Condesa DF

Tucked away on a tree-lined avenue in Mexico City’s cool Condesa neighborhood, the new CONDESA df Hotel imaginatively fuses the name and spirit of its environment with designer India Mahdavi’s inventive and playful simplicity.

Hip without being haughty, Mahdavi’sdesign offers functional originality from rooms to rooftop, incorporating a range of local materials in elements including custom-made furniture and stone tile flooring.

The CONDESA df’s ground-floor restaurant exemplifies this ideal, with its indoor/outdoor feel flowing through a series of privacy-optional rooms, ringing a vivid, flora-filled courtyard. The guestrooms, located above this area, are equally magnetic. With a slick back to basics ethic, the hotel is imbued with Mahdavi’s whimsical interpretations of modernity. Visit the relaxed rooftop; rife with opportunities for repose on communal sofas, in the therme or the hammam. Check out the basement bar, and feel the energy of CONDESA df; a must stop for style travellers.

More about this hotel

Facilities

Recreation

• Rooftop Terrace
• Heavenly Hammam & Therme
• Energy Room
• Gift Shop

Meetings and Events

• Conference room for 8 people
• Business center with PC for guests
• High speed internet access from rooms
• Wireless service in all public spaces

Accommodation

Condesa DF Hotel’s 40 accommodations are available in four room categories:
The no-doubt-about-it small Balcony Room, with a spacious bathroom and a view of leafy Avenida Veracruz, where vendors appear in the early morning hawking hot bread
The much larger Balcony Suite, with a sitting area complete with fashion magazines and tourism guides
The Patio Room, with a deck facing the hotel’s buzzy inner atrium
The elegant Terrace Suite, Condesa DF’s best accommodations
Condesa DF hotel was renovated by Mexican architect Javier Sanchez and decorated by Paris-based India Mahdavi. Rooms are minimalist in style. They are primarily white: white curtains, white walls, white leather sofa, white tile floor, cream-colored wool blankets from Oaxaca, and white bedding. Accents are in forest shades of green and brown. The floor is hardwood, with fluffy white scatter rugs. The overall effect is organic and uncluttered.

Beds are firm and comfortable, with a white headboard. Windows can be opened. Balcony rooms have views of Avenida Guadalajara or Avenida Veracruz; rooms overlooking Veracruz see more of beautiful Parque España.

A hallway foyer features a closet, minibar, and safe. The safe is unique in that it is locked and unlocked by swiping your credit card. There are clothing drawers below the safe.

Rooms have a desk counter built into a wall nook, paired with a stylish brown leather chair. A wall-mounted flatscreen TV features many English-language channels such as HBO and CNN International. An iPod mounted beside the bed is fully loaded with music. The TV remote commands the iPod and other room functions.

Condesa DF hotel bathrooms are roomy, with his-and-hers pedestal sinks, deep bathtubs, and a rainfall shower. Bathroom walls are handsomely done with green-on-white mosaic tiles. Toiletries are by the high-end Malin + Goetz label from NYC. A plush cotton robe awaits in the closet.

Condesa DF Hotel rooms proffer a complimentary basket of Mexican fruits. A large bottle of Aguascalientes de Piedra Mexican mineral water is replenished free of charge by housekeeping in the morning or during nightly turndown service. (Most foreigners avoid drinking Mexico City’s tap water.)

Wifi is free, but the signal is stronger in Condesa DF’s lobby. Room power flows when you plug the metal rod on your room key into the master switch. This means that you cannot charge your cell phone, iPad, or other device while you’re out of the room. It’s a minor inconvenience.

Gastronomy & Bar

Condesa DF Hotel’s dining and drinking venues are high-quality and popular. This happy fact makes Condesa DF Hotel a fine choice for Mexico City visitors who appreciate having only to go downstairs for good drinks, a good meal, and a good time.

Condesa DF Hotel offers a three-meal restaurant called El Patio. It is set in a pleasant, greenhouse-like atrium on the lobby floor. The restaurant serves traditional Mexican fare for lunch and dinner. Fried tortilla chilaquiles and chile Poblano soup are especially good. Sushi is also served.

Many guests take advantage of the restaurant’s stellar breakfast buffet that is included with Condesa DF Hotel rooms. Outstanding choices: delicious, warm muffins; smoked salmon; and made-to-order quesadillas. The house-made granola is chock full of hazelnuts, blueberries, coconut, and almonds. (It’s so sensational, I bought two bags to bring home.)

Condesa DF Hotel’s penthouse terrace is a social beehive open till the wee hours. It offers Mexico City views, expert margaritas, and edamame. Yes; the hotel’s executive chef is Keisuke Harada, who has a way with seafood. Try his sushi, sashimi, and ceviche…plus his not-so-Japanese shrimp tacos and fried calamari.

Condesa DF Hotel’s alluring, atmospherically lit basement bar is a perch for nightowls who can hoot till 4 A.M. The bar has an impressive selection of tequila and mezcal, and can introduce you to Mexican Chardonnay from Baja California, if you’re brave enough.