Hotel Posada Santa Fé

Dating back to 1862, the Hotel Posada Santa Fe is one of Guanajuato’s most historic hotels. (The city’s name was originally Santa Fe, hence the name of the hotel.) It faces onto the Jardín Unión, by far the prettiest plaza in the city—in our estimation, by far the choicest place to be. Just in front of the hotel is a park with a bandstand, fountains, a pedestrian-only walkway of colorful tiles, and marvelous trees that are trimmed to form a dense canopy to screen the sun. Reminiscent of a Paris scene, a line of cafés with jaunty umbrellas stretches along the street, one of these being the Posada Santa Fé’s restaurant-bar, La Terraza, a prime place to sit and “people watch.” The lobby lounge has a rather dark, old-fashioned, faded elegance that reflects an era of days long past. The hotel is almost like a museum, with walls enhanced by colorful murals reflecting the legends and traditions of Guanajuato. An intricate wrought-iron staircase with a delightful skylight of stained glass leads up to the guestrooms. Request one of the best rooms (such as 2, 5, 7, 8, or 9). These rooms have small balconies overlooking the plaza and are far superior to the standard rooms, which are smaller and darker. However, be aware that there is much festivity in the cafés below, with music lasting until the wee hours.