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More Developers Eye Mexico's San Miguel de Allende
| Written by Alec Rosekrans 01/24/2008 |
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San Miguel de Allende boasts no mega resorts, no wet t-shirt contests and no spring break blow outs. It is, in other words, not your stereotypical Mexican vacation destination. Instead, the town’s cobblestone streets, well-preserved colonial architecture, delicious food, laid-back pace and cultural offerings have made it the perfect antidote to the heavily commercialized Mexico that most Americans experience on their trips south of the border.
At 6,000 feet above sea level, north of Mexico City in Mexico’s Guanjuato state, San Miguel’s year round temperate climate has for centuries drawn city dwellers from the capital looking to escape the summer heat. Today, the town has become a magnet for American and Canadian expats, with nearly 8,000 gringos residing among a population of 85,000.
Yet in spite of the influx of foreigners, San Miguel has retained a kind of “Old Mexico” charm that is all but lost in other destinations. In the town’s Centro district, one might step out of a trendy jewelry boutique (here San Miguel’s silver mining legacy lives on in cutting edge designs), only to be enticed by the aroma of freshly fried carnitas wafting from the carniceria a few doors down.
A thriving arts scene is anchored by the Fabrica la Aurora, an old cotton factory on the edge of the Centro district that has been converted to house numerous galleries. While certainly not what you’d call a party town, San Miguel is far from sleepy. On any given evening, it’s possible to hear good live music—everything from Mariachi to rock to gypsy jazz—playing at one of the town’s many restaurants and bars.
But among all the many activities, there’s none better than simply strolling down the town’s cobblestone streets, admiring the colonial buildings and inhaling the sweet smell of bougainvillea growing all over their walls.
Not surprisingly some major players in luxury travel have recently moved onto the scene in San Miguel. Orient Express Hotels recently took over the Casa de Sierra Nevada, a boutique hotel in the heart of the city that features a world-class cooking school. Meanwhile Rosewood Hotels and Resorts is developing a hotel and residences. The Artesana Rosewood Residences range from 1,800 to 7,500 square feet and are priced from just under $1 million to $3 million. Buyers of the residences, crafted in a traditional style by local artisans, will have access to all of the amenities at the Rosewood San Miguel hotel. Both the resort and the homes are scheduled to open in fall of 2009.
Owners of fractional properties in the Weybridge Collection, which has shared ownership homes in New Mexico and Colorado, have access to three residences in San Miguel on an exchange basis. Each of the villas, the Casa Buena Fortuna, Casa El Quijote, and Villa Puerta del Sol, have been decorated with local art. The homes are also available for rent by the week.
San Miguel is about a one hour drive from the cities of Leon and Queretaro, which have airports with regular flights to Mexico City. Direct flights to Leon are available from Los Angeles.
Reader Feedback
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From: SMA FAN TOOFriday, January, 25, 2008 at 07:58 AM
San Miguel is incredible and the growth mentioned above is only the tip of the iceberg. Developers globally have their eyes on this destination, betting that it will blossom into the next Aspen or Santa Fe. Lets pray that they will have the common sense
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From: Allen BercowetzFriday, January, 25, 2008 at 08:31 PM
For a larger look at San Miguel de Allend, with lots of photos, check out www.experience-san-miguel-de-allende.com
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From: Carol SchmidtSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 09:06 AM
Another site with a blog about daily life in SMA, 450 photos, an SMA FAQ and SMA News page, and many forums with more than 450 participants, go to www.fallinginlovewithsanmiguel.com . Also read the book by the website owners, Carol Schmidt and Norma Hair,
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From: Carol SchmidtSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 09:10 AM
I was cut off, there are also activist groups very concerned about any unbridled development of San Miguel so that its beauty and magic can be preserved. It is an important historic city to Mexico, too, and is a favorite tourist destination for Mexicans w
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From: Billie MercerSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 09:57 AM
The photograph used in this article is my photograph. I was not asked for permission to use the image. Billie Mercer www.billiemercer.blogspot.com
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From: DonnaSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 02:06 PM
Just to clear up a couple of small inaccuracies: The altitude of San Miguel is not 7000 ft. closer to 6400'. No one knows exactly how many foreigners live in SMA, but the city's own estimate is about 10-12,000, not the 8000 mentioned. And Guanajuato is n
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From: continuedSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Guanajuato is not a province it is a State. Much of the "old world charm" referred to is being destroyed by rampant development. It sometimes seems like SMA is being loved to death.
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From: JakedogSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 04:18 PM
These developers, who have already ruined San Miguel, will soon discover that gridlocked traffic, air pollution (from the traffic and from the cement dust that rampant building has hurled into the atmosphere), and high costs (for Mexico) will turn away t
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From: JakedogSaturday, January, 26, 2008 at 04:22 PM
the hordes of baby-boomers over whom they are salivating. The SMA housing market is already in disarray, and not solely because of the problems in the U.S. The word is getting out: cutesy boutiques just aren't enough.
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From: freddy75Thursday, January, 31, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Jake, as an outsider, its easy for you to say that San Miguel shouldn’t change or progress, but that is such a paternalistic American attitude…God forbid these Mexicans get a decent department store or movie complex…it should stay rustic and charming so I
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From: freddy75Thursday, January, 31, 2008 at 10:39 AM
text continued - I can have my enchanted version of a Mexican escape…does is go something like that Jakedog?
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From: freddy75Thursday, January, 31, 2008 at 10:40 AM
traffic is a problem which is rampant in most popular places and charming places in the world...that said, problems have solutions and san miguel is still incredibly beautiful...take a walk down town today at 3 in the afternoon and tell me if you see hord
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From: freddy75Thursday, January, 31, 2008 at 10:41 AM
text continued - hordes of salivating baby boomers...your attitude is pesimistic and completely out of touch with reality...change brings things good and bad, but san miguel has had incredible benefits from change as well as some side effects...
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From: freddy75Thursday, January, 31, 2008 at 10:43 AM
you will not find a place with more beautiful weather, more beautiful architecture, and more creative, charming, entrepreneurial, giving community anywhere in the world, and exactly because of this, people want to live here..except for JAKEDOG that is
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From: SMA FanThursday, January, 24, 2008 at 08:28 PM
Great article! I can't say enough good things about San Miguel de Allende! What a beautiful town and the locals are the friendliest and most helpful you will find anywhere. Simply a delightful place to visit and perhaps even a more delightful place to li