National Geographic Traveler: STAY LIST 2008

Casa Schuck Boutique, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
A 17th-century colonial villa on a hillside overlooking the city. Portico colonnade opens to a courtyard, swimming pool, and gardens. Handmade furniture and carved wooden doors find balance with vibrant interiors. Stroll to the antiques shops on the central square or buy pottery from the on-site kiln. Watch sunsets on the expansive roof deck. 10 rooms; $169-249. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/extras/staylist/mexico.html

With location-inspired architecture, ambience, and amenities • eco-stewardship • an ethic of giving back to the community. Sense of place . . . With the cadence of a lullaby, these three words neatly sum up the properties celebrated here. To travel well, we believe, is to soak up authenticity. And where we spend the night is part of the picture. Does the hotel incorporate—and share—the soul of its location? Are resources respected and conserved? When possible, is the food put on the table local? Does the property play a vital role in the community, sharing some of its profits with local causes, for example? These criteria grow out of our mission. The true Traveler experience doesn't stop at the hotel lobby. Rather, it can (and should) be reinforced and enhanced there. To assemble this list, we put out a call for hotel nominations to people far and wide, from local travel experts to seasoned travelers. We detailed our criteria and asked them to recommend hotels and inns that fit the bill. After sending out in-depth questionnaires to the more than 600 properties nominated—and conducting further research—we arrived at our list of 150 properties in the United States (East, Central, and West regions), Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean region. (Click on any of the sections, left, to see the listings.) You likely will see some old favorites—as well as a few surprises. It's a diverse lot, from rustic to luxurious, dirt cheap to splurge. Sense of place and a sweet night's sleep. Welcome to the "Stay List."

HCabral@ngs.org wrote:

Congratulations! Your property has been selected by the editors of National Geographic Traveler magazine to be featured in it's first-ever, annual "Stay List." The list debuts in the April 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveler and includes 150 properties in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

My name is Heather Wyatt and I am the publicity director for the magazine. I am currently reaching out to various national media outlets, including television, print, and radio, to secure media coverage of this year's list. I have attached the official "Stay List" logo, so that you may use it in your own marketing materials, websites, and/or regional press efforts. Please feel free to issue your own press releases and contact your local media about the story. Below is a quote from Traveler's Senior Editor Sheila Buckmaster that has been approved for your use.

"It's thrilling to see how many folks in the accommodations business truly care about offering guests a sense-of-place experience," says Traveler Senior Editor Sheila Feldman Buckmaster. "The hotels and inns that made it onto the list give back to the community, work to conserve and sustain, and — day in and day out — celebrate the very best that their destinations have to offer."

All the properties on the list offer a really unique experience, and we are excited to highlight them in our April upcoming issue. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns about the publicity outreach.

Again, congratulations! And keep up the good work!

Best regards,
Heather Wyatt : National Geographic Traveler
Publicity Director : (212)610-5535
NGTraveler@HwyattPR.com

"Thanks to an influx of style mavens, talented chefs, and fashion-forward designers," wrote travel writer Rima Suqi, "the quintessential Mexican artists' colony now has an aura of cool. With its cobblestoned streets, colorful 16th- and 17th-century houses, neo-Gothic churches, and hilly terrain, it's no wonder San Miguel de Allende has been luring artists and writers since the 1940's. In recent years, an infusion of new B&B's, stylish restaurants, and boutiques has given this colonial town a more modern vibe. Fashionistas, be forewarned: some of the streets are steep, so leave those Manolo heels at home."

May 22, 2005
GOING TO
San Miguel de Allende
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.

