The Bajío: The Cooks and Vineyards in the Heart of Mexico Part 4

By Elsie Mendez @sabormexico

One of the most enjoyable activities in San Miguel de Allende is their Spas. For this trip we had a very special surprise waiting for our guest journalists from New York. The House of Sierra Nevada and the Rosewood San Miguel de Allende opened the doors of their cabins to delight our guests with treatments that would leave them ready to continue the trip and start our culinary tour in San Miguel de Allende.

Divided into two groups, we got ready to enjoy the special treatments that these two hotels had prepared for us.

Laja Spa located in Casa de Sierra Nevada, pays homage to the majestic Laja River, which flows through the northern mountains. The Laja Spa is a place of purification and rejuvenation. With three beautiful colonial style rooms and air conditioning, traditional and modern healing therapies are offered, as well as diagnostics to know exactly what our skin needs and what the most appropriate treatment is.

Sense Spa in Rosewood SMA was listed as one of the “Hottest Spots”in Conde Nast Traveller magazine. It is located in the highest part of the building which allows one to receive all the positive energy that San Miguel de Allende has to offer. Sense Spa offers therapies, treatments, massages and facials, in addition to its ample spaces for relaxation for men and women that includes a sauna and steam room.

After renewing our energies at the spas we were ready for our tasting menu prepared by Chef Carlos Hannon, Executive Chef of Rosewood SMA, who helped us to show, once again, that Mexican cuisine is not all fatty, spicy, fried, heavy food. On the contrary to this common misconception, the dishes were the perfect complement to a spa treatment, with beautiful presentations and fresh, light ingredients. It seemed as though they read our minds when we left the spa and knew exactly what we were craving.

Chef Carlos Hannon arrived in San Miguel after his important collaboration as Sous Chef at Rosewood Mayakoba in Riviera Maya to take the reins from his opening in San Miguel de Allende, where he uses the most traditional and endemic ingredients of the area for his contemporary cuisine.

The menu started with a watermelon salad with arugula, organic watercress and artisanal goat cheese. Then a salmon dish with black risotto and a sauted organic vegetables. To conclude, a homemade chocolate dessert with sea salt ice cream. One after another, Chef Hannon’s recipes gave our guests the opportunity to enjoy very well-balanced Mexican ingredients in modern presentations.

There is no doubt that the choice to put Chef Hannon at the head of the Rosewood was the best decision for the visitors to know more about our cuisine.

Before leaving, we had the opportunity to get to know the property. It denotes luxury and good taste in every corner. Everything we saw left us with strong hopes to return. I want to experience a little more of everything that Rosewood San Miguel de Allende has to offer.

We took the way to Guanajuato along a well-laid and well-maintained road that we appreciated even more because we were travelingl by land. And in just 45 minutes we reached the city known as “despensa y tesoro de la Nueva España” (Pantry and Treasure of New Spain).

Quinta las Acacias was the boutique hotel that hosted us for the last two nights of our trip. This boutique hotel is located in a house built in the nineteenth century when the French style dominated throughout Mexico. It is property of Malo, the engineer who took part in the construction of the famous Juarez Theater. He must have liked the cabinetry for what it was, because the main building still retains the original beautiful handrail of the house.

Starting in 1986, a remodeling began that would take 12 years for the Pérez Ordaz family to convert into what is now one of the most beautiful boutique hotels in Mexico. In the original house you will find the lobby, the dining room, the kitchen and some rooms. The rooms are decorated with a special theme honoring the history and characters in Mexico.

After a walk through the city where we could observe the tunnels, the famous Juarez Theater, narrow alleys, and that architectural art that distinguishes Guanajuato, we return to our rooms to enjoy an unforgettable sunset and take advantage of the jacuzzi in the bathroom and bring to mind all the legends and stories we learned about that da.

Continue reading the final part of this story here

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Our thanks to Aeromexico for the support provided for the realization of this trip. Thanks to the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico, Secretary of Tourism of the State of Guanajuato, Hotel La Puertecita, Hotel Casa de Sierra Nevada, Hotel Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, Hotel Quinta Las Acacias, for your confidence in this project.