48 Hours at the Hacienda de San Antonio, Comala
“One of the most exclusive hotels I have ever been to”
On the routing for my first trip to Mexico, I was a bit Laissez-Faire and didn’t plan details until two weeks before departure. Should I spend a week in Mexico City and then head to the surrounding towns? Why not going to the beach for a few days? I am not the Cancun-style beachgoer, and so I opted for Costa Alegre over Baja California as there is more going on in terms of hotel developments. Sure it is coming on the luxury radar sooner or later with another Four Seasons opening in a few years, a Cheval Blanc in discussions as well as One&Only and Ritz Carlton with confirmed openings. A legendary property called Cuixmala was in for hosting us and suggested its sister property to start the adventure. Hacienda de San Antonio was now on my itinerary, and I had no clue of how to get there neither what to expect from this place. To be honest, I didn’t even know whether the hotel would be on the seaside or not. Yes, I admit, it was one of the least pre-researched hotel stays. Once I was waiting at Mexico City’s National Terminal, I began to inform myself about the next destination. Moments after I typed Colima into Google, I felt like as if there was another town with the same name in a hazardous region of Mexico. No, actually it was the Colima I was supposed to be within two hours and best of all: I would arrive at dark! “Do not travel under any circumstance”, the USA Travel Advisory said. Why didn’t I inform myself any better, I asked myself. The luggage was already on board, and I literally had no way out of the game. So I sent a last text to my friends and expected the worst I could.
Location & Arrival
The turboprop machine touched down, and I actually made it to Colima. Everything looked mysterious, and I honestly felt like I am on the set of another episode of Narcos once I saw the police with heavy machine guns. Just like that, nothing had to do with fiction, and everything was brutally honest. Finally, I could get a glimpse of luxury when a well-dressed man was holding a sign with the name of my accommodation for the next two nights. I will never forget how dark it was outside. Not even daring to look up to the sky while I was securing all my bags walking towards a remote parking spot. A luxurious Audi SUV was ready to be driven to the Hacienda, and I was warmly offered a glass bottle of water, cookies and crisps before the driver informed me of the approximate time to get to the hotel. He was absolutely kind, and I could show my basic Spanish skills while we were talking about the weather, the actual safety situation in Colima and the heavy thunderstorm we were passing through. Half an hour later, it all became more mysterious as we drove through an immense uninhabited forest for minutes without any sign of life before the car stopped at a massive gate. I don’t remember an indication, but once we finally arrived at what seemed to be the main entrance of the Hacienda, I again felt like on a movie set (these Mexicans must have a flair for the dramatic). Quite an array of staff along with wall lamps only made up of candles in the middle of the dark night - definitely the most dramatic and romantic welcome I have ever received. And I was totally impressed!
First Impression
There hasn’t been a formal check-in, but the kind lady from the welcome committee escorted me to the restaurant where they had prepared a Club Sandwich as a late-night snack for me. They have called me in the car to arrange everything, and as I didn’t want to cause any circumstance, I asked for a salad. However, once I was seated in the restaurant, they must have seen how hungry I was so they arranged a Club Sandwich on top. I was blown away already, but as Felix always says: one has to wait for the WOW effect to be over. So after the excellent sandwich, which was all I ever wanted after this super exciting day, the staff showed me up to my room. All rooms and suites are situated in the main building of the Hacienda with a small open-air courtyard as you might know it from old Mexican movies. At Hacienda de San Antonio, there are no room numbers, and I can’t remember that the rooms have names. I simply was Mr Daniel throughout the stay (they asked me how they may address me, and I decided for the first name rather than the last name). Every time I had a meal or drinks, there was no need to sign a check or tell your name. Everyone on site is exceptionally well trained and the manager Filip de Lencaste who has a top-notch background at Aman, serves as one of the best hotel managers I came across in the past years working for Luxury Executive.
Room
Located on the first floor, my room was facing the famous volcano and the green mountains behind the Hacienda. Not only has this been the most spacious entry-level room I have seen so far in Mexico but also the interior design was absolutely fabulous with a lot of attention to details and expensive furniture - probably thanks to the owner family. Upon entering the room, I was impressed by the main attraction: the extra big king size bed that came in an unusual length of 2,20 meters. Next to the bed were two big bedside tables with table lamps and posh leather accessory cases for jewellery and watches, a writing desk with two chairs, a lounge chair to relax and read a book as well as an old sideboard that hosted one of the best in-room-minibars I have ever seen. All drinks in the minibar came for free (at least there was no price list, and it was full of soft drinks and beer anyway so you can’t really splurge). I loved to see my favourite water - San Pellegrino - in the middle of the Mexican Nirvana. All rooms and suites come without televisions but have a fast and working wifi-access, which was a great plus. Two french balconies enabled me to open the doors in the mornings and enjoy the unparalleled views of the volcano.
