Black Boutique Hotel

The morning breakfast server, a young man with tattoos, was attentive, charismatic, and service-oriented. The hotel was clean, too. The front desk staff we dealt with didn't come close to that level of service. I've stayed in plenty of Mexico City hotels, and frankly, if you can stay somewhere else, do it. The hotel is right on Sullivan Street, which is lined with hookers. We weren't given courtesy waters, and while most guests seemed to get a courtesy cocktail and an invite to the rooftop, nobody offered either to us. A family member came by to drop off some things and see us, but wasn't allowed to use the parking. They also wouldn't let her or my little cousin go to the rooftop, our room, or anywhere else because of their “policy,” and handled it unprofessionally. Lots of misses here.

It feels like an antique shop, library, or collector's paradise, and the place is eclectic and charming. The staff are nice, friendly, and professional, especially the chef. My only complaint is the mattress, which is unbelievably hard and harsh for me as someone with severe arthritis.

Correction: Anton LeVay may wish he'd designed this hotel, but he didn't. It's no longer affiliated with Best Western, either, despite what's noted below. We booked for about 75 usd a night without knowing what we were getting, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable places we've stayed. It's incredibly, incredibly weird and genuinely pretty amazing. The reception area feels like an antique store, complete with what looks like a devotional space for a demonic sculpture. There's a black and red color scheme, dime-store books, a sliding entrance door, Japanese touches, odd framed art, and, well, everything else. It's perfectly fine as a hotel, too. I wish the roof had been open, maybe next time. This place belongs all over goth Instagram.

The bed was comfortable, and breakfast was okay, though nothing special. The location was okay, and the prostitution right in the street in front of the hotel might be useful to know about, though it didn't bother us or affect us. There were cockroaches in our room, and the rooftop terrace was so loud in the evening that we could hear it from inside. When we mentioned the noise, staff said they knew about it and that we could join the party if we wanted. We wanted to rest, not party. Housekeeping also sorted the clothes we'd left out of our suitcase and sprayed so much perfume or fragrance in the room that it became uncomfortable. All in all, it was a noisy place with bugs, and not comfortable for a vacation or a good rest.