Mexico City

Latin Trade, Jan-Feb, 2003

BEST BUSINESS LUNCH OR DINNER

San Angel Inn. The most difficult thing about this restaurant is deciding among the menu offerings. You can't go wrong with the chicken mole poblano or tamales. The bacalao a la vizcaina, salted cod drenched in a tomato sauce, is also first rate. Expect to pay about US$50 for a meal for two. There's dining indoors at this former Carmelite monastery (circa 1692) or out on the patio. Muralist Diego Rivera reportedly used to stop here for meals. The house he shared with artist Frida Kahlo is just a stone's throw away. Gale Diego Rivera 50, Colonia San Angel; phone: 52-55-5616-2222.

BEST SOUVENIRS

Bazar del Sabado. A colorful market unfolds every Saturday in the San Angel district's Plaza San Jacinto. Children sell sweets made with pumpkinseed and honey while music and impromptu entertainment abound on the street. Inside the market building, shoppers browse among unusual crafts items, from pottery and hand-embroidered linens to miniature watercolors and alabaster wall sconces. The massive sculptures may be difficult to get home, but the jewelry packs easily.

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL

Four Seasons. This elegant hotel with a tequila-laden bar and Mexican-flavor decor is clinging to its reputation as the city's best--although it's getting some competition from the younger, larger J.W Marriott and the new US$75 million Sheraton in the historic district now undergoing a facelift. Even with the additional competition, however, it's hard to beat the service and amenities at this 240-room hotel. For starters, its guest rooms are larger than most. Then there's the gourmet restaurant with a string of culinary awards under its belt, the rooftop pool, the health club, the 24-hour fax, mail and photocopying services, the airline-ticketing desk and the cell phone rentals. No wonder LATIN TRADE readers voted it one of the best business hotels in Latin America. The business center keeps long hours, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Rooms start at US$270.

Phone: 52-55-5230-1809.

www.fourseasons.com

BEST SMALL HOTEL

Casa Vieja. The biggest challenge with this 10-suite charmer will be finding an available room; it's frequently booked months in advance. A former mansion, this color-splashed inn oozes with Mexican art and character. Rooms are large and some include kitchenettes, as well as phone, fax and Internet access. It's also a great location, on a quiet side street in the Polanco district, walking distance from Chapultepec Park and Avenida Reforma. This is a spot for travelers with a generous budget: Room rates start in excess of US$300. Eugenia Sue 45.

Phone: 52-55-5282-0067.

www.casavieja.com

BEST OLD WORLD MEETS NEW WORLD CUISINE

Izote de Patricia Quintana. Quintana, one of Mexico's best-known chefs, takes traditional dishes and turns them into contemporary masterpieces. Black corn truffle tamales, lobster enchiladas blanketed with pumpkinseed sauce, pickled ancho chiles stuffed with foie gras...This is hybrid cuisine at its best. Presidente Masaryk 513, Colonia Polanco.

Phone: 52-55-5280-1671.

www.patriciaquintana.com/restaurant

BEST CONVENTION CENTER

World Trade Center. There's no shortage of convention and meeting space in Mexico City, but the 7-year-old World Trade Center stood out in our readers' vote and we agree. Close to the financial and commercial districts, this high-tech facility accommodates both oversized conventions and small meetings groups; a separate hail is used for trade fairs. In an average year, it hosts more than SO exhibitions. Direct phone lines, Internet access and in-house medical facilities join audio-visual and other services available to conference hosts and participants.

www.wtcmexico.com