Paredes No. 106 Sur, 52 (323) 285 0112. 50 rooms. Indoor parking.
Named in honor of a small endemic boat-billed heron, which is a light brown cinnamon color, this simple traditional-style Mexican hotel is one of the best in town. A four-star property, it features grounds with extensive gardens. Amenities include a swimming pool and children’s wading pool, as well as a lovely small chapel available for meditation or a wedding ceremony. A large gift shop stocks a variety of crafts and clothing. Beds are literally hard as a rock--the way Mexicans seem to like them--but I did enjoy a good night’s sleep, so no complaints here.
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| starfruit welcome drink at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| lobby at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| interior courtyard at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| guest room at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| exterior of chapel at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| interior of chapel at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| gift shop worker at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
El Delfin Restaurant
Renowned Mexican chef Betty Vazquez Gonzalez holds court in the property’s
El Delfin Restaurant. She studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked with chef Juan Mari Arzak at his three-star Michelin restaurant Arzak in Spain. Chef Betty fuses Mexican ingredients with classic European cooking techniques and specializes in “sea to table” cuisine.
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| exterior of El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| exterior of El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| dining room at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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chef Betty Vazquez Gonzalez at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela
in San Blas, Mexico |
A special dinner I enjoyed here included a tasty fine-chopped octopus-mango ceviche and a baked fish fillet with orange sauce over mashed potatoes. When a gazpacho-style cold tomato soup with shrimp was served, we learned that tomatoes were introduced from Mexico to Spain. Over a dessert of pineapple compote with cotija cheese ice cream we learned that the chef uses only organic produce--such as small and sweet local pineapples and Maya corn--and makes her own award-winning cheeses.
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| agua de chaya at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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| appetizers at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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octopus-mango ceviche at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela
in San Blas, Mexico |
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baked fish fillet with orange sauce at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela
in San Blas, Mexico |
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| gazpacho at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
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pineapple compote with cotija cheese ice cream at El Delfin Restaurant
at Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Mexico |
Chef Betty says the “Mexican breakfast is very special, but the San Blas breakfast is more special.” So we feasted on fresh mango juice, smoked fresh Marlin, tiny shrimp tamales, frijoles, and housemade yaca marmalade with sweet muffins.
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fresh fruit breakfast plate at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela
in San Blas, Mexico |
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breakfast delicacies plate at El Delfin Restaurant at Hotel Garza Canela
in San Blas, Mexico |
images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
Thank you for the picturesque walk through Hotel Garza in Mexico. It looks like you had a wonderful time. We were amazed to see the seamstress still working with an old Singer machine.
ReplyDeleteLooks and sounds like a special place, very Mexican in style and great fusion food!
ReplyDeleteI truly love authentic Mexican food and this post reminds me that it's been too long since I've been there. What unique and creative cuisine. The mango puree is an interesting bed for the ceviche and that Cotija cheese ice cream looks really good. And whatever is on the breakfast plate looks like a great way to start the day.
ReplyDeleteThis place looks so welcoming---having a great food is a nice bonus!
ReplyDeleteHotel Garza in Mexico is a beautiful property and the food looks amazing!!
ReplyDeleteHow great to see a whole article about Chef Betty Vazquez and Hotel Garza, run by her wonderful family. She is truly one of Mexico's great chefs - we included her profile and a recipe for oyster sopes -- a traditional Nayarit dish -- in Lonely Planet's cookbook Mexico: From the Source. What an inspiration she is. I'm sure the food was incredible
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't like the "hard as a rock" beds you mentioned but all the food looks delicious! I'd like to try the octopus-mango ceviche! Great food photos...
ReplyDeleteHotel Garza Canela looks absolutely beautiful - and the food looks just as good. You must have had a wonderful stay!
ReplyDelete