Colonial mansions in Mexico you can actually sleep in

Growing up arsenic an guiltless kid of the 1980s and ‘90s, I had large dreams of being a princess — inactive do. As I aged, however, I recognized however tiny the princess occupation marketplace was, and truthful I decided to settee for different regal role; a countess, oregon something. Living successful Mexico, I’m surrounded by palaces and assemblage mansions successful which I tin walk a nighttime and unrecorded my royal fantasy, without the hard enactment of doing immoderate it is that a countess really does.

If I’ve learned 1 happening successful my big years, it’s that determination is ever idiosyncratic other retired determination with a akin imagination — possibly you, too, person gotten mislaid successful the thought of 1 time waking up a viceroy, marquess oregon an attaché. Now, you can. These assemblage mansions — defined arsenic specified erstwhile built betwixt 1519 and 1821 and featuring heavy chromatic walls, precocious ceilings and classical cardinal courtyards — connection a unsocial mode to acquisition Mexico’s affluent history. Like the hidden gems featured successful a erstwhile portion on Mexico’s authentic question treasures, these properties fto you measurement into Mexico’s aristocratic past without sacrificing that glorious rainfall shower.

Mexico City: Gran Hotel Ciudad de México 

(Mad White)

This erstwhile 17th-century palace puts you successful the bosom of Mexico, wrong walking region of the Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, and National Palace, wherever the existent president resides. One of CDMX’s oldest houses, it was erstwhile the Palacio de los Condes de Miravalle, a sanction you whitethorn callback from my nonfiction Know your neighborhood: Condesa, or from James Bond’s little quality successful the Mexican capital. The 3rd countess from this household enactment owned the hacienda that yet became the vicinity of Condesa. The boutique’s meal patio features a captivating fresco by Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, and its rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of Centro Histórico and a excavation for the eventual royal treatment.

Mérida: La Misión de Fray Diego 

(Expedia)

Partially built successful 1596 arsenic portion of the Temple of Nuns, this mansion harbors Mérida’s astir tantalizing mystery: a rumored underground passageway connecting the adjacent religion to the cathedral. Legend claims cloistered nuns utilized this concealed transition to determination unseen done the city. While archaeologists person ne'er confirmed the tunnel’s existence, the anticipation adds intrigue to your enactment successful 1 of Mérida’s storied buildings. The edifice embraces its convent origins with meditation-worthy courtyards, spiritual relics, and graceful iron-wrought details.

San Miguel de Allende: Casa Blanca 7

(Trip Advisor)

Mexico meets Morocco successful this 300-year-old location that defies assemblage convention. Spanish arches framework Islamic tiles, Berber carpets lukewarm chromatic floors, and inlaid furniture, specified arsenic four-poster beds, creates an Arabian Nights ambiance successful the bosom of Mexico. With conscionable 10 suites, it feels similar staying successful a affluent merchant’s backstage home. San Miguel’s well-to-do flock to Fatima 7, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, for Mediterranean dishes and vistas of the Templo de San Francisco, a presumption that perfectly captures this property’s East-meets-West magic.

Puebla: Mesón Sacristía de la Compañía 

(Tesoros de Mexico)

Shop portion you slumber astatine this 250-year-old treasure hunter’s paradise. Every antique successful your room, from hand-carved armoires to assemblage ceramics, comes with a terms tag. The “hotel-antique assemblage concept” turns browsing into an creation signifier crossed conscionable 4 rooms successful the charming boutique situated connected the celebrated Callejón de los Sapos. Sip java successful the courtyard café portion plotting which 19th-century Mexican artifacts volition acceptable successful your suitcase, oregon publication a mole-making people successful the assemblage kitchen. The Mesón Sacristía is  retail therapy meets assemblage history, cleanable for travelers who similar souvenirs with centuries of stories.

Guanajuato: El Mesón de los Poetas 

(Expedia)

Breakfast with Octavio Paz, luncheon with Federico García Lorca and cocktails with Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz? Bookworms volition person a tract time successful immoderate of the hotel’s 48 rooms, each of which honors a antithetic writer done personalized décor and ambiance. This 18th-century mansion doubles arsenic a surviving lit museum, wherever labyrinthine corridors echo the city’s winding alleyways. The hotel’s cardinal courtyard, El Patio de la Palabra — The Patio of the Word — is the perfect mounting to recite your latest literate masterpiece. The spot besides functions arsenic an creation gallery, truthful you’re fundamentally sleeping wrong a taste halfway wherever creativity flows arsenic freely arsenic the tequila.

Morelia: Hotel de la Soledad 

(Booking.com)

Tragedy, bankruptcy, warfare and resurrection: This hotel’s 290-year saga reads similar a Mexican telenovela. Built successful 1735, the task halted erstwhile the owners’ lone lad died suddenly, leaving down a half-finished dream. The gathering survived Morelia’s near-abandonment during the War of Independence, aggregate bankruptcies and a parade of hopeless owners earlier its 2008 resurrection arsenic a luxury hotel. Today it holds Small Luxury Hotels presumption and Condé Nast recognition, proving that sometimes the champion stories travel from the darkest chapters. The sanction “La Soledad” —  Solitude — perfectly captures the property’s epic travel from ruin to glory.

Querétaro: La Casa de la Marquesa 

(Booking.com)

According to section lore, Emperor Maximilian slept here, and that’s conscionable the beginning. This baroque palace was built successful 1756 arsenic a emotion missive — oregon possibly a pacification of sorts — from the Marqués de la Villa del Villar del Águila to his wife, implicit with elaborate carved stonework and Moorish-inspired arches. The 25 suites overflow with play antiques, portion balconies connection views of UNESCO-listed streets that stay arsenic lively arsenic imperial times. The palace chapel, expansive staircases, and archetypal paintings make an ambiance truthful authentically aristocratic that you whitethorn confuse your question spouse with your idiosyncratic jester.

Zacatecas: Hotel Mesón de Jobito 

(Hotel Mesón de Jobito)

Don Jobito died successful country 107 and seemingly ne'er left. This early-18th-century inn embraces its haunted estimation with enthusiasm, and guests study flickering lights, moving objects and an invisible beingness watching them astir 4 a.m. The shade of the erstwhile nighttime watchman seems peculiarly fond of playful pranks, from mysterious telephone calls to unexplained laughter echoing done the halls. Originally built for miners and merchants during Zacatecas’s metallic boom, the mesón present caters to shade hunters and thrill-seekers who privation their assemblage acquisition with a broadside of the supernatural. 

These assemblage mansions connection much than conscionable comfy accommodation. They’re portals to Mexico’s aristocratic past, wherever you tin unrecorded similar royalty portion experiencing Mexican history. Each spot preserves centuries-old architecture and stories, providing the benignant of immersive taste acquisition that makes Mexico’s assemblage practice travel to life.

Bethany Platanella is simply a question planner and manner writer based successful Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine deed that comes straight aft booking a level ticket, exploring section markets, practicing yoga and munching connected caller tortillas. Sign up to person her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog oregon travel her connected Instagram.