Umbral — Mexico City, Mexico

Lounge, couch with coffee table, television and cabinet, door onto small balcony, dark wood carpentry, gunmetal/grey walls with dark tiling
(Image credit: press)

The Hilton group could not have picked a better spot in which to debut its Curio Collection in Mexico City, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Zocalo and the 13th century Museo del Templo Major all within easy reach of the Umbral.

Housed in a heritage pile dating to 1924, the 59-room hotel makes the most of the original high ceilings, long corridors and tall windows to create a sequence of grand moodily lit spaces that local architect Javier Sanchez, and interior design firm Nomah have conspired to unfold like cinematic set-pieces.

This sense of drama is especially evident in the bedrooms, each preceded by a shadowy ante-chamber, the titular umbral, that leads through a gold-lined arch into a lofty space dressed in blonde timber, modular furniture, and dripping pendant lamps.

An on-site art gallery of local artists is paired with a music library and cinema, but it’s the sun-lit rooftop terrace with its heated pool and wellness bar, and city views that had us at ‘Hola’.

Small seating table with 2 chairs with additional cushioned chair, wall covered with picture frames for colour

(Image credit: press)

Freestanding light fixture next to television, single seater cushioned chair

(Image credit: press)

Bedroom with doors onto balony overlooking street, low hanging light features with wooden side tables, chairs with table and bed base

(Image credit: press)

Entrance to bedroom with large picture frame

(Image credit: press)

Hallway with old stone architecture into seating area with tables and chairs to spiral staircase

(Image credit: press)

ADDRESS

Calle de Venustiano Carranza 69
Centro Mexico City

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Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.