A truly unique and splendid place perfecty positioned for hiking, parasailing, golf and cultural sightseeing, or simply 'recharging your batteries', in an unspoiled Mexican mountain village. From the adobe huts of Atacco, with its Indio culture surviving and rediscovering itself, while incorporating the historicaly significant and now partially restored Spanish Franciscan "Mission", with its two glorious 16th Century churches and hospital, to the high luxury of the Tapalpa Golf club we were wowed and fell in love all over again with the breathtaking contrasts of Mexico.
Where else can you find a hotel like La Casona incorporating the new and the old, with
discretely hidden, fully wi-fied and wired conference rooms with attached viewing theatres yet whitewashed with natural substances and incorporating the local timber in its perfect architecture? Where else will you find a hotel in which all the corners are rounded? Apart from having a charming visual effect, this, we we were told, makes spiders and cobwebs unwelcome.
The owner, Sr. Joaquin Venegas Perez, is totally bilingual and totally charming. We watched the Mexico vs New Zealand Football match together in one of the many common rooms, at the same time discussing the problems of the world. Yes, we solved them AND Mexico won 2-0. We will be back, and not only if our made-to-measure huaraches (the inifintely comfortable, elegant and long-lasting Mexican sandals which my wife and I ordered from 4th generation master leather craftsman Don Nicolas Lizares don't fit). I know they will and many Mexican entertainers who wear them will attest to this. Steven Stanton, the delightful guide, and more, of the hotel actually offered to bring them to us on one of his runs to the not-so-nearby town in Mexico which we call home. That is just the kind of place the Hotel La Casona is and the kind of 5 star personal service they provide.

This is a charming hotel in the mountains of Tapalpa, which is a few hours drive from Guadalajara. The owners have recently remodeled and it is gorgeous. The common areas are welcoming, with tea and hot chocolate, board games, fabulous plants and flowers. Each bedroom has a fireplace, already set with firewood. The breakfast, which was included, was made to order, or we could have fruit, cereal, juices and delicious coffee from the buffet table. There are meeting rooms for conferences. The owners, Joqquin and Isabel, live on site, and were very gracious and helpful. We highly recommend this hotel.