Romantic Places in Mexico / 100 of the world's most romantic hotels, inns and places.

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	Romantic Places in Mexico
	NORTH PACIFIC COAST/BAJA Baja's narrow peninsula features sheer cliffs, desert sands, mission towns and fishing boats. Wine Country / Guadalupe Valley An hour's drive south of the California border is Guadalupe Valley, Mexico's premier wine country. Located near Ensenada, Guadalupe Valley is home to olive orchards, simple farms and a dozen boutique wineries. The narrow arid valley—5 miles wide and 14 miles long—is cooled by ocean breezes filtering down over the hills. Caution: only the main road is fully paved; a sturdy truck or SUV is advised for navigating the bumpy riverbed side roads. Adobe Guadalupe Domicilio Conocido, Baja California, Mexico T: +52 646 155-2094. 6 rooms. US$ 150- www.adobeguadalupe.com This hacienda-style b&b, winery, restaurant and horse stables is owned by a retired American couple. La Villa del Valle T: +52 646 177 1484. 6 rooms. US$ 175- www.lavilladelvalle.com Stylish inn with pool overlooking 70 acres of vineyard and orchards. Todos Santos Avoid the hotel and condo time-share resorts on Baja's tip and stay midway between Paz and Cabo San Lucas in Todos Santos, one of the original locations of a Jesuit monastery. An artist's colony since the late l980's, it is quaint and tropical, with a considerable amount of colonial architecture and lots of bougainvillea.Like the rest of Baja, most of its beaches are more suitable for surfing than swimming (undertow). Todos Santos Inn Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico T: +52 114 5 0040. 8 rooms. US$ 115- www.todossantosinn.com An American has lovingly transformed this colonial building into a beautifully furnished inn. Posada La Poza Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico T: + 52 612 1450400. 7 rooms. US$ 150- www.lapoza.com Restful seaside retreat overlooking sand dunes and the Pacific Ocean, located several miles outside of town. Rancho Pescadero Near Todos Santos, Baja CA, Mexico T: +52 612 135-5849. 12 rooms. www.ranchopescadero.com Fun boutique hotel on 15 acres with two miles of beachfront. You can surf, yoga, hike or just hang out around the pool. Located 12 minutes south of Todos Santos. CENTRAL PACIFIC COAST The Mexican Riviera. Jalisco Includes its capital city, Guadalajara, and the resort town of Puerto Vallarta. Casa Las Brisas Playa Careyero, Punta de Mita T: +52 322 225-4364. 6 rooms. US$ 285- www.casalasbrisas.com Located north of Puerto Vallarta, this lovely beachside villa is secluded away from the crowds. Newly built a few years ago, it is owned and operated by an American architect. Verana Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico Toll-free from US: 1.800.530.7176. 8 guesthouses. US$ 480+. 3 night min. www.verana.com Secluded romantic getaway overlooking Bay of Baderas. Created by Hollywood production and set designing couple, it is a small, personal hotel with a unique concept and feel. The enchanting property includes its own indoor-outdoor spa. Near pretty fishing village of Yelapa, 20 miles south of Puerto Vallarta. Majahuitas Resort Nr. Puerto Vallarta Bay of Banderas, Mexico T: +52 322 15808. 8 rooms. US$ 236. www.mexicanbeachresort.com Arrive by boat to this secluded 18 acre hideaway on the beautiful Bay of Banderas. The romantic getaway is mostly solar powered—no t.v.'s or telephones—and dining is by candlelight. Hotel Descondido T: +52 322 222-2526. 