I had an opportunity to visit Mexico City on business and can report it to be a most worthwhile locale with excellent food, great museums, a mild climate and friendly locals. My travels began at the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) as I was booked on a United Airlines non-stop, early evening flight. After checking in, I made my way to the United Club inside security in the Midfield Terminal nearby Gate C7. IAD is one of the airline’s hubs with a good deal of international traffic and there are four United Clubs at this airport. This one however, was the most spacious with great views of the ramp area where aircraft ground operations such as taxing and parking took place. Even though it was a crowded space in the late afternoon before the majority of United’s European departures, it wasn’t difficult to find a seat in one of the oversized and comfortable chairs. I appreciated the easy Wi-fi connection along with the ample buffet offering snacks along with both hot and cold food options and the fully-staffed bar serving complimentary beer, wine and spirits. But, what I particularly liked was the large, white workbench with multiple power sockets which afforded me the opportunity to catch up on some work before flight time.
Boarding began about 45 minutes prior to departure and the airline was flying an Airbus A320 on the route that day. I took my usual aisle seat 2B in the second row of the forward cabin on the port side of the aircraft. There were 12 seats up front in a 2x2 configuration with three rows. The seat itself measured 19” in width with a 6” recline and a 39” pitch and each seat featured a power plug and USB port. We spent a good deal of time taxiing for departure and managed to take off only about 15 minutes behind schedule. Although no pre-departure beverages were offered, within the first half hour in the air, our flight attendant distributed hot towels and then took our cocktail and dinner orders. I selected the Beef and Broccoli with White Rice and Sesame Ginger Sauce served with a small Green Salad with Ranch Dressing, Dinner Roll and a slice of Lemon Cheesecake for dessert. While United is not well known for their catering, the entrée was rather tasty and the service was perfunctory, but unfortunately, not overly friendly. Our time in the air was just about four and a half hours and we touched down early at approximately 9:15 PM at Mexico City’s Benito Juårez International Airport and taxied to our assigned Gate 33 in Terminal 1.
At the time, Mexico had a “Red Light - Green Light” system for its customs procedures. If you put “Nothing to Declare” on your customs declaration form, you would be asked to press a button. If the green light illuminated, you were permitted to exit without inspection, but if the red light illuminated, your belongings were subjected to search. The system was used to select international arriving passengers for additional baggage screening. The customs officers could modify the device remotely so that the frequency of the red light would change based upon passenger volume. I always passed through without incurring a red light on all my trips to Mexico. However, the traffic light “lottery” is now a thing of the past as the nation’s customs officials now rely on x-ray scanners to select which luggage should be opened and sorted through. The new procedures, which are standard practice internationally, have made it simpler for travelers, for which control and inspection measures will be imperceptible. Baggage is now scanned by x-ray while in transit between arriving aircraft and baggage carousels in coordination with the Federal Police.
I purchased a ticket from one of the booths inside the terminal for my taxi ride to the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City Polanco. Although the distance was not quite 11 miles, it still took about 40 minutes to make the journey as the city is one of the most congested in the world, with residents losing on average 158 hours per year waiting in traffic! The hotel is set in the upscale Polanco District and features 314 guest rooms, including 47 suites among its 26 floors. The lobby is warm and inviting and check in was flawless so before too long, I was comfortably settled in for the night. The accommodations at this five-star hotel were elegant and luxurious, with a color scheme of light grays and warm caramels rather reminiscent of nature. My 398 square-foot king-bedded room included a comfortable couch in the small sitting area, a large rug covering all three sides of the bed, and touches of wood and leather that almost made me feel as if I were staying in an apartment. Its floor-to-ceiling windows afforded unobstructed city views and the room was well equipped. It featured a large, 55-inch flat screen LCD television, a Nespresso coffee machine, in-room safe and an entertainment system that connected to Netflix. The marble bathroom shower had excellent water pressure and included toiletries from Aromatherapy Associates. As a Platinum Elite Marriott Bonvoy member, I was also granted access to the Executive Lounge. It offered 24 hour access, complimentary continental breakfast, midday snacks, evening canapés and dessert as well as non-alcoholic beverages, and business services. The JW also boasts several restaurant and lounge options which proved to be the ideal place for me during my time in the country’s capital city.
While Mexico City does have a high crime rate, it’s still lower than other parts of the country and, in fact, even lower than some locales in the United States. I was in town for an international convention and practiced safe tourism during my free time, which included avoiding isolated locations while paying attention to my personal security at all times as well as staying alert to any possible threats. I was fortunate that the hotel was in the heart of an exclusive business and entertainment district and within easy access to Avenida Presidente Masaryk, the main thoroughfare which is Mexico City’s equivalent of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Long considered the most expensive street in Mexico, it’s perhaps best known for its art galleries and is home to some of Latin America’s best restaurants and a number of cutting-edge cocktail bars. I found it to be a pedestrian-friendly avenue, over a mile and a half long, with something to see at every turn. For those without a budget, this was the place to be, although I contended myself with window shopping as the Avenida Masaryk is home to the most luxurious brands in fashion including Dolce & Gabbana, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hermès, and Gucci. It also boast the sprawling Chapultepec Park as its southern perimeter. Sticking to designated and well-traveled paths, I noticed many locals jogging, others enjoying picnic lunches and several groups of youngsters playing friendly games of soccer.
Mexico City has more museums than any other city in the world and one of the most treasured is the National Museum of Anthropology, which I was pleased to discover, was located within Chapultepec Park. Built around a central courtyard, this huge museum has 23 exhibit halls and houses more than 600,000 artifacts making it the world’s largest collection of ancient Mexican art objects. It tells the story of the earlier history of Mexico, from the country’s pre-Columbian past through to the Maya Civilization, the Aztec Empire and the time of the Spanish conquest. I spent several hours here and was impressed by the holdings on display, especially the Aztec sun stone. This enormous 23-ton stone circle is said to showcase the Aztec cosmic cycles, the importance of warfare, and the relationship between humans and gods. Hanging on a wall not far from the Sunstone is a stunning replica of Montezuma II’s ceremonial headdress. Montezuma II was the Aztec leader at the time of the Spanish conquest 500 years ago. Another favorite of mine was a fantastic scale model of the original Aztec capital (called Tenochtitlan) built on a small island in the middle of a vast lake. By the time the Spanish arrived in 1519, they had vastly expanded this island to make a much bigger capital city. The lake is long gone, but modern Mexico City is located on the site of this island capital and the scale model helped me to understand what that long-ago city really looked like.
The food scene there was nothing short of dynamic. Thanks to the hotel concierge, we were able to secure a reservation for a memorable business lunch at Contramar, one of the town’s top restaurants. Only fish and shellfish caught fresh each day made the cut at this Mexico City seafood institution. Covering an array of culinary styles, the menu included items such as octopus with paprika and olive oil, sautéed shrimp tacos and whole grilled fish dressed in bright and spicy salsas. If you visit on a weekend, be advised that lunches are very busy with locals flocking here for the reliably fresh fare on offer.
There was so much more to see and explore in Mexico City, but my time was limited. This is one of the largest and liveliest cities in the world with a renowned arts and culture scene and some of the best cuisine in the Western Hemisphere. The consensus among travelers is that it’s well worth a visit. I would agree.
Until next time..safe travels.
Again, thank you for sharing on another trip I will live through your eyes only. Now tell me, a business trip from the past and you still remember what you ate? You are impressive!❤️