27 Best Hotels in Around Mexico City, Mexico

This former country club morphed into the one of the most upscale resorts in Valle. All guest rooms have fireplaces and great views of the pine forest. If the 18-hole, par-72 golf course doesn't tempt you, perhaps a massage, facial, or yoga class at the high-tech spa will. The property is about 10 minutes from Valle de Bravo, so if you didn't come by car you'll need to take taxis into town.

Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton built this monumental hideaway in the 1950s, after her long search for a site with excellent weather and an interesting history. The Japanese theme is pleasingly consistent, flowing seamlessly from the imposing entrance to the lobby and bar. Restaurante Sumiya, which serves international and Japanese food, is so good it draws people who aren't staying at the hotel. The rooms are in the far part of the garden for privacy, and many have sublime garden views. To reach the hotel, which is about 15 minutes south of town at Interior del Fraccionamiento Sumiya, take the Civac-Cuauhtla exit off the Acapulco Highway.

This marvelously renovated colonial building may no longer be a private home, but it still has the same cozy environment. Many of the original details have been preserved, but there are also modern furnishings, luxe linens, and a pillow menu. The central patio is home to the restaurant, which serves well-prepared and beautifully presented traditional Mexican dishes and interesting international fare. Keeping watch over the dining room is a large statue of the place's namesake: China Poblana, the daughter of a Mongol king who was kidnapped and brought to Mexico.

This stately 19th-century home is one of Cholula's finest B&Bs, and a stone's throw from the Great Pyramid and other attractions. The courtyard has a Talavera-tile-lined fountain and huge laurels for shade, and there is a rooftop terrace with a pool and spectacular views. The high-ceilinged rooms are either elegantly simple or coolly sparse, depending on your taste.

A colorful history distinguishes this grand hacienda, built in 1529. Now it's a haven of quiet with lush gardens—disturbed only by birdcalls, the splashing of a waterfall, and the ringing of a chapel bell. If you'd like to get even more blissed out, visit the spa, which includes a traditional temazcal. Antiques fill both the public areas and the spacious guest rooms. Outstanding Mexican food is prepared in an inviting open kitchen close to the pool. The hacienda is 35 minutes outside Cuernavaca.

Resembling an old castle, this hacienda was made famous as the backdrop for the 1955 film La Escondida. Converted into an elegant and welcoming hotel, it is a true gem seemingly in the middle of nowhere—51 km (32 miles) from Tlaxcala—but a five-minute bus ride from the hotel to the charming pueblo mágico of Huamantla. The stately restaurant ($$), watched over by two stuffed bulls, serves delicious regional fare and has a cozy fireplace to warm up the chilly winter nights. It is a hive of activity on Sunday, when people from around the area come here to lunch. Best of all, the hotel gives tours to other remote haciendas of Tlaxcala State, an eye-opener into the history of the rural region, along with other activities like hot-air ballooning and horseback rides.

An experiment in "holistic tourism" is making waves at the foot of the Quetzalcóatl mountains in the village of Amatlán. From the traditional adobe structure to the use of feng shui, the complex, which includes a spa, is designed to blend with the environment and soothe guests. Rooms have wicker meditation chairs set in bay-window alcoves from which to absorb the unparalleled views. Rates includes breakfast and some activities. The resort is roughly a 15-minute drive from Tepoztlán.

In an older building, this sensitively renovated hotel is for fans of traditional architecture and vintage furniture and crafts. It has a great location in the center of town (note that there is a newer and slightly more budget sister hotel next door, Casa de la Palma Travel). Every room has been lovingly restored and individually decorated by Carlos Olea, an antiquarian who has years of experience working in Puebla. Some rooms are named for artists or animals, but the real showstopper is the Suite Porfiriana, dedicated to former President Porfirio Díaz—high ceilings, over-the-top portraits, and original letters signed by the dictator himself. Also popular is the Suite Morisca, decorated in a Moorish style complete with tall arches and intricate wall carvings.

This small hotel is the best option on Plaza Independencia. There are crafts in every room and hallway, in some of the most unexpected places. The terraced rooms present great views of the plaza. There are tables in the quiet courtyard, where tasty typical cuisine and a range of fruit and vegetable juices are served.

This cheerful hotel on the corner of Plaza Independencia is an excellent option for its location alone. Rooms are cozy, with brightly colored bedspreads and headboards carved by local artisans; some have kitschy hot tubs tucked into a corner. The restaurant ($) is by far the most enchanting on the square and has wonderful views of the town.

This 16th-century former sugar mill once belonged to the famed conquistador. Wandering around the gardens and discovering cascades, fountains, abandoned pillars, and sculptures is an enchanting experience, especially at dusk. Ask for a room in the old part of the building to immerse yourself in the flavor of the place. Rooms have traditional Mexican furnishings and lovely patios or balconies. The restaurant is within old fort walls draped with vines—it's like dining inside a ruined castle.

This fine hotel, with its sunny, cobblestone courtyard and appealing restaurant, tops the rest. Guest rooms have wood furniture and small balconies for views over the town or of the flourishing, overgrown yard with cackling turkeys. The staff will help you hire guides to the nearby waterfall or Yohualichan. The hotel is less than two blocks from the zócalo.

This place has the distinction of being the only hotel on the zócalo; look for the small entrance under the arches by a busy coffee shop. The rooms are comfortable, clean, and consistently updated, but some are depressingly dark, so ask to see a few before you settle on one.

Centrally located and well established, this cheerful hotel has colorful rooms, a pair of lovely patio gardens, and a busy restaurant. The staff can help organize cave tours and horseback rides to the pyramids and local waterfalls.

