with all the modern amenities. Rooms are distributed around the sides of a triangular-shaped building, with a rooftop deck and a dining area in the central patio. (read more)