In business for more than 50 years, this renowned restaurant is inspired by small countryinns (fonda). The interior is relatively simple, with white washed walls hung with a gleaming array of copper pots and pans, beautiful examples of Mexican glass, and folk art. The cuisine is traditional and regional Mexican, and many consider it the best of its kind in the capital. Look for dishes such as caldo tlalpeño, a flavorful soup of chicken and vegetables; manitas de cerdo en vinegre, pig’s feet in vinegar; and carne asada a la tabasqueña, a perfectly grilled steak with enchiladas and refried beans.
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Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
Mexico
Overview
From Andrew Harper
The vast republic of Mexico encompasses nearly 2 million square miles of every topography imaginable: verdant grasslands; mountain ranges; volcanic plains; dense rain forests. However, most visitors are only familiar with its shoreline. Travelers have been flocking to the beaches of Mazatlán, Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta for decades. In recent years, the Caribbean “Riviera Maya” has become increasingly popular, as have smaller pockets of the Pacific Coast such as Zihuatanejo and Costa Alegre.
A visit to the colonial heart of Mexico is worthwhile -- in particular to the cities of San Miguel de Allende and nearby Guanajuato, both located in the highlands northwest of Mexico City. These are fine destinations for amblers without agendas. Expect plenty of winding cobblestone streets, stately continental mansions and a tranquilo pace of life. Accommodations here are suitably historic and eclectic; the Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel is assembled from several disparate mansions near the zócalo.
CLIMATE : Aside from the northern Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, much of Mexico consists of high plateaus with a warm, agreeable climate. Temperatures are determined largely by altitude. Winter in the mountains can bring freezing conditions, while coastal areas remain blissfully tropical. Rain falls chiefly from May-August. The most pleasant time to visit all areas is November-May.
TIME : One hour behind New York (EST). Baja California Sur is three hours behind.
CURRENCY : Peso (MXN). Fluctuating rate valued at MXN13 = US$1.00 as of March 2012. Note: Many hotels quote room rates in US$ only.
U.S. EMBASSY : Mexico City, Tel. (55) 5080-2000. There are also consulates in Guadalajara, Tel. (333) 268-2100, and Merida, Tel. (999) 942-5700.
DIRECT DIAL CODES : To phone hotels in Mexico, dial 011 (international access) + 52 (Mexico code) + city code and local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS : Passport. Visit www.travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, www.cdc.gov.
GENERAL INFORMATION : Visit www.visitmexico.com before your trip.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in Mexico
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Capella PedregalOpulent 66-room resort at the base of a cliff overlooking the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez, and reached only by a gated tunnel through a rocky mountainside that separates the 24-acre site from Cabo San Lucas. |
Baja California Sur | |
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Esperanza, an Auberge ResortLuxurious residential resort terraced into the panoramic bluffs of Punta Ballena overlooking two private coves, four miles outside Cabo San Lucas. |
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Hacienda de San AntonioLavishly restored casa grande set on a 5,000-acre working coffee plantation near the colonial town of Colima, 2½ hours south of Guadalajara. |
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Las AlamandasRomantic and newly revitalized oceanfront hideaway amid lush gardens, midway between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. |
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Quinta Real GuadalajaraCharming hotel in pleasant residential area, 15 minutes from Guadalajara’s historic center. |
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Quinta Las AcaciasFriendly 19th-century French-style mansion-hotel across from a lovely park, a short taxi ride from Guanajuato’s romantic and architecturally striking historic center. |
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La Casa Que CantaCharming all-suite resort crowning a cliff above Zihuatanejo Bay, adjacent to La Ropa Beach. |
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Four Seasons Hotel Mexico, D.F.Refined 240-room hotel set around a traditional Spanish Colonial courtyard, in the heart of the historic downtown business and shopping district. |
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Villa Montana Hotel & SpaFirst-class colonial-style resort in Santa Maria hills overlooking the historic city of Morelia, a World Heritage site. Three dozen guest quarters occupy casitas sprawled across the terraced hillside. |
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Casa de MitaCharming oceanside villa-style inn, just outside Punta Mita, where guests enjoy a virtually deserted mile-long beach. |
Villas
All recommended villas in Mexico
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Casa La LagunaOne of the newest and largest beachfront vacation homes available in Los Cabos, Casa La Laguna sits on a quiet, pristine, semi-private beach with unobstructed views from Punta Palmilla to Punta Gorda. Baja California Sur |
