Hotel Snapshot
When you’re standing on a cracked sidewalk, next to a delivery truck being divested of its contents, underneath a bouquet of electrical wires snaking through a jacaranda in full bloom, it is a little hard to imagine that behind an oversized industrial door lies a quiet idyll—and what could be your new favorite hotel in Mexico City. Yet Ignacia Guest House delivers exactly that.
Once the door swings open and you step through the gates, you’re quickly transported from the urban jungle of the Roma neighborhood to a tranquil retreat. Built in a restored Porfirian mansion, which is a bit like Mexico’s twist on Beaux-Arts and Art Nouveau, the hotel has been transformed into a restive and restorative space right in the heart of all the action that now defines the popular neighborhood.
Design & Character
What was originally a private mansion constructed in 1913 has been transformed into an understated and modern hotel with a design that perfectly balances the historic and the contemporary. That’s thanks to architect Fermin Espinosaan, of Factor Eficiencia, a Mexico City-based design and construction firm, and interior designer Andrés Gutiérrez of A-G Studio.
The result of their work is a hotel full of intimate-feeling public spaces full of soft lines, softer light, and a minimalism that gives the rooms an overall Mexico-meets-Scandinavia vibe. The living room is a cozily chic space to hang out and sip a drink or flip through a book or magazine from the hotel’s small library.
The guest house has nine rooms, recently redone, but still with a distinctive, simple design and a saturated color palette. A few of the bedrooms connect to the house via a steel and glass walkway that stands in stark contrast to the natural feel of the rest of the hotel, yet somehow still works perfectly. The impact is particularly striking when it is lit up and glowing on the garden below. The hotel’s central courtyard is filled with cacti, Mexican nopales, a burbling fountain, and an orange tree reportedly planted by Ignacia, the beloved housekeeper who lent her name to the hotel back in 1913 when it was still an estate house. The lush courtyard is a pint-sized paradise ideal for relaxing after a day of sightseeing or for sipping one of the free cocktails before heading out for a night on the town.
The Rooms
The Ignacia Guest House opened its doors in 2017 with five color-drenched rooms to welcome guests. Four new additions were incorporated in November 2022, including two balcony suites and two terrace suites. The nine rooms are all done up in peaceful terracotta colors with a design that is elegant, but far from stuffy. The room is a quiet riot of textures—velvet, wood, cotton, and glass—and sleek lighting. The marble-lined bathrooms come with fluffy robes, perfect for wrapping up in to sip coffee on the private patio overlooking the courtyard.
The Food & Drink Situation
The main floor of the mansion includes a dining room and kitchen where breakfast is served each day. While the hotel is surrounded by restaurants, the complimentary morning meal is worth staying in for. It is prepared daily by the chefs using ingredients and products from the local market. While the main entrée varies daily, each breakfast comes with fresh juice, Mexican coffee as well as espresso drinks—and, yes, they have nondairy milk, a fresh fruit plate, yogurt, homemade granola, and a bread basket featuring local pastries. They are happy to work around dietary restrictions, ideally with a little notice.
Through the kitchen is the courtyard with a small bar area where snacks and cocktails are served each evening. They have a mixologist on hand to mix up mezcal-based cocktails and a small seating area for guests to enjoy cocktails in the great sort-of outdoors.
Amenities
The hotel’s amenities are minimal, but complement the hotel’s laid-back style. There’s a coffeemaker in case you want to have a lazy lie-in, toiletries by LoreDana, and bottled filtered water from Casa Del Agua, both local products produced by local companies. The hotel also offers a nightly cocktail for guests and a delicious, complimentary breakfast.
Spa & Wellness Scoop
The hotel doesn't have an on-site spa, but guests staying in the larger rooms can hire in-room massage services from a third-party massage company. The hotel’s friendly and knowledgeable staff can also recommend spa, fitness, and wellness options in the area.
Location & Neighborhood Recs
While the hotel is on a quiet street, it is in the heart of the bustling Colonia Roma neighborhood. There are plenty of incredible sights in Mexico City, but Roma—along with its neighbor Condesa—is best known for wandering, window-shopping, and eating. There is a lot to eat in the neighborhood. Options range from fine dining at Blanco Colima and Rosetta, seafood at Contramar, and the incredible breads and pastries at bakery Panaderia Rosetta or the local outpost of Churrería El Moro. As this is Mexico, there are, of course, plenty of taco options, including the Bib Gourmand-winning Tacos Los Alexis, the Michelin Guide-listed Tacos del Valle, local favorite Tacos Atarantados, Gracias Madre for incredible vegan varieties, and Taquería Orinoco, a wildly popular chain from Monterrey.
Get drinks and a bite at Mercado Roma, grab a book at Casa Bosques (or a book and a coffee at Cafebrería el Péndulo), get new fashion finds at Carla Fernández, Goodbye Folk, or Erre Vintage, explore the concept store Roma Quince, and get a new scent at Xinu, the perfumier with a cult following.
Fast Facts
Location: Colonia Roma, Mexico City, Mexico
Vibe: Understated and relaxed Mexican sophistication
Rating: Three-star (I don’t actually know where these come from)
Room Count: Nine
Pricing: From $260 per night
Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The subtly elegant rooms
Dining: In-house restaurant for breakfast and snacks and a bar in the courtyard
Amenities: All rooms feature Nespresso machines, bottled water by Alameda, blackout curtains, Loredana toiletries, and Bluetooth sound by Bose.
Nearby Attractions: Roma and nearby Condesa are best known for shopping, but sightseers can drive 20 minutes to Museo Nacional de Antropologia; 20 minutes to the Zocalo and Historic Center; and 25 minutes to the Frida Kahlo Museum.
Airport: Approximately 45 minutes from Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez
Mexico City, Mexico
