What to Expect

MEXICO’S HACIENDAS: Derived from the word hacendado, meaning “landowner,” Mexico’s haciendas originated from the Spaniards who were drawn to the New World by stories of cheap land and free labor. We will reside in three of these haciendas along our route.

Located in the town of Cocoyoc, the historic Hacienda Cocoyoc, which in the Nuahuatl language means “Valley of the Coyotes,” dates from the 1600s. Over the centuries, it has functioned as a sugar plantation, and during the 18th century, it was among the most important plantations in Mexico. The hacienda flourished until the Revolution of 1910 when it was destroyed. Restored in the 1950s to its 16th-century grandeur, Hacienda Cocoyoc combines modern comfort with the romantic elegance of the past. Guestrooms are uniquely decorated in Mexican colonial style, and the property offers expansive gardens, swimming pools, an excellent spa, a restaurant, and a mangroveshaded 9-hole golf course.

Situated near Taxco, the Hacienda Vista Hermosa was built during the Conquest of Mexico in the 16th century and has had a long and tumultuous past. In keeping with the original architectural style, the hacienda was restored in 1944 into a charming refuge, and over the years, has served as a backdrop to many American films. Surrounded by 20 acres of tropical gardens that are home to an array of exotic birds, including roaming peacocks, the hacienda offers exceptional hospitality and features comfortably appointed guestrooms, a gourmet restaurant, tennis courts, and a swimming pool spanned by original brick aqueduct arches.

Built in the 16th century by Herman Cortes, the Hacienda of San Antonio Atlacomulco, now called the Hacienda de Cortes, was one of the most important sugar mills of the Colonial era. The hacienda was converted into a hotel in 1981. The grounds and gardens are full of tropical flowering plants. Some of the salons contain pieces of colonial furniture and artifacts, and the vaulted ceilings and thick stone arches of the restaurant/bar area are reminiscent of a Spanish wine cellar.