After a sip or two of Forteleza, which is served upon check-in at the Hacienda El Carmen hotel, if you squint your eyes just right as you wander through the property’s reception rooms, you can easily imagine yourself to have stepped back into old colonial Mexico. It’s hard not to visualize the past here on a slow and sultry afternoon. In my mind’s eye, I see family guests in white linens and silks, playing roque among the peacocks or polo beyond the fountains.
The Baeza family’s pride and joy, Hacienda el Carmen is well established in the Jalisco region for its rich history and premier guest services. My husband and I spent an overnight in the hotel earlier in the season, and returned with guests for a long afternoon lunch during the holidays, and certainly I have only scratched the surface of what this hotel and its surrounding areas have to offer the discerning visitor.
The estate enjoys a resplendent history, dating back to the mid 1500’s, according to Monica Baeza, scion of the most recent owner family and the person mainly responsible for its current incarnation as a hotel and spa. Baeza happily recounts the property’s many interchanges over generations, from a decree from Spain of 22,000 hectares on the flanks of the Tequila volcano to a certain Don Francisco Merodio de Velasco, through sales to a succession of private owners and the construction of the “Miraflores” house, a hacienda on the same spot the current house now stands. Ultimately in 1722 – or thereabouts - the house and increased land holdings were ceded to the Order of Barefoot Carmelites, and the house was officially titled as the “Hacienda El Carmen de Miraflores,” the founding property of the then newly established Guadalajara Convent and Church of El Carmen.
During the Juarez reforms of the early and mid-19th century, the property was sold to private owners and again endured transfers of title though a parade of family inheritors, sellers, and buyers on into the mid 20th century, with a few contentious years in court battles thrown in for good measure. The hacienda suffered through these years, as a few carefully preserved photos attest. Baeza’s parents bought the hacienda property in 1959 and set about restoring the house and grounds as a full-service spa hotel and restaurant. Baeza herself has reigned over the business since 2001, and her hereditary attention to detail is evident in every corner of the site.
Nestled between the Tequila volcano and its sister volcanoes, adjoining the tiny pueblo of Ahualulco del Mercado, Hacienda el Carmen enjoys its days now — as do we — as a serene, secluded oasis of refined yet casual luxury, which speaks of long generations of elegant countryside hospitality. The reception areas and loggia are lovingly decorated with heirloom furniture, collectables and textiles, from the library to the kitchen, bar and dining rooms. Each of the 25-plus individually decorated suites is situated around the central plaza grounds, of course, and each is named for one family member or another from the house’s long history. Spa services run the gamut of 
indulgences, from hot rocks and hydrotherapy, to a sweat lodge option. And the meals! A full breakfast, the long “comida” luncheon, and dinner may be included in your stay, included as a spa package, or enjoyed a la carte. Menus vary on a regular basis, according to the season. We enjoyed our afternoon drinks on the porch during a long summer rainstorm, and then sauntered over to the pool and hot tub as soon as the rain subsided. We especially love to make reservations for a long lunch after a morning walk at the nearby Guachimontones archeological site in Teuchitlan.
Among the many hacienda-style hotel properties in Jalisco, Hacienda El Carmen stands out for its serenity as well as its proximity to both prehistoric and colonial Mexico. It’s a place for returns — to life lived well, with style, grace, and appreciation for history.
For more information or reservations, visit the website at www.haciendaelcarmen.com.mx. or call (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) (33)3633-1771, toll free 01(800)561-4053.