📍Where things stand
The locked facts, pulled from your booking and school emails.
Housing Booked
- Penthouse · Jul 6 – Aug 5 · $8,300 all-in
Confirmation 6545574445667
- Gold Suite (family joining) · Jul 11 – 25 · $3,908.54 all-in
Confirmation 6971478442625
- Possible extension · Jul 25 – Aug 5 · $2,997.83 quoted
Not yet confirmed
- Free cancellation up to 5 days before check-in. Pay by credit card.
School Decided
- Colegio Ciudad de México, Polanco
~8 min walk from the apartment
- Spanish-taught private K-12, ages 3-12. Enzo and Esme both fit.
- ~4,500 pesos (~$260) per week per child, activities and field trips included (KidZania, petting ranch).
- Pay cash on the ground. Mashni's Shaan (7) may join the week of Jul 27-31.
✅To-do before you fly
Tap-and-check style. The first two are the live ones right now.
- Pay Viadora by credit card. Follow-up to Renata for the payment links is drafted in your Spark, ready to send. She confirmed they take card.
- Reply to Colegio Ciudad de México and close the loop. Spots for Enzo + Esme are held (full course Jul 6-31), but you never replied to their last message. The school wants the filled form per child brought printed and signed, with cash, on day one (Jul 6). Confirm both kids, send the filled forms if you want them on file early, and re-confirm room for the 2 extra kids in weeks 2-3.
- Decide the Gold Suite extension (Jul 25 – Aug 5). $2,997.83 quoted, not booked. Confirm or release it.
- Check all four passports are valid through the stay. That is essentially all you need for entry. You get stamped in at the airport for up to 180 days, no advance paperwork required.
- Tourist permit: do NOT pay any website for it. Flying in, the permit fee (the "Mexican tourism tax" / DNR) is already included in your airfare. Any site charging for an air-arrival tourist card is a scam. The only official site is inm.gob.mx, and its digital form is free. At the airport your passport is stamped, that stamp is the permit.
- Buy and install eSIMs before you fly. Telcel-based plan (best CDMX coverage). One parent on unlimited (Holafly) to hotspot the kids' tablets, the other on Airalo.
- Tell your card issuers you'll be in Mexico for a month and confirm no foreign-transaction fees on the card you'll use most.
- Book the big-ticket reservations now: Pujol and Quintonil go months ahead. Frida Kahlo / Casa Azul timed tickets sell out.
- Pediatrician visit before the trip: ask what's safe for a 3 and 5 year old for travelers' diarrhea, get oral rehydration salts, review the CDC Mexico page, and mention the ~2,240m altitude.
- Download Uber and Didi and add a payment method while still on home wifi.
- Ask Viadora about the apartment water (garrafón or filter) and whether they can arrange an in-home cook, which you'd already asked about.
- Confirm Mashni's week so Shaan's camp spot and their nearby lodging line up.
🎒What to bring
The money plan and the documents, separated from clothing.
💵 The cash is for school, and it's small
School camp runs ~4,500 pesos (~$260) per week per child. Two kids over a few weeks is low thousands of pesos, easy to cover with on-the-ground ATM withdrawals or a modest amount of USD to exchange.
No customs declaration needed at this level. The apartment goes on credit card, so you are not carrying a big cash sum for it.
⚠️ Only if you end up carrying $10,000+ USD cash for any reason
Both governments require a
declaration above $10,000 (it stays legal, you just have to report it):
- Leaving the US: file FinCEN Form 105 with CBP (free, can be done online in advance). Failure to file = CBP can seize the entire amount, not just the excess.
- Entering Mexico: declare to customs (ANAM). Undeclared under $30k = fine of 20-40% of the amount over $10k plus seizure. $30k+ undeclared escalates to criminal exposure.
Documents & money
- 4 passports (valid through the stay)
- Booking confirmations saved offline (no advance tourist permit to print, you're stamped in at the airport)
- Apartment rental agreement (handy at customs and check-in)
- Credit card for Viadora + a no-foreign-fee card for daily spend
- Some USD to exchange + a debit card for peso ATM withdrawals
- Kids' camp enrollment paperwork / receipts
Health kit
- Oral rehydration salts (Pedialyte / electrolyte packets)
- Kid-safe fever/pain meds you trust, in US brands
- Any prescriptions for the full month + a few spare days
- Sunscreen and a small first-aid kit
- Hand sanitizer for market/street-food days
- Pediatrician's travel-diarrhea guidance written down
🧳Packing list
Tuned to CDMX in July: mild days near 73°F, cool nights near 54°F, and a near-daily afternoon shower that usually clears in an hour or two. Pack for layers and rain, not heat.
