Where To Stay in Mexico City (I Lived Here For 3 Years!)

After three years living in Mexico City, I know all about the best and safest places to stay. I’m going to provide a detailed summary of the pros and cons of each area so you can make an informed decision and plan the perfect trip.

Mexico City is a huge city with inevitable journeys required to reach places like Coyoacan and Xochimilco (luckily, Uber is cheap and public transport is decent). Still, there’s no need to travel more than necessary. Stay somewhere you’ll enjoy relaxing and exploring. There are some truly lovely areas to choose from!

Where to stay in CDMX (safe areas)

I’ve now lived in almost all these locations at one time or another. Here’s a summary of each…

Roma Norte

After two years living in Roma Norte, it’s my top place to stay. The architecture is grand and historic, yet there’s cool street art dotted around. It’s the perfect mix of classic and cool.

Hop between galleries like OMR, the Object Museum, and Casa Basalta, shop artisanal items at weekend markets in Roma, and browse stylish boutiques.

You’ll never run out of things to eat! There are world-class restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and even street food. I love Contramar for seafood, Paramo for tacos and cocktails in cool settings, and Expendio de Maiz Sin Nombre for a unique dining experience. For a hip food market, check out Mercado Roma.

Fans of specialty coffee can get their fix at Cumbe, Forte, Almanegra, and many more. For pastries, try Vulevú and famous Panaderia Rosetta, and for brunch, try Café de Raíz, La Ventanita, and Lalo.

Roma Norte is the vegan HQ of CDMX with restaurants and street carts including La Pitahaya, Gracias Madre, Por Siempre, Paxil, and Taco Santo. I’m not even vegan but I love all these places!

Finally, for quirky CDMX bars, I suggest cocktails at Rayo, Las Brujas, Licoreria Limantour, Ladina, Cafe de Nadie, and Salon Palomilla. Try pulque at La Nuclear and Pulqueria Los Insurgentes (dive bars but fun), and mezcal at Matuche and Diablo Negro.

Pros: cuisine, architecture, walkability… Everything!

Cons: it can be one of the more expensive areas to stay in Mexico City, especially in peak season. This area has become very gentified in previous years, partly because of tourists staying in Airbnbs. It’s something to consider when trying to be an ethical traveller.

Where to stay in Roma Norte

Hostel – for those on a budget, Hostel Home is a friendly, family-run base with dorms from $20.
Budget hotel – for a clean, safe base with everything you need, stay at Hotel Benidorm from $40.
Mid-range – around $70 a night gets you a decent 3-star hotel with breakfast and gym facilities. Try Stanza or Block.
Treat – try boutique hotel, La Palomilla, with a kitchen, spa, breakfast, and a rooftop balcony. Book from $138.
Splash out – historic BRICK boutique hotel is an architect’s dream with an upscale restaurant and bar attached. Stay from $400.
Apartments: Suites259 / Kukun.

Roma Sur

The southern part of the Roma neighborhood is more relaxed and residential. It feels more authentic, and yes, I’ll say it, less pretentious!

You have authentic markets like Medellín selling fresh produce (don’t miss the food court at the back), arty movie house Cine Tonala with a bar on the roof, and Huerto Roma Verde, a sustainable venue made from recycled water bottles, hosting weekend markets.

Although there aren’t quite as many, you still have great coffee shops in Roma Sur, such as Barajas, Paradigma, Brewers, and Browns Lab.

Market in Roma Sur — Don’t miss Mercado el 100 on Sunday mornings

In Roma Sur, you can eat at Café Tacobar del Sur (tacos and cocktails), Tamales Doña Emi (decades-old comedor serving tamales with countless fillings), and Cyprez Tap Room (craft beer and bites). Go meat-free at Veggie House and Sarumino.

Pros: more affordable and less crowded than Roma Norte.

Cons: more residential, not AS many cool bars and restaurants as the northern part of Roma.

La Condesa

Condesa is a little less hipster than Roma, and more classically beautiful and upmarket. Some of the city’s best restaurants are here, alongside stylish wine bars and beautiful leafy parks. If you have a bit of cash to splash, you’ll fit right in.

In my opinion, the best thing about La Condesa (translating as The Countess) is Parque Mexico with its beautiful foliage and the chilled Audiorama where you can relax and listen to music in a swinging chair.

