Mexico (Mainland)

Colima | Chihuahua & Copper Canyon | Mexico City | Guadalajara | Cholula | Morelia  Oaxaca

North West/Baja

México's Northwest region has so often been the location for American cowboy movies that most people are familiar with its distinctive geography.

The Sea of Cortés borders it on the west and, heading eastward, you encounter the Sierra Madre mountains, eventually the Copper Canyon and a vast territory beyond into Chihuahua and Durango. Said to be grander than the Grand Canyon, The Copper Canyon has become an increasingly popular tourist destination, but for the most part the area offers many new travel adventures. 

Del Bajio

For travelers wanting to broaden their horizons, there is no better adventure than a journey to Mexico's colonial cities in the Bajío. This region embodies the true character of Mexico as a nation and showcases the country's 300 years under Spanish rule. This zone includes the states of Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí, Morelia.

Central

Like an enormous living museum, this region has Mexico City as it's base. Mexico City is a remarkable showplace for Mexico's 3,000 years of human cultural achievement. It is from here that you would set out to explore the surrounding archeological sites and colonial cities such as Puebla, Tlaxcala and Cuernavaca.

Colima

Small state in the west of Mexico bordering on Jalisco, Michoacán and the Pacific Ocean. Its name comes from the Nahuatl Coliman: colli meaning hill, volcano or grandfather and maitl meaning hand, or domination, in other words, "place dominated by our grandparents" or "place where the Old God prevails," referring to the Colima Volcano.  Colima offers fascinating archaeological sites such as El Chanal and La Campana, colonial architecture and 19th century buildings. Its excellent maritime, land and air infrastructure facilitates travel to and from the area.

Mahakua Hacienda San Antonio - 5 Star

Location:

Mahakua-Hacienda de San Antonio (great community) was opened in October 2000. The elegantly restored, 19th Century casa grande was originally built by German planter Arnoldo Vogel and his Mexican wife, Clotilde Quevedo de Vogel. The resort is set in manicured grounds and looks onto a spectacular active volcano. A large working aqueduct provides year-round water for the formal gardens inspired by Spain’s famed Alhambra Palace where, along with fig and cypress trees are garden plants like the blue agave, from which tequila is made.

The Hacienda occupies a generous 470 acres within a 5,000 acre working ranch that includes an organic farm and coffee plantation. The Hacienda is tucked away in the high country of Western Mexico, about 200km south of Guadalajara. Between Mahakua-Hacienda de San Antonio and Colima, the state capital, lie several traditional villages.

Mahakua-Hacienda de San Antonio lies in the pleasant highlands of Western Mexico (or Pacific Mexico), near Colima, which is connected by direct highways to Guadalajara and Manzanillo which are also the closest international airports. There are also direct domestic flights to Colima from Mexico City and Tijuana. From Colima airport it is 28km (or 35 minutes) by complimentary transfer to Mahakua-Hacienda de San Antonio.

Accommodation:

All the suites are located in a two-storey wing with its own private courtyard. A broad, winding volcanic-stone staircase connects the two floors and their 25 suites - some with balconies and views, others on the ground floor with direct access to the gardens. Each suite has its own name - the three Grand Suites are called Volcán, Sol and Quetzal - and its own theme. Some of the rooms are designed around the tapestries of the region or its charreada while others incorporate pre-Columbian legends and Spanish discoveries.

Facilities:

• Outdoor swimming pool
• San Antonio Chapel
• Living room
• Mirador room (lounge)
• Library
• Gallery
• Mexican Rodeo
• Mountain bikes
• Floodlit tennis court
• Ranch farm
• Horeseback riding
• Walking & birdwatching

Dining:

• Elegant restaurant
• Bar 

Chihuahua

This is the largest state in Mexico and is located in the north of the country. It borders on Durango and Sinaloa to the south, Sonora to the west, Coahuila to the east and Texas and New Mexico to the north.

