In Mexico City’s Centro Histórico, Downtown Mexico occupies the 17th-century Palace of the Counts of Miravalle, combining preserved masonry, high ceilings and weathered materials with a spare contemporary restoration. Its 17 rooms and suites use dark floors, hardwood furnishings and the original fabric of the building rather than decorative excess, with several rooms looking towards the historic courtyard. Public life gathers around that courtyard and the rooftop terrace, where a pool and cocktail bar overlook the dense streets of the old centre. The carved stone entrance, central patio and rooftop masonry keep the hotel firmly tied to its colonial setting.