Just returned from a friend's wedding weekend in San Miguel. The town is delightful - can't wait to go back. Mansion Virreyes is to be avoided. The desk clerk could not have been more bored or disinterested. Ok, I can get past that problem, but the room was terrible.

An interior, windowless room with one bedside lamp and a dim light from the ceiling. There were only a few feet around the sides of the full bed in which to walk. The bathroom was all one small closet-ish room with no demarkation on the floor between the shower and the sink/comode. Just a short shower curtain and a drain in the center of the bathroom -- meaning that when you showered the water went all over the room and drained by the sink. It was a tomb!!

After the first evening's events I returned to the hotel at 1:30 am, checked out and rolled my bags 2 blocks across the Jardin to Posada Carmina. They were so gracious to accommodate me at such an hour and gave me a room for the same price as the Virreyes tomb, $125 dollers per night.

Will return to SMA, but never the Mansion!!

I stayed at this hotel with my wife and one year old girl. The hotel has beautiful interior patios surrounded by arched corridors, with lots of greenery. The room was spacious with very high ceilings and comfortable beds. The bathroom was adequate, with a nice, wide shower.

Breakfast for two was included for the moderate price of $70 USD per night. Breakfast is a la carte, with ample combinations of American and Mexican style dishes, like chilaquiles (fried corn tortillas under hot tomato sauce and melted cheese), eggs in many forms and pancakes. Coffee was good, and the bread, fresh from the bakery and warm. We stayed for five days and tried many of the offerings, and we liked them all.

The best thing about Mansion Virreyes is its location. It is less than one block away from the main square ("el jardin"), where most of the fun takes place. San Miguel is best seen by foot (car traffic is slowww, and parking scarce), so being close to the action is very convenient.

Overall we had a very pleasant stay at the Mansion Virreyes.

Things change...we stayed at this hotel ten years ago and had a very pleasant experience during the Christmas Holidays. Not this time. They say there is no such thing as customer service in Mexico and perhaps "they" are right. We found the restaurant/bar to be very poor. Maid service was the same. Most days we had to ask for bottled water, soap and never did receive a hand towel until the last day (because I found the maid and asked for one).
But the worst was the noise. In the interior courtyard (most afternoons) there were musicians playing. Our room was located on the southeast side of the hotel and our room adjoined a "new" cantina that began playing "very loud electronics (music if you can call it that)usually starting at around midnight and running until about 7:00 a.m. most days. They partied until 8:30 - 9:00 a.m. New Year's Day. There is also a new cantina directly across the street from the hotel. And they play music all night as well. Hooping, hollering and group singing seems to be a popular thing to do as well at both bars. New Year's Eve a drum and trumphet found their way into one of the bars. If you like to party all night, this is your place!
San Miguel De Allende has become a booming tourist place (lots of visitors from Mexico City) during the high season (Holidays through March). The traffic has become so bad during those times that the government is considering building a parking lot on the edge of town and/or selling permits to vehicles that have a need to drive the downtown area. This information came from the most reputable transportation service company in San Miguel De Allende. I hope this report will save someone from the same experience we had. Looking for tranqulity? Stay away from the Jardin (downtown) area and think about staying at the upper end of downtown and don't go during high season. Fortunately, in spite of the traffic and the noise, San Miguel De Allende is still one of the most enchanting cities I've ever visited. I still love it but now I'm better informed.

I have been to San Miguel twice and both times I was amazed how the Mexican and US cultures have blended and co-existed so well without making the city a tourist attraction. You will find mostly older, wealthier Americans from the west coast who have made this their retirement or seasonal destination, along with numerous groups of students. The city is rather hilly except for the center of town where you will find the main plaza and cathedral along with many wonderful restaurants and bars. The shopping is amazing and plentiful...be sure to visit the open air market for souveniers...the stores are better for furnishings and furniture. We stayed at Hotel Mansion Virreyes this time and loved it. Last trip, I stayed at a small hotel named Vista Hermosa, which you most likely won't find in the travel guides or online. This hotel at $24.00 a night has a great location, friendly (family-owned) staff, and a rooftop view to die for. It is located on the street adjacent to the main cathedral (to the right). Have breakfast in the orange and lemon tree filled interior patio of the restaurant (name escapes me) to the right of the cathedral a few doors back. Here you will find the most authentic US breakfast (if you are missing home) and other Mexican specialties. For the younger crowd, the new bar Mechicanos, across from Hotel Mansion Virreyes is the best night spot. Decorated in predominately red and black, this bar puts a comedic spin on the religion and cultural passion of Mexico without making it too touristy. My absolute favorite place, however, has to be Mama Mia. If you are facing the cathedral turn right and go away less than a block. It will be on your left. Mama Mia is a fixture in San Miguel and in my two visits, I have probably been there 4 times. The food is amazing. Dine in an interior patio surrounded and protected overhead by beautiful ficus trees. There is a stage in the main dining area for nightly live music, usually guitar or something mellow. There is also rooftop dining, although the hours and season for this are limited. It provides a great outdoor dining experience either way. At the entrance of Mama Mia, you will find a sports bar with wrap around bench seating, a big screen television, and great service. To the right as you enter is the salsa room, where salsa dancing and lessons occur many evenings.
San Miguel is one of the most romantic cities I have ever visited. My husband and I (even though we are currently 30 years from retirement) have already considered moving here when we have the chance. It is absolutely a must-see city. Go before it gets too tourist ridden and avoid the months of June and July when it gets really warm and rainy.