WHY GO NOW The jacaranda trees are blooming, and so too is this 16th-century colonial town, thanks to an ambitious renewal effort that is halfway through its two-year run. Every building along the narrow cobblestone streets has been repainted in the colors of a desert sunset: ocher and sienna, deep orange and clay red. The government is restoring churches and theaters, rebuilding plazas and illuminating the arches of the plaza and the ornate spires of the main church with Disneyland like brightness.
The civic improvements have coincided with a housing boom as Americans searching for vacation homes are increasingly buying up property in the old section of town, anchored by the Parroquia de San Miguel de Allende, a Gothic-style construction of spires and arches. The invasion of foreign investors has dismayed some residents, who note that there are now more real estate offices downtown than good bars. Prices for everything from a bottle of beer to a plate of enchiladas are going up as a result.
But all this investment has not altered the bones of the place: the 300-year-old architecture from Spain, the heavy, carved wooden doors along narrow sidewalks, the explosion of bougainvillea over compound walls surrounding meticulous courtyards. Unlike Cancún or Acapulco, where American fast food joints and discos rule, San Miguel de Allende still feels like Mexico.
WHERE TO STAY

Casa Schuck Bajada de Garita 3, (52-415) 152-0657, www.casaschuck.com, a bed-and-breakfast of six bedrooms. The owner, a former New Yorker named Susan Cordelli, has decorated the rooms with antiques, Spanish colonial charm and paintings and the works of local artists. Rooms $130 to $200..
The best hotel in town is the Hotel Casa de Sierra Nevada, a five-star inn broken up into five buildings near the town center. The main reception desk is at Hospicio 35, (52-415) 152-7040, www.quinta-real.com. One of the buildings houses a pool, a rarity in San Miguel de Allende, where the big hotel chains have been kept at bay and most lodgings are revamped colonial houses. All decorated differently, the luxurious rooms, some with quarry-stone fireplaces and Talavera-tiled bathrooms, are $220 to $366 (at 11 pesos to the dollar) for a suite with a view of the Parroquia and the valley below.

The town center has some lovely mid pr iced options. The Casa Rosada Hotel, (3) at Cuna de Allende 12, (52-415) 152-8123, www.casarosadahotel.com, for example, is built against the back wall of the Parroquia church and has 16 big rooms, with terra cotta floors, some with canopied beds, starting at $164. Up the street, at Cuadrante 3, the Villa Rivera, (52-415) 152-2289, www.villarivera.com, has 12 cozy rooms, some with fireplaces and breathtaking views of the town spilling down the hillside, as well as a small pool, garden and restaurant. Rooms there are $170 to $234.

Among the best of the budget hotels in the town center are the La Morada, at Correo 10, (52-415) 152-1647, online at www.lamoradahotel.com, with 12 suites and three guest rooms starting at $123; and the 16-room Villa Jacaranda, a converted Colonial mansion at Hermanos Aldama 53, (52-415) 152-1015, www.villajacaranda.com, with rooms starting at $163. Both have comfortable guest quarters, furnished in a colonial style with carved wooden furniture and Mexican tiles.

WHERE TO EAT Yes, it's expensive - especially for Mexico - but one night should be devoted to La Capilla, Cuna de Allende 10, (52-415) 152-0698, which serves innovative seafood and poultry dishes on a terrace that used to be part of the Parroquia church. The chefs create sauces with mango and other exotic fruits, cheeses and local spices, making even red snapper an adventure. A three-course meal for two runs $150 to $200. The music from the schmaltzy piano bar leaves something to be desired.

For a good, affordable Mexican meal, you can walk along Calle Hidalgo to No. 42, the Bugambilia, (8) (52-415) 152-0127, where you'll be served first-rate sopa azteca, chicken mole and other traditional dishes under a giant bougainvillea plant in the dining room. Dinner for two is about $55, with wine.

If your taste buds are crying out for traditional Spanish food in an intimate, Old World environment (seven tables seat 28 guests), La Cartuja (9) on Calle Hernández Macias 109, (52-415) 152-2057, is a good bet. A variety of tapas is on the menu, as well as traditional Spanish dishes like Serrano ham. Dinner for two with wine is $44.
WHAT TO DO DURING THE DAY The town center feels like a small Spanish or Italian village except all the houses are painted in vibrant colors. The area surrounding El Jardín Principal, (10) the central square, is riddled with cantinas, ice cream shops, art galleries, artisan boutiques and even a few Mexican merchants who will sell you a saddle and bridle for your horse.

