The indoor relaxation swimming pool is flanked by separate men’s and women’s spa areas, the exercise room, steam room, and sauna.

The indoor relaxation swimming pool is flanked by separate men’s and women’s spa areas, the exercise room, steam room, and sauna.

 

Mexico City is “undercover” hot. The rest of Latin America is hip to its ways, but it has taken the U.S. a bit of time to warm to the idea. But we say it’s about time, because this Mexican metropolis is just as over-the-top chic as some European counterparts. Luxury Travel Advisor is just back from a weekend in Mexico City and is bringing you the latest on what makes it as chic, safe and relevant as ever.

We checked into the St. Regis Mexico City, where we were treated to a weekend of spa pampering, fine dining, cooking classes and culture, all of which can be had within the hotel and the surrounding neighborhoods. The St. Regis Mexico City sits right on the Paseo de la Reforma, the veritable “Champs-Elysees” of Mexico City. Within walking distance to the hotel are the neighborhoods Polanco and Condesa, which are likened to the Fifth Avenue and SoHo of Mexico City. The hotel is also about a 25-minute drive from the heart of Mexico’s Downtown Centro Historico, where travelers can find gorgeous Spanish architecture, ancient pre-Hispanic ruins, museums, galleries, restaurants and fine arts.

When staying at the St. Regis Mexico City, the top pick is the St. Regis Suite. This 3,089-square-foot space has a living room, private dining salon, office with a library, and a kitchen. Amenities include two 42-inch flat-screen TVs, one 52-inch LCD flat-screen TV, touch-screen GDA room master controls and the 24-hour St. Regis Butler Service.

Should the St. Regis Suite be occupied (by say, Bono, Tim Burton or Tommy Hilfiger, all past guests of the hotel), we suggest a Grand Deluxe Room, with 538 square feet of space and 360-degree views.

Reach out to Laura Villalobos ([email protected]; 011-52-5552-28-1811), sales manager, for bookings.

The st. Regis Suite is the top choice, with a living room, private dining room, an office with a library, and a kitchen.Pictured: The st. Regis Suite is the top choice, with a living room, private dining room, an office with a library, and a kitchen.

Guests staying at the hotel will be in the hands of Chief Concierge Arturo Ortiz ([email protected]; 011-52-5552-28-1824). We hear that Ortiz can craft any personalized experience, from consulting with art curators to buy Mexican art, to private tours to exhibitions in season, market visits with Chef Maycoll Calderon, and more.

Tip: We highly recommend booking a market tour and cooking class with Chef Calderon. We visited Mercado San Juan, a food market that sells everything from fresh fruit and produce to grasshoppers, goats, fish and pork. This is a truly authentic experience. Travelers wind their way through brightly colored stalls to see local farmers and fishermen hawking their wares to chefs and locals. Note: This may not be the market for vegetarians or the squeamish, as butchers clean and chop meat right in front of your eyes.

Upon returning from the market, Chef Calderon led us into the kitchen of J&G Grill, where he taught us how to make a variety of vinaigrettes and his signature avocado pizza.

Chef Calderon can arrange for a special tasting table at J&G Grill. Highlights include his twist on salmon and tuna sushi, mushroom pizza, steak with caramelized carrots and a decadent corn cake topped with Mezcal ice cream.

For a truly intimate dining experience, we suggest the new Client’s Kitchen, a specialty of the hotel’s Decanter Room restaurant. The new guest-curated menu concept is designed to challenge Executive Chef Guy Santoro’s curiosity. Chef Santoro customizes a five-course dinner in the Decanter Room, resulting in a tasting menu based on guests’ favorite dishes or preferred tastes. For reservations, reach out to Oscar Nicanor ([email protected]; 011-52-5552-18-188).

Be sure to retreat to the Remede Spa for a signature treatment. We suggest a treatment designed to fight skin dehydration. Refresh your skin with a thermal mint water spray, followed by a body mask made out of Chaya. The spa at the St. Regis has seven treatment rooms, which consist of five individual cabins, one Vichy shower room and one couples’ room. Reach out to Alejandra Ochoa, spa manager, for bookings ([email protected]; 011-52-5552-28-1865).

On the Town

A trip to Mexico City is incomplete without a visit to Pujol, which is heralded as the number one restaurant in Mexico. The intimate Pujol is in the upscale Polanco neighborhood. Diners are treated to an eight-course tasting menu which changes regularly based on what is in season. It is best to make reservations months in advance as the tiny restaurant fills up quickly. This is also a two-and-a-half-hour affair, so make sure you carve out plenty of time to savor every morsel.

The Grand Deluxe Room offers 360-degree views and has 538 square feet of space.Pictured: The Grand Deluxe Room offers 360-degree views and has 538 square feet of space.

Continue your trip the next day with a visit to Mexico’s cultural downtown. Here you will find dozens of museums. Explore the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which is Mexico City’s fine art museum. On the second and third floors of the lobby you will find stunning murals that depict important moments in Mexico’s early 20th-century history. The museum is currently celebrating its 80th year.

From the museum, wind your way through the streets over to the Zocalo, the main plaza in the heart of the city’s historic center. It is bordered by the Cathedral to the north, the National Palace to the east, the Federal District buildings to the south and the Old Portal de Mercaderes to the west. Just outside the Zocalo is the Templo Mayor complex, an ancient Aztec pyramid site that was discovered just beneath the pavement of the Zocalo. For the best views, visit the Porrua library. There is a rooftop café here that overlooks the Templo Mayor site, giving guests a bird’s-eye view of the discovery and the rooftops of Spanish architecture. Indulge in a serving of guacamole and a frosty Michelada.