San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Cynthia Pillsbury)
This is one of my most favorite places I have ever been. It has the charm of Florence, the sophistication of Paris and the warm character of well... Mexico!
- More about your Oliver Guide: Cynthia Pillsbury
- Trip type: Adult, City, Mountains
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: 4 DAYS.
to & from
Fly to Mexico City and hire a driver to take you to San Miguel (3-4 hours). If you take the red (pink) eye from San Francisco you can/will sleep in car. Another route is through LA or a hub in Texas and fly direct to Leon, which is a 1.5 hour drive to San Miguel. You do not need a car in San Miguel. Parking is very limited and a car is unnecessary; you can walk everywhere or take very inexpensive cabs.
Where to Stay
San Miguel’s usual suspect for Americans and wealthy Mexicans is the Rosewood. The weekend we chose to visit San Miguel there were four large weddings so the two hotels people (Olivers) had told us about (Rosewood & Hotel Matilda) were full. This actually worked out because I found a really lovely 10-room bed & breakfast, Antigua Capilla run by ex-pats from San Francisco. They have lovingly built a new building and restored a small chapel that is the heart/centerpiece of a very charming and authentic place to rest your head.
They serve delicious Mexican-style breakfasts and stock their refrigerator with craft beer made by Francisco, the hotel proprietor. The two things to note is that it sits on a hill, so it’s about a 8-10 minute brisk walk downhill and a steep climb at the end of the day/night. It didn’t bother us at all (so much good food, we welcomed the “hike”). Additionally, there is no pool- which is not unusual for most of these small bed and breakfasts, but something to note because the weather can be warm and it may have been nice to take a dip.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Pete Scales)
We loved being in town just before Christmas when the town was lit up and decorated, temps were mild and perfect for walking, and crowds were minimal
- More about your Oliver Guide: Pete Scales
- Trip type: Family, City, Mountains
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: 4 DAYS TO A WEEK
to & from
We flew to Leon – BJX (Mexican state of Guanajuato). There are no direct flights, but a lot of options through Mexico City or LA. The drive from the airport to San Miguel is 1 – 1.5 hours. Prearrange a car service for a comfortable transfer. (We arranged ours thru the Rosewood hotel.) Our service provided carseats for the little ones, ready for us at pick-up.
Where to Stay
The Rosewood hotel is hard to beat for its beautiful rooftop terrace, restaurants, facilities, and outstanding service. Its a little bit of a walk to el Jardin, but an easy stroll. We enjoyed the added quiet the location provided away from traffic in the town center. We poked our heads into the boutique Hotel Mathilda, which had a high-style and secluded setting that looked amazing.