Various guided tours offer different perspectives of the town. Horseback tours can be arranged at 3 Señores, (52-415) 101-4976, www.3senores.com, a stable next to the train station about two miles outside town on Calle Canal. On Sunday, tourists gather at noon in front of the town library for a two-hour tour of some of San Miguel's richest homes offered by Casas y Jardines, (52-415) 152-4987. The cost is $14. And, for orchid fanatics, it might be worthwhile to take a walk to Los Pocitos, (11) the orchid gardens at Santo Domingo 38, which once belonged to an American writer and botanist, Stirling Dickinson.

In the early 19th century, San Miguel de Allende was a place of political intrigue where revolutionaries plotted their movements. Ignacio Allende, a native of the town who became a revolutionary hero and had his surname added to the town's name for his trouble, is memorialized in a historical museum (12) that displays weapons, documents and other exhibits at his former home at Cuna de Allende 1 on the main square. The museum, (52-415) 152-2499, is closed Monday. Admission is $6.35 (free on Sunday).

You might also hire a car or a taxi and head north from San Miguel de Allende toward Dolores Hidalgo, birthplace of the first Mexican revolution. Just a few miles outside the town are several spas, hotels and restaurants with hot springs. The most well known of the springs is Agua Magica but old hands prefer La Gruta, (13) on the left, at kilometer 10, farther down the road; (52-418) 185-2128, admission is $6.40. It has three pools fed by thermal springs of varying temperature in a shady valley. At Agua Magica, (52-415) 158-2099, the cost is also $6.40.

WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT The night life in San Miguel - most of it concentrated in the town center - is limited but vibrant. Mama Mia's, (14) a bar and restaurant at Umaran 8, (52-415) 152-1958, offers everything from salsa bands to jazz fusion groups and reasonably priced drinks. The cover charge is $1; a beer is $2. For live music, Cha-Rok, (15) (52-415) 152-7373, a two-floor bar upstairs at Correo 7, has salsa and blues bands many nights. Pancho and Lefty's, (16) Mesones 99, (52-415) 152-1958, is a loud dance club popular with young singles. The cover charge is $1; a beer is $2.

WHERE TO SHOP In San Miguel, the question is where to stop shopping. For ceramics, a specialty in the state of Guanajuato, try Arcilla, (17) at Recreo 5A or Terra, (18) just down the street, at Recreo 8. Artes de Mexico, (19) at Calzada Aurora 47, has a nice selection of handicrafts, lamps and wrought iron accessories. The best place to buy glass work is La Casa del Vidrio, Correo 11, where tours to see the artisans blowing their bluish marvels into life can be arranged. Vases range from $7 to $36. La Tienda de la Piel, Umaran 1, is a first-class place for leather goods like jackets, which start at $200, and wallets (from $18).

HOW TO STAY WIRED Most of the hotels do not have high-speed Internet access, but there are several Internet cafes in the village. Net@ San Miguel Cybercafe, (20) at Calle Aldama 60, corner of Calle Tenerias, (52-415) 152-1210, charges about 90 cents an hour. If you have a wireless laptop, you can also drop into the Biblioteca de San Miguel, the public library, on Insurgentes between Reloj and Hidalgo. The wireless connection there is free.

YOUR FIRST TIME OR YOUR 10th Often called the symbol of San Miguel, the pink Gothic-style Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel(21) dominates El Jardín. The original building dates from the 17th century, but the present one is the result of 18th- and 19th-century renovations, much of it inspired by the Gothic cathedrals of Europe. At night, before you head back to the hotel, be sure to go by the Jardín one last time. While you listen to the oddly archaic love songs of the mariachi bands, you can watch the street vendors selling carnitas and churros, the young folks going out to dance, the old men in cowboy hats chewing the fat into the night and the little kids, if they are still up, chasing pigeons or one another. This is the beating heart of the town.

