Downtown Mexico

I’ve found the cure for beastly jet lag: a blisteringly hot bath. After an 11-hour overnight flight there is no better tonic than sinking into an enormous tub, and I have Downtown Mexico to thank for this discovery. 

With time difference on our side, a miraculously on-schedule flight and a clear run through the empty streets of Mexico City, we arrived at our destination at 6am. There is something rather romantic about reaching a new place in the dark, and this was intensified when the cab dropped us off outside the grand, iron-studded doors. We were almost speechless climbing out the car (almost being the operative word – we could barely contain our giddy excitement). Hardly surprising considering we were staying in a former palace. 

The smiley concierge was ready to greet us and we were whisked upstairs through the dimly lit courtyard to our room. After gawping at its size (we were in the Independence Suite), I was straight in the bath. I like to think I’m somewhat of a bath connoisseur, and I was certainly impressed. As I stared up at the double height ceilings and twinkling tea lights I had lit, I couldn’t quite believe I had been at my desk in London the afternoon before. 

It wasn’t until the sun rose and we swung open the double doors to the Juliet balcony that we realised exactly where we were. The hotel is situated on Isabel la Catolica, bang in the middle of Mexico City’s historical centre, and from the balcony you can admire the cobbled street below, the array of photogenic colonial buildings and, on a clear day, the mountain range that hugs the city’s outer edge.

Following a speedy power nap, we were ready for coffee and an explore of our new surroundings. Breakfast had just been served and, after spotting the towers of pastries, plates of cheese, and abundance of juicy fruit, we couldn’t resist. Served in the hotel’s courtyard on level one (the same floor as our room), the patio area blends old and new beautifully, capitalising on the stunning 17th-century colonial architecture. There’s impressive stonework and an iron staircase as well as a large-scale fresco from modern Mexican muralist Manuel Rodriguez Lozano. All the aesthetic details have been thought of right down to crockery and we immediately regretted not enquiring about where we could buy the heavy stone breakfast bowls (they were extremely satisfying to eat out of). 

Breakfast became a real highlight and a three-course event each morning. We piled our plates high from the buffet (shout out to the best pain au chocolat I’ve ever tasted), as well as sampling traditional hot Mexican dishes that were made to order and brought to our table by the charming staff. We couldn’t agree on whether the Mexican eggs (scrambled with tomato and red pepper) or the chilaquiles (tortilla chips baked in salsa and cheese) took the top prize as our favourite. 

Our three-day layover in Mexico City was a chance to cram in the culture (and some cocktails) before we spent a week horizontal on the beaches of Tulum and Holbox. While we quickly realised three days only really allowed time to scratch the surface of this sprawling city (the sixth biggest in the world), being based in the heart of the action certainly made our first-time visit that much smoother. 

Downtown Mexico is just a short stroll from Zocalo, the capital’s biggest and most famous square, and the location of a number of key sightseeing spots including the Metropolitan Cathedral, Museo De Templo Mayor and the Palacio Nacional. In fact, the whole area is a Unesco World Heritage Site and just by walking the streets around the hotel you inevitably stumble across history at every turn, from ancient ruins to colonial grandeur. We also took trips further afield to the south of the city to visit the famed Frida Kahlo museum, wander the streets of suburban Coyoacán and further still to the canals of Xochimilco, as well as east to the Chapultepec park for the famed Anthropology Museum and the panoramic views from the castle. 

Our sightseeing days were bookmarked by time spent relaxing at the hotel. Starting with the aforementioned breakfast and finishing with pre dinner drinks on the roof. A world away from the hustle and bustle of downstairs, the industrial style rooftop with pool, Jacuzzi, and views of the city, is a real talking point. A mix of concrete, terracotta tiles, and bright yellow sun loungers, it has an LA feel. Miss the margaritas and shrimp tacos at your peril. 

With our body clocks not quite yet adjusted, nights for us ended early as we quickly fell into an OAP-approved regime. This suited us down to the ground, and we were keen not to miss valuable snoozing time in the plush king-sized bed (if I could have snuck it in my luggage, I would have – along with the exposed brick walls, snazzy floor lamps, my much-loved bath…)

Mexico City we’ll be back. And with that, Downtown Mexico too. It may have taken us three days to figure out how to turn all the lights off, but we’ll forgive you.