Four Points Mexico City [Master Thread]
 

Mexico City's newest Starwood property opened last month. Here is the lowdown on my recent stay.

The good
- a seven story hotel with nice quality rooms, good linens, great water pressure (better than the St Regis Mexico City), a welcoming lobby with cool decorations, great service and staff

- a very convenient location close to the airport and the central historic district

- current rates are very reasonable at $100 or 3,000 points. Infinitely better value than the Maria Isabel, W or St Regis

- an amazingly vibrant neighborhood with countless new restaurants and an up and coming scene


The bad
- the interior space in the upper floors is poorly lit

- the street the hotel is on is really not that great and takes some getting used to

- most cabbies still haven't heard of this place


In my mind the goods far outweigh the bads. Your first impression, if not used to Mexico City, might be a little disappointing on a busy dirtyish street. But within an easy 15 minute walk in almost any direction you will find hundreds of AMAZING restaurants. To many critics Mexico City is the world's hottest culinary destination. Just check out the New York Times article calling MEX the world's best restaurant city.

I recommend you walk around the neighborhood and see what one of Mexico City's trendiest neighborhoods feels like. And if you feel unsafe you can always take a short cab ride.

I will be back.

I've been searching on recent 411 with regards to this property--especially the quality of the beds, linens, furnishings, noise, bathrooms and degree of smoking ubiquity--as the Roma n'hood in all other respects sound great. Right now we're reserved nine days at the St. Regis Sep 13-22 in an Exec. suite (SPG Gold) averaging out at about $165 with some points and promotions. For such a long trip, however, I prefer to be in a neighborhood rather than solely in a business area. Were we to stay at this property, we would probably spend the first four days during the Fiestas Patria/Independence Day festivities at the St. Regis (an executive suite is an executive suite, after all) then shift to Junior Suite at this Sheraton.

I rarely stay at Four Points domestically--but I'm intrigued by your positive comments. This trip, however, is on the occasion of our 20th anniversary--so your Con's re the street not being so good are very unsettling. Would you not want to walk around here in the evenings? Is the street unsafe, or just, well like 1st Avenue in the East Village circa 1979 before the Hell's Angels clubhouse turned into Condo's?

Too, I hold a hotel up to a higher standard when it's my wife and I than when I'm alone on business. I'm a NYC native and have felt comfortable in Asia and Europe in a variety of cities; and in a past life lived for several months in Manzanillo and San Miguel D'Allende.

Food and markets are a focus of our visit, and probably 80% of the restaurants already scoped out are in Roma/Condesa, with several more in the Centro and one or two outliers in San Angel and Polanco.

I spend a fair amount of time in Mexico and prefer to stay at the W. It sounds like you prefer a St Regis type of property but the W is in the heart of Polanco in a neighborhood filled with restaurants and shops. Much more interesting than the area around the St Regis.

As to the 4 Points, next trip I am going to stay there as the neighborhood is certainly interesting and I have had good experience with international 4 Points.
I have tried them in Qingdao China and Bangkok and both were new construction and perfectly fine as opposed to some of the ones in the US which are just converted older hotels.

Great feedback.

This past year the W in NYC 48th/Lexington gave me a five day headache in a room barely 200 sq ft (an upgraded room, no less!), no coffeemaker despite repeated promises to deliver one and no space in the room to even drink coffee--turning the lobby into everyone's living room. And I mean everyone. No more W's for me, ever. And no more 'Whatever' @#$$@#@#$. I'm fine with Westins and like the Meridien even more. In China Sheraton is top shelf and I've been real happy with them.

That said, the Roma area sounds a lot like Montparnesse back before the internet? So it's the n'hood that draws me. In all honesty the difference in price at this stage is not the issue, rather it's the room/hotel quality level being ok and the area being sufficiently safe to walk around in at night.

It is a very safe neighborhood, but you have to be willing to scratch under the surface a little bit. The area around the Sheraton/ St Regis may feel a little safer because of their proximity to the US embassy, but the neighborhood doesn't have much going for it.

