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Trip Advisor's 2010 Best B&B in Mexico and the Carribean

Casa de las Flores was granted the highest award by Trip Advisor for 2010's Best Bed and Breakfast in Mexico.
For years, Casa de las Flores has received high rankings in TripAdvisor's Reviews, and for 2010, we have received the highest honor as
the Best Bed and Breakfast in Mexico and the Carribean.

 

 

A Poor Girl's Guide To Guadalajara Spas

By Susan Harb
Special to The Washington Post

. . . Casa de las Flores, our bed-and-breakfast, was in the charming artisan village of Tlaquepaque (Tlah-kay-pah-kay), once the country retreat of prosperous city dwellers and now a suburb of sprawling Guadalajara. The village's tree-lined plaza is bordered by restored colonial homes, restaurants, antiques stores, art galleries, crafts and pottery shops . . . .
We stayed in Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara that is filled with mariachi musicians, historic plazas and markets selling arts and crafts and inexpensive beauty products that would cost a pretty penny stateside. A highlight of our trip was Casa de las Flores, a bed-and-breakfast we found on the Internet. Located in a working-class neighborhood, next door to a blacksmith shop, the seven-room inn has been restored with unpretentious charm and local folk art that brightens the rooms. Co-owner Stan Singleton, a former apprentice chef at Califomia's Chez Panisse, surprised guests at breakfast with mushroom-and-cheese omelets studded with garden herbs and rose petals.

 

 

Sipping Tequila at the Source

The famously potent potion just happens to come from a tempting part of Mexico.
By Edie Jarolim

Not far from Guadalajara, the colorful Casa de las Flores B&B showcases the work of local artisans.
The seven-room Casa de las Flores, a folk-art-filled B&B in Tlaquepaque, about 75 minutes by car from the town of Tequila, makes an excellent touring base. Stan Singleton, one of the owners and a Mexican resident since the mid-1980s, says he chose Tlaquepaque because, "It is located far enough from bustling Guadalajara to have authentic neighborhoods of craftspeople and close enough to be near a major airport."
On cool evenings, a fire adds further warmth as B&B guests sip, discuss, and debate. These days, the talk invariably turns to schemes for bringing home liquid souvenirs.
 

 

 

An artful oasis in Guadalajara

by Susan Chaffee

. . . a gorgeous bed and breakfast, Casa la] de las Flores. Through Casa de las Flores' door is a feast for the eyes, ears and palate. The whole house is like a marvelous folk-art gallery.
The hosts, Stan Singleton (originally from Davis) and Jose Gutierrez (from Guadalajara) have created a comfortable oasis. Stan, who once worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, is the chef. He majored in art at U.C. Davis and collects local arts and crafts. Jose is the landscape specialist; the gardens are extraordinary.
The inn is a short walk from the center of town, where you'll find good restaurants, great shopping, museums and galleries. Serious shoppers can take a trip to neighboring Tonala, especially on Thursday or Sunday for the open market. It's an experience.

 

 

THE AUTHOR'S CHOICE -- Casa de las Flores

On a typical local 'Mexican street, behind an unobtrusive door, lies one of Tlaquepaque's most intimate and relax­ing stays. Just seven lovely, spacious rooms, all decorated with Mexican crafts, make guests feel right at home. The lush garden is a wonderful paradise with stone patios and a fountain, and is constantly buzzing with hurnmingbirds.
Comfortable common areas make meeting other guests a pleasure, and your friendly hosts Stan Singleton and José Gutiérrez tend to your every need.
Gourmet breakfasts are served a few times per week - Stan used to work at Berkeley's Chez Panisse!

 

 

A refreshing taste of Mexico

by Sara Perry

Eighteen years ago, Singleton moved to Tlaquepaque with his partner, Jose Gutierrez, to open Casa de las Flores, which is built on the footprint of an old adobe home in the heart of a working artists' neighborhood. (It's also the ideal point of departure to explore the town's plaza with its shops, galleries and historie buildings.) From the outside, the inn is a mystery, hidden behind a wall of bright, handmade tiles and a turquoise metal door. On the inside, it is a retreat of light, color, artwork, garden paths -- and Singleton's gracious hospitality. . .
Since Tlaquepaque is technically part of Guadalajara, I like to compare it to the French Quarter of New Orleans. It's a walkable place, and the warmth of the people is instantly apparent. It's also a community of skilled artisans who believe in keeping their family traditions alive. Did you notice the little shrine on the corner? It's the patron of construction workers and artisans. . .
As you can see, our neighborhood is very humble, and you can imagine someone coming here for the first time, ringing the doorbell and saying, "Oh my God, Marge, what did you get us into?" But then, they walk inside.

 

 

Tlaquepaque Recorrido

Reposo dentro de la ciudad
by Gabriela Acosta Silva

Cuando se pasa por las calles Degollado y Francisco Miranda nadie se da cuenta de que existe un pequeño hotel a unos cuan­tos pasos. Lo que distingue a la finca de las demás es su fach"da cubierta de azulejos en color amarillo. Para entrar hay que tocar la puerta color verde. Ahí los recibirá José Luis Gu­tiérrez, uno de los propietarios y anfitrión del lugar. Él comenta que Casa de las Flores es una casa representativa de la primera mitad del siglo, hecha de adobe y que ha sido restaurada respetando su arquitectura original.
Al ingresar al hotel, uno se lleva una agrada­ble sorpresa, ya que destaca un estilo rústico con base en ladrillo, colIage de azulejo, barro, piedra de río y muchas áreas verdes.
Bajo el concepto estadounidense de bed and breakfast, en el que' se ofrece alojamiento con desayuno incluido y una éstancia muy placente­ra al que decide pasar unos días en este recinto, sin las formalidades de los grandes hoteles, sino en un ambiente familiar, donde se busca dejar satisfecho a quien se aloje.
A la entrada se encuentra la estancia que funciona como s'ala de lectura, televisión o área para escuchar música. Enseguida, está el patio principal que separa el desayunador de las ha­bitaciones, ahí se tiene el jardín que combina todo tipo de plantas, como las bugambilias, los alcatraces, las rosas, el ficus, entre otras espe­cies. Al fondo, se encuentra una gran terraza al aire libre que tiene una chimenea hecha de hierro, barro y azulejo. Es aquí donde el hués­ped toma un descanso mientras el calor de los leños se consumen. Incluso, esta área funciona como un espacio de convivencia donde se reún~n los visitantes para celebrar o quizá hacer una.carne asada.
Hasta.el fondo se ubican seis habitaciones, en su interio,r son espaciosas con dos camas tamaño queen, una salita, su baño completo, c1o.set, es­critorio y teléfono; también, hay un cuarto con una cama individual.
Entre los servicios complementarios que se o­frecen están el uso de la computadora para enviar o recibir correo's electrónicos, el uso de libros y de los discos que se tienen en el área común.
Casa de las Flores es un refugio dentro de la ciudad,. para quienes buscan tomar un respiro y tener días de completa tranquilidad. A sus tres años de existencia, este pequeño hotEl es un buen lugar para descansar sin tener que salir de la mancha urbana.