8 Best Hotels in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

If you're looking for an experience just the way you want it, this luxurious and exclusive hotel with excellent service and a fine restaurant in San Felipe del Agua, north of Oaxaca, also throws in free transportation to downtown. Beautiful, contemporary rooms and suites are tastefully decorated and sit either near the wonderful swimming pool or open onto the gardens. The secure transport to and from the city center means that the location, on a hill above the city, is not a problem. Rooms can be customized; guests send their requests to the hotel, and when they arrive, everything is as required. A spa is being added at this writing.

This breathtaking 16th-century building—the former Convento de Santa Catalina de Siena—is one of the city's landmarks and is now a luxury full-service hotel. Around every corner is a discovery: a rear patio holds the covered pileta, a circle of stone basins where the nuns did laundry. The lavish breakfast buffet, which you can enjoy even if you're not a hotel guest, is served under the arches in what was the convent's kitchen. The grassy courtyard where mariachis play is a great spot for a margarita. Staffers are crisp and professional, and always ready with directions or advice—as you'd hope they would be, given the audacious prices. Guest or not, consider signing up for the free 40-minute tour of this historic building, which departs from the lobby on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 5 pm.

Both this attractive B&B and its resident restaurant, La Olla, are run by chef-personality Pilar Cabrera. In Las Bugambilias, one of three houses that make up this B&B, every room is different, but they're all brightly painted and comfortably outfitted. Some rooms have little terraces or patios. All rooms are no-smoking. Guests get both free Wi-Fi and some international calls (including to the United States and Canada).

The central courtyard in this colonial-era mansion is certainly memorable, with lush vines tumbling down over stone arches; rooms are equally interesting, with traditional style and modern amenities. Other touches of note include a wrought-iron gate and leaded-glass windows. Each room is different, so look at a few before you decide; one thing they have in common are the extremely high ceilings. The restaurant in the courtyard offers a wide range of appetizing Mexican and international food.

A fantasy villa buried in the wooded hills about 30 minutes north of the city center, Casa Raab is ideal for traveling groups. You can rent rooms in the main house or take over a casita that's perfect for a family of four. Hiking trails surround the house, which has breathtaking mountain views. You'll feel part of the family as you eat meals together in the dining room. Owner Tony Raab grows his own agave plants, produces his own artisanal mezcal, and helps to organize excursions. To really get around, though, you need to rent a car.

About a 20-minute drive north of Oaxaca's historic center, this hotel is a cool, quiet oasis. The spa, which has a hot tub, massage, and traditional temazcal steam baths, will help you regain your inner balance. Staff members can assist in arranging horseback excursions, bicycle rides, or ecological tours to the nearby mountains. All rooms are no-smoking.

Hotel Azul was the first entry in the post-2010 boom in boutique hotels in Oaxaca, converted from a run-down house in the city center to a hidden gem of a boutique hotel. Although it is situated on a busy downtown street, once you step through the front door, you'll enter into a world of peace, high-quality service, and chic, well-designed rooms. For guests who want a little extra luxury, Hotel Azul offers suites designed and decorated by five of Oaxaca’s most illustrious contemporary artists. After a day exploring the city, the classy rooftop cocktail bar offers a range of refreshing Oaxacan cocktails to whet your appetite before dinner.

Opened in 2014, this is Oaxaca’s newest lodging option, providing a modern take on the traditional Mexican hotel. With an excellent location on the main pedestrianized thoroughfare, you'll have easy access to museums, bars, and restaurants. The real selling point is the rooftop swimming pool where guests can enjoy 360-degree views of the city. The rooms have all the conveniences you would expect (flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, a safe, a dock for your iPhone), and the restaurant has a room-service option. The decoration of the rooms is minimal and lacks Oaxacan flair, but with the city center on your doorstop, you'll want to spend more time there than in your room.