The Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City -- Muy Bonito y Delicioso
Part 1 of 3:
Paseo de la Reforma 500,
Cuauhtémoc, 06600
Mexico City, DF, Mexico
Phone:+52 55 5230 1818
There is a certain
indescribable and unmistakable scent that permeates the air of a Four Seasons
Hotel. You recognize it the minute you breathe it in.
As we fought the traffic
of this enormous city with millions of people, the manic energy of the metropolis
was both overwhelming and exciting.
The ride from the airport provided
bumpy streets, sweat filled air tinged with city smells and miles and miles of
graffiti laden buildings.
And then we arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel
Mexico City and as the doors to our car flung open, that scent of calm elegance
infused with a sense of place overtook the cumulative stress that is always the
underbelly of travel.
We were immediately
greeted like old friends and then swept to the reception as our luggage was
handled without further attention on our parts. Everyone had a genuine
smile and a gracious welcome, and although we're not special, they made us feel
special. Therein lays the magic that is Four Seasons. Add in the
inescapable graciousness of the Mexican people, and we knew at that moment that
we had made the absolute right choice to make this hotel our home in "El
D. F." as the Mexicans call this grand city in the center of their
country.
Mexico City is the nation’s capital city and the focus of Mexico’s political, cultural and economic life. It’s the largest metropolis with a population of over 25 million and covers an area of 597 square miles. Its wide boulevards are lined by both modern glass and steel structures and the colonial architecture of the past.
What we found absolutely amazing is that the city offers 75 museums and 10 archaeological zones. Mexico City’s historical centre is a 668-block area around the Zócalo (which is its main square) that has been designated a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The district encompasses more than 1,400 historic structures, including the Templo Mayor (Great Temple of the Aztecs), as well as private mansions and civic and religious buildings. This city is a must for a fun, interesting and diverse travel experience, and we’ve made our home to do so at the Four Seasons, right in the middle of it all.
THOSE SWEET SUITES: FOUR SEASONS DOES IT SO RIGHT
The Four Seasons' suites are large and cozy and our particular suite number 411 measures just shy of 800 square feet, although honestly, it seemed a lot larger. When we entered the suite we immediately felt like there was space to spread out and unwind. Just through the main door, there is an expansive second "powder room" with separate sink and toilet that allows two people to not have to constrict themselves into one bathroom, no matter how large.
A small hallway (complete
with a little thoughtful table onto which we kept track of room keys) gave way
to walls of olive highlighted by white moldings sporting a living room, dining
area and writing desk that was expansive and open. There is a general feel in
these rooms of casual elegance, and lamps throughout replace the harshness of
bright overhead lighting.
Full curtains puddle to
the floor and when opened reveal large French windows opening to an absolutely
beautiful courtyard that looks like it's from the Castle of Chapultepec.
This is truly a breathtaking courtyard, with arches on several levels and a
spectacularly manicured formal garden surrounding a lush trickling fountain at
the center. At night, fire leaps from the spray as well as from pots
around the courtyard, and we find ourselves glued to the window watching the
flames lick the sky.
More yards of drapes curtain off an area with
a couple of chairs for reading and lounging, and a large chest of drawers
allows for storing the myriad clothing we've brought to enjoy a more formal (than
Los Angeles) Mexico City. The art on the walls is eclectic and tasteful,
each with a different type of gold frame, setting the decor to a feel of a city
apartment that we would love to have here, or in New York City.
A large walk in closet
provides space for even more hanging clothes (and there was a closet in the entry as well), and
it's such a pleasure to be able to hang clothes so they don't all smash into
each other and look wrinkled before you even put them on. A marble
counter is thoughtfully placed just outside the closet for all those things
that build up in your pocket that always gets lost (like money, lip balm,
receipts, and the like).
The bathroom is a great size. Containing a soaking tub, glass shower, and separate toilet area with bidet, it's a pleasure to enjoy when tired and needing a little space to spread things out. There are also doors, which seem to be missing from so many modern hotel suites. Doors are great for guests; you can shut them and have some privacy, and after all, isn't that what bathrooms are for? The products are L’Occitane, which we love, and all you have to do is ask and products will be free-flowing.
The bathroom is a great size. Containing a soaking tub, glass shower, and separate toilet area with bidet, it's a pleasure to enjoy when tired and needing a little space to spread things out. There are also doors, which seem to be missing from so many modern hotel suites. Doors are great for guests; you can shut them and have some privacy, and after all, isn't that what bathrooms are for? The products are L’Occitane, which we love, and all you have to do is ask and products will be free-flowing.
Each afternoon something new arrives in our suite. One night it was
cheese, crackers and a wonderful bottle of Mexican red wine to compliment the
selection. Another night it was the freshest and tastiest guacamole ever and incredibly
crispy chips (we can't get these chips in the states, so maybe we should go in
the "chip-importing" business) along with a selection of four
different types of Mexican beers (and a charmingly framed explanation of the
beer choices). Add in the two flat screen television sets, one in each
living area, and The Four Seasons Mexico City made our stay so pleasant, it was
really all we could do to even leave the room.
