Feeling right at home at the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende
It’s become a common practice among hotels in Mexico to welcome you “home” when you check in. I like the sentiment. I like the message. But it’s not often that I actually feel like I’m home when I check into a hotel.
Home, to me, implies extreme comfort. It’s never feeling like you’ve stepped into someone else’s space. It’s slipping seamlessly into a routine. It’s feeling settled.
When people ask me now how my experience was at the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, arguably one of the most famous and luxurious hotels in Mexico, I surprise myself when I answer, “It honestly felt like home.”
That’s the beauty of a true luxury property: It makes the transition seamless. One minute you’re arriving, exhausted from travel and a two-hour drive from the airport in Guanajuato, and the next you’re on an overstuffed couch in a spacious living room, sipping a glass of red wine with two of your oldest friends. Whatever happened in between melts away. You’re finally home.
I checked into the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende recently as part of a (highly selective) press group.
The resort’s luxury residences come in two- to five-bedroom configurations. The hacienda-style homes look like they sprang right from the streets of the historical city center. Just steps from the lobby is a massive iron gate that leads to the residence section of the property. A short cobblestone street leads to the residences, all of which are splashed with San Miguel’s quintessential colors: burnt orange, reds, cream and slate gray.
Each home on the “block” is its own residence. Our four-bedroom residence spanned four floors, with a central courtyard complete with a bubbling fountain. It contained a sumptuous living room, private kitchen, terraces galore and a rooftop area with private hot tub. The interiors were a mixture of stone, dark wood and tile. The four-bedroom residence starts at $2,000 per night.
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It was nearly 1 a.m when we arrived, but we didn’t feel sleepy; instead we set to ordering room service and opening a bottle of wine. Within minutes, our orders arrived. After a fabulous night’s sleep in our separate bedrooms, each with ensuite bathrooms, we awoke for breakfast together — coffee, fruit, chilaquiles, omelets — before setting out to explore the gorgeous Unesco World Heritage City.
Apart from the residences, which are wonderful for travelers who are able to do long-term stays or work remotely, the hotel has rooms and suites (together with the residences, the count is 67) that are decorated in traditional hacienda style, with wood-beamed ceilings, living areas and decor that is all crafted in Mexico, if not directly in San Miguel de Allende.
The resort seems like it’s been a part of the city fabric for decades, but in reality the property is only 10 years old. Still, its design has embodied that historically classic feel of San Miguel de Allende — think rounded archways, beautiful gardens, fountains and regal stone staircases. The hotel combines its traditional elegance with rotating exhibits of modern, vibrant art, another aspect of the city for which it is famous.
If you’re in town, you will likely be spending the majority of your time dining at the city’s top-notch restaurants (Trazo 1810 and the Restaurant were two of my absolute favorites), but please do not skip breakfast at Rosewood’s 1826 Restaurant & Bar.
Whether dining in your room or out on the gorgeous courtyard, the breakfast vibe is warm and relaxing. In the evening, you’ll want to visit the Luna Rooftop Tapas Bar for a cocktail and views over La Parroquia. On Thursday nights the rooftop is now welcoming guest mixologists to create new cocktails to the beat of the resident DJ. The hotel calls it Sunset Sessions, and it’s something special to sip a freshly made cocktail as the sun casts its warm, melty glow before vanishing behind the rooftops of the Centro Historico.
In between breakfast and sunset, many guests are lounging by the pool, which is set among beautifully manicured grounds. The entire resort sits on five acres directly in the heart of the city — though you’d never guess that if you didn’t venture past the lobby courtyard.
In fact, behind the pool sits a romantic, highly Instagrammable outdoor dining venue, Los Pirules Artisan Kitchen & Garden. Surrounded by trees and gardens, and with views of La Parroquia, Los Pirules is the spot where guests can arrange for private cooking classes with the resort chef. It features two cooking stations, one with a stone oven and traditional grill and the second with clay pots. Learn to prepare traditional meals like barbacoa and cochinita pibil or mix up a creative cocktail using local herbs and traditional liquors. Its al fresco setting makes this the perfect spot to enjoy activities in a safe, socially distant environment, as well. Add the beautiful backdrop, and your social media feed will be sparking envy.
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Guests can also book personalized art lessons with San Miguel de Allende-based artist and muralist, Lucas Rise. Or, they can arrange for private mojiganga workshops with local mojiganga-maker Hermas Arroyo. (Mojigangas are those giant, larger-than-life-size puppets that have been made famous in local festivals and parades.)
But the real luxury of the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende is how the property makes you feel like you may be the only one there. With 67 rooms on five acres, it’s easy to feel like you have the place to yourself. Add educational and cultural activities, fabulous food and wine (from the privacy of your own living room) and a city-full of top restaurants, shopping and parks just a few steps away — sounds a lot like home to me.
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