Mexico City Is Getting a Gorgeous New Boutique Hotel — and It's in a Restored 1940s Mansion
Courtesy of Casa Polanco
Walking through the ornate iron door at Casa Polanco, Mexico City's intimate new boutique hotel opening June 1, guests are welcomed into a stunning lobby of green marble floors meant to extend the lush, verdant colors of Parque Lincoln just outside. Intricately laid, the veins of the rare, Irish green-colored marble were carefully matched and seamlessly woven up the entryway's U-shaped staircase. Acting as a visual treat, it's just one fine detail guests will begin to notice during a stay at the design-driven casa.
Housed in a dignified and meticulously restored 1940s neocolonial mansion in Mexico City's Polanco neighborhood, the staircase's marble patterns draw the eye up to a curved balcony with original iron railings overlooking the spaces below. Gazing from this vantage point and surrounded by art and other objects — which includes Alfonso Marina furniture and creations by industrial designer Raúl de la Cerda — Casa Polanco begins to feel like the private villa of your worldliest, most cosmopolitan friend.
Courtesy of Casa Polanco
On the interior veranda, which was previously the garden and is now a focal point of the 19-room property, guests congregate throughout the day. Outfitted with banquettes, tables, and other cozy nooks and surrounded by trees and vibrant plants, the beauty of the room transforms and casts new shadows as sunlight changes from the early morning hours to twilight. Here, the exquisite marble from the lobby floors carries through to a long, eye-catching credenza, which acts as a buffet for morning breakfasts, afternoon tea, or evening cocktails. Behind it, a floor-to-ceiling wall filled with beveled glass reflects the villa's dramatic entryway.
Guests at Casa Polanco can book a variety of spacious guest suites that speak to their personality, seven of which are located in the restored mansion and feature intricately patterned plaster ceiling ornaments and crown moldings, coffered ceilings, and large iron doors and windows. Some lead out to the front garden, while others have their own private terraces overlooking the public park or interior gardens.
Courtesy of Casa Polanco
Enveloping the mansion, architects Gantous Arquitectos constructed a new building connected through a corridor of glass and wood, where rooms outfitted by mother-daughter interior design duo Casa M M carry over a contemporary, fuss-free elegance, and seamlessly juxtapose historic and modern elements.
The rooms themselves vary in size, shape, and furnishings, but many include custom and handmade furniture in classic and retro styles, as well as herringbone upholstered bed frames, throw pillows, and bedroom benches. A mixture of glass, wood detailing, and decorative objects from the 1930s, '40s, '50s, and '60s sourced from antique shops help round out the furnishings, as do books of every size and topic.
Full-slab Venatino, a type of Carrara marble, enriches each of the bathrooms, as do bath amenities which include luxe hand and body towels from The Madison Collection, handmade marjoram herb soaps and Xinú bath products, comfy Arus terry cotton slippers, and — because the devil is in the details — even an elaborately printed, incredibly soft three-ply toilet paper.
An eye-opener tray of coffee or tea appears each morning just outside the room, with treats like almond shortbreads and mini pain au chocolat. It's just one of the small touches of service guests can expect at Casa Polanco, which is privately owned but operated by Hamak Hotels, known for celebrated properties across Latin America.
Courtesy of Casa Polanco
Post-cafecito, guests can start their day with chef Martha Brockmann's four-flower juice, a simple blend of banana, pineapple, orange, and oat milk. The chef, who's already made a name for herself in Mexico City and studied under Julia Child, is overseeing a morning menu that includes huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, as well as variations on French toast and pancakes. On days when Casa Polanco has them, the out-of-this-world Anushka pastries, brought in from Once Panaderia, are a sinfully delicious and equally filling start to the day.
An around-the-clock menu of comfort foods, including BLT sandwiches and a mouth-watering creamy lemon linguine, is available, but because Casa Polanco is near some of Mexico City's finest restaurants, they've launched a unique concept à la Uber Eats or Caviar. Working directly with local restaurants, many of which are difficult to secure reservations at, their concierge team can arrange to have a private meal delivered and plated to enjoy anywhere around the property. One prime location for an alfresco meal is Casa Polanco's front garden, where Japanese guava, fig trees, and agapanto — flowers ubiquitous in posh Polanco — are planted and comfortable patio furniture is positioned for relaxing.
As guests sit in the garden, the large, lush trees lining the perimeter of Mexico City's most exclusive park almost touch the gates of this urban oasis, further drawing visitors outside into the neighborhood. Akin to the Upper East Side or Beverly Hills, the surrounding area of Polanco is one of Mexico City's well-heeled neighborhoods, and steps into the park, guests find refined options for dining, boutique and luxury shopping, and lively coffee and pastry shops.
Courtesy of Casa Polanco
After a day of perusing Polanco's many art galleries, guests can return to Casa Polanco to admire its own enviable art collection. The walls of the lobby alone are filled with an impressive five prints from acclaimed Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide, who is known for photographing Indigenous women in Mexico. A new piece of art delights everywhere you look at this hotel, with permanent pieces (some pulled from owner Octavio Aguilar's personal collection) on display around common areas and within each suite.
The room located just off the entryway is filled with other art, tchotchkes, and literary works; and while each guest already receives a complimentary bottle of Casa Dragones tequila in their room, more spirits are available here at the honor bar for those in need of a nightcap.
A small fitness room is perched on the top level of Casa Polanco, outfitted with Technogym equipment, and an outdoor patio connects the gym with a secluded massage room, filled with floor-to-ceiling windows and a sliding glass door. After a massage, Casa Polanco's intimate environment encourages a relaxing walk around the property in a bathrobe — you're meant to feel at home, after all.
Casa Polanco opens June 1, 2022, with rates from $558 a night.
