Uma Casa Review: A Design Hotel in Mexico City

Uma Casa - in Portuguese "a home". And the owner of Uma Casa, Claudia, tells me right away that this is in fact a house, more than a hotel.

The house of her childhood, which was rethought into a house for travelers, for design lovers, for people looking for something different from the typical cookie-cutter city hotels.

While this hotel is in Mexico City, it's an oasis, quiet and far from the hustle and bustle, surrounded by plants and wide open-air spaces which make it a perfect haven for rest and relaxation after a day of sightseeing.

Stef walking toward the leafy entrance of Uma Casa in Mexico City.

The Design

Uma Casa is a hotel in Mexico City with a unique design, inspired by 11 ingredients of Mexican cuisine which connect the hotel with the Mexican legacy and its origins, which are linked so strongly to food.

The shapes, textures, and colors are all taken from nature, and the blue tones that are present throughout the hotel arise from the blue corn tortillas.

This is a photographer's dream. I've stayed in countless hotels over the last few years, and in very few I had so much fun shooting the interiors of the hotel. Here I felt like a model on a fashion photoshoot playing with the colors, the lights, and the curves of the hotel.

Stef posing beside a teal wall at Uma Casa.

Stef sitting on a sunlit staircase beneath a round skylight at Uma Casa.

Teal walls and pale steps beneath a circular skylight at Uma Casa.

Stef standing on the staircase beneath Uma Casa’s circular skylight.

The furniture is artisanally made in Mexico, curated to celebrate tradition with a contemporary twist. No detail is left unthought.

The Rooms at Uma Casa, Mexico City

Uma Casa features 9 rooms, each unique and special in its design, and named after a typical Mexican ingredient.

Stef sitting beside the garden-facing windows of a bedroom at Uma Casa.

All the rooms and suites have private bathrooms with luxury amenities, a flat-screen TV, and air conditioning.

An arched mirror and copper sink in a bathroom at Uma Casa.

Bath products beside a copper sink at Uma Casa.

Some rooms also feature a workspace, ideal if you have to put in some work during your stay like us.

Some of the suites also boast a private terrace or a living room. Bed options include a king or queen, while the Amari room has two queen beds.

Stef standing behind a bed with a ribbed wooden headboard at Uma Casa.

Stef relaxing on a bed with a teal bed runner at Uma Casa.

Being a design hotel, every single detail in the rooms is carefully thought of, from the matching form of the wardrobes, windows, and mirrors to the colors, lamps, and seating areas. And the quality of the materials is top-notch, from the duvet cover to the linen curtains.

A bright suite living area with floor-to-ceiling windows at Uma Casa.

I found Uma Casa truly quiet, which made it a great place to get some shut-eye. No doubt it's one of the best design hotels in Mexico!

Book your stay at Uma Casa on their website, on Expedia or on Hotels.com

The Facilities

This Mexico City boutique hotel features a cozy living room on the ground floor where guests can read a book or finalize their Mexico City itinerary.

Vases and plants beside arched windows in Uma Casa’s courtyard.

Stef sitting in a hanging chair in Uma Casa’s living room.

But one of the best parts of the hotel IMO is the rooftop area, where guests can get work done thanks to the work-friendly stations with plugs or just relax.

Stef standing on a curved terrace surrounded by greenery at Uma Casa.

You'll even find a hammock which, on top of being super Instagrammable, is a great place to relax with a book. There's also a meditation / light exercise area.

Exercise mats, weights, and cushions on a terrace at Uma Casa.

Stef sitting in a hammock beside a teal wall at Uma Casa.

Uma Casa welcomes guests aged 18 and over. There is no elevator, so keep stairs in mind when choosing a room.

The Breakfast

Breakfast is included with your stay, and it combines a continental breakfast with à la carte items.

We had the first course of fresh fruit served with granola, fresh honey, and yogurt with a cappuccino and ginger shot, which was followed by salmon trout and avocado served over rye bread. Breakfast ended with some traditional pastries called conchas. All absolutely delicious.

Fruit topped with granola beside orange juice and coffee at Uma Casa.

Two fish-topped toasts with beans, green vegetables, and lime at Uma Casa.

Other options guests can choose from include omelet and some traditional Mexican breakfast dishes, but dishes change daily. Vegetarians and vegans can also enjoy a hearty first meal, as there are options suited to their diets as well.

The Location

Uma Casa’s location is IMO one of its strongest points (together with its runway-ready design, of course). It's situated in Lomas de Chapultepec, an upscale residential area, home to some of the biggest mansions in the city.

Listen, I love big cities, but I don't love the noise of big cities. And granted, Mexico City is a particularly noisy one.

Stay in the city center and you'll hear people shouting in the streets, mariachi bands playing, cars honking, shamans offering magic treatments (not kidding!)... for some, it might be part of the charm, but I truly enjoyed the quiet I found in Lomas de Chapultepec.

I could open my window and hear only birds singing, and for a second I forgot I was in one of the biggest cities in the world.

The trade-off is that you're staying outside the main sightseeing neighborhoods. Plan to use taxis or ride-hailing for trips to Centro Histórico, Roma, and Condesa. Allow extra time for Mexico City traffic.

Things to Do Near Uma Casa

You won't even have to call a cab to go for dinner. Uma Casa is near Prado Norte, a very nice street with plenty of restaurants and cafes, several within a short walk of the hotel.

Nearby options include Grounds Café for açai bowls, fresh juices, and protein shakes; Pokerrito for customizable poke bowls and sushi burritos; and Starbucks on Prado Norte for its very distinct Spanish design. Even if you’re not drinking coffee, you should pop by for a picture!

The tiled courtyard and arched facade of Starbucks on Prado Norte.

Two egg toasts, a bowl of fruit, and a green smoothie at Ojo de Agua.

The Chapultepec Park and Chapultepec Castle are worth a visit, as is the Anthropology Museum, which houses important collections from Mexico’s ancient civilizations.

The museum and castle are several kilometers from Uma Casa, so plan to use a taxi or ride-hailing. Reaching the nearest edge of the park is different from reaching these sights inside it.

The hotel is also close to Polanco, a trendy neighborhood with a wide array of shopping venues, upmarket restaurants, cafes, and bars.

If you’re a foodie, you can’t miss the churros at El Moro in Polanco and Cafebrería El Péndulo Polanco, a gorgeous bookshop with a cafe on-site. If you like shopping, don't miss the Antara Shopping Mall.

A hand holding a bag of El Moro churros in front of blue-and-white tiles.

A colorful mural of two women at Antara shopping mall in Polanco.

Bookshelves and cafe seating at Cafebrería El Péndulo in Polanco.

Polanco is also home to several museums, including Museo Jumex and Museo Soumaya, and the famous Mexico Mi Amor wall where you’ll want to snap some photos (go in the morning or you'll find a line).

Stef beside the red México Mi Amor wall and cactus in Polanco.

The curved silver facade of Museo Soumaya in Mexico City.

Rates

Rooms at this luxury boutique hotel start at $270 per night for two guests including breakfast, although rates may vary depending on the time of year you’re visiting and the room you choose.

Book your stay at Uma Casa on their website, on Expedia or on Hotels.com

Our stay at Uma Casa was hosted. All opinions are my own.