MeganWD

Hi Everyone,

You have given us great tips and we really appreciate it.

The hotel location has been the hardest part of the trip! I feel like we have looked at at least 50 in Mexico City over the neighborhoods of La Condesa/Roma, Polanco and Centro. Since we are two girlfriends traveling together, we wanted separate beds. What we found was that in La Condesa/Roma, most of the hotels and B&B's only have a King or Queen bed (or at least that is all they had left)--which surprised us. We are down to the Hyatt Regency in Polanco (seems like a steal for a 5-star at $664 for four days including taxes (no breakfast) and a Centro hotel called Hotel Punto, which is a 3.5-star and includes breakfast at $606. We live near San Francisco (I'm a native) and have experienced and seen the destruction of earthquakes so appreciated 5alive's comments on this subject. What do you all think?

Here is our itinerary (we will be there in early Feb):
Arrive Wednesday (early afternoon) - take TuriBus/walk around the major Mexico City sites like the Zocalo, Palacio de Bellas Artes, etc. Go to Templo Mayor. Dinner at Rosetta in Roma.
Thursday - Chapultepec Park, Museo Nacional de Antropologia and explore La Condesa. Dinner at MeroToro in La Conedesa.
Friday - Hired "Tours by Locals" for a private tour of Teotihuacan (pick up and drop off at our hotel). Dinner at Limosneros in Centro.
Saturday - Hired "Tours by Locals" for a private tour of Coyoacan and San Angel, Frida, Diego and Trotsky history. Art fair in San Angel. Dinner at El Balcon del Zocalo in Centro.
Sunday - Early walk and head to airport for home at 11:30am.

We really wanted to eat at Maximo Bistro but no availability until late February. Contramar came highly recommended but all seafood which isn't my favorite. I will look into Los Danzantes in Coyoacan for lunch.

I welcome all your thoughts.

Thank you again!
Megan

Rohelio

We stayed at the Hotel La Condesa in Roma norte, two beds including breakfast, in front of a small park.
As for your schedule, the only problem I can see is on Thursday for the Chapultepec park and Castle and the museum.... not enough time !!!
And in Coyocan, same problem with Fridas house... not enough time, the lineups for Fridas house are about 2 to 3 hours wait.
Your trip is very well planned and laid out, but you need to consider the logistics involved. These sites are very popular and sought after, not to mention the traffic and the volume of people doing the same thing.

MeganWD

P.S.

We looked at the Hotel Majestic and Grand Hotel Ciudad de Mexico, both had no availability. The Stanza is still available and also is still being considered.

Megan

MeganWD

Thanks Rohelio. Unfortunately La Condesa (which came highly recommended) only has Kings left and is over $600/night. I would have liked to have stayed there.

madlena0104

I loved the Anthropology museum. It is huge, so if you want to see everything, you will need the whole day.

Frida's house can be reserved online, that is what I did. The first weekend in Mexico, I tried to go and did not want to stay in a line for 3 hours, so I decided to go back at the end of my stay. I booked online and I was able to enter straight away. Although it was magical, it was too crowded and you could not appreciate the paintings, you had to see them in a moving line. That was really aweful but even with that it was very emotional for me. If you'd like to see Frida's paintings, I would rather recommend going to some museums, because her house is not the best spot to enjoy her works of art.

In any case have a great stay, Mexico City is a city that I adored and I visited in February 2018.

danon

I stayed at Maria Condesa. last year ....yes, only one big bed...

This time I picked Marquis Reforma ...close to the park and several museums.
Also, Four Seasons is near by to drop in for a drink or breakfast.

i agree you have planned a lot for Thursday..but see how it goes.
Although h I enjoyed visiting the Cathedral , fabulous DR’s murals and Zocolo
I had no interest in stay in the HC.
MC is huge, so much to see, enjoy your visit

BTW, as a woman traveling alone I avoided using the Metro at the advice of the local ladies.

crellston

Definitely book Frida’s house online. We attempted to visit on spec on the Saturday after walking form teh San Angel art fair. Ehen we spoke to someone in the line who had been waiting for 4 hours, we aborted tha5 attempt and we booked the first slot at 10.30 on the day we returned to the city after Xmas. Even then the queues were very long. We did get in by 11.00am. Definitely worthwhile though and unlike the experience related above, we did not feel pressured or crowded in the house. Quite th contrary, apart from te crush at teh entranc we thought it remarkably relaxed and well managed.

If you are at all in the Murals of Diego Rivera then do try and visit the Secretaría de Educación Pública. It is on Republica de Argentina, not far from the Templo Mayor (which I found a little unimpressive)

oompaloompa_reviews

This is of special interest to me, since i will be making a trip to MC mid-year. Good to know that you need to book frida's house in advance. Planning on staying in Alvaro Obregon, with what you pay for a night in the condesa you pay a whole week for a whole family there

JenV

I've been twice now to Mexico City and I think as long as you remain flexible, your itinerary is fine. There are lines and traffic that sometimes get in the way. My first trip I skipped Frida's house altogether as I won't wait that long for any site anywhere, went to Trotsky's which I really enjoyed as I knew nothing about his time in Mexico. I used Journeys Beneath the Surface for day tours, very reasonable and provided drivers/guides that spoke fluent English with only the stops I wanted (a beautiful old convent on way back from pyramids) . Uber to get around everywhere (solo female traveler). For me neighborhood is most important in deciding on hotels. I've stayed in Roma Norte and Polanco, definitely preferred RN and Condesa and would only stay there in future (but of your two choices would take Polanco). Great walkable neighborhoods with lots of charm, restaurants etc. Highlights for me are Luis Barragán House and Studio (reason for going to MC), Murals of Bellas Artes, Teotihuacan (done twice, walking and hot air balloon over), historical walking tour of Zocalo area, nighttime taco and mezcal crawl, Anthropologie Museum (I can't do more than 4 hours here, becomes overwhelming), the Soumaya and Jumex museums, the Kahlo and Diego Houses/Museums. Don't forget a drink at the top of the Torrelatinoamerica. For Teotihuacan, try to go as early as possible as it gets hot and crowded and not as enjoyable with mega crowds. It's impossible to see everything, I've yet to see the castle. Enjoy!