30 rooms. US$ 240-. www.hotelito.com To really escape from civilization, journey 60 miles south from Puerto Vallarta to this eco-luxurious hotel featuring candlelit bungalows, gauze-draped beds and open-air showers. Very limited electricity: dine by torchlight, get around by rowboat. The 1997-era hotel was created by a former Italian fashion designer. Colima The charm of old Mexican can be found in Colima's traditional villages and its countryside of brooding volcanoes and pretty Pacific Coast beaches. Hacienda de San Antonio Comala, Colima T: +52 312 314-3143. US$ 650-, includes meals www.haciendadesanantonio.com A restored stately 1876-era hacienda set in 470 acres of landscaped gardens and organic coffee plantation at the foot of a sometimes smoking volcano. SOUTHERN PACIFIC COAST Luxury hotels and quaint seaside villages Zihuatanejo, Guerrero Idyllic beachside town on Mexico's Pacific coast, favored by writers, artists and actors, away from the high rises of Acapulco and Ixtapa. La Casa Que Canta Camino Escenico, Playa La Ropa Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico T: +52 755 47040. US$ 295- www.lacasaquecanta.com A terra cotta pleasure palace set on a hillside overlooking the sea. Made its movie debut in the 1990's with 'When a Man Loves a Woman'. Oaxaca A favorite destination of European travelers, magical Oaxaca is Mexico at its most authentic and spontaneous. Casa Oaxaca 407 Call Garcia Vigil Oaxaca, Mexico T: +52 951 44173. 6 rooms. US$ 124- www.casaoaxaca.com This small, yet exquisite 200 year old in-town villa provides its guests with style and seclusion. Camino Real Hotel 300 Calle Cinco de Mayo T: +52 951 501-6100 www-camino-oxaca.com One block off of Oxaca's famed zocalo (market square) lies this 400 year old former Spanish Colonial nunnery. CENTRAL INLAND MEXICO/DEL BAJIO Colonial cities that reflect that soul of Mexico. San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato The crown jewel of Mexico's colonial cities. Enriched by Guanajuato's silver mines in the 1700's, then preserved in benign neglect, it is a vortex of physical beauty, grand architecture and folk arts. Casa Schuck Garita 3 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato +52 415 20657. 6 suites. US$ 115- www.casaschuck.com Large colonial villa built with old-world style and sophistication as a private family compound, now a luxurious b&b. Casa de Liza Bajada del Chorro 7 San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato T: +52 415 27040. 10 colonial houses with 37 suites US$ 209- www.casaliza.com Owned by an American expatriate artist, this restored colonial estate has elegant suites and antique-filled villas. Hacienda Las Trancas San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato T: + 52 418 182 9500 Hacienda. 50 rooms. US$ 340-, all inclusive. www.haciendalastrancas.com 450 year old Hacienda and ten walled acres of lush gardens lovingly restored by an American artist and her husband. Located in a safe, small village mid-way between San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato City, you can horse-ride, mountain bike and swim here or just enjoy the friendly hospitality of the owners and their staff. The Hacienda was once the center of a vast million acre estate. Guanajuato City Strolling troubadors and mariachi bands, leafy romantic plazas, narrow winding alleyways, museums and university students. Set in the rolling highlands of central Mexico, Guanajuato is the birthplace of painter Diego Rivera. La Casa de Espíritus Alegres Guanajuato, Mexico T: +52 473 31013. 8 rooms. US$ 95- www.casaspirit.com Just outside town, the house is a nucleus of a complex rescued from the ruins of Hacienda da Trinidad, an enormous silver mining operations. Under the care of artists since the 1950's, it has an extraordinary collection of folk art. The inn is a perfect base for exploring the lively beauty of Guanajuato. Querétaro The Otomi, the Tarasco, the Chichimeca and the Spanish lived peacefully together in the Querétaro's capital city. A world heritage listed site, Querétaro is notable for its many extravagantly adorned civil and religious baroque monuments dating from its golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries. Mesón de Santa Rosa Querétaro City Querétaro, Mexico T: +52 442 224 2623. 24 rooms. US$ 113- www.mesonsantarosa.com 300 year old colonial hotel centrally located on the Plaza de Armas. La Casa de la Marquesa Madero #1 Querétaro City, Querétaro, Mexico T: +52 42 12 00 92. 