I’m so excited you’re going to visit Mexico City! Your next task is to find the best area to stay in Mexico City. There are 16 Mexico City neighborhoods, each with their own government. I’ve stayed in a few different areas and want to help you decide where to stay in Mexico City. You’ll find a huge range of Mexico City hotels, from budget hostels to luxury high-rise hotels. I’m not going to talk about hostels here because that’s not my style. I work in hospitality so I can get great rates at hotels around the world.

Read my solo travel tips for visiting Mexico City!

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Mexico City Neighborhoods

Mexico City is a huge city with many diverse neighborhoods to choose from. There are so many places to stay in Mexico City, with a fun Mexico City neighborhood for every type of traveler. Here’s a brief rundown of the best places to stay in Mexico City:

• Condesa – in my opinion, a contender for the best area to stay in Mexico City if you want a more local experience and boutique hotels. Keep reading for more of what I loved about Condesa. (Browse Condesa hotels)
• Polanco – Mexico City’s swanky ‘hood, this is perfect for travelers who love global hotel brands, and high-end restaurants, and shopping. (Browse Polanco hotels)
• Roma Norte – like Condesa, Roma has a hip, young vibe perfect for foodie travelers looking for a cultural experience.
• Centro Historico – the historic center of Mexico City is located near many museums, attractions, and government buildings of Mexico City. Lots of street food options, and rooftop bars. (Browse Centro Historico)
• Coyoacan – most famous for the Frida Kahlo museum where she lived with Diego Rivera, this is a fun artistic neighborhood of Mexico City. It’s a bit farther afield for those who have already explored the city center, and there are some fun boutique luxury hotels. (Browse Coyoacan hotels)
• Reforma – If you are a travel hacker like me who loves hotel points, you will find many modern hotel options along Paseo de la Reforma, such as the Hilton, Le Meridien, Sheraton Mexico City, and the newest luxury hotel, St. Regis Mexico City. While it feels more cosmopolitan than other areas of Mexico City, the central location is perfect for exploring. (Browse Reforma hotels)

Finding the Best Places to Stay in Mexico City

I have now stayed in three Mexico City neighborhoods: Polanco, Condesa, and Reforma. My first trip was split between two neighborhoods because I had gift cards, and my second visit was all spent in Reforma. Staying in different Mexico City neighborhoods allowed me to explore each area individually, without spending a lot of time traveling between neighborhoods. (Mexico City traffic is legendary!)

Mexico City Polanco

The Hyatt Regency Mexico City is in the Polanco neighborhood, which I likened to the Gold Coast of Chicago, with several luxury hotels to choose from. The street also has a W Hotel, JW Marriott, and Intercontinental, all lined up against the greenery of Bosque de Chapultepec. (You can see the high-rise hotels just left of the park in the photo above.) A few blocks away is Avenida Presidente Masaryk, offering luxury goods from Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, and plenty of luxury car dealers. Polanco is also where I had a food tour with Mexican Food Tours. My room at the Hyatt was very comfortable, with a king bed and a window overlooking the park.

I felt very safe wandering the Polanco neighborhood, and it was very easy to find my way around. The streets are lined with mansions, lots of parks, and restaurants. You are within walking distance to so many attractions, as well as the Auditorium, which is the starting point of several bus tours.

Two Polanco restaurants that I would recommend are Agua y Sal and Guzina Oaxaca, where I sampled several moles and had sopes (not sopa) for the first time – where has this been my whole life?! I literally look for sopes at every Mexican joint I visit now!

Want to know where to find the best food in Mexico City?

Mexico City Condesa

I read that Condesa is comparable to London’s Notting Hill, or NYC’s East Bay. For a Chicago comparison, it had a Lincoln Park/Bucktown feel, although without the chain stores. The Red Tree House has to be the best boutique hotel in Mexico City!

When I arrived at the Red Tree House, I was given an upgrade from one of the garden rooms to an upstairs suite, which was super nice. As we entered the courtyard, I knew I was going to love this place.

My room was lovely, with a sitting area, dining, and a small kitchen in addition to the bedroom. I could just move right into this little apartment! It even had a resident dog!

Unfortunately, I didn’t have as much time to explore Condesa as one full day was taken up by my trip to Teotihuacan, but the neighborhood had a lot going on in terms of places to drink and dine. I did find the streets a bit more confusing – they were not on a grid as they seemed to be in other neighborhoods, but I was still able to find my way to Maque bakery and back after dark, which felt like a small victory!

Mexico City Reforma

On my second trip to Mexico City, I stayed near Avenue Reforma at the Hilton Mexico City Reforma. Avenue Reforma feels a bit more touristy than Condesa or Polanco, with several global hotel brands, including Le Meridien, Sheraton, and Marriott. As a Hilton employee, I had a great rate that I couldn’t pass up. The hotel sits across the street from Alameda Central, the oldest park in Mexico City. It’s a very lively area, with terrific street food, street musicians, and a night market.

This area has a lot to offer if you like the comforts of home wherever you are – I saw lots of chain restaurants, shopping malls, etc. However, the Hilton is within walking distance of the Zocalo and all of the tourist attractions of Centro Historico. During my stay in Reforma, I only took one Uber. During the rest of my stay, I walked everywhere. If you like night photography as I do, the various monuments along Avenue Reforma are really beautiful when lit up at night. This area has a few new luxury hotels Mexico City like the Ritz Carlton and St. Regis!

Check out my favorite things to do in Mexico City!

Regardless of where you decide to stay in Mexico City, I can’t recommend this destination highly enough! I’m in love and can’t wait to get back. I plan to sample more neighborhoods on each visit, as it’s really nice to go everywhere on foot.