In the morning, when we peeled back the curtains and the light flooded the bedroom,
the yellow walls gently woke our spirits. We wandered off to the mini bar
where there was an assortment of great snacks and more importantly, the same
Nespresso machine that we have at home, along with a selection of pods of all kinds
to satisfy your "must have" coffee hankerings. Night after
night, the courtyard rooms were so quiet and snug that we awoke refreshed and
ready to take on the sights, aromas and tastes of this fabulous must-see city. FOUR SEASONS INVENTED SERVICE - MEXICANS INVENTED HOSPITALITY; WHAT A MARRIAGE
Four Seasons Hotels invented service and when you add in the Mexican innate cultural sense of hospitality, it's really the epitome of graciousness; the Four Seasons doles it out in abundance. Whether you are the housekeeping staff, the concierges, the waiters, the bell staff or anyone in between, we were made to feel like we were guests in someone's home. In a large hotel of this size, this is a difficult task, and truly a testament to the model-handsome (and we really mean movie star handsome) General Manager Jose Adames. No doubt there is abundant training here, but frankly, if we worked for GM Jose, we would do whatever he asked!
The concierge staff is all exceptional. Two standouts are Stefano and Raphael. Normally, we question the suggestions of concierges because they usually recommend the last place they got a free meal, but that wasn't the case here. As we usually do prior to leaving our home, we called the concierge and asked a host of questions, all of which Raphael adroitly answered. Upon arriving, we discovered that Stefano had an enormous knowledge of the foodie scene in Mexico City and backed it up with an iPad displaying decor and food pictures. Could there really be anything better for us foodies? Raphael understood the customs of the restaurants, and both worked their magic to obtain last minute reservations in a town where getting a table at the hottest spots is nearly impossible. They both outlined the variety of expeditions for us (such as the pyramid tour, more on that later), without pushing anything on us. In fact, Stefano even offered to bring us his own scarves for the colder early morning balloon trip over the pyramids! This is truly above and beyond. We were so impressed.
GM Jose's new reign is bringing innovative improvements to the hotel too, including a new restaurant by Chef Rolly Pavia of L'Oesteria del Becco fame, new refurbishments to the public and living areas of the hotel and so much more. We are loving it as-is, but we can't wait to return next year to tell you about the exciting new additions that will take the Four Seasons Mexico City from sensational to sublime.
CUISINE TO EXTREME: SO MUCH TO EAT, SO LITTLE TIME:
We were truly surprised, and pleasantly so, at how many great dining options there were right in our own hotel.
GOOD MORNING MEXICO CITY!
There are two perfect ways to start the day when in Mexico City. One is to roll over in bed and grab a comfy robe when room service rings...
...and the other is to pull on some clothes and drop
into the dining room of the Four Seasons’ Reforma 500 for some typical Mexican
morning eats. We opted for both during our stay.
Room service was perfectly prepared to order,
delivered exactly on time (as if they waited outside our room for the clock to
hit the appointed hour) and was piping hot.
Although there weren't any particular stand-out must-have dishes, it
really didn't matter because we welcomed the freshly made hot latte and
espresso, as well bacon, eggs, pastries and a variety of other sensation items.
Mango has just come into season and honestly you just can't get this fruit in the United States with the equivalent popping flavors. All the juices were fresh, so think Payaya,
Mango, Orange or whatever you fancy. The
gent who delivered it to us was of cheerful spirit and set up everything on our
table for our dining pleasure. We love
eating like little piggies whilst lounging in thick cotton robes and looking a
mess. Seriously, isn't that what
pampering yourselves is all about? Four
Seasons does it so well.
Another beautiful way to
awaken is to dine in Reforma 500's sun filled dining room or their outdoor
terrace amongst the flowers and fountains. If you're experimental with morning foods,
make certain to try the chilaquiles, a very traditional Mexican breakfast
consisting of corn tortilla cut into quarters and lightly fried. When you add Habaneros, green peppers that
are so hot a fire engine follows, the flavor is off the charts delicious.
Trust us, they are not for the weak of heart,
but Michael ate every morsel of his new favorite breakfast and then sat at the
table sweating; well worth the mop-up job.
Another stand out was their take on croissants that was more like almond
cake. We coupled this and a variety of
other breakfast choices with freshly squeezed papaya and mango juice and there
really was nothing better. We went back
several times for those almond croissants, by the way. If only they could overnight them to Los
Angeles.
NEXT PART 2: A LUNCH FIT FOR A KING, MEXICO CITY HIGHLIGHTS AND DINNER AT THE FOUR SEASONS WITH THE FABULOUS CHEF KANO
¡Hasta pronto y buen provecho!
El Dining Duo
Michael and Scott
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