25 rooms. US$ 150- www.lacasadelamarquesa.com Built as a private residence in 1756, it is famous for its carved stonework and moorish influences. Pátzcuaro, Michoacán Lovely Michoacán's most picturesque city and one of Mexico's most exquisite and soulful towns. Posada La Basilica Pátzcuaro Michoacán, Mexico T: +52 43 421108. US$ 125- www.posadalabasilica.com Rooftop views overlooking town square and Lake Janitzio Mansión Iturbe Portal Morelos # 59 Col. Centro C.P. 61600 Patzcuaro, Mich, Mexico T: +51 434 3 42 03 68. 14 rooms. US$ 95- www.mexonline.com/iturbe.htm The inn dates back to the 17th century. Rooms are decorated with antiques and Purepechan Art; the majority have a private balcony overlooking Vasco de Quiroga Square Morelia, Michoacán The capital city of Michoacán, Morelia is a world heritage site known for its pink quarry stone and historic structures, including an 18th century cathedral, one of Mexico's largest. Villa Montana Patzimba No. 201 Col. Vista Bella Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico T: +52 443 314 02 31. 38 rooms. US$ 250-. www.villamontana.com.mx Country elegant hill-top villa set in four acres of gardens five minutes outside of Morelia. Decorated with Spanish colonial furniture, oil paintings and native folk art. MEXICO CITY & ENVIRONS History, archeology and Spanish colonial cities. Morelos Rich in archeological treasures, including the world heritage site Xochicalco. Hacienda San Gabriel de Las Palmas Nr. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico T: +52 734 80636. 12 rooms. US$ 120- www.hacienda-sangabriel.com.mx Commissioned by Hernan Cortes as a monastery in the 16th century and commandeered by Emiliano Zapata as his headquarters during the war of independence, its balconies overlook hundreds of royal palms, flame trees, and vast corn and sugarcane fields. Has horses, tennis and a pool. Very romantic. CARIBBEAN COAST/YUCATAN Mayans ruins and white sand Caribbean beaches. Riviera Maya, Yucatan, Mexico's Caribbean coast with beautiful beaches and Mayan ruins. Ignore the disco driven tourist crowds and mega resorts in and around Cancun and head south towards the small thatch-roofed hotels and palapas, coral sand beaches and former coconut plantations found near Tulum. Maroma Costa Maya, Mexico T: +52 98 74 47 29. 36 rooms, US$ 410- www.maromahotel.com Situated on one of the last bits of wild coast between the high rises of Cancun and the Mayan ruins at Tulum. Eco-sensitive and low density, set on 540 acres of a former coconut plantation. Esencia Playa Xpu-Ha Beach, nr. Playa del Carmen Yucatan, Mexico T: +1 713 528-7865. 29 rooms. US$ 325- www.hotelesencia.com It has beachside views of the sunset and Cozumel Island. Esencia's main building was originally an Italian countess' home. Cabanas Ana y Jose Nr. Tulum ruins, Yucatan, Mexico T: +52 98 8 06022. 17 rooms. US$ 75- www.anayjose.com Secluded cabanas, half with a sea view. Helpful staff, pool, masseuse and a pretty beach. Yucatan Haciendas These recently restored haciendas were part of working estates that included sisal factories, silver mines, workshops, chapels and schools. Hacienda Temozon Nr. Celestun, Yucatan Penisula, Mexico T: +52 999 923 8089. 35 rooms. US$ 220- www.starwood.com/luxury Probably the most splendid of any hacienda in the Yucatan Presidents Clinton and Zedillo met here in 1999. The rooms come with ceiling fans, air conditioning and traditional Mayan hammocks. Hacienda Santa Rosa Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico T: +52 999 910 4852. 11 rooms. US$ 220- www.starwood.com/luxury A beautiful oasis found at the end of a long dirt road. The complex of buildings include a candlelit chapel and a well stocked library. Hacienda Katanchel Nr. Merida Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico T: +52 99 23-40-20. 33 rooms. US$ 200- www.haciendakatanchel.com A 17th century colonial hacienda, 15 miles from Merida—the gateway to great Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Cobá—with 33 separate "pavilions" set in a staggeringly beautiful jungly garden. The 740 acre property includes Mayan ruins, horses, tennis, a pool and spa.