Colima 71, Mexico City
A residential-style retreat where contemporary Mexican design, art, and slow living define Roma Norte
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● Designed by Alberto Kalach with interiors by NOMAH Studio and Karla Celerio, Colima 71 combines residential architecture with one of the city’s most thoughtfully curated contemporary art collections.
● Just 16 studio-style suites feature full kitchens, dining areas, terraces or balconies, making every stay feel more like living in Roma Norte than simply visiting it.
● From morning coffee made with Chiapas beans and pastries from Panadería Rosetta to an honesty bar stocked with agave spirits, the hotel celebrates Mexico City’s creative culture through small, meaningful rituals.
Living Like a Local
Roma Norte has no shortage of boutique hotels. Colima 71 takes a different route. Rather than recreating the atmosphere of a luxury hotel, it borrows its cues from contemporary residential living. Set behind a discreet façade on one of Roma’s tree-lined streets, the building feels less like a destination hotel and more like an elegant apartment house where every detail has been carefully considered. That approach suits the neighbourhood perfectly. Roma has always rewarded visitors who slow down, settle in, and become temporary locals rather than tourists rushing from one landmark to another.
Architecture That Breathes
The building was designed by celebrated Mexican architect Alberto Kalach, whose work often explores the relationship between architecture, landscape, and natural light. Here, steel, stone, glass, timber, and carefully framed outdoor spaces create an architecture that feels remarkably calm despite being surrounded by one of the busiest districts in Mexico City. Private balconies overlook either bustling Colima Street or the peaceful internal courtyard, while generous glazing fills the interiors with natural light throughout the day. Instead of dramatic gestures, the architecture succeeds through proportion, openness, and restraint.
Sixteen Private Residences
Each of the sixteen accommodations is conceived as a studio apartment rather than a conventional hotel room. Full kitchens, dining tables, king-size beds, generous bathrooms, and comfortable living areas encourage longer stays and slower routines. Some suites feature private terraces overlooking the courtyard, while the studios replace balconies with folding windows and hammocks that blur the boundary between inside and outside. Materials remain understated throughout. Marble, terrazzo, white oak, soft textiles, Portuguese linens, and curved contemporary furniture create interiors that feel warm without becoming decorative. Everything has been reduced to what feels necessary—and nothing more. It’s minimalist, but comfortably so.
A Gallery You Can Sleep In
Art isn’t confined to the walls of the guestrooms. Throughout the hotel, works by leading contemporary artists transform circulation spaces into an informal gallery. Photography by Iñaki Bonillas, a suspended sculpture by Darío Escobar, and Sofía Táboas’ striking lattice installation in the courtyard establish a creative dialogue that feels entirely natural rather than curated for effect. The building quietly reflects the artistic identity that has made Roma Norte one of Latin America’s most influential creative neighbourhoods.
Small Rituals, Big Difference
Hospitality at Colima 71 is built around thoughtful routines rather than elaborate services. Each morning begins with freshly brewed coffee made from Chiapas beans, personally delivered to your suite alongside pastries from Panadería Rosetta, Elena Reygadas’ celebrated bakery. There is no formal restaurant. Instead, an honesty bar stocked with Mexican agave spirits, a coffee station, and a Street Food Concierge encourage guests to experience Roma itself as the hotel’s dining room. The city becomes part of the stay rather than something observed from a distance. It’s a wonderfully confident decision.
Designed for the Future
The project also looks beyond aesthetics. Around seventy percent of the hotel’s energy comes from solar panels, while extensive water recycling already allows roughly half of all water to be reused, with ambitions to increase that further. The entire building is fully accessible, reinforcing the idea that intelligent design should be inclusive as well as beautiful. Like the architecture itself, sustainability feels integrated rather than advertised.
Why It Works
Colima 71 understands that today’s luxury often comes through freedom rather than formality. Alberto Kalach’s quietly elegant architecture, the residential layouts, carefully curated contemporary art, and thoughtful rituals create a hotel that feels remarkably personal. Instead of insulating guests from Mexico City, it gently encourages them to become part of Roma Norte’s daily rhythm. For travellers who appreciate architecture, contemporary Mexican design, and the simple pleasure of living well—even for just a few days—Colima 71 is one of the city’s most refined modern addresses.
