Where to Stay in Mexico City: 9 Best Neighborhoods & Hotels

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Mexico City is a huge metropolis with tons of great little neighborhoods and boutique hotels. If you’re wondering where to stay in Mexico City, look no further. These are my favorite hotels and Airbnb by neighborhood.

I spent over four years calling Mexico City home. I have explored every inch of the inner city. I know the popular neighborhoods, the up-and-comers, and the hidden gems. 

I have eaten tacos in Mexico City side streets, explored cool Mexico City hotels, and done my best to get off the beaten path wherever I can so that I can share the best of those places with you.

I’ve even written an entire guidebook about Mexico City. 

This guide to the best neighborhoods in Mexico City will explain all of the best places to stay in CDMX, why you might love it, and offer hotel and Airbnb recommendations to make sure you find the best places available in each neighborhood.

Where to Stay in Mexico City

1. Centro Historico

The Centro Historico is the absolute center of the city. If you want to be surrounded by history, stunning architecture, and tons of great Mexican food, this is the perfect place to stay. You’ll be within walking distance of the Zocalo, or the main square, as well as the Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Art.

The Centro Historico is the original center of the city that dates all the way back to the Aztecs. The location of the Zocalo or main square is exactly where the Aztecs built their city center. The location of the National Palace where the Mexican government now sits is also where the Aztecs and the Spanish built their governmental buildings.

The Centro Historico is home to great street food, wonderful museums, and a whole lot of chaos. If you are only spending a few days in Mexico City, I highly recommend using this Mexico City neighborhood as your base.

If you don’t want to be constantly surrounded by crowds, you are traveling solo as a woman, or you want to be closer to good nightlife and higher-end restaurants, then this is not the best neighborhood in Mexico City for you. 

However, this is the best option if you want to be able to walk to all of the big historical sites in the city, you are looking to stay in a budget hostel (the best are all located in this neighborhood), or you love the chaos and grit of big cities. 

• Mexico City Hostel: One of the top-rated hostels in the entire city. If you are backpacking Mexico, then you should book a bunk at this hostel. You’ll meet tons of other travelers and you’ll be in a great location for exploring lots of free things to do in Mexico City. Beds start at $20 USD per night. Book a stay at Mexico City Hostel here.
• Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico: The Gran Hotel is where to stay if you want utter decadence. From the moment you walk in, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time to a much more glamorous decade. The rooms are just as stunning as the lobby and the hotel does everything they can to ensure you have the best possible experience. Book a stay at the Gran Hotel here.
• Historico Central Boutique Hotel: Located in one of my favorite parts of the Centro Historico, close to the pedestrian street Calle Madero and Loncheria La Rambla (home to the best sandwich in Mexico City). This hotel is in a stunning historical building but has modern amenities and decor. Rooms start at $128 per night. Book a stay at Historico Central Boutique Hotel here.

2. Condesa

This is perhaps one of the most popular neighborhoods for tourists in Mexico City, and for good reason. The neighborhood is colorful and safe, there is a ton of green space, and it is home to some of the city’s best restaurants, bars, and cafes.

Condesa is one of the most residential neighborhoods in Mexico City, so if you’re looking for a place with local cafes, cute restaurants, and a mostly quiet leafy place to sleep, this is a great option for you.

Condesa is not the best neighborhood in Mexico City for you if you don’t want to be surrounded by lots of other foreigners or you are are a budget. Condesa is one of the most expensive neighborhoods to stay in Mexico City. It is also home to a large contingent of expats and is a very popular spot for tourists to stay. 

Condesa is certainly one of the safest neighborhoods in Mexico City. So if you are traveling solo or you are traveling with your family, then Condesa is a great option for where to stay in Mexico City.

Read: What to Do in Condesa

• Condesa Haus: If you’re looking for a great boutique hotel in Condesa, I highly recommend Condesa Haus. The hotel is located down a quiet side street. It is literally the quietest hotel I’ve ever stayed in Mexico City. It’s not just in a great location though, the hotel itself is stunningly restored, the architecture is gorgeous (make sure to check out those tiles and arches!) and the decor is minimalist and chic. Also, the beds are the biggest I’ve ever seen in my life and the breakfast, which is included in your stay, is delicious. Check out my full review of Condesa Haus here or book a stay directly here.

• Red Tree House: I’ve tried to stay here in the past, but it’s almost always booked out several months in advance. It’s because it is consistently rated as one of the best bed and breakfast spots in Mexico City. It’s near several great cafes and a short walk to the metro. Book the Red Tree House here.