HOW TO GET THERE The closest international airport is about 66 miles away, near Guanajuato. You can fly from New York on Continental Airlines or American Airlines to the Guanajuato-León Airport with a stop in Texas. Fares in mid-May were $575 to $600 for a round trip in early June. Several airlines offer nonstop flights from Los Angeles, for $371 to $431 in June. Several van services at the airport will take you to San Miguel for about $70, among them Reyna Polanco Tours, (52-415) 152-4193, Julian Cartas, (52-415)152-0079, or Rafael Tovar, (52-415) 152-7196. There are also several direct bus services to carry you from the airport to Querétaro, where you can hire a taxi ($45 for up to three people) to go on to San Miguel.

HOW TO GET AROUND There is very little in San Miguel de Allende that cannot be reached on foot, and one of its pleasures is strolling around its streets. But if your feet are tired, or if you want to make a trip outside town, taxis are plentiful and cheap. You can usually find one at the Jardín Principal, or at a number of other taxi stands in the town center. Ask the locals where to find the closest sitio, as taxi stands are called. The usual flat fare within the town center is about $1.35.

Under San Miguel's Spell : Special to The Washington Post Sunday, November 16, 2003; Page P01

By Jane Black

The church bells don't ring on the hour in San Miguel de Allende. At 4:45 a.m., the clock tower struck five loud peals. At 5:15, another five. At 7:15, when I finally roused myself once and for all, the bells rang 18 times. Dong. Dong. Dong.

A solid night's sleep doesn't come easily in San Miguel de Allende, four hours north of Mexico City. Along with the bells, there are the firecrackers that ring out at unscheduled intervals throughout the night.

No colorful displays, just short pops, like gunfire. And each weekday morning, at about 8, school marching bands prowl the streets blaring assorted attempts at the Mexican anthem.

But then, sleeping is a waste of time in San Miguel. The colonial town is filled with restaurants, irresistible shopping, cooking, drawing and yoga classes and, when you're finally worn out, delicious spa treatments -- all for half of what you pay north of the border. All this, plus year-round sunshine, make an idyllic holiday for the curious, adventurous or easily bored.

San Miguel's buzz of activity is due in part to the community's estimated 10,000 gringos -- mostly retired -- who have settled here. If you can call them settled. They're an adventurous, artistic, energetic bunch. Ingrid Wild, a German who led us on a Sunday House and Garden Tour, spent 20 years in Phoenix before settling here, but she still spends five or six months each year on the road.

Our tour was small, Wild informed us. It was May, the low season, so there were just 50 people on three buses. In February and March, when Americans pour into San Miguel for its springtime temperatures, sometimes 350 people show up. One peek behind the doors of San Miguel and you can understand why so many Americans never go home. The houses, painted shades of dusty rose, terra cotta and gold and festooned with stone carvings, are sights to behold. Casa Kempe, four blocks from the town center, dates to 1730 and was originally the parsonage for a nearby church, which blessed (and regulated) the town's water supply. Casa Feliz, 20 minutes from town, is brand new and straight out of House Beautiful.

We entered through a tiny door into a courtyard dotted with frangipani and lily ponds. The living room, with a palette of ivory and pale greens, opened to the courtyard through sliding glass doors and to the sun through several skylights. The house also sported a separate basement apartment and an enormous roof deck with views of the town and San Miguel valley. Cost: $160,000.

My friend Megan and I liked no house better than our own temporary abode, Casa Schuck, a former hacienda turned bed-and-breakfast run by Susan Cordelli and Charles "Chuck" Easter. Casa Schuck was originally the home of Susan's grandparents Gladys and Charles Schuck, who settled in San Miguel in the 1960s. The terra-cotta mansion has seven rooms, each painted a vivid Mexican shade. Our favorite, the Jacaranda Room, had walls of brilliant vermilion, with a view of the pool and gardens and a small terrace overlooking San Miguel's skyline. Best of all was the enormous bathroom, which sported baroque gold fixtures and hand-painted blue and white tiles.

San Miguel is undoubtedly geared for tourists. Where else in Mexico can you drink the water in every restaurant? But colonial Mexico still thrives. No neon signs or modern architecture here. Today's San Miguel is much like it was 300 years ago, when the town served as a vibrant trading post on the main route from the (still-operating) silver mines of Zacatecas. The steep, cobbled streets are lined with brightly colored cantinas and grand villas decked with intricate stonework, wrought-iron balconies, hanging lanterns and elaborate door knockers.