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Del Mar Escapes“At the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula where the desert and mountains meet the Sea of Cortez rests Los Cabos, no longer a secret to the discriminating traveler.” Baja California Sur |
Lifestyle VillasA smartly curated selection of beachfront, ocean and golf view villas and condominiums throughout Los Cabos. Cabo San Lucas |
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Villa SerenaThis five-star beachfront property is located between Cabo San Lucas & San Jose del Cabo (in the area known as the Corridor) in the exclusive Blue Sea development. Situated right on the ocean, this contemporary home is beautifully appointed. Baja California Sur |
Villas at EsperanzaBaja California SurCabo San Lucas |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in Mexico
FONDA EL REFUGIO
Liverpool 166
Ciudad de México
Mexico
US$35
IZOTE
This excellent restaurant is under the direction of the celebrated Patricia Quintana, who is a proud advocate of classic Mexican cooking and make sample use of local ingredients such as yucca and corn flour. The interior is elegant and understated; the food is bold and delicious. You might start with lobster enchiladas in a pumpkin seed sauce or oyster mushrooms in a bitter orange vinaigrette. The barbecued lamb, steamed in banana leaves to tender perfection and served with a variety of sauces and moles, is not to be missed. Finish with a rich café de olla, coffee with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Avenida Presidente Masaryk 513
Ciudad de México
Mexico
US$55
PUJOL
This is home to chef Enrique Olvera, an alumnus of the celebrated Everest in Chicago, who is renowned for his special take on Mexican cuisine. The interior is a study in white, with the only splashes of color coming from well-placed works of art. As for the food, while Olvera deals with ingredients that are part of the Mexican canon, he doesn’t hesitate to use them in new and intriguing ways. Thus, you’ll see dishes such as pan-seared sea scallops with a tasty corn cake and mushrooms; a wonderful squash-blossom “cappuccino,” actually a creamy soup topped with a coconut foam dusted with nutmeg; duck carpaccio with a pumpkin-seed vinaigrette and a mezcal foam, and a delicious cocoa-crusted venison served with three kinds of bananas. The service is excellent.
Calle Francisco Petrarca 254
Naucalpan de Juárez
Mexico
US$55
TEZKA
This is the Mexican cousin of Arzak, the restaurant at the forefront of the new Basque cooking in Spain. The wonderful menu offers hallmark Spanish dishes, plus many that incorporate Mexican ingredients and flair. The interior contains several different levels (one with just a single table for four), which give it a great sense of space. Starters might include an excellent broth of baby squid and a foie gras mousse with sliced mango. Among the best main courses is the sea bass in a pistachio sauce. The wine list has a terrific selection of Spanish and Mexican wines. Look particularly at bottlings from Baja.
Royal Royal Hotel Zona Rosa, Amberes 78
Ciudad de México
06600
Mexico
US$55
Special Offers
Special Offers
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Casa de Sierra Nevada - Exceptional 15 Percent Savings, Plus Complimentary Massage |
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Esperanza, an Auberge Resort - Find Your Balance Package–Four NightsConfirm a minimum of four consecutive nights and escape to an intimate hideaway at the end of a continent where the ocean meets the sea, a place where you can free your mind, harmonize your body and discover a renewed sense of well-being with Esperanza’s fitness and yoga classes. Package prices start at $2,794, exclusive of tax and service fee. |
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Esperanza, An Auberge Resort - Stay Three Nights – Fourth Night ComplimentaryConfirm a minimum of four consecutive nights and receive the fourth night complimentary. |
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One&Only Palmilla - Fourth Night Complimentary plus $200 in AmenitiesConfirm a consecutive three-night stay and receive a complimentary fourth night. In addition, receive a $100 USD resort credit, two $50 spa certificates to be used for any 80-minute ESPA Signature Experience Service (one certificate per spa treatment) and in-room espresso and tea service. When staying five nights or longer, receive a 25 percent savings on each additional night. |
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My wife and I are planning a June escape and thinking Esperanza... but are concerned about the drug cartel violence that seems to be happening all over Mexico. Tragic! Should we be concerned?
Thank you!
Hello,
Fortunately that area of Mexico has escaped the vast majority of the violence, which remains mostly concentrated along the border (though other areas have also been affected). The resorts in Cabo are quite secure, and as long as you arrange transfers with a driver from the hotel or our ground operator Journey Mexico, you'll be very unlikely to encounter any problems.
For the most current information regarding safety in Mexico,consult the State Department's website or contact the Travel Office at (800) 375-4685.
Best Regards,
The Travel Office
reservations@andrewharper.com