Antigua Trece | Guanajuato
Elegant yet bold, with a charming sophistication, Antigua Trece is a refreshingly modern and impeccably designed hideaway.
Nestled away on a side street in the Mexican artists’ city of Guanajuato, Antigua Trece eschews the colonial roots of its location. The 16-room boutique hotel offers a present-day take on the art scene which Guanajuato has long been a hotbed for. With its own private rooftop terrace, plunge pool and views over the historic UNESCO colonial city, the urban Antigua Trece feels like your own architect-designed pied-à-terre, with all the perks and service of a luxury hotel.
Antigua Trece is set merely a few steps from the cobbled streets, brightly coloured clay buildings, leafy public squares and even a neo-Gothic cathedral of the city. Surrounded by verdant rolling hills and other equally picturesque towns, Guanajuato proves that Mexico is far more than the beaches of Cabo and Cancun. We arrived at Leon airport after a few days in Cabo, feeling refreshed and ready to swap the sand for the city. Having recently discovered that aside from being a UNESCO world heritage site, Guanajuato is best known internationally for its colourful and vibrant arts event, the Festival Cervantino, along with its array of sensational restaurants. I had high hopes for this city, and it far exceeded all expectations.
Bumbling along a cobbled lane, we pulled up outside Antigua Trece and were welcomed by two friendly porters. A beautifully ornate wooden door opened to reveal a sanctuary of cool industrial-inspired decor with soothing tones of creams; it’s quite an entrance. Everything felt relaxed and the service we encountered was unfussy, efficient and warm. In terms of its facilities, there’s no spa at Antigua Trece, but with 24-hour-notice, massages can be arranged either poolside, at the rooftop or in-room. A free daily shuttle to and from San Miguel de Allende is included.
We followed the staircase up to the private rooftop, complete with a bar, potted plants, outdoor loungers and stretching views. We sipped delicious margaritas and watched as the setting sun cast its tangerine light onto the city’s pastel spires and domes. Church bells tolled and the faint sound of a Mariachi band played in the distance. Sounds perfect, right? It was. That’s the thing about Guanajuato. It’s stupidly romantic. It’s the Mexico I dreamt of before I’d ever been – a city with a revolutionary past and an artistic present, where white-shirted men in sombreros lean against cayenne-coloured walls. Stereotypes are alive and kicking in this picturesque city.
LOCATION & HOW TO GET HERE
Well situated in the Centro Historico district of Guanajuato, Antigua Trece Hotel Fusión is located a few steps from The Alley of the Kiss (Callejón del Beso), a 9-minute walk from Union Garden and half a mile from Juarez Theater. The roads in Guanajuato are well-paved and safe enough, making rental cars a reasonable option. Most major car hire companies have outposts at the airport. Depending upon which route you take, the drive from the Del Bajio International to Antigua Trece should take around half an hour. Note, however, that you don’t need a car in Guanajuato, and will only want one for excursions outside the city, for which you could easily hire a driver.
In terms of practicality, you couldn’t ask for a better location. While tucked away in one of the many narrow cobbled streets of the city centre, Antigua Trece is very much in the mix of it all – a less than a two minute walk from the hustle and bustle of the main square. I was pleasantly surprised at just how walkable the entire centre was – there was never any need to get a taxi, except for when venturing further out of the city or if wearing heels, which were no match for the ancient cobblestones.
LUXURY SUITES & ACCOMMODATIONS
There are only 16 guest rooms at Antigua Trece, making this feel more like a super stylish friend’s house than a hotel. Ours was the Junior King Suite on the ground floor, a room with a regal air. Commanding all of the attention from the centre of the suite was a high four-poster bed fit for a king and queen. Unable to resist, we sunk into a mountain of marshmallow pillows and practically purred. The suite was modern, functional and beautiful in its simplicity, outfitted in a palette of pinks and yellow hues. I loved the industrial-looking bedside lamps hanging from the ceiling.
Each room at Antigua Trece is different, but has the same understated design approach, some with polished concrete walls and terracotta floor tiles. We were fortunate enough to get a glimpse into the Master Suite of Antigua Trece, which also features a terrace and jacuzzi. All suites have beautifully crafted wooden furnishings, large iron lamps hanging from the ceilings, and unique furnishings and art, from wooden sculptures and colourful paintings to freestanding full-length mirrors.
FOR THE FOODIES
A continental breakfast is available every morning at Antigua Trece, but other than that, there is no restaurant available to guests. Breakfast is served in the courtyard area or in your room, and serves unfussy, tasty traditional Mexican specialties, such as huevos divorciados (‘divorced eggs’) covered in green and red salsa, which seemed like the perfect antidote to all this romance. Melt-in-the-mouth French pastries, organic coffee, creamy homemade yogurt and granola preceded the eggs.
WHAT TO KNOW
WHAT TO PACK: A broad-brimmed sun hat for lounging on the roof, sturdy-but-chic flats for cycling around town on the hotel bikes.
A stay at Antigua Trece is truly special – it was the perfect little sanctuary within the bold and beautiful Guanajuato.
Visit https://antiguatrecehotelfusion.com-hotel.com/en/ to check their availability or visit their Instagram page @antiguartrece.
I was hosted as a guest of Antigua Trece, however, all the opinions expressed in this article are, as always, my own.