While Guanajuato, Mexico, is layered with stories about its cobblestone streets, tunnels and ancestral history, Villa María Cristina adds its own chapter to the patchwork of this Tetrised hillside city. Occupying five local villas under one roof, the 1880s-built property is perhaps the city’s most unique boutique hotel. The collection of distinct structures adds an array of leveling, making it an entertaining maze to find your room. This kind of spread-out characteristic of Guanajuato aids in creating a variety of courtyards, gardens (including a fruit garden), several rooftops and private terraces, outdoor and indoor pools, a cinema and a gym. In a way, Villa María Cristina translates the experience of the city of Guanajuato into a miniature version behind its doors.
Each building retains its original artisanal tiling and floors and a unique style slightly amended by the current owners. Much of their taste is imprinted on the property, including a horse-themed bar locally called “the Witches House” and a stunning Dutch-style home with its own spooky tale. Each room at Villa María Cristina (as well as the hotel name) carries a woman’s name, another nod to the important female figures in the owner's life.
Villa María Cristina also hosts two restaurants, Teresita and Colombaia, and two bars, Bar El Caballo and Bar J. The property is outfitted with various spaces for meals and informal meet-ups. A visit here is like coming home to a relative’s place where everything is filled with attention to detail, love and care.