Bathroom
Right next to the entrance was the spacious bathroom that comes with a single vanity desk, a super huge bathtub and massive shower head on top, big porcelain dispensers of Shower Gel, Shampoo and Conditioner, a semi-separate toilet in front of the walk-in wardrobe. There was a small window on top of the bathtub opening onto the courtyard, and they always had four big bath towels next to the shower, which I love. From an Environmentally friendly aspect, I appreciate the luxurious shower gel dispenser and the products were of high quality and smelled very good. Housekeeping did a fantastic job twice a day and even took care of the clothes lying around. At the Hacienda there is no air conditioning, but they have a working fan in the bedroom which does very well. Remember you are at quite an altitude, and it gets chilly during the night. Bear in mind that you are in the heart of what feels like a jungle, but I would instead call it forest so you might encounter animals if you don’t keep the windows closed at night. Sleeping here was a real joy as there was literally no noise, traffic nor disturbing technology (speaking of televisions running after you fell asleep). Needless to mention the posh linen made in Italy that do the rest to ensure you sleep like a new-born.
Ambiance & Service
With the idea of staying at a guest house of a wealthy friend rather than being at a luxury hotel, Hacienda de San Antonio offers you the possibility to have dinner at any spot of the property. The staff will ask for your location preference after breakfast, and you can go crazy. From a rooftop table, a library setting to just sitting at the fireplace in the restaurant - you are the one to choose your restaurant. Daily changing menus come in four courses. One of mine consisted of a mushroom soup followed by Caprese salad as a second starter before I was served a perfectly cooked rib-eye steak with grilled vegetables. As a dessert, I had a classic chocolate cake with a soft heart. They have an array of house wines along with quite a considerable wine list. I recommend trying some of the Mexican wines as they were incredibly flavorful and matched most of the courses. Right before dinner, they do a little happy hour with cocktails and a few hors d’ oeuvres.
Food & Drinks
Breakfast was another highlight of the stay with only a la carte options. I went for the Central European option and ordered a bread basket along with a selection of jams, a cappuccino, yoghurt with fruits as well as one additional hot dish. One day I had the pancakes with strawberries while the other day I went for the Belgian waffles with raspberries. Again, service by Andres and the team was above par, and whenever a plate was done, they took it away immediately. At this point, I have to state I do not like when staff is standing right next to you so that you even feel the pressure while eating. However, here at the Hacienda staff is here whenever you need something, but they never are visible, so you can take the time you need. That is what I call incredible service and hotel perfection when it comes to my opinion. While there is the main restaurant for breakfast and dinner with an impressive dining room, lunch is being served at the pool gazebo. I enjoyed a delicious Caprese sandwich with homemade mozzarella and organically grown tomatoes (most of the products are grown on the Hacienda de San Antonio, even the coffee). Along with the tasty lunch dish, I had one of their excellent guacamole and of course, a locally brewed Colimita beer - a favourite of mine during my trip to Mexico. Carlos, the waiter at the pool, was incredibly dedicated, and he brought me everything I could ask for - even an uber-luxe SP50 sunblock.
Pool & Grounds
Speaking of which, the pool was the personal highlight of my stay at Hacienda de San Antonio. Not just was the size of Olympic dimensions, but also the tiles were so stylish that I could build the same one at home. All of the lounge chairs were in excellent condition and were super comfy for a lady day in the sun while observing and listening to the active volcano next door. Generally, this property is just in excellent condition with luxurious furniture all over the place and though high prices, absolutely worth every penny. You will have a stay like no other, and all of your following hotel experiences will never be as incredible as the one at Hacienda de San Antonio. There are quite a few activities available to participate, but all of them come with a price tag that matches the high prices for any extras such as food and drinks. Yes, Hacienda de San Antonio is a must-stay for every luxury traveller wanting to discover and embrace the real and authentic Mexico off the beaten tracks of Riviera Maya, Baja California or Mexico City.
Conclusion
Last but not least, let’s discuss the safety issue at Colima. As you might have seen as well, the US Travel Advisory has issued a “Do Not Travel” warning for the region. Honestly, I did never feel in any danger during my trip to Colima region. However, I did book an airport pick-up from the local airport and asked the Hacienda if they could drop me at Cuixmala. So I didn’t encounter any locals nor did I leave the Hacienda de San Antonio during my two days here. While I would not prevent you from renting your own car, letting the hotel arrange your transfers with a local driver might save your nerves. On the other hand, I have heard from other European tourists travelling on the same route, that Colima and Comala are two pretty towns worth checking out. Plus the locals are outrageously friendly at this spot of Mexico!
Disclaimer: During my first time in Comala, I was guest of the Hacienda de San Antionio for editorial purposes. Opinions are our own as usual and have not been influenced. Luxury Executive is a blog published by tourism experts and all reviews purely focus on the hotel and destination.