• Condesa Apartment: My parents stayed at this Airbnb when they visited Mexico City and I fell in love with it. It’s in the perfect location for Condesa. It’s two minutes from Parque Mexico and Calle Amsterdam where you can stroll around and pop into different cafes or bars. It sleeps up to four people, has tons of natural light, and has a nice little balcony, too. Book the Condesa Airbnb apartment here.

3. Roma

This is by far my favorite place to stay in Mexico City. If I could afford an apartment with a balcony here, I would definitely be renting around Alvaro Obregon.

If you want somewhere like Condesa but a little bit cheaper, then Roma is a great place to stay in Mexico City. If you want to stay somewhere residential but that has great nightlife, a bustling art scene, cool street art, great cafes and restaurants, and plenty of amazing street food, then Roma is the best neighborhood in Mexico City for your trip.

Roma has tons of great bars, restaurants, street vendors, and markets. It’s a little bit grungier than Condesa, but has that sort of hipster charm that I am required to love as a millennial (jk, sort of). There are so many great places to stay in Roma and these are my favorites.

• La Palomilla: This is my favorite boutique hotel in Roma. It’s down a little side street, but is one of the most stunningly designed hotels I think I’ve ever been to. There is art in every room, it’s colorful without being over the top, and there are fresh flowers in your room when you check in. It’s within walking distance to both the main street in Roma as well as Condesa. It’s close to the metro and if you enjoy walking, it’s not actually that far from the Centro Historico either. Read my full review of La Palomilla here or make a booking directly here.

• La Valise: This hotel is amazing. It’s totally over-the-top luxury without being over-the-top expensive. There are only three rooms in the hotel and they all have something unique about them. The El Patio room has, well, a patio. La Luna has a clawfoot bathtub and a living room to relax in. It all culminates with La Terraza, the top-floor room that has a terrace. The bed in the room actually slides out onto the terrace so that you can lay out beneath the stars. How magical is that? Book a stay a La Valise here.

• Roma Loft Apartment: This Airbnb is in a great location near the main street, Alvaro Obregon. It is beautifully furnished and has plenty of space for a single person or a couple. Book the Roma Airbnb apartment here.

4. Polanco

This is the ritzy neighborhood of Mexico City.

There are a lot of fantastic galleries and museums here. It’s also home to some of the top-rated restaurants in the entire country. If you want to stay near Mexico City’s Fifth Avenue, which is called Avenida Presidente Masaryk, then book one of these upscale hotels or Airbnb spots.

Polanco is the place to stay if you want total luxury in downtown Mexico City. There are, of course, more expensive neighborhoods in Mexico City, but they are a bit further out and much more residential. Polanco is the hub for inner-city luxury with great boutique hotels, spas, rooftop pools, 5-star restaurants, and high-end shopping.

If you want to splurge on your trip to Mexico City, be in a safe neighborhood, and be close to green spaces like Chapultepec Park, then Polanco is a great option for places to stay in Mexico City. While Polanco is ritzy and more expensive than other places in Mexico City, it is quite a bit more affordable than the same level of service would cost elsewhere in the world. 

• Busue Boutique Hotel: This is a great little boutique hotel that lacks a lot of the pretension that you can find in other hotels here in Polanco. It’s chic and stylish without making you feel like you can’t sit down on the furniture. I love all of the distressed wood detailing in each of the rooms and it’s well-located to explore Polanco and also grab an Uber to the rest of the city. Book a room at Busue here.

• Polanco Lux Apartment: This apartment is in a perfect location and in my opinion, is one of the best possible deals in all of Polanco. It’s spacious, beautifully furnished, has a stunning rooftop, and is run by one of my favorite apartment companies in the city, ULIV. So you know you’re getting quality service alongside a stunning apartment. If you want to stay around this area without spending a fortune, this is definitely the place to stay. Book the Polanco Airbnb apartment here.

5. Coyoacan

If you’ve been to Mexico City before or you just want to see a different side of the city, Coyoacan is a fantastic neighborhood and one of the best places to stay in Mexico City.

It’s not one of the most central locations. It costs roughly 130-150 pesos to get to and from Coyoacan from the city center with an Uber (or about 35 minutes on the metro), but it is such a fantastic part of the city. It still retains a lot of the colonial architecture and has some of the best street food spots in the entire city.

If you want to be somewhere away from the tourist destinations of Condesa and Roma, then Coyoacan is a fantastic place to stay in Mexico City. If you want to feel like you aren’t in the center of one of the biggest cities in the world, then Coyoacan is definitely for you.