☔ The July weather formula
Plan outdoor mornings and flexible/indoor afternoons. Mornings are sunny and cool, rain tends to roll in after 1-2 PM. A compact umbrella and a light rain layer for each person beats a poncho.
Everyone
- Light jacket or sweater (mornings + evenings are cool)
- Compact umbrella x4 + a packable rain shell each
- Comfortable walking shoes (Polanco is very walkable) + water-resistant pair
- Layers: tees + a couple of long-sleeves, light pants and shorts
- One smart-casual outfit each (Quintonil / Pujol / nice dinners)
- Sun hat + sunglasses + sunscreen (strong sun at altitude)
- Refillable water bottles (fill from purified water only)
Kids (Enzo 5 & Esme 3)
- Lightweight stroller (wide Polanco sidewalks, lots of park time)
- Rain jackets + a change of clothes in the day bag
- Closed-toe shoes for camp + sandals
- Tablets pre-loaded + headphones (flight + hotspot at home)
- Comfort items, favorite snacks for the first day or two
- Esme: anything camp asks for at age 3 (check with Colegio)
- Swim stuff (in case lodging/activities have a pool)
Don't bother / buy there
Bulky toiletries and diapers/wipes are cheaper and easy to buy at Farmacia San Pablo or City Market once you land. Skip a car seat unless you're renting a car for day trips (Uber rides in-city don't require one, though bringing one travel seat for the 3 year old is a reasonable call).
⭐Become a regular in Polanco
Your daily-life map within a short walk or quick Uber of Isabella by Viadora. The picks flagged for Spanish-only texture (taquerías, the tianguis, the mercado) are where the immersion actually happens.
☕ Every-morning coffee
- Niddo · Anatole France 129
Garden café, top breakfast + baked goods, walkable.
- Café Toscano · Temístocles 26
Calm espresso bar that doubles as breakfast.
- Blend Station · Av. Horacio 256
Cult cold brew, light-filled, work-friendly.
- Cucurucho · Polanco
Mexican-origin beans, minimalist, unpretentious.
🍳 Breakfast & brunch
- Niddo - the garden makes it kid-friendly.
- Ojo de Agua - juices, bowls, healthy + fast, picky-kid friendly.
- Eno (Enrique Olvera) - chilaquiles, molletes, no pretension.
- Café Toscano - sit-down chilaquiles and eggs.
🌮 Everyday lunch & dinner
- El Turix · Emilio Castelar 212
The cochinita pibil hole-in-the-wall. Cash only, Spanish-only, become-a-regular lunch.
- Siembra Taquería · Polanco
Fine-dining-trained taquería, fresh, relaxed.
- Eno - tortas and daily specials for an easy dinner.
- Casual Italian (Cancino, Sartoria) is in Roma/Condesa, a short Uber, not a walk.
🥂 Splurge (once or twice)
- Quintonil · Newton 55
No. 3 in the World's 50 Best 2025, two Michelin stars. Book way ahead.
- Pujol · Tennyson 133
Olvera's flagship, the mole madre. Reservations open ~a year out.
- Both are walkable from the apartment, side-by-side blocks.
🥐 Bakery & pastry
- Maison Kayser · Emilio Castelar 121
French bread + pastries on the Castelar strip.
- Da Silva - artisan French-style daily bread.
- Pastelería Amado - French pastries and indulgences.
- Treat run: Panadería Rosetta in Roma, often called the city's best. Short Uber.
🛒 Groceries & markets
- Sumesa - closest everyday grocery, quick-trip default.
- City Market - premium stock-up (wine cellar, dry-aged beef, imports).
- Parque Lincoln tianguis (Sat) - Polanco's own weekly produce street market. The local-life run. verify day/hours
- Mercado Granada - nearest full traditional mercado, just south, short Uber.
🍸 Parents' night
- Ticuchi · Petrarca 254
Olvera's agave bar, tequila + mezcal, intimate.
- Licorería Limantour · Oscar Wilde 9
The world-renowned cocktail bar's Polanco outpost.
