Hacienda El Carmen Hotel & Spa

The surrounding land is still farmed, so seeing sugarcane fields burning in the distance was quite a sight. There’s a charming farm feel here, though, and that means a rooster may wake you up and there are some bugs around. Nothing got out of hand. We only stayed one night, which was a big mistake since we missed out on so much of what they offer. The property looked amazingly well cared for, and the staff were very nice. Their English wasn’t great, but my broken Spanish was enough for us to understand each other, and I’m sure they’d have been happy to help with anything we needed.

The care it must take every day to preserve the property's authenticity while offering such good hospitality is hard to imagine. We were struck by how beautiful the place was as soon as we drove in.

There’s a sense of magic and mystery here, with the sort of surprises that make you smile. Our room was thoughtfully equipped, the grounds were kept beautifully, and both the food and the setting felt majestic. The chef handled our dinner requests, live music accompanied the meals, and the service was top notch. It feels like stepping back in time while still having modern comforts. I’ve stayed in more hotels than I can count, and this one is near the top of my list. We had a relaxing stay and could leave the stresses of daily life behind. I’ll recommend it to anyone I know.

We had attentive service throughout, and the food was good, though not great. The old Hacienda has beautiful architecture, and the grounds are a lovely place for a getaway from Guadalajara or a wedding. They also offer tours at certain times during the day.