Coyoacan has big tourist attractions like the Frida Kahlo Museum as well as some of the best markets in Mexico City. But it also has quiet leafy streets, the best tostadas in all of Mexico (as decided by me), and tons of fantastic hotels to enjoy. If you don’t mind traveling by Uber or Mexico City metro to get to other parts of the city, then this is a good base for exploring the city.

Read: What to Do in Coyoacan

• Casa Jacinta: This boutique hotel is in the perfect location in Coyoacan. It’s within walking distance of the metro, the Frida Kahlo Museum, and all of the restaurants in the historical area of Coyoacan. The rooms are reasonably priced, just over $100 a night, and it includes a cooked breakfast each morning. Book your stay at Casa Jacinta here.
• Casa Tamayo: This is a wonderful hotel, perhaps one of the best boutique hotels in Mexico City. It feels like a homey B&B with clean and comfortable rooms, a beautiful living space that you can enjoy with other guests, and some of the best breakfast options. Rooms start at $85 per night. Book a stay at Casa Tamayo here.
• Coyoacan Airbnb Apartment: For a slightly more budget option, check out this Airbnb apartment in the historic center of Coyoacan. The apartment is absolutely stunning with relaxing boho decor and a huge patio that opens out from the main area of the apartment. It’s a great option if you want to stay long-term or self-cater while you’re visiting Mexico City. Book the Coyoacan Airbnb apartment here.

6. Juarez

In recent years, Juarez has become one of the best places to stay in Mexico City. Its popularity began to grow when in 2019, Time Out Magazine named it one of the coolest neighborhoods in Mexico City.

Many of us knew it already, but the secret is definitely out. Located between Centro Historico and Roma, Juarez is such a great neighborhood in Mexico City because it is so well located.

You can have a budget hotel or apartment in Juarez, then easily walk to the historical sites of Centro Historico or the cool bars and restaurants in Roma. 

Juarez is also coming into its own as a destination in its own right. People come out of their way to dine at places like Juana Juana or have craft cocktails at Cicatriz. My absolute favorite tacos in Mexico City are located in Juarez.

If you want to stay somewhere that is still up and coming, you don’t mind a bit of a grungy neighborhood, and you love great food, Juarez is one of the best places to stay in Mexico City.

Juarez is home to a small Korean town with great Korean restaurants. It is also where you’ll find Zona Rosa, the LGBTQ bars and clubs in Mexico City.

There are still streets in Juarez that you don’t want to find yourself on at night. Be sure to grab an Uber and follow all of the usual safety in Mexico City tips to avoid finding yourself on one of them.

• Hotel Galería Plaza Reforma: This is a nice hotel option in Juarez. If you want some great amenities like a rooftop pool and clean and comfortable rooms, this is a fantastic budget option. You can snag a room here for as little as $50 per night. Book a stay at Hotel Galería Plaza Reforma here.
• Hotel Geneve Mexico: This is the best option if you want to be close to all of the best bars and clubs in Mexico City. Just around the corner from Zona Rosa, but away from it enough that you will get a quiet night’s sleep. Rooms start at $70 per night. Book a stay at Hotel Geneve here.
• Penthouse: This Juarez apartment is ideal for those who want to self-cater, don’t want to spend a ton on an apartment, but still want to be at the center of all this action. You can rent this apartment for as little as $60 per night. Book a stay at this Juarez penthouse here.

7. Escandon

Escandon is essentially Condesa but without the price tag.

Located just south of Condesa and slightly west of Roma, this neighborhood was once a place where older Mexican families lived. As Condesa has grown in popularity, the rent prices have begun to increase in this little inner-city neighborhood. 

New-wave coffee shops and stylish bars are starting to crop up, but Escandon has retained some of the old neighborhood vibes that still make you feel like you are living in a community rather than in the capital.

You can find a fantastic indoor produce market, small locally run butchers, and laterias that sell anything from cheese and milk to candy bars and tortillas. 

If you want to be close to the action of Condesa and Roma, but you don’t want to spend as much, there are some fantastic Airbnb options in Escandon. Hotels have started to crop up and the ones that are surfacing are cool and stylish.

