Casa Caracol in Guanajuato

Tranquil and elegant, this two bedroom newly-renovated historic home is located right in the
Centro Historico of downtown Guanajuato, two blocks from the lively Jardin de
Union and Teatro Juarez, yet tucked away up a safe pedestrian-only street.

What you will love about staying in Casa Caracol is its perfect location.  The city of Guanajuato is situated in a canyon, with the town center at the bottom and the private residences nestled into the mountainsides. The higher up, the better the mountain view, but also the more arduous the hike home. Casa Caracol is situated above the Plaza San Francisco (which is in the car-free zone), just high enough to have a view, but close enough so one can pop home without working up a sweat.

The central location allows the visitor to have the quintessential Guanajuato experience:
strolling around and taking in all of the spontaneous happenings downtown. Experience
the joyful mariachis, solemn religious processions, bizarre and raucous costumed
parades, open-air dancing, frequent craft fairs, mimes and
clowns, and plentiful outdoor cafes and restaurants. Living downtown means you can hear the parade drums coming, grab your camera and watch it go by. It means you can enjoy your morning coffee/tea/fruit smoothie and home-made bagel around the corner in your sweats, then come back home, freshen up and plan your day.

Renovated by an artist, Casa Caracol is notable for its beauty and romance. The difference is in the details.  When you approach Casa Caracol you are first greeted with the outdoor garden - an ivy-covered archway encloses a miniature garden with potted plants and citrus trees.  When the flowers are in bloom this archway is a frequent photo op for tourists. (Once an entire mariachi band posed there for their CD cover!)

Behind the giant ancient door is the foyer, with diffused light coming from a domed skylight. Off of this are the cozy bedroom with double bed, and the architectural feature for which Casa Caracol takes its name: the stone "caracol" (Spanish for both "snail" and "spiral staircase") - original stone slabs cantilevered magically into massive walls. Walking up the caracol takes you to the shared rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of the Templo San Francisco. That last photo really is YOUR VIEW from the terrace of the Templo lit up at night!!

Continuing you come to the sun-flooded kitchen/dining/living area.  With a wall of windows with eastern exposure, this is the heart of the home, both sunny and peaceful.  The kitchen is equipped with al new appliances: four burner stove/oven, refrigerator/freezer, microwave, convection toaster oven, blender (for those frothy drinks!), coffee maker, stemware, and all the pots and pans to cook up and enjoy a delicious meal. 

Off of this main room are the large bedroom with king size bed (can be converted into two twins), and the bathroom which has all new plumbing and unlimited hot water.  Casa Caracol is all on one level, plus the entranceway and rooftop terrace.  The price includes unlimited purified drinking water, free wifi, and weekly housekeeping service with fresh linens replaced weekly.

When renovating, we managed to preserve the historic Spanish colonial beauty of this 200+ year old building. Enjoy the romance and natural insulation of 40 centimeter thick adobe walls (cool in the summer, warm in the winter), wood-beamed high ceilings, original built-in wooden cabinetry with antique wavy glass, and hand-carved stone details.  We added festive Mexican tiles, traditional fired-clay floors, high thread-count sheets, and goose feather pillows. The walls are decorated in original art from our private collection.

Casa Caracol is our only vacation rental property, which we manage personally.  Having lived here full-time for 13 years, we are fortunate to know many of the local artists and artisans, as well as many of the lesser-known cultural gems of Guanajuato. Let us customize your stay in Guanajuato. For example, if you want, we can help you organize workshops in print-making, jewelry-making, stained glass, horseback riding, sweat lodge with guided shaman, tours of famous local pottery studios, guitar lessons, dancing lessons, Mexican cooking lessons, petroglyphs, natural hot springs, etc. We can give you recommendations for the best dark roast coffee, eating out vegetarian, a homeopathic pediatrician, etc., plus the many often unpublicized jazz and classical music events that happen around town.

Wireless and Broadband internet access

TV with VCR

Weekly maid service and linen service provided

Unlimited purified drinking water
El Caracol is a non-smoking environment
Airport transport arranged upon request

Guanajuato is a colonial mining town in the central highlands of Mexico, and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, a magical, romantic place to visit.  In 2006 Guanajuato was ranked FIFTH out of the 830 current World Heritage Sites by a panel of 419 National Geographic experts in sustainable tourism, meaning this is one of the best-preserved cultures to visit in the world.  What better way to experience it than in an authentically-restored historic home?

See and hear classical, jazz, flamenco, or folkloric dance ensembles (to name just a few)
at the spectacular Teatro Juarez just two blocks away. Study Spanish at one of the many
language schools downtown (Escuela Mexicana and Espanol Universal are both one block
away). Attend a concert of the Guanajuato Symphony, visit the many museums including
the original home of muralist Diego Rivera, or take artisanal workshops. Take classes in Mexican
cuisine, salsa or folkloric dancing. Explore the plentiful artesania shops full of
handpainted ceramics, silver jewelry, and woven textiles all typical from this region. Discover it yourself, there is plenty to find.

Rates starting January 2010:
Daily US $62, 4 day minimum. Weekly $406
During month of October, Daily $79, Weekly $532
Rates apply to double occupancy. Additional $6 per extra person/night
Reserve Casa Caracol by personal check or PayPal

Reservations secured by half the rent plus $100 security deposit.

Balance due upon arrival

All payments non-refundable unless the property can be rebooked   

For current availability, please click on the calendar feature.

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