Casa Sauto

We stayed two nights in the Santo Domingo room and slept comfortably in the king-size bed, which looked out over Calle de Tacuba. The spacious, inviting room had elegant furniture, a small kitchenette, and a balcony with a view of the Zócalo. The hotel is stunning, and the restoration preserves its history while making the place feel warm and welcoming. We never ran short of hot water, despite the hotel’s note that it may be limited. Entry is controlled, staff are there around the clock, and everyone we met was kind, attentive, and helpful. I can’t wait to return to CDMX and stay here again.

The room was great, but a guy playing pan flute in the street was a constant distraction. If you can’t tune him out, a longer stay could drive you crazy.

Old buildings can mean plumbing problems, weak amenities, or no outlets where you need them, but that wasn’t really the case here. Casa Sauto gave us a sense of stepping into another era, and the WiFi was still great. What makes this place special is that the walls, windows, and furniture seem to speak. You can feel the history and its weight. A room may have the usual walls, door, bed, sofa, chairs, desk, and maybe a window, but I’ve never stayed anywhere with this kind of soul. It’s somewhere you should experience. I want to come back.

We’d already paid and reserved everything when they canceled because of their poor planning. They emailed to admit they’d forgotten it was the World Cup, then said they needed to cancel so they could list the room again for more money. They offered us priority to rebook the same reservation, but it would cost at least four times as much. Go pound sand.