Onsite Review: Marriott & Mexico City—Match Made in Heaven

ROOMMarriott and Mexico City—Match Made in Heaven
By Lydia GregoryMarriott’s footprint in Mexico City is quite extensive, which is not surprising considering its wide collection of brands. On a recent visit to CDMX, Recommend had the opportunity to overnight in two of its distinctive properties: JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City, in the swanky Polanco district, and The St. Regis Mexico City, right on the iconic Paseo de la Reforma. Both properties are luxurious with class- A service, but each has a personality all its own. POOLJW Marriott: City ChicWith bleisure travel at full steam, no doubt you’ll have clients looking to combine business with local experiences. At the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City you’ll find both in just the right measure. The 26-story property offers everything a seasoned traveler could need or desire, coupled with a definitive sense of place created by their investment in local artwork, which includes a revolving exhibit in the lobby and its public areas. Not to mention, Polanco is the city’s chicest shopping and dining zip code. The hotel is just across the street from the National Auditorium and Campo Marte, both in Chapultepec Park, Mexico City’s gloriously green lung. With 314 rooms and 47 suites—high-floor corner suites are highly recommended—most of the recently renovated rooms have great views of the city or the park. Currently, the Executive Lounge that services floors 19-21 is being redone, but those guests still have access to perks in alternative areas. The best level in the hotel, though, is the seventh floor, home to the spa, fitness room, a tiny outdoor garden (JW prides itself on fresh herbs and living centerpieces—no cut flowers) and a large heated pool with an ample deck, perfect for gatherings day or night. My home for the next three nights was a 17th-floor Deluxe King Room, sleekly contemporary in muted grays, blues and sandy tones and floor-to-ceiling windows. This room category has the requisite large-screen TV across from the very comfortable bed, a desk with an ergonomic chair, a small sitting area with a couch, reading lamp and coffee tables, minibar and Nespresso machine, a marble bathroom with a walk-in shower (only jr. suites have tubs) and high-end amenities. After dropping off my suitcase on the marble-topped banquette and plugging my electronics in the many well-positioned outlets, I went downstairs in search of the restaurant. The hotel does offer 24-hour room service—great for early mornings when you have to hit the computer before a tour or catch up on e-mails late at night. Xanat Bistro & Terrace is an indoor-outdoor affair serving a delicious menu of Mexican and international specialties with a twist: its name means “vanilla flower” in the Totonaca language, and the chef has woven this essence throughout. I dined on a delicious ahi tuna poke stack, fresh shrimp tacos and a heavenly vanilla-infused creme brulee. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Note: A fun group activity is a pizza-making lunch, where guests can join the chef by the brick pizza oven to create custom pizzas like the vegetarian avocado and greens (surprisingly good) or the steak pie. BUILDINGThe St. Regis: Iconic Service The Gilded Age is alive and well at The St. Regis Mexico City, where we were greeted with the famous sabrage ceremony in the atrium—patterned after Napoleon Bonaparte’s celebratory opening of a champagne bottle with his sword. This is a signature of the hotel, and guests are invited to participate and take the still intact cork back home after partaking of the Moet & Chandon. This set the stage for the rest of our stay, which involved a butler unpacking and packing my bag, among many other white-glove moments. My Deluxe King Room was unmistakably plush, in rich shades of mauve and tan, with Frette luxury linens, a huge closet, large-screen TV above a writing desk with a classic leather blotter, a double-vanity bathroom with Remede amenities, marble shower and a stand-alone tub. The hotel itself—with 189 suites and guestrooms set in a gleaming 31-story tower—is strikingly modern in its elegance, but imbued with tradition. The lovers of fine dining and wining on your client list, for example, will enjoy knowing the Bloody Mary was invented at St. Regis in 1934 (have them ask about the book of recipes) and it’s home to La Table Krug, a collaboration between the hotel and the brand that seats only 12 diners a night for a multi-course meal paired with Grand Cuvee Champagne. We had our meals at the less elevated but still swanky Diana Restaurant, helmed by innovative chef Diego Niño and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s right across from the city’s famous Diana statue (hence the name), and its indoor-outdoor setting includes a bar where your clients can indulge in a tequila tasting and learn the secrets of the agave. I very much enjoyed breakfast—they serve a la carte and have a buffet that winds around the side and back of the restaurant and serves every Mexican specialty you could want. The hotel also has an Asian restaurant, Sushi Tatsugoru, and the King Cole Bar that takes after its famous namesake in New York City. As of press time, a Greek restaurant was under renovation and set to open this year. The hotel is perfect for multi-gen groups, couples or friends, and keep in mind that everything is an experience at The St. Regis. The Remede Spa serves champagne and customizable treatments (if clients prefer in-room Zen, have them ask about the Meditation Butler), and the gym shares a view with an indoor heated pool and whirlpool with plush towels and lounge chairs. It even has a secret hideaway: Tell your clients to ask for the Bloom Garden and they’ll be shown a beautifully manicured space with lavender beds, a fountain, sitting areas and its own a bar, ideal for private events. Contact InformationMarriott: marriott.com or travelagents.marriott.com/travelagents/default.mi

COVERTable of ContentsPALLADIUM HOTEL GROUPEditor's NotesTURKISH AIRLINESAdvisor SpeakIndustry InsightsCruise: 5 Cruise Lines Cater to Boomers in Their Own Unique WayAMERICAN CRUISE LINES SCAMERICAN CRUISE LINESOnboard Review: Wonder of the Seas—10 Reasons Why She’s a WonderCaribbean/Mexico: All-Inclusive Resorts—Made for BoomersHILTON HOTELS CORPORATIONSANDALSOnsite Review: Marriott & Mexico City—Match Made in HeavenOnsite Review: Paradisus Los Cabos—An All-Inclusive Goes Destination-InclusiveOnsite Review: Travel Advisors are Key to Creating a Seamless Walt Disney World VacationEDU.RECOMMEND.COMWEBINAR HOUSE AD