Journeys With Stephen

Tag: Hotels

  • Best places to stay in San Miguel de Allende

    Best places to stay in San Miguel de Allende

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    Abrahim tends to his organic garden with pride. It will supply guests with fresh strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and more. What makes this garden unique is that it completely covers the rooftop of Hacienda el Santuario, a quaint hotel typical of many you will find in Centro San Miguel de Allende.

    I find myself climbing many wrought iron spiral staircases that lead to wondrous gardens, terraces, and of course, views of the marvelous pink Parroquia church in the city’s heart. This is a colonial city in central Mexico that deserves at least a 5-night stay, though some fall spell to its charms and stay forever. That is why there are more than 17,000 expatriates in a city of 140,000.

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    One of the more gratifying aspects of a visit to this remote city is the myriad of lodging options, from luxury boutique hotels to B&Bs to vacation villas. No chains here. Even more gratifying is a remarkable price point, made possible by the strong U.S. dollar. We can certainly achieve upscale on a budget when it comes to accommodations. I will go into detail about some of my favorite options, along with my personal recommendation.

    Let’s start with the length of stay, as that will play a significant role in the lodging decision. San Miguel de Allende (SMA) is about 4 hours by bus, van or car from Mexico City and a little closer to Leon. Locals from Mexico City descend upon SMA for the weekend, but if you are coming from abroad such a short stay is rather prohibitive. Some people feel that it takes at least a week or two to settle in and absorb what city has to offer. It is not unusual for Canadians and Americans from northern states to spend the entire winter here in the mild mountain climate.

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    Vacation villa rentals

    For stays of a week or longer, I strongly recommend checking the vacation villa rental options. One company representing upscale properties is PremierSanMiguel.com. A quick check of their site revealed 50 rentals, with slide shows and videos. For example, Casa del Albaricoque is a 2-story, 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath home only a block from the main square (Jardin), including a kitchen and rooftop terrace. The price for a week is US$975. Two couples sharing this amazing home would each pay $69 per night! Some properties have been featured in Architectural Digest.

    The old standby, TripAdvisor.com, revealed more than 260 rentals to choose. Airbnb.com lists more than 300. I didn’t stay in a rental, but I did check out the fascinating Casa Blanca Dreams, aka Casa Dr. Seuss (pictured below). This playful 2-bedroom, 2-bath home might be a thrill for Dr. Seuss fans at only $675 a week. One downside: it is about a 25-minute walk to the center of town and not in a very upscale neighborhood either. The owner, Steven, suggested I consider the equally wild Artista Casa inspired by Gaudi. It is even farther away, so it comes with its own ATV to drive around SMA’s cobblestone streets!

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    Needless to say, you could spend many entertaining hours just exploring the rental options in SMA. This may be the best long-term rental city I have visited.

    But what about shorter stays? I have placed these accommodations into three categories: small luxury hotels, B&Bs, and premium boutique hotels.

    Small luxury hotels

    I visited a few amazing properties in this category. The Rosewood and Matilda vie for the top spot on everybody’s list of luxury hotels and with good reason.

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    The Rosewood has that classic elegance of a fine resort property anywhere in the world, matched with arguably the best view of the city from the 4th floor rooftop bar, La Luna. The panorama feature of your camera will get a workout here. Best of all, with the sun behind you, the view is gorgeous in the morning. Then you come back later for a drink and spectacular sunsets beyond the city. Note: you don’t have to stay here to enjoy those views!

    You will be pampered at the Rosewood. I talk to one couple (pictured above) while they munch on a breakfast of fresh bagels and lox. The wife is an artist; so the staff promptly set up an easel, paints and brushes for her to use each day. They were staying for a month! The downside of all that pampering is a price tag of well more than US$300 a day – reasonable elsewhere, but pricy in this city.

    SMA is full of charming hotels and restaurants, where traditional flower-draped Spanish courtyards reveal themselves once you get past the main entrance. You begin to expect it as the norm. That’s why Hotel Matilda comes as something of a shock to the senses. Ultra contemporary, pure white, very artistic chic best describes this property.

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    Named one of the best hotels in Mexico by Conde Nast Traveler readers, Matilda (pictured above) checks a lot of luxury boxes. The restaurant, Moxi, is managed by a New York chef and features rotating artwork by Claudio Limon. You get the picture, literally. Sales Manager, Enrique, proudly points out their association with Siempre Hermosa, a non-profit organization that paints over graffiti in town. It’s the kind of place that quietly attracts celebrities, not concerned with prices ranging from $300 to $1,000 a night.

    B&Bs

    The street looks like any other extending out from Jardin, the central square of San Miguel de Allende. The doorway is typically non-descript. Step inside, and you are in a magical world full of masks and other Mexican artifacts. Oh, and this could be your lodging if you choose Casa de la Cuesta, a 7-room B&B owned by two Americans, Bill and Heidi Levasseur.

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    Bill has been collecting Mexican folk masks for 26 years and operates the Mask Museum on the property, a place so special I will devote an entire post to my visit there. But the entire property is warm and inviting, as are its hosts. It’s not a surprise that TripAdvisor rates it #1 of more than 120 B&Bs. Beautiful rooms are under $200 a night. The only drawback was that it requires an uphill walk from the Centro, which could be taxing if you want to keep making trips back to your room.

    I check out several other B&Bs, but frankly, nothing quite delivers the value of Casa de la Cuesta, although Casa Schuck is worth a look.

