When in Mexico City Stay in a Charming Colonial Style Hotel Near Centro Historico
I’ve stayed at a lot of hotels and Airbnb’s when I have visited Mexico City, and I have a ton of places I have on my list to check out, but I keep going back to Hotel Isabel. It’s something a little out of the ordinary and truly unique. I love this hotel for many reasons, the location, the balcony view, and the beautiful central courtyard. It’s a wonderful place to go to experience something different- a stay at Hotel Isabel is so far from the experience of staying at a famous chain hotel. It’s retro, it’s beautiful, and it’s authentic.
In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite sections of the hotel and a few tips on how to book the best room with a view if you ever plan on visiting Mexico City and staying at Hotel Isabel!
The Room
We always ask for a two-bedroom no matter what hotel we are staying at. But when you stay at Hotel Isabel, I would recommend asking for two beds so you can have some space to be comfortable. The building is old, and the walls are pretty thin so if you’re going with a group keep in mind that you’ll have to keep the noise down. The photos listed below are from room 204. This is the room we stayed in this last time we were visiting and we loved it! Check out the awesome, pared-back furniture and the gorgeous natural light.
It’s worth noting that the balcony is right by the main street, so do expect some street noise most of the time- it’s all part of the experience!
The Lobby
The staff is extremely helpful! If you have any questions or requests you can totally ask! One time our favorite room wasn’t available, so we asked them to change us to a different room every day. I know that seems hectic, but they were super nice about it and totally understood why we loved that room so much. You too can see why we loved it, the retro orange tones and beautiful windows always make our experience of this charming hotel unforgettable. (More info on the room towards the end of the post).
A few things the hotel offers:
Hotel Isabel offers a 24-hour reception and free Wi-Fi.
The hotel has a restaurant and a bar.
The hotel does have a couple of desktops you can use if needed.
Luggage storage and a laundry service are offered.
There is a tour desk and an airport shuttle service is available for an extra charge.
Room service is available and packed lunches can be requested.
The Location
I love the location of this retro hotel. It’s walking distance to a lot of the popular landmarks and if you’re visiting during a holiday or an event going on, there will be plenty of things going on around the area that you can easily walk to. You can guarantee that you’ll always be immersed in the culture and experience of the area whenever you stay at Hotel Isabel.
Closest Landmarks:
Zocalo Square 0.3 miles
Latin American Tower 0.4 miles
Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City 0.4 miles
Mirador Torre Latino 0.4 miles
San Juan Market 0.4 miles
Palacio de Correos 0.4 miles
Here are some tips I would highly recommend if you ever plan on staying at Hotel Isabel.
Ask for a two-bedroom with a balcony, with doors facing the street. It means you get a gorgeous view of the street below, and it’s an excellent opportunity for photos too. Room 204 is great!
Request to stay in a room in the main courtyard. The hotel has other sections that are pretty lonely with no windows. You don’t want one of those rooms. They feel very stuffy, which isn’t what you want when traveling!
Plus, the retro main courtyard is the most beautiful part of the hotel in my opinion. It feels traditional, colorful, and a home away from home. (It’s the blue and orange photo you see on this blog).
Ask for extra pillows and blankets! The blankets are pretty thin and if you like to wrap yourself up like a burrito and not share a blanket then you’ll need more for sure.
Take flip-flops for the shower! The shower has a curtain but the water tends to get all over the bathroom floor (depending on how big your bathroom is but the smaller rooms have small bathrooms) and who wants to be in shoes while they’re in the room? So take some flip-flops you don’t mind getting wet so you can walk in and out of the bathroom with ease.
I wouldn’t consider this hotel to be “luxurious” so keep that in mind if you prefer more high-end hotels. It’s retro at its best- it’s no-frills but is a genuine hotel experience with wonderful, helpful staff. The beds are “okay,” they’re not extremely comfortable but they’ll do the job. Every time we visit, we’re so exhausted by the time we get back to the hotel that we end up crashing hard!