The Colonia Roma area by the Four Points is symbolic of the transformations Meico is going through. In one corner a game of bocce, in another a former taco stand that has branched out into nori rolls. It's what Mexico City at its best is all about. Two blocks from the hotel is an amazing restaurant called Oliva, anchored by an equally amazing hotel called Brick. Just go there for a drink and you will become absorbed by the dynamic vibe of the area.

However, for some people, the area will just feel mildly uncomfortable.

Thank you for the info.. I'm looking forward to staying here on my next trip. I usually stay at the Maria Isabel and have also been at the W and Sheraton Santa Fe.

Roma is a fantastic and evolving neighborhood and also very close to many other interesting areas.

We looked at the area using Google Maps Photos. "It looks like Barcelona" my wife said (where we stayed for a week well north of the Ramblas and the huge main square in a small 4* property maybe fifteen minutes walk east of the Sagrada Familia). "Is there shopping?" she said. I showed her the 411 that had come along with my food research.

"I like it" she said. "Balcony or not? I don't care about a window." She likes it dark and quiet at night.

"I had a noisy atrium room at the Crowne Plaza Beijing, with piano music until 11 PM every night. Maybe we should get a balcony?".

I like windows and daylight. Balcony it is.

We're booking 9 days next month, holding the St. Regis in reserve in the unlikely event that interim reports back prove unsettling.

Sounds like a better deal than the W. Just booked 14 nights. Any idea what they charge for parking? I'm not staying out in the burbs where my customer is, so I'll need a car. Unpolished and exciting neighborhood works for me. I've never been to MEX before, though, so I have no idea what to expect. Maybe I'll stay at the W for the weekend.

My only other experience in Mexico was day trips to Tijuana when I was living in So Cal and that was a loooong time ago.

Driving to the burbs to see your customer in Mexico should be challenging, may take a lot longer than you think and be fairly risky. To me that doesn't sound like a really good plan. You might think about a hotel close to your customer during the week and then either the W or the 4Points for the weekend. If it's your first time try each as the neighborhood where the W is, Polanco, is really nice.

Website states parking is free.

Driving. I'm from NYC--bridge and tunnel division, born and bred. After several trips to Asia, I wouldn't be afraid to drive there. The only thing stopping me in Mexico City is that it's the polar opposite of a street grid. And it's one way almost everywhere. That said, there are several ring roads and through roads. Like here in Atlanta, streets change names and there are an endless supply of 3,5,6,7 way intersections. Then there's parking, parking on the street (a no no insofar as scratched up paint goes) and secure parking (sometimes on the street if there is a 'watcher'). Clear now?

I'm with the previous poster, however, insofar as staying near the jobsite, then switching out into town for as much of the weekend as possible. In my experience clients the world over are sympathetic to leveraging work in foreign countries with as much tourism as possible, so they might even facilitate your leaving early on Friday? (I've been enabled with help ranging from consultations and advice to a car and driver and translator--everyone is proud of where they live.)

PS--I sojourned in the vicinity of Manzanillo and San Miguel de Allende via Nuevo Laredo by car for four months around the time Al Gore was thinking about inventing the internet. Driving is different. Not hard, just a little different. Like getting in the right lane to turn left. Like signaling the guy behind you it's safe to pass, like where to look for street signs. Like forgetting all the Spanish you know if you get stopped. I'm sure that by this time that there's lots of web content on the subject. If you are a good SoCal urban driver you shouldn't have a problem IMHO.

My offices are in Santa Fe and Interlomas, which are not near the city center. They are also incredibly boring areas. I still stay in Reforma at the Sheraton. Normal "safe taxis" are very cheap. Hotels will often offer car service, which is nice, but they are also at US prices usually. I don't (and wouldn't) drive, but I would take a taxi each day. Plan plenty of time during rush hour and have patience. For me the extra time and cost is well worth being in an interesting neighborhood at night. The W is very nice and staying for the weekend is a good idea, too.

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Enjoying this thread. I would add a few things to the conversation, as I'm a frequent traveler to MEX for both business and pleasure. Have stayed at all Starwood properties except the new Four Points and the Sheraton. In addition, I also recently went on a trip w/ my wife for our 10 yr anniversary. We stayed 3 nights at the W, 3 nights at St Regis. I was very happy with this split arrangement. Best of both worlds.

