Walking into Mexico City's Casona Roma Norte is like entering an eclectic art gallery.
Carefully curated framed photos, artworks, ceramics and coffee-table books, artfully arranged on a long serpentine table and on spotlit display shelves, set the tone for this sophisticated boutique hotel in the Roma Norte neighborhood, which opened late last year. Indeed, the abundance of modern Mexican art, mostly by female artists, defines the four-story property, where it also lines the lodging corridors and adorns each of the 32 rooms.
Built in 1923, the grand mansion, or casona, is a protected historical building, down to its signature exterior pink color. Showcasing belle epoque and art nouveau styles, the carefully renovated hotel seamlessly blends historical elegance with minimalist modern design. Original marble floors and high ceilings counterpoint the stylish contemporary furnishings in light neutral colors.
Casona Roma Norte is the latest addition to Mexico's Hamak Hotels collection, whose luxury properties express a strong sense of place. It offers an intimate, neighborhood-focused experience for travelers seeking an alternative to the city's large, international brand-name hotels. And it arrives at a time of greater demand for unique stays at smaller properties.
The lobby at the Casona Roma Norte. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casona Roma Norte
Location, location, location
Tucked into the residential Colonia Roma -- immortalized in Alfonso Cuaron's Oscar-winning 2018 film, "Roma" -- the hotel is a perfect reflection of its artsy locale.
This is the hipster heart of Mexico City, as a stroll through Roma and adjacent neighborhoods Condesa and Juarez reveals. Fashion-forward boutiques, like the museum-worthy Carla Fernandez, and trendy restaurants (don't miss seafood-centric Michelin-listed Contramar) vie for attention with chic galleries and cafes; hip pubs, like the agave-celebrating Rayo (listed in William Reed's World's 50 Best Bars); and a gorgeous custom perfumery called Xinu. It's no wonder I saw a fashion promo being shot in front of the hotel while there.
Lush greenery and mature trees, including ficus, jacaranda, rubber and eucalyptus, festoon the lively streets and plazas, which are full of people at all hours. And French-influenced fin de siecle architecture with ornate flourishes still imparts a throwback European feel. But this vibrant cultural hub comes by its boho vibe honestly: It was the refuge for Beat poets Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, who lived there in the 1950s.
Guestrooms feature Mexican design touches like Oaxacan throw rugs and landscape photos. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casona Roma Norte
A stylish night's sleep
Mexican design touches form a leitmotif throughout the spare, modern rooms: colorful Oaxacan throw rugs, landscape photos by renowned Mexican photographer Santiago Arau on the walls and a lavish coffee-table book about Mexican culture on the nightstand.
The 32 pet-friendly rooms, eight with Juliet balconies, come in seven categories with slightly different layouts. But all have light-colored wood floors and soaring white brick ceilings that lend them a spacious feel. Picture-frame wall moldings preserve the period aesthetic, while electronically rotating artwork nicely camouflages the flat-screen TV. Thanks to the refurbishment, the heavily sound-proofed floor-to-ceiling windows block the street noise below.
A tiny closet contains a minibar and safe, and a desk holds a Nespresso machine with coffee accoutrements and four Le Prove bottled snacks: mixed nuts and raisins, sweet potato chips, dark chocolate-covered coffee beans and -- this being Mexico -- chili-spiced pistachios. Delivery of a sweet treat under glass is part of the nightly turn-down service.
Bathrooms are a vision in white marble accented with gold fixtures and custom-made toiletries. Alas, form trumps function in the limited shelf space and poor lighting over the sink.
A dish at the hotel's Suchi Nipona & Sinaloa Cuisine, a fusion restaurant that showcases Japanese and Sinaloa traditions, even in artwork that depicts sumo wrestling and Mexico's lucha libre. Photo Credit: Veronica Stoddart
Eat, drink and be merry
Gastronomy takes center stage at Casona. For such a small property, it stands out with six distinctive food and beverage venues conceived by celebrity chef Aquiles Chavez and restaurateur and author Claudio Poblete.
You can start your day with a decadent breakfast pastry (or end it with delectable dessert) at La Macaria Matcha Tea Room, a delightful Japanese tearoom-cum-Mexican bakery from French-trained pastry chef Macarena Laris and her business partner, Elena Lopez, both from Michoacan state. "We like to push each other and put our signature on dishes," said Lopez, pointing out their macadamia praline latte, a heavenly brew with crunchy nut tidbits. The caramel- and toffee-drizzled banana bread and matcha roll cake are their top sellers.
For a la carte breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner, the casual Aquiles, right off the lobby, serves seasonal comfort food with Mexican touches. A four-story-high mural of a succulent plant reaches toward the atrium's massive skylights, which can be opened during good weather.
A session at the hotel's Akamba agave distillates tasting room. Photo Credit: Veronica Stoddart
When evening rolls around, consider an agave experience at Akamba, a cozy, cave-like tasting room. There, agave concierge Leslie Hernandez guides small groups through the nuanced flavors and origins of some of the 50 national distillates and mezcals that line the walls. "Agave is about the story behind the plant," she told us. "Every spirit has its own story."
But the real superstar is Suchi Nipona & Sinaloa Cuisine. A fusion of Japanese and Sinaloan flavors, the restaurant showcases the best of both traditions, down to the artwork of sumo wrestling and Mexico's lucha libre. I watched the sushi masters artfully craft classic Japanese dishes, which arrived at the table in exquisite presentations (blossom-shaped sashimi, anyone?) along with Mexico's only artisanal sake. Ingredients like avocado, squash, plantain, Oaxacan cheese and chipotle mayo add a distinctly Mexican twist to the Asian specialties.
Two roof-level venues still under development will open in early 2025. The Holden Roof Terrace, a large open-air space with a circular bar, dining tables and panoramic views, will specialize in flame-grilled dishes. The Mirror, a dark, mirror-lined speakeasy-style bar, will offer inventive cocktails in a swanky setting.
The hotel's small gym offers a Nordic ski machine, treadmill, stationary bike, weights, dumbbells and yoga mats. Photo Credit: Veronica Stoddart
Let's get physical
Looking to relax and de-stress after a busy day of sightseeing? A small wellness center offers a range of treatments, including facials, three types of massage and an exfoliation body detox. Its signature treatment, called Time Zone Reset, promises to relieve fatigue after a long trip via acupressure, lymphatic drainage, reflexology and a gentle massage.
Want to kick-start your day? The small gym features a Nordic ski machine, treadmill, stationary bike, weights, dumbbells and yoga mats. Natural light pours in via an all-glass wall offering views of the hotel's terrace (for yoga classes) and city skyscrapers beyond.
CORRECTION: The name of agave concierge Leslie Hernandez was misspelled in an earlier version of this story.