Traditions are well preserved. Throughout the day, we heard loud clanging -- an angry xylophonist meets the Good Humor truck -- which turned out to be the garbage men. Since trucks can't fit through the narrow streets, the city's sanitation workers ring a bell to alert people to come to a designated intersection.

Each evening, the Jardin, the town's main square, is filled with locals -- families, lovers and teenagers who spontaneously break into salsa or merengue. And almost no one speaks English. The economy may depend on the almighty dollar, but in everywhere but the best hotels, locals happily allowed us to put our phrasebook Spanish to use.

San Miguel is not so perfectly preserved by chance. In 1926, it was declared a national monument, thanks to its role in the Mexican War of Independence. Local son and revolutionary hero Ignacio Allende joined the rebel forces in 1810 and led the army to several victories against the Spanish before he was captured and beheaded in 1811. Fifteen years later, the town, then known as San Miguel el Grande, was renamed in his honor.

It's easy to get lost in the winding lanes. Luckily, most lead to the Jardin. Dominating the garden plaza is the Parroquia, a pink gothic church, San Miguel's most famous landmark. Built in 1683, it was given a facelift in the late 1800s by local artisan Zeferino Gutierrez. He had no formal architectural training, and legend has it that he modeled the church on French cathedrals he had seen only on postcards. Its intricate carvings are a wonder to examine up close, and its soaring spires are visible from almost anywhere in the city.

Shopping was one of our top priorities, so after our first-day survey of the town, we hopped a city bus to nearby Dolores Hidalgo. Known for its Talavera pottery (colorful glazed earthenware introduced by the Spaniards in the 16th century), the town is only 20 miles from San Miguel, but a world away. No upscale cafes here, although you can buy a rainbow of homemade ice cream flavors, including shrimp, avocado and mango chili. (I'd recommend the last, pass on the others.)

The ceramics shops were easy to find. The largest stores are on Calle Distrito Federal, about a 10-minute walk from the bus station. Azulejos Talavera Cortes, the largest tile factory in town, is a warehouse the size of two football fields and offers more than 250 distinct designs. Constrained by how much we could carry, we sated ourselves with 16 tiles to be transformed into gifts of coasters. The price: 20 cents each.

Next we headed for pottery row, Calle Puebla. We visited three stores, each with an enormous selection of vases, candlesticks, decorative boxes and lamps glazed in bright primary colors. Most stores also offer full sets of lead-free dishes painted with gaudy sunflowers, fruit and tropical fish. Even at tourist prices, everything was a bargain. Megan picked up a bedside lamp as a gift for $9. I bought two globe-shaped blue-and-white vases for $21 apiece as wedding presents. And since we weren't paying a guide for his "expertise," we also carted away three bags of souvenirs for ourselves. Exhausted, we headed back to Casa Schuck for a show-and-tell of our purchases and to lounge by the pool. Chuck made us margaritas and his famous guacamole.

At traditional Mexican restaurants such as Tio Lucas and Pueblo Viejo, we sampled appetizers like corn cakes topped with black beans and sour cream, and mini corn tortillas with shredded chicken and green tomatillo sauce. The food was okay -- enough to balance the tequila in our margaritas -- but less than inspiring. So we decided to try one of the town's more upscale, continental restaurants, said to offer the best food in town.

Azafran is a combination restaurant and design store that sells silver picture frames, mirrors and furniture. The all-white minimalist decor could compete with Washington's best: Tall glass vases are filled with apple blossoms and branches of key lime. Hammered Mexican mirrors create infinite reflections of the tiny votive candles that light each table. The food is Mexican-American fusion: Two-toned sangria is served in tall inverted cones. Chilled tomato soup is garnished with sliced jicama and a swirl of cream, and spicy black bean cakes arrive in a pool of mango puree strewn with avocado confetti. It isn't Georgetown, but it's close.

