If you had clients who wanted to experience colonial Mexico, you
might send them to San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato. You
probably would not point them in the direction of Cabo, which is
associated more with uber-luxury resorts nestled between white-sand
beaches and designer golf courses than colonial-style plazas,
Spanish missions and quaint cobblestone streets.
Actually, San Jose del Cabo the town that bookends the corridor
of high-end beachfront hotels on the east, just as the spring
break-mecca Cabo San Lucas does on the west is one of the oldest
settlements in Baja California.
Founded in 1730 as a Jesuit Mission, this charming hilltop town
happens to be chock full of colonial ambiance with its authentic
adobe buildings, lush garden courtyards and wrought-iron,
bougainvillea-covered balconies.
And, compared to other provincial Mexican towns, it’s a lot
easier to access for clients traveling from the western U.S.
If your clients decide to spend part of their Cabo resort
vacation actually experiencing Mexico after they have overdosed on
golf, massages and the beach direct them to the El Encanto Inn in
the historic section of San Jose del Cabo. For about a quarter of
what they would likely pay at one of the five-stars, they’ll find
themselves drenched in colonial charm in a Mexican village that has
remained pretty much as it was before it was discovered in the ’60s
by surfers and sport-fishermen.
At the El Encanto, your clients won’t have a jaw-dropping sea
view or a tanned hunk to spritz them with Evian poolside, but they
will have Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, satellite TV and a sparkling
clean room with great linens and pillows.
The Inn’s 26 rooms emphasize decor made by local craftsmen
wrought-iron headboards, indigenous pottery, tile floors and are
located in two traditional haciendas built around lush tropical
courtyards. One courtyard features a heated pool. Accommodations
range from standard rooms, which have two double beds and a rate of
$79 per night, to deluxe two-bedroom, two-bath suites, which go for
$240 a night.
El Retiro, the hotel restaurant, serves breakfast and lunch
through late afternoon, featuring burgers, salads and Mexican fare.
Room and pool service are available. Several nearby restaurants,
offering everything from Mediterranean to Thai cuisine, also
deliver room service to the hotel.
In July, a spa will open on the premises; presently in-room
Swedish, Thai and reflexology massage are available.
Outside the door of the Inn, your clients will enjoy
people-watching in Plaza Mijares, the town square or drinking a
cerveza in a cafe on the tree-lined Mijares Boulvard. They can
visit the mission and explore San Jose Estuary, the palm-filled
flood plain where the Rio San Jose meets the Sea of Cortez, and
home to over 350 wildlife species. Clients can also fish the Gordo
Banks for dorado, tuna or marlin.
But best of all, your clients will get to experience the real
Mexico.
210-858-6649
www.elencantoinn.com v