The state's capital and second largest city (1.7 million), Chihuahua unfortunately doesn't get much attention from North American vacationers. Most visitors are either in transit overnight on their way south to Mexico's interior, or heading westward into the Sierra Tarahumara mountains on a Copper Canyon excursion.  Founded in 1707, the city is very comfortable and prosperous. It showcases some interesting museums, colonial era vestiges, and turn-of-the-century architecture. It is worthy of at least a few days of exploring, and makes an excellent base for sightseeing around Chihuahua state.

Only six hours from the El Paso, Texas, the city is a historical gem. Some of Mexico's most famous citizens, such as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Benito Juarez, and Pancho Villa, have been a part of Chihuahua's past.  Chihuahua is a first class city and has all the facilities needed for the Copper Canyon adventurer including an international airport, large and modern bus station, first class hotels and restaurants, and supplies for your visit to the Copper Canyon.

Hacienda de Los Santos

Location:

In the foothills of the Sierra Madre, between the Sea of Cortés and the Copper Canyon, Hacienda de Los Santos is situated in the northernmost of Mexico’s colonial villages. It was built in 1685 for a wealthy silver baron in the grandest of styles and has been exquisitely restored as a haven for those seeking an elegant, cultural and healthful retreat in the most spectacular of settings.

1-1/2 hours east of Ciudad Obregón (airport) and the beaches on the Sea of Cortés; three hours south of Guaymas; 2-1/2 hours north of Los Mochis or El Fuerte (Copper Canyon); seven hours south of the Arizona border.

Accommodation:

Luxurious guestrooms are appointed with antique Spanish colonial furnishings, plush linens, soothing colors and the romantic touch of a wood-burning fireplace.  There are 25 rooms in total.

Facilities:

• 4 swimming pools
• Spa
• Fitness room
• Theatre
• 2 Putting greens
• Horseback riding
• Mountain biking
• 2 Internet stations
• Airplane hangar

Dining:

• Alfresco dining in the Mexican Garden
• 4 Dining rooms
• Zapata's bar (legendary cantina with fine Tequila selection)

Copper Canyon

The Copper Canyon is truly one of the Western Hemisphere's great scenic and cultural journeys, the Sierra Tarahumara (Copper Canyon) belongs on the wish list of most every traveler. It is fast becoming Mexico's most popular "soft-adventure" attraction while also catering to hardcore backpackers, day hikers, mountain bikers, bird watchers, historians, and naturalists.

On a map the trek looks like a simple train trip between the Chihuahua, capital city of the state by the same name and the small city of Los Mochis in Sinaloa near the Sea of Cortez. In fact this journey showcases not only one of the world's great engineering feats, but also some of the world's most awesome scenery and the most primitive aboriginal culture left in North America. 

The journey is special on several fronts, not the least of which is the incredibly ingenious train route. The Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad carries riders from sea level to over 2,400 meters (8,000 feet) when traveling west from the agricultural city of Los Mochis, through coastal plains, up and over the Sierra Madre mountain range before descending to the city of Chihuahua 655 kms (393 miles) away. Along with the many bridges and tunnels which are crossed, there's even a 360 degree loop over itself at Km. 592.

The region's geological splendor is equally remarkable. The Sierra Tarahumara is in fact a maze of 200 gorges which combine to form a series of six massive, interconnected canyons, or barrancas.  This canyon system is four times larger than the Grand Canyon in the United States. Four of its six canyons are deeper than the Grand - some by over 1,000 feet.

Mexico City

Mexico City is the world's third-largest metropolis (only Tokyo and NYC are bigger). Mexico's best and worst ingredients are all here: music and noise, brown air and green parks, colonial palaces and skyscrapers, world-renowned museums and ever-spreading slums.

The city's historic centre is the Plaza de la Constitución, or Zócalo. The plaza was paved in the 1520s by Hernán Cortés, using stones from the temples and palaces of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán he'd destroyed, and on which Mexico City was built. Its major sights fan out from here.

Some of Mexico's best attractions are only a day trip from Mexico City. If there is any 'must see' in this region it has to be Teotihuacán, just 50km (31mi) northeast of the capital. Teotihuacán was Mexico's biggest ancient city and the capital of the country's largest pre-Hispanic empire, boasting 200,000 inhabitants at its peak in the 6th century.

