Villa Ganz

Mexico's most charming boutique hotel

We stayed at the Villa Ganz for six nights over the new year. The hotel was wonderful. From the moment we arrived we felt the warmth and charm of the place. The decor and architecture of the hotel were inviting the enough, with beautiful candles and amazing Mexican antiques. Every detail of the place was carefully and lovingly thought out with the comfort of guests in mind. The rooms were very charming. The bed was unbelievably comfortable with very high quality bedding. The shower was also fantastic. There were a wide variety of Spanish and English television channels on the small color television. However, true character of the hotel came from the wonderful staff who took care of our every need. Sally, Juan Manuel, Alex, Eric, Rocio, and Veli were at efficient, friendly, and informative. Although we speak Spanish, I heard them communicating very well in English with other guests.

Passing through the lobby, we were always offered a drink. Who can turn down a delicious glass of white wine after a long day of shopping? Sitting out by the fire on the patio, we sipped tequila and wine before bedtime. The fireplace is 5 feet tall, and the entire back patio is decorated with beautiful candles. There are comfortable chairs and a sofa as well as a fantastic antique coffee table made from a 4 inch thick antique door. The ambience is simply not re-creatable. It could not have been more romantic and relaxing.

Another highlight of the trip was our excursion to the town of Tequila. Our tour guide, Melchor, was fantastic! He was a walking encyclopedia, with a working knowledge of Guadalajara and the surrounding areas. He helped us with our Spanish. He helped us with all our bags and equipment. In general, he was just a great guy and a gentleman. We liked him so much, that we invited him along with us the following day to go shopping in Tlaquepaque.

Overall, I would highly recommend that Villa Ganz. We hope to return there very soon.

Unique Quality: The hotel location is in a charming residential area, close enough to the sights, but just far enough removed that you don't feel like you're in the center of a large city. On Sundays they close down our Avenida Vallarta for walking and biking. We cruised all the way down to the Expiatorio! There are plenty of things to do near the hotel, but one should probably take a taxi to go to the center.

We had breakfast every day either in the garden or in the covered patio. The mornings that were cooler, the staff offered to make a fire in the enormous fireplace. The breakfast was excellent. We had a large selection of delicious fresh fruits as well as a basket of fresh pastries. The coffee and juices were also excellent. There is an à la cart menu which we only from one time.

One of the definite highlights of the trip was our in-room massage from Maru. She had a very gentle demeanor but some of the strongest hands I've ever felt. She knew exactly where my sore spots were, and was able to work them very effectively. I felt so relaxed and rejuvenated after the massage. We couldn't leave without having another one, so we called her back two nights later! The price was extremely reasonable, and she even went over time to give us her best treatment.

The surrounding area has a wide selection of restaurants. Our first night we went to a place called Nude. The ambience was not Mexican, to say the least. We felt like we were at an ultra-modern restaurant in Los Angeles. The food was supposedly "fusion," but was unimaginative and not that great tasting, especially for the price. Our favorite restaurant in the area was Kamillo's 333. As soon as you sit down, they give you a plate of grilled baby onions and fresh radishes, as well as fresh chips and salsa and a bean-based soup. You almost don't need to order a meal. I would recommend trying the queso fundido. Get this baked cheese dish with chorizo and mushrooms. Also excellent was the karne en su jugo, their specialty.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Related to: Historical Travel, Luxury Travel, Romantic Travel and Honeymoons

Villa Ganz

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