- Have not stayed at this Colonia Roma 4 Points yet, but I have stayed at both 4 Points locations in Monterrey. They are NOT up to "China-Level" 4 Points standards... more like an idiosyncratic version of a US 4 Points property. Low quality furniture and bedding in the rooms, tiny breakfast area, tiny gym (just a lone treadmill). I would stay at either again happily, but wouldn't bring my wife there on our anniversary. As a point of reference: At the breakfast buffet, you hand squeeze your own oranges to make your juice. There's a box of oranges out next to the hand squeezer (Actually loved this, but others might not be impressed). Short story, I would not put these properties in the same league as St Regis or W in Mexico.

- The Roma/Condessa neighborhood is great... but it is only a 10 minute cab ride from the St Regis... and maybe 20 minutes from W Polanco.

- The St Regis "executive suite" rooms are really great rooms, and all of the facilities in the hotel are top notch. In other major global cities, this would be a $700+ per night hotel. You're getting a great deal, globally speaking. Critiques of the neighborhood are on point... but... very nice hotel. We also made some use of the high-priced drivers. In my view were worth the money... Wouldn't use them every time, but gave us some great insights as tourists.

- The W in Polanco, location is super good, and the hotel ... while showing its age in some rooms... is still pretty solid. Polanco's food scene is more upscale and buttoned down than Condessa/Roma, but quite a lot of options within walking distance. I would also consider this to be a safer neighborhood at night than the edges of Condessa. This is still probably my #1 Starwood choice in Mexico City thanks to its location.

- Tourist tip: Don't miss Bazaar Sabado in San Angel. Great art shopping, and in the center of the building an amazing quesadilla vendor. Make sure you give yourself a few hours.

- So, if I were in your shoes... I would not abandon the St Regis altogether. Consider splitting time w/ either the W or the Four Points.

- To the other guy who is going to pick up a rental car and drive around Mexico City... you're crazy. I guarantee you will be at least an hour late to your client's office, if you make it at all. I drive other cities in Mexico, Europe, Korea... haven't even halfway considered driving in Mexico City. It is a beast. There's construction everywhere, and your routing changes daily. My advice: During the weekdays, just suck it up and stay in Santa Fe. On the weekend, come back down to the city. Santa Fe is boring, though the Westin is a nice enough property, and many of the great restaurants from the city have (quiet) branches in Santa Fe, so you'll survive staying up there. Even if you decide to commute by cab instead of rental car, ask yourself is it worth spending 3 hours a day in a taxi?

I have reservations at both the Four Points Roma (junior suite) and the St. Regis (executive suite), however, a split may be in order. Indeed--you are not the first to propose it.

Q: Is there a taxio sitio at, or near to, the St. Regis?

The vision then would be the first five days at the Four Points, then the last four at the St. Regis--which I know would be a treat for my wife. Conceptually, it's almost like two separate trips, one neighborhood focused and one luxe focused.

PS--she likes it and we did it.

PPS--Cabron! You drive in Korea where only some street signs in central Seoul are in English, 12 lane local streets abound and there are absolutely NO house or street numbers, and still you don't drive in Mexico City? Words to the wise IMHO.

Sounds like you are on the right track. Finishing w/ St Reg is the way to go. Take the edges off of things (except the wallet).

Not sure about sitio stands nearby, though I'm sure there are a few. I think I remember seeing something outside the Marquis Reforma, 1 block to the Southwest.

...and yes, Korea was probably my crowning glory of international driving. Was a bit freaky the first couple hours, but I actually found the signage to be pretty clear, and "rules of the road" were consistent once understood (right on red is an imperative, not an option). I did 12 days of fieldwork, by myself, over two trips... driving 8 to 10 hrs/day. Google map on iphone was a huge help for driving... whole thing would have been really tough in the pre-GPS era.

I've driven around parts of Romania including Bucuresti, in London, and in Tijuana, so I'm not fazed by driving in MEX.

But the customer postponed the events indefinitely, so I'm not going. Grrr. If I do, though, I'll save myself the stress and use the hotel car service. They're near Polanco so I will stay at the W.