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Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico

Centro Historico, Mexico City, Mexico

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

You can see the monogram of El Centro Mercantil at the top. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Mexico // Art & Architecture· Hotels· Mexico City Mexico· UNESCO World Heritage Sites Location: [post_gps_latitude], [post_gps_longitude]

The Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico is well worth a visit even if you’re not staying there. It sits on a corner of the Zocalo in Centro Historico, the old-town portion of Mexico City that was itself designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

There are newer, fancier, and more luxurious hotels in Mexico City. But none of them have the combination of prime location and old-world charm. And the building itself is an Art Nouveau gem.

The building dates to 1899, and it was originally the most luxurious department store in Latin American, known as El Centro Mercantil. You can still see the direct legacy of its first owner, Sebastian Robert, in his initials on the grand staircase.

If the Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico looks familiar, it might be because you saw it in a movie or on TV. It’s used as a location in the recent James Bond film, Spectre. It also appears in the movie Frida, where it plays a Parisian nightclub where Frida sees Josephine Baker perform.

As you walk in the main entrance, just off the Zocalo, you walk under a massive Louis XV chandelier. Immediately opposite, across the atrium, is a grand staircase that scales the height of the building. As you walk past the ornate canary cages and enter the main hall, to your left and right are two of the oldest elevators in Latin America. They still work, although they’re supplemented these days by some more modern ones nearby that are more practical for day-to-day elevating.

To see the building’s showstopper, look up. The domed roof is a massive Tiffany-style stained glass window. At night, it looks like wrought-iron and glass—impressive enough, but not the spectacle it becomes when it’s backlit by natural light outside. Then it becomes a kaleidoscope of colors and intricate patterns. The building is hollowed out in its center so as to make one giant atrium under the colorful roof.

The department store was shuttered in 1959. Nearly a decade later, it was reopened as the Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico. It was given another round of renovations in 2004. If you’re planning to explore the Centro Historico by foot, it’s well worth considering.

Photos of Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Looking straight up. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Looking out past the chandelier in the *very* early morning. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel De La Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico City

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Look directly up again. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

A massive Louis XV chandelier hangs over the main street entrance. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

As the sun gets lower on the horizon it illuminates the glass unevenly. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel De La Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico City

Straight up at night, without the daylight to illuminate the colored glass. Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

Gran Hotel Cuidad de Mexico Atrium

Photo by David Coleman. How to license & download this image.

What to Know Before You Go

The best way to experience the hotel is, of course, to stay there. I stayed there on my most recent visit to the city and found the rates to be surprisingly reasonable. But tourists are welcome to wander in to take in the beauty of the main atrium or visit the restaurant or bar.

The hotel has a restaurant on its rooftop overlooking the Zocalo. There’s also a large bar on the floor directly below, but it’s less impressive. It’s a shame—the setting is just begging for a top-notch, old-school cocktail bar. On a lower floor is a breakfast/lunch restaurant that still has a view over the Zocalo, albeit a much lower perspective.

Where to Next?

  • Templo de la Ensenanza Main Altar and Nave
    Templo de la Enseñanza
  • Mary and Child Statue at Iglesia de Santa Ines, Mexico City, Mexico
    Iglesia de Santa Ines
  • Iglesia de San Bernardo, Mexico City, Mexico
    Templo de San Bernardo
  • Statue Preservation at Iglesia de la Santisima Trinidad in Mexico City, Mexico
    Iglesia de la Santisima Trinidad
  • Torre Latinoamericana
    Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City's Cathedral of Art
  • Stone of the Sun (Aztec Calendar Stone) at the National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
    Mexico's Cultural Treasures
  • Torre Latinoamericana View North over Mexico City
    The View from Mexico City's 44th Floor
  • Sacristy in Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
    Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral
  • Mexican Beach Resort
    Excellence Playa Mujeres Luxury Beach Resort, Cancun, Mexico


Travel Advice for Mexico

You can find the latest U.S. Department of State travel advisories and information for Mexico (such as entry visa requirements and vaccination requirements) here.

The British and Australian governments offer their own country-specific travel information. You can find the British Government's travel advice for Mexico here and the Australian Government's here.

Health & Vaccinations

The CDC makes country-specific recommendations for vaccinations and health for travelers. You can find their latest information for Mexico here.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.


Location: Mexico City
Country: Mexico
Coordinates:
      Latitude: 19.432218
      Longitude: -99.134562

      # Art & Architecture
      # Hotels
      # Mexico City Mexico
      # UNESCO World Heritage Sites



About David Coleman

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living.

I’m based in Washington, DC.

You can find my photography gear reviews and tips at havecamerawilltravel.com/photographer.

David Coleman Photography

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.

Licensing & Prints

Looking for travel stock photos or prints? I might be able to help. You can search my collection here:

If you already have a buyer account with Alamy and would prefer to use that, you can search my images directly here.

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Photos by David Coleman. Please contact me for licensing images.
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