The most stylish hotel in Latin America, W opened in fashionable Polanco in 2003. The 25-storey hotel has a volcanic-rock entrance and glass façade and really stands out in the neighbourhood. The modern interiors include a stepped living room with square sofas, white walls, bands of recessed coloured lights and floors suspended over koi ponds. The look upstairs is seductive - the bedrooms are cherry-red with black carpets and oversized beds. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the large polished limestone bathrooms overlook the city; the bathtubs are round and freestanding, although some rooms have 'rain' showers. There is an occasional nod to Mexico in the interior design, with traditional crochet hammocks and flasks of tequila. Rande Gerber's Whiskey Bar is the capital's hippest hangout.

Rates: From USD 269.00pn + tax