Hotel Review: Las Alcobas, Mexico City

Disclaimer: In exchange for a hosted stay at Las Alcobas, I am writing this review.

In the heart of the leafy and eminently walkable Polanco district, Mexico City’s Las Alcobas, a member of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection, is a gem of a boutique hotel. And I do mean boutique; at only 35 total rooms and suites, it was a 180° shift from my recent Shanghai stay.

Having opened in 2010 in a former private residence along Avenida Presidente Masaryk, one of the most affluent thoroughfares in the city, the hotel has been a hit since the get-go. The entirety of the hotel was designed by the NY/Toronto-based firm Yabu Pushelberg; I would describe the ambience as muted yet sleek.

As important as any other factor was the service level, and Las Alcobas did not disappoint. Although I found it somewhat irritating having to wait for someone to open the hotel door, personnel were clearly well-trained and eager to assist. Darwin was a helpful chap at reception, and behind-the-scenes, Michaël was quite affable.

Location & Access

Polanco is an upscale dining and shopping neighborhood in Mexico City, that also happens to be near the Mexico headquarters of many multinational corporations. However, my favorite part about the area is the proximity to Chapultepec Park, the city’s most prominent greenspace, and the National Museum of Anthropology. The museum is master class. Simple as.

Indeed, Las Alcobas is near it all, but don’t overlook its own Anatol restaurant…more on that later!

If you’re curious about transport, around 1:30pm at Terminal 1 of MEX, I used Uber, which took around 35-40 minutes. I can’t fathom how long the ride would take in rush hour.

Otherwise, the metro isn’t particularly convenient, and using Metrobus — with the closest stations being Campo Marte or Auditorio — requires getting downtown first.

Room

I was given a corner room that overlooked Avenida Presidente Mazaryk and had plenty of natural light.

The system that controlled the fixtures and a/c was wonky — multiple times I had to tap the button twice for it to do something — but perhaps the goal is for guests to stick to the bedside tablet.

I’m much more open to calling a human than using a tablet/QR code.

As for the work desk, I wish that it were slightly wider, although it was quite functional.

Plus, in one of the desk drawers, there was a neat surprise for armchair geography buffs like myself:

In addition to my room type, there are also Suites with living and dining areas, as well as Penthouse Suites with private terraces.

The bathroom was large, with separate spaces for the Toto Washlet and the shower. Not to mention, there’s a jacuzzi tub; you can have a staffer help you arrange an aromatherapy bath.

Bathing amenities include body soap, hand cream, shampoo, and conditioner by Bvlgari, and herbal soaps from Manos Que Curan, a niche Mexican brand. The Bvlgari products can be purchased at the hotel.

As for r&r, I did occasionally hear obnoxious guests from the U.S. outside of my door, but staff were quiet.

Spa

I’m not much of a spa person, but you might be glad to know that Las Alcobas has its own version, called Aurora Spa. From what I was told, some of the tonics and ingredients used in Aurora Spa’s therapies are indigenous to Mexico. That’s cool!

Dining

Las Alcobas invited me one night to enjoy dinner at Anatol, its in-house restaurant that has a guest entrance, and a public entrance.

Firstly, I’d like to give shout-outs to Joaquin, Raymundo, Santiago, and Hugo in the restaurant. With Joaquin, I had a lengthy chat about food, Mexico, and a number of other topics, but he was also on-point about being part of the waitstaff. Raymundo, Santiago, and Hugo were good at anticipating my requests without my having to ask for more salsa, coffee, or another pastry.

Anatol’s hours of operation are:

Breakfast (for Hotel Guests only): Monday to Sunday | 06h30 am – 11h30 am
Light Brunch (for Hotel Guests only): Monday to Sunday | 11h30 am – 01h00 pm
Lunch & Dinner (open to public): Monday to Saturday | 01h00 pm – 10h00 pm
Lunch & Dinner (open to public): Sunday | 01h00 pm – 05h00 pm

To be candid, I was hoping for a pan-Mexico menu. In fact, it’s really more of a hodgepodge of seasonally-prepared dishes from Mexico and beyond, trying to cater to international taste buds.

In case you’re already on the plane to Mexico City, here’s the menu to review:

In any event, my dinner was quite good, with the real star being the esquites de langosta, i.e. a type of corn salad with lobster. I think I’d even place it in my top five meals of 2025, even though the year has just begun!

It’s not a flavor combo I want to forget anytime soon.

Up next was squash blossom tempura filled with a variety of cheeses.

That one was rather heavy, so I ordered an excellent margarita & a seltzer to follow.

It would be no hyperbole to say that margaritas are one of my favorite types of cocktails, but wow this one was first-class.

Thereafter, I tried the Las Alcobas signature drink, the Bloody Oaxacan:

The Bloody Oaxacan was fun, too. Union Espardin mezcal imparts the smokiness, while the ginger and jalapeño give it some heat. The color comes from a mix of hibiscus foam, lime juice, and pineapple juice.

Back to the food.

I think finished everything in this photo in less than two minutes, it was that satisfying. But there was another factor…I wanted the bread to diminish any possibility of a resaca, or hangover.

Turkey, in Mexico?!

For sure. Go to the Yucatan and you’ll see that it’s a popular protein yonder.

But this dish was more along the lines of an upgraded Thanksgiving– roasted turkey breast, confit thigh, brioche stuffing, sweet potato puree, caramelized Brussels sprouts, country pancetta gravy, and thyme kumquat relish.

With turkey being rather filling, I appreciated the multitude of flavors surrounding it, especially the vastly underrated grilled Brussels sprouts, and the sour sweetness of the kumquat.

And you know what, I couldn’t even fathom trying a dessert.

Luckily, for breakfast, waiters periodically walkaround with pastry baskets. Considering that it was still around Christmas time, I went for a rosca de reyes, or three kings cake:

Then a nice plate of fresh fruit.

With the fruit followed by my breakfast from two different days.

Enfrijoladas, basically “covered with beans,” sliced avocado, and salsa macha, made with peanuts and garlic. I told Santiago, one of the waistaff, that the salsa wasn’t spicy enough; he informed Hugo for the next day to bring me a spicier one. Good call!

Manchamanteles, or “stain the tablecloth.” It’s a type of Oaxacan mole made with chicken, quesillo (Oaxacan cheese similar to mozzarella), sesame seeds, and a host of other ingredients. It was served with sweet plantains (score), and a bona fide spicy salsa (score again).

If I get the chance to return, there’s plenty more I’d like to try on both menus!

---

I can see why Las Alcobas gets high praise. From the service and comfort, to the food and ease-of-access, it’s definitely a place to look into booking the next time you’re in town and want to relax.