Growing up as an innocent child of the 1980s and ‘90s, I had big dreams of being a princess — still do. As I aged, however, I recognized how small the princess job market was, and so I decided to settle for another regal role; a countess, or something. Living in Mexico, I’m surrounded by palaces and colonial mansions in which I can spend a night and live my royal fantasy, without the hard work of doing whatever it is that a countess actually does.
If I’ve learned one thing in my adult years, it’s that there is always someone else out there with a similar dream — maybe you, too, have gotten lost in the idea of one day waking up a viceroy, marquess or an attaché. Now, you can. These colonial mansions — defined as such when built between 1519 and 1821 and featuring thick stone walls, high ceilings and classic central courtyards — offer a unique way to experience Mexico’s rich history. Like the hidden gems featured in a previous piece on Mexico’s authentic travel treasures, these properties let you step into Mexico’s aristocratic past without sacrificing that glorious rainfall shower.
Mexico City: Gran Hotel Ciudad de México
This former 17th-century palace puts you in the heart of Mexico, within walking distance of the Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, and National Palace, where the current president resides. One of CDMX’s oldest houses, it was once the Palacio de los Condes de Miravalle, a name you may recall from my article Know your neighborhood: Condesa, or from James Bond’s brief appearance in the Mexican capital. The third countess from this family line owned the hacienda that eventually became the neighborhood of Condesa. The boutique’s breakfast patio features a captivating fresco by Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, and its rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of Centro Histórico and a pool for the ultimate royal treatment.
Mérida: La Misión de Fray Diego
Partially built in 1596 as part of the Temple of Nuns, this mansion harbors Mérida’s most tantalizing mystery: a rumored underground tunnel connecting the adjacent church to the cathedral. Legend claims cloistered nuns used this secret passage to move unseen through the city. While archaeologists have never confirmed the tunnel’s existence, the possibility adds intrigue to your stay in one of Mérida’s storied buildings. The hotel embraces its convent origins with meditation-worthy courtyards, religious relics, and graceful iron-wrought details.
San Miguel de Allende: Casa Blanca 7
Mexico meets Morocco in this 300-year-old house that defies colonial convention. Spanish arches frame Islamic tiles, Berber carpets warm stone floors, and inlaid furniture, such as four-poster beds, creates an Arabian Nights atmosphere in the heart of Mexico. With just ten suites, it feels like staying in a wealthy merchant’s private home. San Miguel’s well-to-do flock to Fatima 7, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, for Mediterranean dishes and vistas of the Templo de San Francisco, a view that perfectly captures this property’s East-meets-West magic.
Puebla: Mesón Sacristía de la Compañía
Shop while you sleep at this 250-year-old treasure hunter’s paradise. Every antique in your room, from hand-carved armoires to colonial ceramics, comes with a price tag. The “hotel-antique gallery concept” turns browsing into an art form across just four rooms in the charming boutique situated on the famous Callejón de los Sapos. Sip coffee in the courtyard café while plotting which 19th-century Mexican artifacts will fit in your suitcase, or book a mole-making class in the colonial kitchen. The Mesón Sacristía is retail therapy meets colonial history, perfect for travelers who prefer souvenirs with centuries of stories.
Guanajuato: El Mesón de los Poetas
Breakfast with Octavio Paz, lunch with Federico García Lorca and cocktails with Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz? Bookworms will have a field day in any of the hotel’s 48 rooms, each of which honors a different poet through personalized décor and ambiance. This 18th-century mansion doubles as a living literature museum, where labyrinthine corridors echo the city’s winding alleyways. The hotel’s central courtyard, El Patio de la Palabra — The Patio of the Word — is the ideal setting to recite your latest literary masterpiece. The property also functions as an art gallery, so you’re essentially sleeping inside a cultural center where creativity flows as freely as the tequila.
Morelia: Hotel de la Soledad
Tragedy, bankruptcy, war and resurrection: This hotel’s 290-year saga reads like a Mexican telenovela. Built in 1735, the project halted when the owners’ only son died suddenly, leaving behind a half-finished dream. The building survived Morelia’s near-abandonment during the War of Independence, multiple bankruptcies and a parade of desperate owners before its 2008 resurrection as a luxury hotel. Today it holds Small Luxury Hotels status and Condé Nast recognition, proving that sometimes the best stories come from the darkest chapters. The name “La Soledad” — Solitude — perfectly captures the property’s epic journey from ruin to glory.
Querétaro: La Casa de la Marquesa
According to local lore, Emperor Maximilian slept here, and that’s just the beginning. This baroque palace was built in 1756 as a love letter — or perhaps a pacification of sorts — from the Marqués de la Villa del Villar del Águila to his wife, complete with elaborate carved stonework and Moorish-inspired arches. The 25 suites overflow with period antiques, while balconies offer views of UNESCO-listed streets that remain as lively as imperial times. The palace chapel, grand staircases, and original paintings create an atmosphere so authentically aristocratic that you may confuse your travel partner with your personal jester.
Zacatecas: Hotel Mesón de Jobito
Don Jobito died in room 107 and apparently never left. This early-18th-century inn embraces its haunted reputation with enthusiasm, and guests report flickering lights, moving objects and an invisible presence watching them around 4 a.m. The ghost of the former night watchman seems particularly fond of playful pranks, from mysterious phone calls to unexplained laughter echoing through the halls. Originally built for miners and merchants during Zacatecas’s silver boom, the mesón now caters to ghost hunters and thrill-seekers who want their colonial experience with a side of the supernatural.
These colonial mansions offer more than just comfortable accommodation. They’re portals to Mexico’s aristocratic past, where you can live like royalty while experiencing Mexican history. Each property preserves centuries-old architecture and stories, providing the kind of immersive cultural experience that makes Mexico’s colonial heritage come to life.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or follow her on Instagram.
