Mexico City Luxury at Kimpton Virgilio

As Mexico City becomes one of the world’s leading travel destinations, many hotels have popped up offering great locations and amenities within the city limits. Kimpton Virgilio, part of the luxury brand of International House Group (IHG), opened quietly in 2024 as one of the best new hotels in the city.

Tucked away on the quiet streets of the posh Polanco neighborhood, Kimpton has high standards of service, food, and extras. It’s located within the gorgeous shell of a 1940s apartment building that has been lovingly renovated to include 48 rooms, 8 of them large 2 to 6-person suites that ring the central patio where sunlight filters through the greenery to the dining area below.

The Art Deco architecture of the building is matched by the mid-century style furnishings created by Goirand Hermanos furniture studio in Guadalajara. Unique art pieces by Mexican artists grace the walls of the rooms and passageways, and globe lights announce room numbers along the hall.

The hotel’s corner rooms are particularly lovely, with skinny, wrap-around patios perfect for a glass of wine in the afternoon or a cup of coffee in the morning. The interior rooms with street-facing windows are the second best option, and even though the suites in the center of the hotel have exterior windows, they have been designed with interior patios full of potted plants and light that streams in via glassed-in ceilings that open up to the open core of the building.

Rooms are equipped with a minibar and snacks (not included in the rate), a lockbox, iron and ironing board, bath products from Atelier Bloem (a constant across the Kimpton brand), and a small toiletries kit. They have refillable shower products and refillable glass water pitchers to reduce plastic waste, umbrellas, yoga mats, and Nespresso machines. The Kimpton policy is that if you forget anything at home, they will get it for you, from salon-style hairdryers to a breast pump; all you have to do is ask. Bathrooms across categories are generally spacious and stylish.

A small gym on the premises offers weekly yoga classes, free to hotel guests, as well as for purchase by locals (for about 35usd you can take a yoga class and have breakfast included). They have a small collection of workout equipment that includes a treadmill, exercise bike, and free weights. While there is no spa on-site, the hotel can arrange treatments in your room.

The hotel’s two dining options are both as good as many of the city’s popular restaurants. On the rooftop terrace is La Caña, with clusters of tables and chairs amid miniature palms and other verdant plants above whose tops you can see the skyline of the Polanco area and its surrounding mid-century buildings and high rises. The menu here is a blend of Mexican and Peruvian with ceviches, seafood tostadas, and other high/end versions of Mexican snacks. An afternoon on the terrace with a cocktail and a dip in the pool is a delight.

Downstairs is Pepe Mesa Español, a contemporary Spanish restaurant that has taken that country’s cuisine and added Mexican twists and additions that enhance rather than detract from its essence. Pepe’s has become a chic neighborhood hang-out for ladies who lunch and business partners looking for a little casual sophistication mid-week.

Surrounding the hotel are the area’s boutique restaurants and cocktail bars, some better than others, but all with the exclusive air of this upper-class neighborhood and its wealthy inhabitants.

Staff at Kimpton are fully bilingual and helpful to a fault. There is no request too small to please their guests. Rooms here run from $250-$1195 (not including taxes). For the feeling of a boutique hotel but with a good list of on-site amenities, Kimpton Virgilio is the right choice in this part of the city. This hotel is classy without feeling stuffy, offers two great dining options, and has an incredibly central location that feels both deeply urban but also like a retreat from the hustle of the city.

Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.