Nima Local House Hotel

I visited Mexico City with three aims: to experience first-hand the sublime architecture of Luis Barragán; to enjoy the full spectrum of Mexican cuisine, from street-vendor offerings to the progressive dishes of Michelin-starred Pujol; and to explore as many of the city’s galleries and museums as time allowed. Cosy boutique stay Nima Local House Hotel, in the leafy Roma neighbourhood, not only proved to be the perfect homebase for this highly anticipated trip, but also immersed me in another aspect of the city’s culture: its incredible spirit of hospitality.

Having last visited Mexico City as a teenager, I was pleasantly surprised by the buzzily fashionable yet peaceful neighbourhood, with its perceptible European flavour and tree-lined streets, which offered a welcome contrast to the more urban, dynamic areas of this fast-changing city. On ringing the hotel’s bell my fellow Smith and I were welcomed inside and ushered into the living room for arrival drinks. It struck me as a reassuringly homey experience, like hanging out with an old friend. 

Our room was decorated with tasteful pieces by local artists, and its floor-to-ceiling windows opened out onto a Juliet balcony overlooking the bright central atrium, which was filled with a lush variety of plants – a huge monstera caressed the window – and streaming sunlight. Throughout our stay, I felt the revivifying effect of this bright, fresh space each time I entered. With just four bedrooms, Nima has the feel of a of a charming, intimate town house than an inner-city hotel. Our travelling companion stayed in the room opposite ours, his window opening out onto the atrium, and we had a lot of fun taking pictures of each other on our little balconies – one of which appeared on Nima’s Instagram account. 

So far, so enchanting, but even more so was the rooftop honesty bar. We whiled away an evening up there with another friend from Mexico City and two bottles of wine, free to fill the space with as much laughter as we pleased and feeling completely at home. The term ‘personal service’ tends to be applied with abandon when describing many hotels, but the team at Nima put this maxim into practice consistently and seemingly with ease. From the moment they greeted us at arrival, to taking our orders for breakfast (huevos rancheros every day, of course), to securing us tickets for exhibitions and booking tables at restaurants: the team were all personable and attentive to a high degree. By the end of the stay, I felt we had developed a genuine friendship, and a few months after I’d returned home to Bath in the UK, I received an email from them wishing me well on my birthday – a first in all my experiences of hotel stays.

The cosseting actually began before I arrived. The team sent me a list of personal recommendations for places to eat, drink and visit in Mexico City to look over before my trip, which ended up serving me extremely when there. This is the sort of gesture I like to extend to my friends who visit me in Bath, so I was particularly touched. On departure day, the team was thoughtful enough to arrange a massage for me in the hotel’s treatment room, so I would be relaxed for my flight home. They even provided each of us with a bottle of wine as a parting gift. I felt as though I was leaving a beloved family member’s home, having been thoroughly pampered and cared for at every opportunity.