4 Best Hotels in Puebla, Side Trips from Mexico City

Set in an imaginatively updated 19th-century building with stone walls, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows, this posh and peaceful urban oasis on the edge of Centro Históric abounds with pleasing amenities, including three excellent restaurants, two bars, and a sublime spa offering Thai-style massages and body treatments. Even the standard rooms are spacious and have deep soaking tubs. The rooftop bar is a wonderful spot for cocktails at sunset, with views of Puebla's historic skyline. Some larger rooms can sleep four and are a great option for families. Valet parking is included in the rate.

Occupying a magnificently transformed pair of 17th-century buildings, one of which formerly held a ceramic-tile factory, this plush urban oasis with a rooftop pool and a soothing spa is part of Puebla's new wave of chic—and surprisingly affordable—boutique hotels. The hotel is on a beautiful street in Centro Histórico, just a block from the craft shops of colorful Sapos Alley. Artfully outfitted rooms contain plenty of modern perks, including minibars stocked with complementary beverages. There are two fantastic restaurants in the hotel, including the celebrated Salón Mezcalli. This is a sister property to the exclusive Chablé Resort & Spa, near Mérida in the Yucatan. 

This marvelously renovated colonial building may no longer be a private home, but it still has the same cozy environment, with an enchanting mix of original accents, antique and modern furnishings, and luxe linens. The central patio is home to the well-regarded restaurant, which serves beautifully presented traditional Mexican dishes and interesting international fare. Keeping watch over the dining room is a large statue of the place's namesake: China Poblana, the daughter of a Mongol king who was kidnapped and brought to Mexico.

Part of the trendy Grupo Habita brand, this striking hotel set in a former 19th-century water-purification plant helped put Puebla on the map with fans of design and architecture when it opened in 2008, and although it's been somewhat overshadowed by even newer and swankier properties in recent years, it's still a memorable place to spend the night without spending a fortune. Ultramodern materials were used for the building's transformation by famed architect Ricardo Legorreta; rough-hewn stone walls are paired with brushed metal and polished glass. The place has a whimsical attitude, with wonderful touches like the glass-sided rooftop pool, which you can view from the hip bar. The restaurant on the ground floor serves very good contemporary cuisine.