Mexico City’s Polanco neighborhood has an unmatched nostalgic charm. Built in the 1940s and 50s, the streets are replete with the California Colonial architecture that was fashionable at the time, wide, tree-lined avenues, and many public gardens and parks. Opened in 2023, Casa Polanco has become one of the neighborhood’s most sought-after reservations, hosting celebrities, wealthy travelers, and guests looking for chic facilities that maintain the familial warmth of this former family mansion.
Make sure to ask for one of Casa Polanco’s large rooms that face Lincoln Park. These rooms are part of the hotel’s original mid-century structure and are delightful for sitting with a coffee or tea, working on a laptop, or dreaming of living in Mexico City cocooned within this leafy street. On these balconies, or one of the many others that are scattered throughout the hotel, guests can request any meal of the day and enjoy it al fresco, with special care given to romantic candlelit dinners.
A plush library welcomes you at the front of the house, where art books tempt you to browse, and some kind of local spirit is always on offer. The hotel’s lobby is a single desk that’s almost imperceptible, much like the efficient workings of the hotel itself. The first-floor restaurant sits in an open terrace bathed in sunlight.
They offer breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea (which is much more than tea; there is also coffee, snacks, as well as tequila, gin, and other spirits), but so much incredible dining awaits in the city that it’s rare that you will spend much time here. Still, it’s good to know it’s there just in case.
This previous 9-room mansion added another 10 rooms in a more modern wing of the hotel, built for its 2023 opening. The decor throughout blends mid-century vintage with clean, modern lines, and furniture from some of the city’s most influential designers. At the largest end of the scale, the Lincoln and Polanco suites are 54 and 63 square meters, respectively, and the smallest room, Deluxe, is 28 square meters. Most rooms have at least a small outdoor terrace that expands the space even further.
Imbued with the scents of Xinu – a local perfume shop that makes all the hotel’s soaps and bath products – rooms are also equipped with stocked mini bars of soda, beer, and Mexican snacks, as well as comfy robes, slippers, and a daily ironing service for pants and shirts wrinkled from travel. Early risers can arrange an “eye opener” service that will arrive before the rest of the house wakes up – coffee or tea and a few nibbles – left outside the door for you to pick up at your leisure.
There is a lovely space for massages on the rooftop, or treatments can be arranged in-room. There is also a small gym on the premises, and yoga or meditation classes can be arranged by request.
An incredible base for exploring this part of the city, Casa Polanco’s staff are happy to program local walking and food tours, romantic dinners, and to set up restaurant reservations in the neighborhood and beyond. Polanco, known for its upscale shopping and fine dining heavy hitters like Pujol and Quintonil, feels both urban and a world apart from the intense hustle and bustle of places like the Centro Historico, or the youthful hipness of Juarez or Roma.
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Casa Polanco is located right at the intersection of several delightfully walkable streets and parks, colloquially called polanquito or little Polanco. Hotel staff lead Monday tours of the neighborhood for guests to get to know the area.
Chapultepec Park, Mexico City’s Central Park, if Central Park were four times bigger, is just a quick 15-minute walk away, and along the park’s paths can be found the Museum of Anthropology, the Museum of Modern Art, the Tamayo Museum, and other great attractions. Take advantage of Casa Polanco’s free electric bikes to ride down Reforma Avenue on Sundays when it’s closed to traffic and see some of the city’s sites.
For exploring Polanco, Casa Polanco is one of the best new options where guests will enjoy bespoke luxury and seamless service.
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