- Jules Basement - hidden speakeasy, big wine list.
- Fifty Mills - polished Four Seasons bar, refined date night.
💪 Fitness
- Smart Fit Parques Polanco - modern gym, sells day/short passes directly.
- Orangetheory Polanco · Av. Horacio 147 - single-class booking.
- Moon Pilates · Aristóteles 165 - reformer studio.
- Parque Lincoln loop - ~1.5km lit jog out the door. Longer runs: Pista El Sope in Chapultepec.
- Best tool for a month: Fitpass (Mexico's ClassPass) covers many Polanco studios.
🛝 Parks for the kids
- Parque Lincoln - top playground: toddler + older zones, aviary, RC boats, duck pond. Walkable. verify aviary/boats running
- Parque América - open green for running around, a few blocks on.
- Acuario Inbursa · Moliere 680 - closest indoor aquarium, stroller-friendly, under-3 free.
- Chapultepec Section I - zoo (free), lake boats, Papalote kids' museum, all clustered, short Uber.
✂️ Services & errands
- Barber: Scalper Polanco (Alejandro Dumas 84-B)
- Salon: BULLET (Masaryk 393) · Spa: iik' Spa (Euler 152)
- Pharmacy: Farmacia San Pablo, Ejército Nacional 930 (24h)
- Laundry: UrbanClean (Temístocles 56), free pickup + delivery
- Work café: Blend Station (Av. Horacio 256) · WeWork on Cervantes Saavedra
👶 Kid logistics & peace of mind
- Book a Nanny (bookananny.mx) - bilingual, CPR-certified, vetted sitters who come to you. Built for traveling families.
- Sitters Mexico - bilingual backup option.
- Hospital Español · Ejército Nacional 613 - adjacent to Polanco, has a children's hospital + pediatric ER. Default for a sick kid at night. Tel. 55 5255 9600.
- Centro Médico ABC – Observatorio - top expat hospital, 24/7 ER. Tel. 55 5230 8000.
Place research compiled from Infatuation, Michelin Guide, Corner.inc, Culture Trip, District Polanco, ExpatsList, official venue sites and local CDMX guides. Items marked verify appear current but confirm address/hours on arrival.
🏠Help at home: nanny, chef, laundry
Two ways to fill each role: try a vetted service yourself, and/or work the local referral from Rigo. Start the service inquiries now, a good cocinera or recurring chef books up.
🤝 The two-track plan
Track 1 (referral): ask Rigo for a trusted nanny, cook, and laundry person he knows. Word-of-mouth is how locals and expats hire household help in CDMX, and a personal vouch beats a cold agency.
Track 2 (your own): the named, screened options below as a parallel path so you're not dependent on one lead. Also pending: Viadora's reply on whether the apartment provides an in-home cook.
👶 Nanny / sitter
- Book a Nanny (bookananny.mx) - bilingual, CPR/first-aid certified, police-checked, video intro before booking. Built for traveling families.
- Sitters Mexico (sittersmexico.com) - bilingual vetted sitters, CDMX since 2024.
- Agency for live-out staff: HOMESTAFF México / Home Domestic also place nannies (niñera) if you want one regular person.
- Screen on a WhatsApp video call before committing.
🧺 Laundry
- UrbanClean (Temístocles 56) - free pickup + delivery, the easy default.
- Pristine - premium tintorería, pickup + delivery.
- 7clean (Ejército Nacional 678) - walk-in option.
- Or a cocinera/housekeeper (below) can fold laundry into a daily arrangement.
🍳 Chef / cook 2 models
A recurring private chef (books the same person a few times a week, all-inclusive of groceries) or a daily cocinera (lower cost, shops + cooks "entrada por salida"). For a month, either works.
- Chef CDMX - has an explicit "ongoing private chef / meal prep" line for families, English-friendly, serves Polanco. Form / +52 55 4170 8470 / WhatsApp Start here.
- MiumMium (Polanco) - marketplace, hire one chef weekly or 3x/week, you message the chef directly. All-in pricing per guest.
- Take a Chef - big marketplace, ~1,200+ CDMX chefs, recurring re-booking is common.
- Cocineras para el Hogar S&C · 55-8789-4605 - domestic agency placing daily cocineras and trained chefs; offers entrada-por-salida. Ask about a 1-month engagement.