Habita - 5 Star

Location:

Habita is Mexico City’s spin on a modern design hotel. Situated in the Polanco district, a fashionable neighborhood of tree lined boulevards, trendy restaurants and chic shopping, one can enjoy culture in the heart of the city’s business center. The converted 1950’s building has gained a new identity, bringing in light and space by adding a wrapper of frosted glass. The adventurous design encapsulates the hotel in a floating glass box suspended from the original façade. From the top of the box, take in the spectacular city views, or relax in the rooftop bar and pool while mingling with locals and visitors alike. A minimalist approach gives Habita and Mexico City a raw modernism, opening the eyes of the old world to the new.

Accommodation:

The 32 luxurious rooms and four Junior Suites outfitted with every amenity imaginable, including custom pieces by Ten Arquitectos, king size beds, Eames chairs, and a Sony vega flat screen, indulging in a modern, contemporary design aesthetic.  Room facilities include, air conditioning, 2 in-house music channels, 24 hours room service, mini-bar, telephone with voice mail and direct internet data port, personal assistant, safe boxes, state-of-the-art and round-the-clock security.

Facilities:

• Aqua Spa
• Massage treatments
• Gym
• Sauna
• Jacuzzi
• Roof top pool
• Business centre
• 24 Hour room service

Dining:

• Restaurant
• Bar & Terrace

Hotel Marquis Reforma - 5 Star

Location:

Marquis Reforma, one of Mexico City's most elegant hotels, overlooks Chapultepec Castle and Park and is within walking distance of the city's financial, cultural and shopping districts.

Accommodation:

The hotel's 84 suites and 124 Art Deco-inspired guest rooms offer deluxe amenities including high speed Internet access, also a feature of the new, fully-staffed Business Centre whose elegant atmosphere with state-of-the-art technology will appeal to executives on the move. Deluxe single or double room - Indoor garden view. Mahogany woods and a very spacious bathroom will provide you with a quiet environment. High speed Internet access. Other amenities include air conditioning, private bathroom, cable TV, minibar, bathrobe and hairdryer.

Facilities:

• Indoor swimming pool
• Massage treatments
• Jacuzzi
• Sauna
• Holistic Spa
• Business centre

Dining:

• La Jolla (Mexican & international cuisine)
• Cafe Royal
• Caviar Bar

Guadalajara

Many of the traditions considered characteristically 'Mexican' were created in Guadalajara, the country's second-largest city. Guadalajara can be held responsible for the mixed blessings of mariachi music, tequila, the Mexican Hat Dance, broad-brimmed sombrero hats and the Mexican rodeo. Part of Guadalajara's huge appeal is that it has many of the attractions of Mexico City - a vibrant culture, fine museums and galleries, handsome historic buildings, exciting nightlife and good places to stay and eat - but few of the capital's problems. It's a bright, modern, well-organised and unpolluted place, with enough attractions to please even the pickiest visitor.

Villa Ganz - 3 Star

Location:

Imagine yourself strolling sophisticated avenues with gorgeous colonial architecture in Mexico’s "City of Roses" and then coming home to a prime example of it.  Put your feet up in front of a roaring fire, grab a magazine and help yourself to complimentary chilled chardonnay and snacks. Providing all the comforts you’re used to, and then some, is what the informally elegant Villa Ganz, just 10 minutes from Guadalajara’s historic heart, is all about.

Accommodation:

This 20th Century mansion has been lovingly converted into an intimate inn, combining the best traditional features with life-simplifying amenities, with 10 spacious and beautifully detailed guest suites. All suites have private bathroom, cable TV and internet access.

Facilities:

• High speed Internet
• Meeting facilities
• Local tours available
• Parking
• Garden

Dining:

• Honor Bar
• Chef's creations upon request!

Cholula

One of the most important religious and educational centers in ancient Mesoamerica, Cholula, which means "place of those who fled," is the oldest continually inhabited city in the northern hemisphere. Founded in the 5th century B.C. by the Olmecs, Toltecs escaping the warring Chichimecs peacefully conquered this flourishing city originally known as Tlachihualtepetl, or "Hand-made Hill," 18 centuries later.

