A Guide To Mexico City

If You Appreciate a Gritty City and All of Its Offerings, Delve Deeper and Visit the 2018 Design Capital of the World.

- Mary Holland

Densely populated Mexico City has never been the country’s biggest draw card. Tourists would rather guzzle tequila and tuck into tacos while watching the turquoise ocean lap the shores of one of the beautiful coastal towns, but many of these places offer a Westernised version of Mexico – one that’s foreign even to Mexicans.

Sprawling, chaotic and unapologetic in its rawness, Mexico City is permeated with a palpable energy. With its Jozi-like landscape and Capetonian pace, the city is one of contrasts: quiet enclaves with pastel-coloured buildings, courtyards and leafy parks wedged between congested highways and towering corporate buildings. Find yourself in a sleepy tree-lined street among old mansions and it’s hard to believe that you’re in one of the busiest cities in the world.

There’s also no end to Mexico City’s history, culture, food and design (it’s the World Design Capital for 2018), which attract globetrotters from far and wide. You need only to spend a day getting lost in the trendy Roma district or the ancient Centro Histórico to discover just how compelling this dynamic place is.

SLEEP

DOWNTOWN MÉXICO

Located in the historic centre, Design Hotels’ Downtown México is a refurbished 17th-century building that is one of the coolest and most affordable in the city. There are 17 smartly designed rooms and suites with brick-laid ceilings and rough finishes. Centred around a vibey courtyard with a restaurant and a number of shops, the hotel area is always buzzing. This is especially true on the rooftop terrace, which has a pool and bar with unrivalled views of the city. downtownmexico.com

HOTEL CARLOTA