The cream-colored flowers of the Chinese privet tree outside my window exude little tendrils of sweetness that float in on the breeze. I’m on the second floor, in the Panorama corner suite where the balconies that hug El Cortés Hotel’s facade are tucked behind a ring of Bougainvilleas and other trees. While the murmur of street life hums below, I feel in a place apart. I’ve long wanted to see inside this aged building in my neighborhood (Roma Norte) in Mexico City, and now I’m spending the night in its best room.
Courtesy of El Cortes
El Cortés opened in July of 2026 inside one of Colonia Roma’s oldest homes, built in 1915. This was one of the first grand mansions of what was then a wealthy suburb of Mexico City. Its construction was begun by Mexican President Lerdo Tejada and finished by his brother when the former president died mid-build.
After the Lerdo Tejada family, the building was converted into a printing press and gallery for many years until work began on the hotel about two years ago. A third, more modern floor has been added to the two original floors to add an additional 5 rooms to the hotel’s overall 15.
The first and second floor rooms offer lovely historical ambiance and contain many of the preserved elements of the original home. Delicate stained-glass windows and antique window shutters tucked neatly into the sides of the French door windows are complemented by 19th-century art pieces and vintage lamps rescued from estate sales and auctions by the hotel’s owner. The antique elements combined with new wooden floors and quality beds and linens ensure the rooms feel both traditional and luxurious.
The third-floor rooms, despite their more recent construction, don’t feel dramatically out of sync with the historic nature of the building. 100-year-old stone balconies wrap around their outside walls, and the décor, art, and even features like traditional crown moldings balance the more obvious recent construction.
Standard rooms, while smaller than some of the higher categories, still have a lot of charm and don’t feel crowded. But the larger suites, and especially the corner room, the Panorama Suite, are worth the upgrade for more space and, in the case of one of the Signature Suites, a gorgeous stand-alone bathtub.
Amenities include bathrooms, lockboxes, a minibar with coffee and tea as well as a selection of snacks and Mexican spirits – tequila, mezcal, whiskey and Nixta, a kind of corn liqueur. Toiletries include a vanity kit, a hair dryer with attachments, a handheld loofah and Byredo brand soaps and body washes.
The hotel’s meals are provided by the in-house restaurant. Lotti, with its open beam ceiling and decorative Mexican tile accents, is meant to feel both chic and cozy, according to Swiss chef and owner Luc Liebster. Named after his grandmother, Lotti’s menu showcases the chef’s talent after years of cooking throughout Europe and most recently at Mexico City’s Pujol for three years.
The breakfast menu includes things like Swiss rösti with smoked trout or caramelized French toast with mascarpone cheese and a rich, tangy-sweet fig sauce. A hotel where dining is taken seriously is refreshing, and here that’s evident as you watch locals who wander in from the street and guests mingling in the dining room.
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get a Car Rental
- Likely to sell out: Tickets to Frida Kahlo Museum
- Get an eSim to be able to use your smartphone abroad.
- Guided Tours in Mexico
Most nights, dinner is served to a packed house — a crispy-skinned strip of red snapper with cacahuazintle corn and epazote in a bright white wine sauce or the grilled radicchio with cricket spice rub (you read that right) and burrata in a sweet-sour vinaigrette reflecting the blend of European culinary roots with Mexican chiles and other local ingredients.
Later stages of the hotel’s construction include plans for an on-site spa and small gym, so for the moment they provide spa services through sister hotel La Valise across the street. Possibly the hotel’s most valuable characteristic, beyond its historic charm, is its location right in the heart of the busiest and most lively section of Roma Norte. Nearby are dozens of great restaurants, bars, and shopping options. Within just a few blocks, you could find enough to fill several days of an itinerary.
So often, hotels housed in historic buildings have hyper-modern interiors, but El Cortés’ antiques and 100-year-old art continue the traditional feeling throughout. For an exceptional location, delicious cuisine, and a bit of history in Colonia Roma, this hotel is the obvious choice. Rooms start at 430usd a night and include breakfast at Lotti.
Check rates for El Cortés, Member of Relais & Châteaux online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