Dedicated to rain god Chiconahui Quiahuitl, Cholula has seven stacked and buried pyramids that visitors can explore by eight kilometers of tunnels. Olmec custom dictated that each generation cover the pyramid built by the previous one and then build another one over it. By the time the Toltecs arrived, the archaeologically rich mound was 200-feet (61 meters) high. They, in turn, erected a temple to the plumed serpent Quetzalcoatl beside it. Then the Spanish, frustrated at their inability to demolish the entrenched pagan symbols, dominated the hill with a majestic church.

Today there are lots of interesting and beautiful Spanish-built churches here - said to be one for every day of the year. Yet its primarily indigenous population of 62,000 resolutely retain many ancient customs.

La Quinta Luna

Location:

This beautiful 17th century mansion, originally belonging to pre-hispanic indigenous nobility, has been rescued by the Cardenas Gonzalez de Cossio family in an effort to preserve history and share it with their guests in its new incarnation as a hotel. Deemed a historic monument by the National Institute of History and Anthropology, La Quinta Luna proudly shows its original structure in Cholula, the oldest living city of the American continent.

Three blocks away from the main square. Twenty minutes/15 km. from the Huejotzingo airport and approximately two hours from Mexico city. Ten minutes from the city of Puebla.

Accommodation:

Against a backdrop of thick adobe walls and high beamed ceilings, guest rooms and public spaces contrast the traditional with modern furnishings and artwork, lending color, form and serenity.  There are only six rooms making for an intimate stay at this lovley boutique hotel.

This beautiful home exudes culture and spirit and provides the perfect hideaway for complete relaxation after a day spent exploring mystical Cholula or the vibrant city of Puebla. From the haven that is La Quinta Luna, you are minutes away from many sites of historical, religious or artistic interest. In addition to the magnificent architecture, one can observe the second highest volcanoes in Mexico, walk a few blocks to one of the largest pyramids in the world or take a short drive to downtown Puebla’s exciting zocalo, lined with Talavera ceramic shops and other interesting Mexican handcrafts.

Facilities:

• Library (over 3,000 books)
• Meeting room
• Excursions on request

Dining:

• La Antigua Capilla (contemporary, Mexican, International)
  

Morelia

Morelia, declared a World Heritage site because of the architecture, spaciousness and aesthetic symmetry of its plazas, gardens and atriums, is one of the loveliest colonial cities in America, in addition to enjoying a well-earned reputation as a cultural centre.

First-time visitors to the city will be surprised by the pink stone of the buildings in the Historical Center and the elegance of its Cathedral, the sound of whose bells accompanies those strolling through the city’s streets, plazas and gardens. They will also be able to admire examples of the city’s viceregal architecture in the baroque, neoclassical and plateresque styles such as the Clavijero Palace, the Palacio de Gobierno, the Church of the Society of Jesus and the Church of St. Augustine. Visitors are usually surprised to discover that music is still played at the Conservatorio de las Rosas, the first of its kind in America. Also of interest is the Aqueduct, a late 18th century hydraulic work, as well as the houses that have preserved some of the loveliest courtyards in Mexico.

Construction of the city of Valladolid began on May 18 1541 on the initiative of the first viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza, in a place known as Guayangeo. Its original grid was the one most commonly used in settlements of the time in the Spanish colonies. Since the 19th century, the capital of Michoacán has been called Morelia, in honor of one of the most important figures in the struggle for Mexico’s independence, José Ma. Morelos y Pavón.

Hotel Villa Montana - 4 Star

Location:

The Villa Montana is a first class hotel overlooking Morelia, from a hill to the south of the town. The hotel consists of a series of cottage-style colonial houses - one room per house in the main - interlinked by a series of tiled or brick paths and bridges in extensive leafy gardens with waterfalls, cypresses and statues.

