Dispatch From Mexico City

Photo Credit: Four Seasons

It’s no surprise that Mexico City was named the 2018 design capital of the world by The World Design Organization—the first North American city to hold the title. It is the perfect place for a cultural weekend getaway. I recently spent four days exploring the city and fell in love! The people, neighborhoods, architecture, museums, food and historic blend of old-world European charm and contemporary design make it a unique and exciting destination.

Photo Credit: Four Seasons

Our hub for the weekend was, of course, the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City—a perfectly located perch from which to explore the city’s highlights and secret places. The hotel is set around a beautiful and lush inner courtyard. The hacienda-style puts the hectic urban hustle of Mexico’s vibrant capital seemingly on pause. The Four Seasons is situated on the grand boulevard of Paseo de la Reforma, steps from one of the world’s great urban parks, the Bosque de Chapultepec. At twice the size of NY’s Central Park, there’s a zoo, multiple museums, a botanical garden, a recreational lake, monuments to Mexican patriots and international heroes, plenty of photo ops, and even an archaeological site, Montezuma’s Baths. Pay a visit to the street-food stands on Calle Burdeos and Hamburgo just off the hotel entrance.

Photo Credit: The Four Seasons

A favorite area to explore for shopping is the trendy La Roma neighborhood that is full of independent designer boutiques, art galleries, cafes, and restaurants. Nearby neighborhoods of Condesa and Polanco, all within walking distance, offer world-class gourmet dining, colorful markets, and local taquerias.

Photo Credit: Four Seasons

One of the absolute highlights of our weekend was a private off-hours tour of The National Museum of Anthropology. Lillian Aviles of Journey Mexico organized our visit–here are some of her suggestions for the perfect getaway: “My favorite museum in the city is the strikingly gorgeous anthropology museum that has an expansive collection of pre-hispanic artifacts. Mexico has a rich and fascinating history of native populations that can be discovered here and Journey Mexico can schedule off-hour visits when the museum is closed to the public at this site, in addition to other sites in the city, such as Templo Mayor in the historical center.

Photo Credit: Four Seasons

“A must for art lovers is the Zona Maco art fair that takes place every February. We can access the event before it opens to the public. During the fair, we offer unique insider experiences such as visits to top artist studios, cocktails at private art collectors´ homes, and even pop-up fashion shows. We have crafted a new ‘Emerging Designer’ tour that includes visits to designer workshops to learn about how many young creatives are inspired by Mexico´s native history yet move forward with modern techniques, colors, and fabrics. A favorite fashion designer is Carla Fernandez who supports communities in Chiapas, for example, that provide handmade weaving that is applied to shawls, capes, etc.”

Photo Credit: Four Seasons

After a hectic day of exploring, the Four Seasons provided the perfect oasis to relax and wind down. Be sure to have cocktails at Fifty Mils one of the world’s great bars–have the expert mixologist make you their signature drink: Billy the Kid (bourbon, vodka, lemongrass, cinnamon, fire, and wood) and don’t miss their Saturday recovery brunch with live DJ, themed food stations and unlimited champagne to wash it all down! All in all an enjoyable and culturally enriching experience.

Hasta Luego,
Vicki