San Miguel was experiencing a heat wave when we visited in early May. Though temperatures rarely top 80 degrees, when we were there the thermometer was hitting 100 by 3 p.m. So one afternoon we headed for the local spa, Los Grutas.

The grass was scruffy, the potted geraniums were thirsty and the changing room was furnished with beat-up metal lockers and concrete showers. But the waters were wonderful -- clear, clean and soothing. The spa has three pools -- cool, warm, hot -- that you access by wading up a dark 50-foot tunnel. Inside, under a 100-foot beehive dome, you can swim or rest on stone benches.

On a scorching day, the only thing better than being in the pools was coming out. After 30 minutes in hot water, the air actually felt cool. So it was easy to lie out on one of the plastic chairs and soak up some more sun.

The remaining days of the trip melted one into another. We attended a flamenco guitar concert at the Instituto Allende, the town's cultural hub where students can work toward a graduate degree in fine arts and visitors can attend dance performances and art exhibitions, or take a few classes for as little as $100 a week. We visited the local crafts market, filled with pierced metal lanterns, glassware and pottery, on the north side of town. We practiced yoga at Las Bellas Artes, a cooperative housed in a cloistered colonial building that also offers art, music and language classes. We had sunset massages on the roof of our villa ($35) and deep conditioning scalp treatments at a local spa ($15).

Chuck made more margaritas. We happily drank them.

On our final day, we signed up for a private cooking class. Our teacher, Kris Rudolph, an expat American, came to San Miguel 12 years ago and never left. She now runs El Buen Cafe, three blocks from the center of town, which serves traditional Mexican food as well as cakes, pastries and coffee.

For four hours, we made soup, fried corn patties topped with a spicy chipotle chicken mixture called tinga, black molé (a blend of chocolate, cinnamon, peanuts, sesame seeds and a dozen other ingredients that we used to smother cheese enchiladas), and green molé, made from lettuce, peanuts, almonds and raisins, to cover roasted chicken thighs. For dessert, Kris brought us a pastel de tres leches, cake with three milks -- condensed, evaporated and cream.

It was a sweet ending to a wonderful weeklong holiday. And while we have no plans to join San Miguel's community of expats for good, the idea certainly crossed our minds. For now, we have enough Mexican pottery to make us feel as if we're a little bit closer.

Jane Black is a freelance writer based in London.

Details: San Miguel de Allende

GETTING THERE: San Miguel de Allende is about a four-hour drive north of Mexico City. United Airlines and US Airways offer nonstop service from Washington from $475 round trip, and other major carriers have connecting flights from $440. You can also fly to Guanajuato, which is 90 minutes from San Miguel, via Houston or Dallas; Continental and Northwest, for example, offer round-trip flights from $400.

From the Mexico City airport, there is first-class bus service on Primera Plus, ETN and Omnibus de Mexico to San Miguel for about $16 one way; make sure your bus is directo. Or take a bus to Queretaro, a 45-minute taxi ride to San Miguel ($25), or $4 on a public bus. Most hotels will also arrange a private shuttle. From Mexico City, the cost is about $250 one way.

GETTING AROUND: San Miguel is best seen on foot. If you tire of the hills and cobblestone streets, a taxi within the city limits is about $1.50. To visit Dolores Hidalgo or Los Grutas, you can hire an English-speaking guide for $15 an hour, take one of the frequent buses that run from the San Miguel bus station (one-way costs are $1.60 to Dolores Hidalgo, 80 cents to Los Grutas), or hire a taxi ($20 to Dolores Hidalgo, $8 to Los Grutas).

WHEN TO GO: The area around San Miguel is semi-desert. Most of the year there is little or no rain, with temperature highs in the low 80s and lows in the high 50s. In the rainy season (June to mid-October), it showers three or four times a week.

WHERE TO STAY:
Casa Schuck Boutique Hotel (3 Bajada de Garita, 011-52-415-152-0657, www.casaschuck.com
Doubles from $135) is San Miguel's oldest bed-and-breakfast. All seven rooms have 12-foot-high beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and hand-carved French doors that open onto a central courtyard lush with geraniums, climbing bougainvillea, and jacaranda trees. There's also a small pool, as well as a sundeck with city and mountain views.

