Cinco Rodavento

Valle de Bravo, the charming lakeside town two hours’ drive to the southwest of Mexico City, has its fair share of devotees, attracted by the colonial atmosphere, the lush valley, and the waters of Lake Avándaro. This is a town with no fewer than three very fine boutique hotels, all of them doing business under the Rodavento name. This one, Cinco Rodavento, is the largest of the three, and the one that most resembles a proper urban boutique hotel — though in Valle de Bravo, “urban” is a concept with fluid boundaries.

Cinco Rodavento’s 28 rooms are made from natural materials, and the color scheme, in unfinished wood and forest green consciously recalls a more arboreal setting. It’s more sophisticated than it sounds, however — designers and architects Mariana Valero, Federico Gomez Crespo, José Antonio Gaxiola, and Waldemar Franco should be credited with this town’s first proper boutique hotel, and it’s one that’s stylish and more than a little bit luxurious.

The restaurant, called simply 5, is an all-day cantina, and is something of a fixture on the local culinary scene. You’ll need proper fueling, anyway — with activities ranging from swimming and paddling to mountain biking and mountaineering, Lake Avándaro offers no end of action.