Fodor's Expert Review Hotel María Cristina

Name: Hotel María Cristina
Address: Río Lerma 31, Mexico City, Quintana Roo, 06500, Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Telephone: 55-5703–1212;55-5566–9688
Price range: $

Río Lerma 31, Mexico City, Quintana Roo, 06500, Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico See on Map

Nils Bernstein

This Spanish colonial–style gem is a Mexico City classic. Impeccably maintained since it was built in 1937, the building surrounds a delightful garden courtyard with a fountain--the backdrop for the hotel bar. Three apartment-style master suites come complete with hot tubs. In a quiet residential neighborhood near Parque Sullivan, the hotel is equidistant from three popular areas: Polanco, Centro, and Roma/Condesa.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Hotel wifi is only free for one device.

room

With their sweet archways, rooms are small but homey, if a bit old-fashioned. Rooms facing the courtyard are quieter, in addition to having a nicer view.

Some rooms have air conditioning for an extra cost, but Mexico City gets quite cool at night year-round so you won't likely need it.

bathroom

Basic, with a choice of shower or bathtub.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Towels are extremely thin; you may even want to buy your own towel from a nearby shop.

lobby

Lobby retains much of the original charm, with a tiled spiral staircase and ornate ironwork.

Photo: Aprovechando el dia de sol que tenemos he venido a pasar el dia a #Donosti #escalera del #HotelMariaCristina #SanSebastian #Guipuzkoa #Basquecountry #PaisVasco #PaysBasque #hotel #hoteles #luxuryhotel / @nube58

Photo: Rainy afternoons on in San Sebastián. Retreat to Maria Cristina for tea. Missing DP who has gone skiing for the week. #three #hotelmariacristina #donosti #lluvia #afternoontea / @regineoracle

Photo: Pure elegance in San Sebastián ? #hotelmariacristina #sansebastian #fivestar #beautifuldestinations #topnotchdesign #travelspain #travelingtheworld #travelersnotebook #bespoketravel #basquecountry #travelmemories #livelifetothefullest / @francebydesign

Photo: Pintxos en San Sebastián. Donostia. Basque Country #basquecountry #pintxos #fastfood #oldcity #kursaal #moneo #hotelmariacristina / @neutrinoesteril

dining

There's no restaurant per se, but the hotel staff can arrange food delivery from local restaurants.

Photo: Pintxos en San Sebastián. Donostia. Basque Country #basquecountry #pintxos #fastfood #oldcity #kursaal #moneo #hotelmariacristina / @neutrinoesteril

drinking

The courtyard bar is a charmer, and nicely set apart from the neighborhood noise.

LOCATION

Getting Around

Though extremely central, most of the more popular sights and neighborhoods aren't walkable from the hotel.

Restaurants

Bravo Loncheria (5-minute walk) is a chic lunch spot serving tortas with fillings like chicken pipián and grilled octopus. Try the chiles rellenos and tasajo (dried beef) platters at La Bella Lula (4-minute walk), a longtime favorite for Oaxacan cuisine.

Bars

Located behind an unmarked door, Le Tachinomi Desu (11-minute walk) is modeled after the Japanese standing bars called "tachinomis" and specializes in natural wines. Kinky Bar (10-minute walk) is a straight-friendly gay bar with shirtless bartenders and a packed crowd ready to party.