- Healthy delivery backup: Nurish (max@nurish.mx) and Manyar for ready-made healthy meals on off days.
- Ask Viadora too: you already asked Renata about an in-home cook, that reply is outstanding.
Services compiled from each provider's site (Take a Chef, MiumMium, Chef CDMX, Cocineras para el Hogar, Book a Nanny, UrbanClean, Nurish, Manyar). Confirm short-term/recurring terms and pricing by WhatsApp, none publish a fixed monthly rate.
🗺️Greater CDMX worth repeat trips
Beyond Polanco, the neighborhoods, meals, markets and culture worth coming back to over a month.
Neighborhoods to rotate through
| Area | What it's for |
|---|
| Roma Norte | The food-and-bars neighborhood. Densest concentration of standout restaurants, galleries, boutiques. Very walkable. |
| Condesa | Leafy and calm, Parque México, dog-friendly plazas. A slow stroll-and-coffee afternoon with kids. |
| Coyoacán | Colonial, quieter, cultural. Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul, plazas, cafés. Great weekend wander. |
| San Ángel | Leafy and historic. Go Saturday for the Bazar Sábado craft market. |
| Centro Histórico | The Zócalo, cathedral, Templo Mayor, Bellas Artes. A daytime culture trip. |
🍽️ Destination meals across the city
- Contramar (Roma) - iconic lunch, tuna tostadas + the half-red/half-green fish. Lunch only, reserve.
- El Cardenal (Centro + others) - classic Mexican breakfast/lunch institution, family-friendly.
- Plus Quintonil + Pujol in Polanco (see above).
🧺 Markets worth a weekend
- Mercado de San Juan (Centro) - the chef's gourmet market.
- Mercado Medellín (Roma Sur) - pan-Latin produce + prepared food.
- Mercado Roma - three-floor gourmet food hall, easy with kids.
- Bazar Sábado (San Ángel) - Saturdays only, best crafts/textiles.
🏛️ Cultural musts (good with or without kids)
- Museo Nacional de Antropología - world-class, big dramatic pieces that hold young kids. Under-13 free.
- Frida Kahlo / Casa Azul (Coyoacán) - book timed tickets ahead, sells out.
- Chapultepec Castle & Park - hilltop palace + huge park, an easy full day.
- Xochimilco trajineras - colorful canal boats, mariachi, a classic family outing.
- Teotihuacán - the pyramids, a day trip. Private driver or tour is easiest with kids.
- Lucha libre - the Sunday ~5pm shows at Arena México are the most family-friendly.
🧭On-the-ground basics
The practical stuff that makes the first week smooth.
💳 Money & tipping
- Cards widely accepted in Polanco/Roma/Condesa. Carry pesos for markets, street food, tips.
- Restaurants: 10-15% standard (check for "propina/servicio" already added).
- Uber/Didi: not expected, small in-app tip for good service.
- Housekeeping: ~25-50 pesos per day, left daily.
- Use bank ATMs; decline the machine's currency conversion (charge in pesos).
📱 Connectivity
- Best value: a Telcel-based eSIM (strongest CDMX coverage).
- Airalo on Telcel (~10GB ~$17, ~20GB ~$30) for one parent.
- Holafly unlimited (~$74/30 days) for the other, hotspot the kids' tablets.
- Install before you fly. verify plan covers all 30 days
🚗 Getting around
- Uber and Didi are legal, reliable, and safer than street taxis. Download both. Verify plate + driver before getting in.
- Metro/Metrobús fine in daytime, but rideshare is lower-stress with little kids.
- Don't rent a car for in-city (parking, traffic, Hoy No Circula). Rent or hire a driver only for day trips.
💧 Water & health
- Do not drink the tap water, and don't brush teeth with it or use its ice. Bottled/purified only, especially for the kids.
- Eat hot freshly-cooked food, peel fruit yourself, sealed drinks. Pack rehydration salts.
- Altitude ~2,240m: take the first 1-2 days easy, hydrate, go light on alcohol. Watch kids for early headache/poor sleep, it passes.
🛡️ Safety
Polanco is among the safest neighborhoods in the city: embassy district, well-lit, regular police and private security, stroller-friendly. Citywide is US State Dept Level 2 (increased caution), comparable to other big cities with normal precautions: stick to known areas, use rideshare over street taxis, don't flash cash/phones in crowds, watch bags on the Metro.