The Villa Montana is located 2 miles to the south of the town of Morelia, lying at 6,000ft above sea level in the Sierra Madre mountain range.  Morelia has a domestic airport, and the international airport of Mexico City is 6 hours' drive away.

Accommodation:

All 40 rooms at Villa Montana - standards, junior suites and master suites have open fireplaces - there’s often an evening chill in the air between November and March. Rooms are equipped with a discreetly disguised satellite TV, dressing table, phone, and desk. Bathrooms have mosaic decoration, with bathtub and shower, hairdryer, lots of towels and plenty of shelf-space. But each is different - ceilings may be beamed or brick-vaulted, floors tiled or carpeted.

Facilities:

• Outdoor swimming pool
• Tennis courts
• Secure parking
• Local excursions

Dining:

• Restaurant
• Terrace Bar 

Oaxaca

In a valley at the foot of the Sierra Madre del Sur, under a magnificent sky and enveloped in the warmth of a perennial spring, Oaxaca displays its wonders among smiles, gold filigree, mezcal, pyramids and stone mosaics, embroideries, cupolas, squares, markets and moles. Oaxaca delights the senses with imagination producing such marvels as chocolate, alebrijes or sculptures carved in radishes!

Oaxaca was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO. From colonial Oaxaca you may travel in time and explore the heartland of the Zapotec culture in the majestic ruins of nearby Monte Albán, just six miles away. With a commanding view of the entire valley of Oaxaca, among pyramids and temples, this ancient city reaches the sky.

Founded in 1529 this clean and neatly planned city (it was designed by one of the best town planners of his time) can be explored on foot. Lining its streets and squares shaded by luxuriant Indian laurel trees, 16th-century buildings display their green quarry stone facades. Among the most beautiful religious edifices in Mexico are the Cathedral and the temple of Santo Domingo with its gold-covered altar and its convent, now converted into the regional museum. And this is only one of a myriad of museums. For 3,000 years the Oaxacans' craftsmanship and artistic sensitivity have been a source of wonder and delight. Between the fine gold pieces of Tomb #7 in Monte Albán and the works by painters like Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Toledo and Rodolfo Morales lies a landscape of artistic expressions as varied as they are beautiful. Luckily for us we can still take full delight in them.

Casa Oaxaca

Location:

Situated in the heart of Oaxaca, offering guests the authenticity of living in a genuine colonial house of the 18th century. The building has been completely remodeled and has received a distinction as an Art Hotel for its interior design. Simplicity of style characterizes the artistic arrangement of Casa Oaxaca's ample spaces and rooms, creating a peaceful ambiance for a comfortable retreat. Large windows in typical white-washed walls overlook an inviting pool, large patio and garden decorated to recreate an atmosphere of authenticity.

Accommodation:

The hotel consists of 5 rooms and 1 suite, which are cool and airy, decorated with simplicity so that the quality of the furnishings and the artistic value of each piece is paramount.  The rooms feature an eclectic design, and wonderful colourful photography of local villages and scenes, that add authenticity to each room.  Other amenities include: wardrobe, cable TV, telephone, writing desk, and private bathroom with shower.

Facilities:

• Swimming pool
• Private courtyard
• Beauty & health service on request
• Archaeological tours
• 9 hole golf course nearby

Dining:

• Restaurant

Camino Real - 4 Star

Location:

The Camino Real Oaxaca Hotel is located in the heart of this colonial city. Originally the 16th-century Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena, this historical gem is dotted with 400-year-old frescoes, ancient archways and intimate patio-courtyards.

Accommodation:

The Camino Real Oaxaca occupies a whole block close to the main square or zocalo, and has 91 rooms and suites. Each is decorated in a Mexican colonial style and faces either interior garden areas or the surrounding streets. All have direct-dial telephones, satellite TV, air conditioning, mini-bar and hair dryer. Of course, since the whole building was once a convent, the rooms are all different sizes, and some are quite small. There are also 7 suites with large living room, two TVs and two telephone extensions.

Facilities:

• 25-Metre swimming pool
• Room service
• Local excursions

Dining:

• 3 Restaurants

Top of Page | Mexico Home Page | Stopovers Home Page