I was in Mexico City for work and I was advised to stay at the J W Marriott for a couple of reasons. 1) It's a luxurious and beautiful hotel with topnotch service and facilities. 2) It's safe. Both of these characteristics were very appealing to me!
A tall, cement building with an outside pool on an upper floor and a concierge lounge for guests, the Marriott is expensive, but worth the money. My room was of a decent size with a mirror on one wall that made the space seem bigger. Surprisingly, it had mostly Victorian-like decor with dark woods and elaborate furniture. The work desk was very comfortable hinting at the business travelers who often stay there. However, I wasn't happy that it cost me $2.50 every time I picked up the phone! The bed was also comfortable. There were several English channels including CNN and Fox News on the TV.
I also liked the convenience of having three restaurants on site which I believe offered Thai, Italian and American cuisine. I ate in the American restaurant (just okay) and the Italian restaurant (good but expensive). The lobby bar also has a nice selection of tequillas.
The location of this hotel is what I consider the big draw. Presidente Masaryk Avenue is considered the Mexican Rodeo Drive. This is one of the few really safe sections of the city for foreign travellers. Amazingly enough, I could see Six Flags from my window!
Travel Tip: When I arrived at the airport in Mexico City, I made the mistake of hailing a cab on the street to get to the Marriott. A $15 cab ride turned into a $50 cab ride. Lesson learned. Next time I'll call the hotel and ask for a car to meet me. The hotel also told me the cost of hailing a cab might be worse than getting ripped off with an expensive fare. This is a city in which people are kidnapped and ransomed for money. I can't stress enough that you need to be streetwise here.