• Kahlo MaiaHome: This apartment is located right in the heart of Escandon. This is ideal for families who want enough beds for everyone or for friends who don’t mind sharing rooms and want to explore Mexico City on a budget. It has two bedrooms and four beds between them. There is a nice big dining area and free parking included. The apartment starts at a bargain $60 per night. Book a stay at Kahlo MaiaHome here.
• Kali Escandon Hotel: This hotel is a gorgeous hotel that if it were a few blocks further north would be double the price. But in Escandon, you can enjoy a bit of luxury for as little as $80 per night. Book a stay at Kali Hotel here.
• Hotel Marti: A 3-star hotel located in the center of Escandon close to shops and within a 10-minute walk of Condesa. Rooms are stylish and comfortable and there is 24-hour security. Rooms start at $30 a night for a double room. Book a stay at Hotel Marti here.

8. Narvarte

Narvarte is another amazing place to stay in Mexico City if you are looking to get away from the tourists, get great value for money, and be surrounded by some of the best food in Mexico City.

Like Juarez, Narvarte was a neighborhood in Mexico City that was chosen as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world by Time Out Magazine (in 2021 this time).

If you love craft beer, and street food that packs a punch, and you don’t mind having to hop on the Metrobus or in an Uber to get to some of the more popular tourist destinations, then Narvarte is one of the best places to stay in Mexico City.

Narvarte is where you’ll find Mexico City’s most famous taco spot, El Vilsito. If you have ever watched a taco show about Mexico City, you’ll no doubt have seen the stand that during the day is a car mechanic and transforms after dark into the best spot for pastor tacos.

If you want to be in a more local neighborhood, want to practice your Spanish, and want a great deal on hotels and apartments, this is a fantastic neighborhood in Mexico City that isn’t too far from the more central neighborhoods.

• Narvarte Park: Just on the edge of Narvarte, only a few blocks from Roma Sur, is this cute apartment. It has a balcony, a full kitchen, a washing machine, two bedrooms, and sleeps up to six people comfortably. The apartment starts at $66 per night (with a 3-night minimum). Book a stay at Narvarte Park here.
• Depto. CDMX: This apartment (or departamento in Spanish as the name refers to), is a cute apartment that has 3 bedrooms, a washing machine, a full kitchen, and fast wifi, and is in a fantastic location for exploring both Narvarte and easily connecting to other parts of the city. The apartment starts at $59 per night. Book a stay at Depto. CDMX here.
• Colibrí B&B: A cute and very budget-friendly B&B in the heart of Narvarte. If you want to support a local small business and get to know the people of this city more, this is an absolute gem of a place to stay. The rooms are a bargain at only $35 per night. Book a stay at Colibrí here.

9. Santa Maria La Ribera

Another smaller, more local neighborhood in Mexico City that would make a great place to stay is Santa Maria La Ribera.

This is a really wonderful old-school neighborhood where you feel more like you’re somewhere like Barra de Navidad or some other small Mexican town. Instead, you are only a few blocks from the city’s largest thoroughfare, Paseo de la Reforma.

Some of the reasons that Santa Maria la Ribera is one of the best places to stay in Mexico City is because it is incredibly central while also being quiet and very under-touristed compared to other neighborhoods in the city.

The main reason people come to this neighborhood is for the colorful Kiosko Morisco that is located at the park in the center of the neighborhood. Built as the Mexico Pavilion at the 1884 World’s Fair in New Orleans, it is now located inside Alameda Park.

But the neighborhood also has several fantastic small restaurants that offer cheap, home-cooked-style Mexican food. You can walk to the Centro Historico or to the nearby Biblioteca Vasconcelos, the largest library in the city.

If you don’t speak much Spanish and would prefer to be somewhere closer to the action, then this is not the best place to stay in Mexico City for you.

Due to the fact that it is not a popular tourist destination, there aren’t many hotels in the area, but you will find plenty of Airbnb or apartment options. If you are looking to move to Mexico City, you may want to consider this neighborhood for its lower rent prices, wonderful people, and superb central location.

• El Patio 77: This is one of the best hotels in Santa Maria la Ribera if you don’t want to stay in an apartment. It is in a restored 19th-century townhouse and it has been so beautifully decorated. The people who run the B&B couldn’t be nicer. Book a stay at El Patio 77 here.
• Casa de Nina: This cute apartment is right in the center of Santa Maria la Ribera. If you want to self-cater in a cute neighborhood in Mexico City where you can practice your Spanish, eat good food on a budget, and still be able to get everywhere by foot or bus, then this is a great apartment option. Rent for as little as $50 per night. Book a stay at Casa de Nina here.

If you want to read more articles about things to do in Mexico City you’ll love these articles:

• 50 Things to Do in Mexico City
• 10 Free Things to Do in Mexico City
• One-Week Mexico City Itinerary

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