Mexico City, Mi Amor
Before coming down to Mexico and moving to Tulum in October 2020 (more about that here), I didn’t know much about Mexico City (also referred to as CDMX and/or DF). To be honest, when I arrived in Mexico City for the first time on November 28th, I knew nothing about the place. I had decided to come here after meeting a group of friends in Tulum. They had invited me to stay with them, and I didn't hesitate to take them up on the offer. Turns out I would end up meeting more amazing new friends, eating at some of the world’s best restaurants, and seeing the city on the back of a motorcycle with my crazy Argentinean man that I met in Tulum a month before.
Mexico City was a great break from Tulum (where I was living) when I’ve needed something similar to NYC. Compared to Tulum, it’s an actual city with a ton of culture to experience, so many great restaurants, all of the essential places you need if you’ve been away from home for months (hair salon, nail salon, dentist, etc.) and importantly, Uber. If you are quarantining in the U.S. and are looking to get away for a week or even move somewhere else to work remotely, I highly recommend Mexico City. It’s a gem and you will not regret it.
Where to Stay
I haven’t gotten to check out any hotels since I’ve stayed with friends and Airbnbs every time, so I do not have any recommendations, yet. Hotels “on my list,” but slightly out of my budget include: Hotel Condesa DF (Condesa), LaValise (Roma Norte), and The Alest Hotel (Polanco). If you are looking to stay for a while, Airbnb would be a great option and areas I would suggest would be Condesa (around Amsterdam or Hippodrome), Roma Norte, and Polanco. I also just discovered a company called Casai. They own a ton of properties throughout the city and are all new/modern rooms, doorman buildings with WiFi that is at least 100 MBPS. Casai also has a lounge in Condesa that is available for use by past, present, and future guests - so amazing if you are working remotely and need a quiet place to take calls/meetings.
I ended up getting an apartment in the spring of 2021 (with friends I had met in Tulum). What is also great about Mexico City is that it’s pretty centrally located within the country. You can pretty much visit anywhere else in the country by taking a ~2 hour flight. I was able to visit Careyes, Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, Acapulco, San Miguel de Allende, Puebla, etc. I still have a list of places I didn’t get to that are supposed to be incredible: Valle de Bravo, Valle de Guadalupe, Tepoztlán, Taxco, Cabo, Guadalajara, etc.
Other Things to Note:
Getting around is very easy because CDMX has Uber and it’s super cheap… like $1 Ubers. Never take the pink CDMX taxis, unless you are really in a pinch.
Unlike Tulum, not everyone speaks English, but you should be able to get by if you’ve taken a few Spanish classes in your life. It’s a great place to practice - with Uber drivers, servers, friends, etc. If you’ll be here a while ask around to find a teacher.
Rappi! Rappi is the equivalent to Seamless in the U.S., but better. It’s a Colombian company but they operate in a bunch of countries in South America and Mexico. They not only deliver food, but can deliver groceries and other goods as well. The best part is that communication is great. You’re updated on your order at each step and it’s easy to track and communicate with your Rappi delivery person.
Need a manicure? My friends loves these places: Mylk Bar, Lykke Nails, Kiki, and Rosa BB. I’m not sure if it’s just during the pandemic, but to make an appointment you must WhatsApp or Instagram DM them.
In the mood for a Spa Day? I stumbled upon Vitali Spa with my friend and we are literally there 3x a week for their infrared sauna. The staff is so nice and they have everything - sauna, steam room, massages, facials, etc.
xx Em
