When planning a July trip to Mexico City (aka CDMX) with some dear friends of ours, we had the usual objectives when searching for a hotel: nice accommodations, good service, great location. But because we were traveling with friends, we also looked for a hotel with common areas where we could hang out. The Four Seasons Mexico City checked all of those boxes, but it was the courtyard that really sold us… and it all totally exceeded our expectations once we arrived.

The recently renovated hotel was as beautiful as it was tranquil, especially in the midst of a huge, energetic city. The food and drinks were top notch, and the service was spectacular. Not only is the location of the hotel very safe and nice, it was also quite central for our itinerary. It’s just a block down from Chapultepec Park–one of the largest urban parks in the world–and it’s adjacent to many of the hip neighborhoods of the city, like Roma, Condesa, and Polanco.

Good for:

Couples, families, groups, business travelers

How to get there:

Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) gets direct flights from most major US cities, as well as other international destinations in North America, South America, and Europe.

The airport +/- 45 minutes to city center by car (though can be a lot longer depending on traffic… a lot longer). I’ve honestly never seen traffic so bad in any city, so plan accordingly.

Uber is a readily available, safe, and economical option. Expect an Uber X to cost in the ballpark of $8-$25 from the airport to your CDMX hotel. Uber XL and Uber Black were both available as well.

Best time to go:

The combination of latitude and altitude keep temperatures mild throughout the year, so it’s hard to really go wrong.

Most of the city’s rainfall comes during the rainy season from June to October. Dry season from November to May gets very little rain. July is the wettest month, but it didn’t ruin our trip by any stretch. We had clear mornings for sightseeing and the afternoon/evening showers most days just encouraged us to take siestas (naps!).

Generally speaking, average highs range from 70-80°F and lows from the mid-40s to mid-50s. For us, summertime highs in mid-70s and cool mornings were a lovely break from the heat of the Southeastern US.

Rooms:

The nicely-appointed rooms are large, especially for a city hotel. Our Superior room was the smallest type in the hotel, and it clocked in at over 500 square feet! In addition to the king size bed, we had a long, padded bench, a love seat, and a desk space for extra seating.

The bathroom featured a deep soaking tub, separate shower, water closet, and vanity appointed with L’Occitane toiletries. (The rest of the hotel had a lovely L’Occitane scent as well.)

I love a hotel room with good closet space, and this one had it. It had plenty of bars and hangers for hanging for all of our clothes; it also had a safe, umbrellas for use during our stay, and an iron/ironing board. There was a mini bar with drinks and snacks, as well as a Nespresso machine with complimentary coffee/espresso. Unfortunately we didn’t have an electric kettle for tea in our room, but it was available in the gym everyday. Other nice details included plush robes and slippers, complimentary bottles of water replenished daily, and universal plugs integrated into the desk area.

Nightly turndown service is always a bonus in my book, and the housekeeping staff maintained the high standards that we’ve experienced at other Four Seasons properties in the past–even folding our dirty clothes that we left out.

My favorite part of the room, however, was opening the windows for the crisp morning air and beautiful views of the courtyard.

Restaurants:

Pan Dulce – this lobby restaurant serves as a coffee shop, bakery, and cafe throughout the day. In addition to beautiful pastries, they also had breakfast and lunch items like yogurt parfaits and sandwiches. They offer espresso drinks and tea for those in need of caffeine. The friendly staff provided counter service (great for a grab and go breakfast!) as well as table service in the lobby and courtyard.

Il Becco – an upscale Italian restaurant nestled just off of the lobby. We didn’t eat here, but it looked lovely.

Zanaya – an all day eatery featuring Mexican ingredients and seafood. The covered courtyard seating is beautiful, and the food is vibrant. (We also didn’t eat here, but again, it looked quite nice.)

Fifty Mils – the hotel’s upscale bar with both courtyard seating and interior spaces that look like someone’s gorgeous living room. The craft cocktails were interesting and delicious, and the space–complete with plush couches and a fireplace–was so pleasant to spend time in. I’d definitely recommend Fifty Mils as a destination even for visitors not staying at the Four Seasons.

The hotel also offers in-room dining.

Activities:

The hotel has a lush third floor rooftop space with a pool, jacuzzi, spa, and gym. The outdoor pool and jacuzzi are surrounded with lounge chairs, and the staff offers towel service and a food & drink menu. The spa is small, but guests can book the typical treatments you’d expect of a high end property. The men’s and women’s locker rooms both feature dry saunas that are open to all hotel guests.  The gym overlooking the pool is outfitted with cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, yoga mats, foam rollers, and swiss balls. The staff keeps the machines stocked with fresh towels, as well as a counter with coffee, tea, snacks, bottled water, and chilled scented towels.

The courtyard isn’t an activity in an of itself, but it’s a great place to pass time. The meticulously landscaped space has benches throughout, a hidden outdoor fireplace (with the oft-Instagramed “our little secret” neon sign), and a quatrefoil-shaped fountain in the center. You’ll find exotic birds in an oversized birdcage, as well as plenty of covered and uncovered spaces to have a drink or meal. There are also a variety of shops around the tiled colonnade, including an art gallery and jewelry shop.

The lobby lounge areas were a welcome change from the usual hotel lobby. Instead of one large space, the lobby is broken up into more intimate rooms, three with sofas, coffee tables, and fireplaces, and one with a long conference room setup. The areas are open to anyone, and a nice place to enjoy Pan Dulce treats, do some work, or hang out with friends.

For tours, reservations, and activities outside of the hotel, the concierge staff was spectacular. They were very helpful in setting up and rescheduling things for us. They also offer drivers on call at all times. The cost was slightly more than an Uber, but generally reasonable, and you can bill it to your room if you’d like.

The massive, verdant Chapultepec Park is just a block away from the hotel. In the park, you can rent paddle boats, visit the hilltop Chapultepec Castle (the former president’s residence), peruse a variety of museums and gardens, and run/walk/bike the multitude of trails.

Points + credit cards:

The Four Seasons group does not have a rewards program, however, they often have special offers. We booked the Third Night Free offer, which meant we got our third and sixth nights free.

Why I love it:

Aside from the hotel’s great location in the city, I can’t say enough about the beautiful spaces within the Four Seasons Mexico City. The spacious rooms, the lobby lounge areas, the rooftop pool and gym, and the incredible courtyard come together to create a calm oasis in a buzzing metropolis. All the hotel staff we encountered was friendly and helpful–from housekeeping to the concierge desk, we were consistently very happy with the service. And an added bonus was that the hotel smelled good! It seems like a little thing, but I think we commented on it almost every time we walked in. If and when we return to CDMX, we’ll have no second thoughts about staying at the Four Seasons again.

(We traveled as two couples in July 2018.)