Casa Sierra Nevada (35 Hospicio, 011-52-415-152-7040, www.casadesierranevada.com/intro.htm ) offers several 16th-century town houses on a street just above the Jardin, plus a satellite property four blocks from town near the Parque Benito Juarez. All locations have terraces and courtyards full of flowers. The hotel also runs a spa and restaurant. Doubles start at $310.

Near the lush Parco Benito Juarez is Casa de Liza en el Parque (7 Bajada del Chorro, 011-52-415-152-0352, www.casaliza.com), an elegant enclave with six suites decorated with antiques and fine art. Rates start at $154 per night double. On the other side of town, near the artisans market, is Casa Calderoni (4 Callejon del Pueblito, 011-52-415-154-6005, www.casacalderoni.com), an upscale B&B with nine suites, each decorated and named after a famous artist. Standard rooms are $80 per night double, full suites $110.

WHERE TO EAT: Many of San Miguel's most upscale restaurants are on Calle Hernandez Macias. Azafran, at No. 97, serves up frilly versions of Mexican and American specialties, including spicy black bean cakes and chilled tomato soup. Next door at No. 95 is Market Bistro and Petit Bar, which offers French onion soup, fois gras, even escargots. Dinner for two at both restaurants is about $30.

For standard Mexican fare, Pueblo Viejo (6 Umaran) has good quesadillas and fajitas. Dinner for two, with a few margaritas, is $25. Down the hill is Tio Lucas (103 Mesones), with traditional Mexican platters, such as steak with black molé and chicken with poblano chilis. But the best food in town is at Bugambilia (42 Hidalgo), with a lovely open-air garden. Appetizers include hot almond goat cheese and cream of avocado soup. For an entree, try the chilis stuffed with chicken, dried fruit and nuts and topped with cream and walnut sauce. Dinner for two is about $30.

Breakfast will probably be included with your room, but don't miss El Buen Cafe (23 Jesus), which serves coffee and cake worthy of a Viennese pastry shop. Breakfast or lunch runs $4 to $5 per person.

WHAT TO DO:

• There are six Spanish-language schools in San Miguel, all offering group and one-on-one lessons. Instituto Allende (20 Ancha de San Antonio, 011-52-415-152-0190, www.instituto-allende.edu.mx) has beginner through advanced classes, as well as instruction in painting, weaving, silversmithing, ceramics, photography, sculpture and lithography. Language classes cost $13 per hour, $180 for a week (three hours per day).

• Yoga classes are offered by the yoga cooperative at the Bellas Artes, (011-52-415-152-2659, $2 per class).

• The San Miguel House and Garden tour is offered every Sunday at noon, leaving from the San Miguel Library (Insurgentes between Reloj and Hidalgo). Cost is $15.

• For crafts and shopping: Ceramics, decorative arts and locally made furniture are available at Icpalli (8B Calle Recreo); leather shoes and boots at Vilar (5A Recreo); and designer jewelry at Darla's (1 Recreo). In Dolores Hidalgo, don't miss the pottery at Azulejos Talavera Cortes (Calle Distrito Federal 8) or the shops on Calle Puebla. Our picks: Carillo Vertix Hermanos (No. 54) and Juan Vasquez (No. 56-58) .

• Los Grutas, the hot springs located a few miles out of town, has three pools; admission is $5. Or visit the spa at the Casa Sierra Nevada (see above) or the lovely Jasmine Spa (25A Jesus).

• Cooking classes with American expat Kristen Rudolph are $45 per person. Info: 011-52-415-154-4825 , www.mexicocooks.com.

INFO: Mexico Tourism Board, 800-446-3942, www.visitmexico.com. For online sources: Internet San Miguel (www.internetsanmiguel.com) or Portal San Miguel (portalsanmiguel.com). Once you've arrived, pick up the English-language weekly Attencion, free at many hotels, which lists events.

-- Jane Black

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