Opening the tall French doors of the balcony and stepping out into the tiny stone terrace, one can almost imagine what it was like in Mexico City’s Colonia Roma at the turn-of-the-century when the building that houses the Hotel Casona was built. Shoeshine stands probably stood on the corner, newspaper boys hawked their wares from house to house, and carriages ambled down the wide lanes of newly paved Durango street. Now Roma is one of Mexico City’s most happening neighborhoods — many of the city’s best bars, restaurants, and shopping are here — and Casona Roma Norte hotel is right in the very heart of all the action.
Just steps from Contramar and Lardo restaurants and a few blocks from the picturesque Cibeles plaza, this hotel was previously owned and operated by a pair of Swiss entrepreneurs, whose style was upscale antique and cozy, but whose hotel was in need of a refresh. When the hotel shuttered its doors during the pandemic, the building was purchased by Hamak Hotels to become their first property in Mexico City. A complete renovation was carried out that filled the hotel’s common spaces with light and gave a fresh, modern lift to the rooms, while retaining some of the nostalgic charm of those original spaces so lovingly cared for by the previous owners.
Now you will find the second floor rooms, which retain the most original architecture and maintain the most charm, with high ceilings, spotlight lamps, those stone balconies, and windows that allow for glorious amounts of light to stream through. Along with them, new modern beds and accessories including Nespresso machines, lock boxes, stocked mini bars that are included in the price of the stay, and bottles of Casa del Agua filtered water. Third floor rooms are slightly more modern and nondescript, but they are much larger and include larger terraces that expand further out into the street.
Adorning the walls of the rooms and hallways are rotating local artists — when I visited they had various installations spread throughout the hotel including gorgeous line drawings by Ana Valdes, and large format photos of Santiago Auru’s cityscapes. Dominating in the hotel’s many restaurant Aquiles is a massive mural called La Suculenta by James Bullough.
While Roma has a lot of boutique hotels to choose from, few have the variety of on-site amenities of Casona. The main Aquiles restaurant is run by Chef Aquiles Chávez, famous for his appearance on Mexican food shows and opening restaurants across the country. The streetside Suchi is a Coahuila-style sushi restaurant, which means wild combinations that blend traditional Japanese sushi with Mexican street snacks (like a roll encrusted in crushed Dorito chips). The Akamba agave tasting room is stocked with small batch producers of mezcal, tequila and other local spirits and offers excellent tastings with a professional to walk you through how each is made and where they hail from.
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The upstairs bar and the hotel’s speakeasy will open this spring, but a small matcha and tea room, La Macaria, is already open on the first floor and is good for a quick to-go bite and caffeine hit in the mornings. There is also a tiny gym on the top floor.
For a full breakfast, Aquiles has a very solid menu of both international items like waffles, French toast, and an English breakfast, as well as more regional Mexican dishes like chilaquiles and eggs with Mexican chorizo. The coffee is steaming and the juices are freshly squeezed. They also have an extensive lunch menu. Sitting on the light-filled central patio feels like a world away from the hustle and bustle just steps from your table on Durango street.
The neighborhood and the Casona hotel have both evolved through the 20th century. Throughout its lifetime, the building was apartments, a mechanic shop, and a mini mart, but its latest reincarnation is by far its loveliest. For a convenient stay in the neighborhood with lots of on-site dining and drinking, as well as style and historic charm, Casona Roma Norte is an excellent option. Rooms run from 455-875 USD, including taxes and service fees.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
