The Concierge

We offer the possibility of a VIP in-gate pickup service of our guests at the airport. This service includes personnel who will be waiting outside the plane to accompany and help the guest through the customs process and escort them outside, where a chauffeur will be waiting to take them to the hotel. We also have special relationships with some restaurants, jewelers and boutiques, so, for example, we can arrange for our guests to arrive at a restaurant and receive one complimentary dessert or a glass of wine per guest. However, one of the most interesting services we offer is that if our guest is interested in a particular sporting or cultural event, we have customized tours, which include special seating arrangements, transport service and a bilingual guide. These programs include baseball or soccer games, visits to wrestling arenas, bullfights, and folkloric ballet.

What are your group restaurant recommendations?
Mexico City has a wide variety of restaurant styles and cuisines. For Mexican cuisine, some of the most representative restaurants are Los Canarios, La Valentina, San Angel Inn, Villa Maria, El Cardenal, and La Hacienda de los Morales; Les Moustaches and Del Lago for international cuisine; and Philippe, owned by Philippe Chow from New York, for Asian cuisine.

What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
It depends on the musical preferences. For a trendy night out, Cafeina and Moon Bar are the best. The Sky Bar, located on Masaryk Street, one of the most chic streets in the city, offers pop music and a casual atmosphere. For a more upbeat mood, Area, on the roof of the Habita hotel, offers electronic music just next to the pool area. At the moment, one of the most popular bars is located in the midst of the courtyard of a 19th century house converted into a cultural center, called Casa Lamm. Finally, for the Latin heart, La Bodeguita del Medio, Mama Rumba and Bar Fly offer the sounds of salsa and merengue.

Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
One of the main avenues, Reforma, offers sights of gardens, parks, hotels, mansions, and museums. Nearby, Mexico’s most important museum, the National Anthropology Museum, showcases some of the finest relics of the country’s ancient and varied cultures. Within walking distance is Chapultepec Castle, which once served as the residence of Emperor Maximilian; the Museum of Modern Art, featuring a permanent collection of modern Mexican masters such as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo, as well as several rotating exhibits; and the Rufino Tamayo Museum. For a historic stroll, visitors can start on Juarez Avenue at the Palace of Fine Arts, an imposing architectural masterpiece. Walking along Madero Avenue, some of the city’s oldest and most distinguished buildings can be found, including Agustin Iturbide’s Palace and the Church of Saint Phillip. Once reaching the zocalo (main square), the National Palace has numerous treasures, such as Diego Rivera murals, and the Metropolitan Cathedral, built in the 16th century. In the Condesa neighborhood, visitors will find offbeat boutiques, sidewalk cafes and many restaurants. Although hit hard by the 1985 earthquakes and largely abandoned back then, Condesa is now known as one of the city’s most prolific and artistic neighborhoods, and is now one of the favorite living areas for young professionals.

What has been an unusual request from a group?
For groups, we can respond to requests such as the one recently received from a guest who wanted salsa lessons. We had a room set with mirrors and a sound system and hired a teacher. This can easily be arranged for a group.

A party of 12 wants to have dinner right away. What restaurant can accommodate last-minute requests of this size?
Our very own Los Canarios at Marquis Reforma.