The elegance of this boutique hotel—a five-minute walk from the zócalo—was crucial in putting Cholula back on the map. The 17th-century mansion, built around a central patio with a fountain, was restored (and is operated) using environmentally sound practices and as many of the original materials as possible; the well-stocked library was built entirely from repurposed vigas, or beams. The property is solar powered, and even the paints are naturally derived to match the original colors. Immaculate, spacious rooms have polished wood furniture and floors, and high, exposed-beam ceilings. King-size beds are wrapped in luscious, down-filled bedding and supplied with a pillow menu. The outstanding restaurant ($–$$) creates Mexican and nouvelle dishes and is worth a visit in its own right.

This well-maintained hotel is always busy because of its popular restaurant under the portales (arches) on the main square. People stop by for a pleasant breakfast or lunch while watching residents go about their day. The old colonial building is an excellent choice for its central location; splurge for one of the junior suites with a balcony overlooking the zócalo.

One of the cheaper central options, this little no-frills hotel opposite a department store is modern and clean. The double rooms have two double beds.

This small hotel is close enough to the pyramid to enjoy a run up all those steps before breakfast (or if you prefer, you can just enjoy the view from the hotel entrance). Rooms are simple, decorated with rustic wood furniture and brightly colored bedspreads; Mexican crafts occupy small niches in the rooms and hallways. The inviting outdoor swimming pool, surrounded by plants, is a great place to relax after a day in the warm sun.

This hotel, part of the Grupo Habita chain, was one of the hottest places to stay in Puebla when it opened in 2008 and remains a must for design and architecture fans, even if attention to detail is slipping. While many historic elements of this former 19th-century water-purification plant have been left untouched, ultramodern materials have been used for the renovation by famed architect Ricardo Legorreta; rough-hewn stone walls are paired with brushed metal and polished glass. The place has a whimsical attitude, with wonderful touches like the glass-sided rooftop pool. Rooms, decorated with sleek furnishings, are positively modern. The menu at the hotel restaurant, designed by renowned chef Enrique Olvera, serves many traditional regional options.

Las Luciernagas, with its bucolic location off a remote gravel road a few miles from town, is a rare cross between a B&B and a five-star hotel—what other B&B has a wine list? Four of the five rooms have fireplaces, and all have luxury bedding, artisanal toiletries, minibars, and a unique sense of privacy thanks to the rooms being spaced quite far apart, and the helpful but unobtrusive hosts. "La Cima" is an expansive suite with a terrace that overlooks the stunning manicured landscape of giant agaves, calla lilies, and birds of paradise; "Los Encuentros" opens to what is essentially its own private garden, with a stone path that leads to the Jacuzzi. The public spaces include a range of quiet terraces and seating areas, and top-notch dinners (with both Mexican and international dishes) are available by request. There's no better choice in Valle for a romantic getaway, or just a quiet home base.

An American expat opened this hacienda-style hotel in the 1950s, and it is still one of the best lodgings in Cuernavaca, even though it has lost some of its magic. The ample rooms are outfitted with traditional fireplaces, hand-carved bedsteads, hand-painted tiles in the bathrooms, and gilded crafts. The restaurant ($$–$$$), with its spectacular open-air terraces and garden inhabited by flamingos, peacocks, and African cranes, is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon enjoying a leisurely meal. Sadly, the quality of the food isn't as reliable as it once was. However, you can't go wrong with traditional dishes like the well-prepared mole poblano or the sopa de tortilla (tortilla soup).

This funky inn a short block from the main square, once a convent, absolutely oozes charm, from the fresh flowers strewn throughout the cabinlike rooms to the overgrown courtyard where the exceptional breakfast buffet is served. Room 11's large terrace was built around a massive tree, lending dappled shade and giving the effect of living in a tree-house suite. Rates are discounted by about a third during the week.

If any of the antiques that decorate your room strike your fancy, you might consider taking home a souvenir; they are all for sale. Warming touches are both figurative and literal at this converted colonial mansion; you'll be welcomed with a plate of cookies, and if it gets chilly, heaters are brought to your room. The rich colors of folk art pervade the cozy but stylish bar. The lovely restaurant ($$) serves tasty regional dishes such as carne San Pascual (steak with corn fungus), and cooking clsses are available. There is live music in the evening.

With unobstructed views of the mountains from its rooms, this family-run inn draws many repeat customers. No two rooms are exactly alike, and all have adorable hand-hewn furniture. There's a tiny pool in back. This is not the most elegant hotel in Tepoztlán, but it is clean and inexpensive.

Enjoy splendid views of both the village and the pyramid as you stroll through this hotel's terraced gardens. A honeymooners' favorite, the inn is also a good place for children, with its trampoline and swings. Most rooms have balconies and hot tubs, and some have terrific views of the pyramid. Make reservations for weekend stays two weeks in advance. This is also a great place to stop in for a leisurely meal on the patio, where the tables are set around a murmuring stone fountain and circled by vine-covered archways. The weekend buffet breakfast is an excellent time to visit and enjoy the view overlooking the village, even if you are not staying at the hotel.

Formerly a convent, this 16th-century building radiates historic character, from its luminous restored frescoes to its wooden shutters. Large white rooms have colonial antique furniture and exposed beams. The junior suite was once the convent's chapel, and the presidential suite has original 16th-century gilded furnishings and carpeting. The staff is warm and professional.

Deep in the forest overlooking a man-made lake, this unique property quickly made a splash on the Valle lodging scene. Each suite is a separate structure—a combination of traditional Mexican and hip modern design—with a view terrace, fireplace, and accommodations for at least four. The fashionable restaurant overlooks the lake, pool, and Jacuzzi, so you can enjoy first-class cuisine and drinks while supervising the kids.