Casa Ignacia: Mexico City

A discrete gate, number 208 on Calle Jalapa, a wide, tree-lined street in Mexico City’s charming Roma Norte neighborhood, marks the entrance to Casa Ignacia. You could blink and miss the fine example of a stately Porfirio Diaz era home constructed in 1913. But if you’re fortunate to have a reservation, ring the doorbell and walk inside to marvel at what owner Gina Lozado humbly describes as ‘our own personal endeavor in a little corner of Colonia Roma.’ An exclusive, five-room bed and breakfast in one of the city’s most happening neighborhoods, Casa Ignacia was once a private home and cared for by Ignacia, its housekeeper for over 70 years and the hotel’s namesake. There’s a portrait of her in the main house and as is typical in Mexican culture, a housekeeper can both care for a family and be a part of it. The 2019 Oscar winning film ‘Roma’ is based upon one such story and coincidently takes place in the same neighborhood.

Recently converted to a design-forward boutique B&B, Casa Ignacia is emblematic of a wave of style-centric hotels popping up across CDMX. The trend has gained wider attention too. Mexico City was voted World Design Capital in 2018 and has become a new ‘go to’ destination for global travelers with a passionate about design.

Design

Casa Ignacia is the vision of Gina and partner Fermin Espinosa, the hotel’s architect, and interior designer Andres Guzman of AG Interiorismo, who were committed to maintaining the building’s colonial authenticity. With that in mind the design team brought a contemporary yet classic aesthetic to the property. Interiors evoke a mid-century modern style and incorporate a bold, chromatic color theme accented with quintessentially Mexican details. Many of the decorative elements in the hotel are indigenous to the country and from Guerrero, Ignacia’s home state.

Two main wings are connected by a glass-enclosed bridge with repurposed hardwood floors from a retro bowling alley. Each of the five guest suites present a different color palette; blue, green, orange, pink and even black and all overlook the hotel’s succulent garden, a desert oasis filled with over-sized cacti. It’s no surprise that the hotel has earned a number of accolades including the AAP American Architecture Prize and the IIDA Best Interiors of Latin America award.

While the hotel is obviously trendsetting, it is equally comfortable. Guests are pampered with luxurious amenities – the softest bed linens, Bose surround sound, a Nespresso machine, and all marble baths with organic Loredano toiletries (check out the shop in the chic Polanco neighborhood). Bottled artesian water by Casa del Agua is complementary.

Culinary

Gregarious types will enjoy the daily cocktail hour in the garden which features chapulines (that’s grasshoppers, a common Mexican snack!). While that may sound a tad exotic for foreigners, a margarita mixed with a local Mezcal won’t. However, the star of Casa Ignacia’s culinary offerings is its breakfast. Each morning, the chef serves a traditional ‘desayuno’ with a twist: mushroom quesadillas are a nice surprise while an elegant spin on huevos rancheros with healthy sides like fresh fruit and homemade jam from the garden’s own orange tree are a dieter’s godsend. An assortment of fresh breads from a nearby panaderia are also tempting for sure. Notably, the chef was trained at the private cooking school, Casa Jacaranda, located on the hotel’s second floor.

Hospitality

What’s most special about this little gem in such a sprawling and dynamic megalopolis is its welcoming and kind staff who carry on Ignacia’s legacy of hospitality. Magda and Romina, hotel managers, treat guests like old friends making them feel right at home. This down-to-earth nature is a familiar trait of Mexican culture and is heartfelt here. Should guests desire a dinner recommendation in this burgeoning barrio of Roma, ask your hostess. They double as concierge and know all the local hotspots. Just keep the nearby speakeasy a secret.