Anyone who’s ever been to Mexico City will tell you it wasn’t anything they expected it be. Populated by a burgeoning art scene, the requisite glitterati and an international well-to-do set, the third largest metropolitan area on the globe is also the world’s best kept secret. And the Hotel Condesa is the perfect symbol of that overlooked charm. Situated on a tree-lined street, the hotel may give off an historic landmark feel, but once inside you’ll know this is the place to be seen.

To bring this chic, modern retreat to life, designer India Mahdavi incorporated local materials and distinctive aesthetics. Her originality (indoor shutters, anyone?) perfectly complements the functionality of each piece of furniture—from bedside table to bathroom sink—no doubt aiding the seven-year-old hotel’s status as Mexico City’s social mecca for travelers and locals alike.

Even with new hotels such as the St. Regis and Brick in the up-and-coming Colonia Roma neighborhood, Hotel Condesa remains Mexico City’s Ground Zero for socializing. Mexican Vogue stylist Marco Corral, who has frequented Condesa for six years, explains: “the crowd is really fashiony and artsy” because “big celebrities such as Bono, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna and the Hiltons like the quiet premises opposed to the big hotel choices.”

And when you can enjoy Japanese-Mexican fusion delights on the courtyard patio or savor sushi on the fourth-floor terrace while taking in views of Chapultepec Castle, why would you want to be anywhere else? Plus with plush amenities like the house BMW, rain shower, iPod, laundry, fax and free wi-fi, you may want to see what you can do about moving in.