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    Premium boutique hotels

    While not luxury, for the best combination of upscale on a budget, my top recommendation comes from this category. I stay at Hacienda el Santuario. There are 24 custom-designed suites, some framing the charming courtyard, some more secluded. Although breakfast (pictured above) is not included, each morning we all gather like a big family in the courtyard. I start with a pot of hot coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice, a fruit plate, organic bread and homemade preserves, followed by a choice of omelets, Mexican fare, pancakes, etc. All of that adds about 65 pesos to the bill or less than $4.00. And the charge for my suite – less than US$90 per night!

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    The hotel sits in a quiet neighborhood, just a flat, 4-minute walk to the Parroquia and center square. And the staff, who speak some English, are very friendly and help me with my pequeno Spanish. Like many old, restored buildings in this town, the walls of my room are a half-meter thick stone. While great for sound-proofing, I discover the only drawback – it makes for hit-and-miss Wi-Fi. No worries, as I step out the door onto the lovely patio and the signal reappears. We can only be off the grid for so long.

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    What’s upscale?

    For stays of a week or longer, choose a vacation villa rental from Premier San Miguel.

    For luxury hotels, choose the Rosewood (best view) or Hotel Matilda (closer to Centro).

    What’s budget?

    For B&Bs, choose Casa de la Cuesta.

    For boutique hotels, choose Hacienda el Santuario.

     

     

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  • Why it pays to be loyal to a hotel chain

    Why it pays to be loyal to a hotel chain

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    The hotel in Bangkok gave me a luxurious suite. In the morning I feasted on their sumptuous buffet breakfast. They granted me a 7:00pm checkout, since I was taking a late-night flight. All for free. It pays to be loyal to a hotel chain, in this case the former Starwood, now Marriott program.

    To be upscale on a budget almost requires one to be loyal to travel programs from hotels to airlines. Yet, I have met so many people who say, “Oh, I just stay in the convention’s recommended hotel.” “I just picked a flight on Expedia.” They are missing out on a chance to move upscale, while still holding to a budget.

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    Personally, I made a decision more than a decade ago to try to stay in Starwood properties whenever possible. They offered plenty of choices across a range of prices, with The Luxury Collection and St. Regis on the top end, then Westin, W, Le Meridien and Sheraton, and specialty brands, like Aloft and Elements. With more than a thousand properties in 100 countries, I could usually find what I was looking for. I first achieved Gold status. Then 50 nights in a year led to Platinum privileges. Finally, 10 years in a row of Platinum earned me Starwood Lifetime Platinum.

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    So what? Well, for example, as a Platinum member I usually book the cheapest room possible, because I know the hotel will upgrade me, often to a suite. Breakfast is included, as is a 4:00pm checkout. Lots of things that we all hate to pay for are complimentary, such as Internet, bottled water, fitness centers, and club-level rooms. I can even book a room when the hotel is sold out. I earn bonus points, which keeps me playing the game. If I absolutely require a suite, say on a family trip, I am awarded a number of suite nights a year to tap into. The list goes on.

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    The Starwood program I refer to got swallowed up in the 2016 acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts by Marriott, and in August, 2018 they finally combined the programs. The result is a lot more properties to choose from, but a lot more people vying for the perks that come with elite membership. There are other good loyalty programs out there, depending on your preference. Just do your research and select the right program for you. Then stay loyal!

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    I plan a trip to Stockholm for the TBEX conference. The closest hotel to the convention center is the Radisson Blu, with a special TBEX rate of about US$200, including tax. I would be tempted to stay there, with the convention just a 5-minute walk from my 24-square meter room. But just 3 minutes further away is a Starwood/Marriott program hotel (Sheraton), where I could probably score a 37-square meter junior suite, buffet breakfast, etc., for the about the same price. Or I could drop the price to US$110, if I wanted to use some points each night (cash and points option) or totally free, if I wanted to cash in more points per night.

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    Ah, the points game. It’s not just about using airline miles. If you stay in 10 different hotel chains over the course of a year, you will rack up a scattering of points in each, basically of little value. But if you stayed loyal to the same brand, you may have earned enough points for a free night. The hotel in Bangkok I mentioned at the beginning of this article was the Sheraton Grande Suhkumvit, a Luxury Collection hotel. Besides the 4-room suite, amazing world-class buffet breakfast, and free drinks and food in the Library, I was staying for free (using points).

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    Don’t forget the almighty credit card. There is a reason the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) American Express card is one of the most popular among frequent travelers. I use this card a lot, especially for hotel stays, and it gives me enough points for about 10-12 free nights every year. Okay, I spend a lot. But if you figure an average upscale room in a major city costs about US$300 per night, including taxes, that Amex card can save me more than US$3,000 a year! Want even more flexibility? I also carry the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, whose elite rewards points can be used for airlines, hotels and more. What’s in your wallet?

    You need to figure out what a point is worth to you. In my Stockholm example, to cash in 10K points in lieu of paying about US$200 a night, would make each point worth only 2 cents. The cash and points option is worse; each point is worth about 1.5 cents. I should pay the full rate and save my points for a better deal. I recently spent a weekend at the Westin Miyako Kyoto, Japan, where my room would have cost about US$500 a night. However, I was able to get a suite for just 10K points a night, so each point was worth 5 cents!

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    If you travel a lot and follow my advice, you can build up zillions of points to use in select situations, like my Kyoto example. So get out of that cramped room and enjoy suites and other amenities you might be missing out on today!

    Coming up I will explain why it pays to be airline loyal too. Subscribe in the box below, and I will let you know when that post is written. And feel free to comment below the box.

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