Around the park runs Amsterdam (also known as the Hippodrome), a historic racing track that’s now pedestrianised. Day and night, it’s a safe place busy with walkers, runners, and dog walkers. Join them for a stroll, coffee in hand.

Browse books at Under the Volcano and Cafebrería El Péndulo (with a cafe inside).

The Art Deco architecture is another characterful feature of La Condesa. After Miami Beach, it has the highest density of Art Deco buildings in the world.

Some of the best restaurants in Condesa include Lardo, La Capital, and Esquina Comun. Eat brunch at Chilpa, Frëims, Hule and El Caimencito; pair coffee and pastries at Mama Carmela, Borel, Ficele, and Pan Para Todos, and, most importantly, dunk churros in hot chocolate at El Moro!

Sip cocktails at Baltra and Gin Gin, and mezcal La Clandestina.

Pros: safe, beautiful, historic, excellent food and drink.

Cons: One of the more expensive places to stay in CDMX. Food can be also expensive, though there’s still street food: Tacos Hola El Güero and La Esquina del Chilaquil are my favorite cheap eats.

Where to stay in Condesa

HOSTEL: KUXAN – a social, clean hostel in Condesa. Book from $13 a night.
BUDGET HOTEL: Condesa House – private rooms in a stunning property with shared social areas. Book from $50 a night.
MID-RANGE: Casa Nuevo Leon – beautiful, clean suites with 24-hour reception. Book from $100.
MID-RANGE: Casa Decu – a stylish 4-star hotel with 24-hour reception and a range of rooms and suites. Book from $100.

Escandon

Located just south of Condesa, the relaxed barrio of Escandon is an alternative to busier, more popular neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa.

It’s mainly residential, but there are great cafes and markets. Shop at Mercado Escandón (open every day) and the outdoor tianguis markets held on Tuesdays along Salvador Alvarado.

Food and coffee: I like El Ilusionista and Amargo for coffee, Cafe Escandon as a cute spot to hang out (pictured below), Piel Tostada for breakfast, and Chilakiler’s Loungería for huge portions of affordable chilaquiles.

Read my Escandon guide for more info.

Pros: affordable and authentic. If you’re wondering where to stay in CDMX on a budget, Escandon is a good option.

Cons: not so much going on and none of the city’s BEST restaurants or bars are here.

Juarez

This is another fantastic area to stay in CDMX. It’s safe and cool, home to the majority of CDMX’s speakeasy bars, LGBT+ nightlife, and Koreatown.

But don’t worry, there are also quiet areas away from the bars where you can sleep soundly. Like Roma, this area is characterized by beautiful architecture. In the 1990s, it was frequented by wealthy locals escaping the hectic city center.

There aren’t major things to ‘do’ in Juarez, but be sure to check out the Chocolate Museum and browse concept stores around Plaza Washington.

It’s a great place to stay in CDMX because you’re between Roma Norte and Centro, making it the best of both worlds with limited travel time required to reach either.

Food: eat brunch at Cafe Nin (burrata chilaquiles, run don’t walk!), Bagels Lepu, and Petit Roquefort. Cicatriz is good for any time of the day or night. My favorite dinner restaurants are Masala y Maiz (expensive but worth it), Maza Bistrot (French-Indian fusion), and El 123 (Asian).

Grab dessert at Joe Gelato and La Rida Chocolateria!

Bars: the best bar in the world, Handshake is here, alongside other speakeasies including Hanky Panky, Xaman, Parker and Lenox, and Brooklyn Speakeasy.

Zona Rosa is where you’ll find LGBTQ+ bars. There are also fun karaoke bars here, partly because of Koreatown which is also THE place to be for Korean barbecues, bibimbap, and more. Arirang is my favorite restaurant.

If you’re wondering where to stay in CDMX for an exciting and diverse atmosphere, Juarez fits the bill. Just avoid Zona Rosa if you’re concerned about noise levels and sleeping well. Check places the other side of Av Insurgentes, instead.

Pros: nightlife, great restaurants, easy to reach other areas.

Cons: not many!

Coyoacan

This historic area of Mexico City was once its own town until the sprawling city engulged it. You’ll forget you’re in a megacity of 22 million because it’s so quaint and idyllic (though very busy as locals love to hang out here, day and night).

