Real de Minas San Miguel de Allende

Once a bustling Spanish colonial capital, San Miguel de Allende emptied out after the Mexican Revolution and a flu epidemic, leaving its colorful houses and cobblestoned streets nearly abandoned for decades. Many of its historic buildings have since been turned into hotels, and even more recently built properties, like Real de Minas, take inspiration from the past. Set just outside of the historic center, the hotel is modeled after a countryside hacienda, complete with decorative stucco buildings, stone archways, beautifully landscaped gardens, a large pool, even a lienzo charro, or Spanish-style bullring.

The theme is n’t subtle, but that’s part of the fun. Real de Minas San Miguel de Allende is the kind of place with two-for-one margaritas by the pool and children running around a playground while a mariachi band plays at a family wedding on the grassy lawn nearby. Rooms are simple and traditional, outfitted with wooden furniture and decorated in earthy shades of ocher, yellow, and chocolate brown. Some have ceramic floor tiles and private balconies overlooking the pool. A lively bar and restaurant serves up hearty breakfasts in the morning and mezcal on the rocks in the afternoon, and a wide range of other dining options are an easy stroll away in downtown San Miguel de Allende.