You enter your casita through a hand-carved wooden door. Wood-framed windows set in brick look out over gardens, meadows, and mountains. This will be your private retreat for the week. No two are exactly alike: Their location, size, orientation, architecture, bright fabrics, and enchanting collections of museum-quality folk art make each unique. All accommodations are on ground level and open onto adjacent gardens and large patios.
A writer for McCall’s magazine said it very well: "The accommodations are as far from hotel-style as a Mexican wedding dress from a hospital gown...instead, in a paradise of tropical flowers, there nestle private Haciendas...Rancheras...all lovingly decorated in Mexican pinks, oranges and yellows, and aglow with native crafts."
Accommodations include living-room-like sitting areas, desks, fireplaces (in most), CD players, mini-refrigerators, robes, irons and boards, safes, umbrellas, flashlights, hair dryers, coffee pots, and other standard amenities.
All rooms have reverse-osmosis-filtered drinking water.
Each has a distinctive collection of Mexican folk art. We are a spa retreat, so about half of our casitas do not have telephones, and none have television. If your room has no phone, one is located nearby in a central location.
No guests’ automobiles have access to the grounds. Our guest parking lot is located inside our gated entrance. Your luggage will be delivered and picked up by hand-cart. Walking here is a delight. Our founders Edmond and Deborah Szekely designed the Ranch specifically to reward walkers with exercise and beauty.
As you review the different room types, you’ll find that size is the primary factor in the differing rates—our casitas range in size from about 470 sq. ft. to 900 sq. ft., (with patios from about 200 sq. ft.) to a huge 1,140 sq. ft.--a true vacation home for 2 to 4 guests. Some of our guests find a favorite and return to it year after year, but most love to move around and try many; each has a unique charm.
And most rooms have fireplaces or wood-burning stoves: We set a fire during fall, winter and spring, ready for you to strike the match and enjoy a cheery blaze if you so desire. When making a reservation, be sure to ask for a casita with a fireplace if this is important to you. In-room massages also are available.
Rancheras are roomy studio bedrooms (many with two double beds, and a few with Kings). They are comfortable for one or two guests and are built in clusters in central areas closest to the Dining Hall and gyms – very convenient!
Rancheras are decorated with Mexican folk art, handmade furniture and tile, and colorful weavings. Most have open-beam ceilings and ceiling fans. Bathrooms have tubs and sinks surrounded by beautiful hand-painted tile.
The gardens around Rancheras feature your own private patio. Communal amenities in some Ranchera clusters include a lounge, hot tub, and garden gazebo. A few Rancheras have fireplaces. All have mini-refrigerators and coffee pot.
Women traveling alone enjoy staying in a village-like cluster of Rancheras in our “Flores” village.
These casitas are larger than Rancheras and feature a bedroom area, sitting area, and bathroom. All Haciendas have a warm, cheery fireplace or woodstove (all of our fireplaces are wood burning rather than gas). Many are close in to the gyms and dining room (see color-coded map).
With their central locations and romantic charm, Haciendas are perfect retreats for avid readers and any guest who enjoys having a small sitting area for lounging indoors. Some are in hillside locations with fine views of Mount Kuchumaa or the Ranch itself. Many are near or include mature gardens, vine-covered trellises and splashing fountains.
A favorite! All are located on a gently rounded knoll near the Villa Pool where breakfast is served outdoors during summer, or can be requested to be brought to your room in winter.
From the front door you step inside to a large sitting area with fireplace and an alcove containing a wet bar, mini-refrigerator, and coffee pot. Beds are in a separate alcove usually defined by an arch. All Juniors have two double beds, and accommodate one or two persons. Junior Villas are known for their large, private patios, often with great views of Mount Kuchumaa, or into oak groves and flower-strewn meadows.
Villa Studios are the largest “studio” units at the Ranch, many accommodating up to three people. You enter a large living area with couch and chairs for sitting near the fireplace. A writing desk is by the window. High cathedral ceilings of wooden beams arch overhead, and walls of locally hand-crafted brick rise from floors of terra-cotta “Tecate tile.”
One cluster, Villas Luna, is comprised of Villa Studios only. These feature some of our most spectacular Mexican Colonial architecture. Built on a gentle hillside to the southeast of the dining room, Villas Luna blend Mexican tradition and modern luxury. Tall, arched windows frame mountain views.
These are within easy walking distance of the Villa Pool and it’s convenient to have breakfast there outdoors in summer, or you can order breakfast delivered to your room in winter.
Villa Suites feature two separate bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a living room, wet bar, dining area and fireplace. These are our most spacious accommodations, and are truly comparable to a small vacation home. They comfortably welcome up to four people; bed arrangements can be somewhat customized to suit your needs—inquire when you make a reservation.
All are located in the Sol area near the Villa Pool and hot tub, ringing the top of a gentle hill.
On summer mornings, breakfast is served on the pool patio. In winter, breakfast can be delivered to your room on request.