The obvious thing to do in Coyoacan is visit the famous Blue House, once home to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. My number one tip is to book tickets well in advance on the website as walk-in slots aren’t always available.

Other attractions include Coyoacan Market (eat at Tostadas de Coyoacan, I beg of you!), visit the historic churches, and tour popular CDMX museums including Popular Cultures, Anahuacalli, and the Leon Trotsky House.

Soak up the vibe at Plaza Hidalgo and grab coffee at historic Cafe El Jarocho. For ‘coffee snob coffee’ (my drink of choice), visit Cafe Avellaneda.

Pros: compared to Roma and Condesa, you’re closer to places like Xochimilco and San Angel.

Cons: the obvious downside of staying in Coyoacan is the travel time required to reach other neighborhoods like Roma, Condesa, and Centro. Although Coyoacan has a metro station, it’s a 20-minute walk from the historic center of Coyoacan, so the quicker option is taking Uber.

The drive between Coyoacan and Centro can take up to 1 hour and costs around 250 pesos each way in an Uber.

Polanco

Upmarket Polanco can be a good area to stay if it suits your tastes. However, it’s too fancy for me and I just find it boring. It’s not cool or quirky; it’s better suited to rich locals and foreign diplomats who reside there.

Undeniably, it has world-class restaurants like Pujol and Quintonil, and fancy bars like Fifty Mills (pictured below left). You can also find fantastic international fare here; Longmenzhen Hot Pot (pictured below right) is a cool experience.

Ultimately, I have visited Polancy many times but wouldn’t live or stay here myself. Some people like it.

Polanco can be a good place to visit, however. Top art museums include Soumaya and Jumex (right beside each other and free; visit Tues-Sun when both are open).

If you visit, grab Yucatan-style tacos with cochinita pibil at El Turix. One of the cheapest eats in Polanco, and still some of CDMX’s best ta cos!

Pros: safe, lots of nice hotels and restaurants.

Cons: barely any public trasport in and out. You need to take Uber everywhere!

Centro Historico

I love the Historic Center of CDMX because there’s so much to see for history lovers. I personally wouldn’t choose to stay there because it’s so busy and hectic, plus it’s not the safest place at night.

However, I think this is personal preference. If your primary goal is touring museums, galleries and other historic attractions, maybe it will be the right fit for you.

There are tons of nice hotels in the city centre, many with rooftop pools. It’s easy and affordable to take Ubers at night so don’t worry too much about safety.

Pros: historic attractions and museums right on your doorstep.

Cons: not so safe especially at night, very crowded.

Reforma

I forget about Reforma as a place to stay because it’s more like a huge highway with lots of fancy streets jutting off it.

While that might not sound fantastic, it’s a good area for those who like luxurious accommodation, nice restaurants, and rooftop bars.

The location is also excellent because you’re close to Polanco, Centro, Roma Norte and Juarez. Genuinly, I don’t think there’s anywhere better for location.

Also, I LOVE Sundays in CDMX when Reforma closes to cars. People walk, run, and rollerblade up and down the road. It’s so fun!

Pros: luxe venues and accessibility to other areas.

Cons: like Polanco, not much character or charm. It’s just fancy. Also, it’s a fairly expensive area to stay.

Where not to stay in CDMX

These places wouldn’t be my top spots…

Tepito

When exploring Centro, don’t wander too far towards Tepito. This area is known as one of the least safe parts of CDMX. Even if you see the best deal ever on accommodation, it’s not worth it.

One place I do recommend visiting, however, is La Lagunilla Sunday Antiques Market, one of my favorite CDMX markets located on the edge of Tepito. Stick to the antiques section rather than wandering deep into the main La Lagunilla Market as it leads to the sketchy part of Tepito.

Doctores

Despite what some people may think, it’s not easy to accidentally wander into a bad area of CDMX.

The one place to be mindful of is Doctores, because it’s beside Roma. It’s okay to walk a couple of streets in, for example to Buna La Tostadora, a cafe and co-working space in an old textiles factory.

Doctores is also home to Arena Mexico where the famous lucha libre wrestling takes place. But don’t wander deep into the neighborhood, especially after dark. Take an Uber home from wrestling.

I’m sure there are some cheap Airbnbs here but I’d personally feel safer sticking to Roma.

Thanks for reading!

Mexico City food and drink guides:

Other Mexico City guides: