Hacienda San Angel
Puerto Vallarta’s central neighborhoods spill in a bouquet of stuccoed color between the lush arms of flowering palms toward a brilliant azure sea. The view distinctly reminds me of the precipitous beauty of the Amalfi Coast, but here nature is wilder and more vivid. Hacienda San Angel is advantaged by location to capture the city’s sweeping views to full effect, from its perch steps above Puerto Vallarta’s quaint and cobbled romantic zone, a mere ten-minute walk from the ocean.
The facade of Hacienda San Angel is at first, unassuming. Blue-painted tiles reminiscent of Portugal’s stunning azulejos are the only ornament to its exterior but as we step through the heavy, carved wooden doors into the cool shade of the entry, it feels like we’ve entered an oasis.
A verdant courtyard opens in front of us, framed in white stucco, accentuated by terracotta tiled roofs. The staff helped us with our luggage and as we checked in we enjoyed a complimentary drink, a welcome reprieve for temperatures already spiked from the Mexican heat.
As we wind through the hacienda to our suite, we make our way up several levels, past flower-laden trees wrapped around arched openings, intimate nooks vying with gracious open spaces, and stunning ocean views punctuated by glimmering cobalt pools.
Paintings, sculptures, and antiques lend a gracious balance of character and elegance throughout the flowing property. The aesthetic has a maturity to it that money can’t buy. The rare effect is a result of each detail being lovingly curated over decades rather than slapped together in a hurry by some slick designer. Properties like this are the gems frequent travelers look for, whose patrons become loyal insiders. They have a unique storied personality and shiny new hotels just don’t compare.
Our suite is perched, like a nest, in its vantage at the high point of the property looking down over the rest of the Hacienda, over rooftops to jungled slopes and jet skis crisscrossing the bay.
Inside the suite the furnishings are stunning, one-of-a-kind hardwood pieces; antique, refined, and tastefully selected with sparing accents leaving the space comfortable yet airy and cool. Many hotels attempt to create romantic spaces however this residence tops the charts in that particular respect. There’s something very naturally lovely and removed about each one of the Hacienda’s unique suites, somehow each is situated so as to make you feel as tho you are the only guest staying at the property.
Incomparable details make the stay truly memorable and luxurious, from an assortment of chocolates appearing on the pillow in a silver box to French doors opening to a sprawling balcony overlooking the bay and city.
We watched the cities glow from the pillowed window-seat, took coffee on the dreamy balcony, relaxed in luxe linen robes and made use of the impeccable room service.
As evening sets, candlelight transforms the gardens and nooks. The sunset is long, molten, and nothing short of breathtaking. The city lights start to glimmer and as night falls in earnest fireworks light the evening from one side of the bay to the other.
Hacienda San Angel is a one-of-a-kind stay, a place that enchants you from the first moment and begs you to explore, blending both rustic and refined Mexican aesthetics into a work of livable art. This is the sort of place that just feels effortless and has you making notes for your own home decor and spaces.
The Hacienda was our home base for a few days, during which we were loath to leave it if I’m being completely honest. It was however an excellent place from which to roam the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. We discovered handcrafted goods in the nearby shops and sampled restaurants, street carts, and gay bars before and after retreating to our air-conditioned tower and glittering pools in the heat of the afternoon.
The hacienda boasts it own restaurant which easily holds its own against any other dining offerings in the neighborhood, so it was well worth planning a night in.
The tranquil evenings at the Hacienda find purchase in your memory in a special way. We knew before we left, that this is a place we will return again and again.
