Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel

This 22-floor steel-and-glass Sheraton casts a large presence along one of the busiest street streets in Mexico's capital. This is a massive hotel catering primarily to business travelers -- the feeling is more corporate than warm -- though tourists and SPG members pass through as well. Guests enter through revolving glass doors into a vast foyer, and the large lobby has numerous areas for guests to congregate for small meetings or social gatherings -- there are plenty of laptops to be seen and the area has a bar, a Starbucks, and the Link@Sheraton computer station as well. Marble floors run throughout and there is plenty of comfortable, if not entirely chic, seating throughout. A large mural brightens up the space and adds some local flavor. After hours, things loosen up and there's mariachi music in the Jorongo Bar, while the lobby bar also has live entertainment on occasion. The hotel's Ristorante Amici is a chic space for a meal with attractive hardwood floors and handsome furniture, while the Club Lounge is equally stylish, though far brighter, with marble floors and vibrant contemporary art on the walls.

The hotel is centrally located on Paseo de la Reforma in front of the famous Angel of Independence monument. Mexico City's Zona Rosa is just across the street, and it's one of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods, filled with shops, bars, nightclubs, cafes, and restaurants. The area surrounding the hotel is full of offices and businesses as well; the U.S. Embassy is a 15-minute walk from the hotel, and the Mexico Stock Exchange is two blocks away. The closest metro station is at Insurgentes, a 10-minute walk from the hotel, making trips around the city simple, especially when connecting to buses. The Frida Kahlo Museum is 45 minutes away by public transportation, or 30 minutes by car, and Chapultepec Park, home to the Anthropology Museum, Tamayo Contemporary Art Museum, and the zoo, is a little over a mile away (a 25 minute walk, or two stops on the metro). Mexico City International Airport is a 30- to 45-minute drive away, depending on traffic.

Sheratons around the world offer a standard of comfort that isn't deviated from here, and while guest rooms have a corporate, chain-like quality, there are bright local accents including Mexican tile-inspired lamps next to the excellent Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Beds. Dark wood furnishings look sharp next to light blue armchairs with bright accent pillows, and padded dull turquoise headboards. All rooms include minibars, iHome radio alarm clocks, safes, coffeemakers, air-conditioning, desks with ergonomic chairs, and flat-screen TVs, though Wi-Fi is only free for SPG members. Rooms have light carpets and white walls hung with photographs of bright objects like baskets. Bathrooms have bidets and bathtub/shower combos, and though sinks are exterior to the bathrooms in some rooms, vanities are spacious. The Towers Section offers butler service, a private registration area, and other special services including access to the Towers Lounge. Club Floor guest rooms offer upgraded amenities and free bottled water, plus perks in the Club Lounge. Some rooms, especially those on higher floors, have outstanding views of the city, while others offer separate living and sleeping areas.

The hotel offers an amount of features to equal its size, starting with numerous dining and drinking options, including Ristorante Amici for Italian cuisine, Manhattan Deli for light fare with a New York-diner ambiance, and the Sushi Bar@Link for sushi and Japanese entrees. The two bars -- Jorongo Bar and the lobby bar -- sometimes have live entertainment, and there's also a Starbucks on-site. The Link@Sheraton lobby space provides Internet work stations, free Wi-Fi, coffee, tea, and light breakfast in the morning, and bar drinks and snack fare in the evening. A spacious business center on the 18th floor offers five meeting rooms and four work areas with computers, printers, and phones plus secretarial services. For larger gatherings, the hotel offers 29 event spaces that can accommodate from 10 to 1,500 people. The large fitness center has modern cardio and weight-training equipment, a sauna, and steam room. Massage treatments also are available for a fee. Additional on-site recreation includes a small heated outdoor swimming pool and two lighted tennis courts. Club Floor guests have access to the stylish Club Lounge, with free breakfast, snacks throughout the day, and cocktails in the evening. Wi-Fi, outside of Link@Sheraton, is only free for SPG guests, and the hotel offers standard features for fees including airport transfers, laundry, and dry cleaning. Pets are allowed with restrictions and fees and there is a dedicated concierge.