A few blocks north of the Fiesta Americana, the pioneer property of the deluxe Quinta Real chain is the most luxurious and expensive lodging in Guadalajara. This three-story boutique-hotel suits those willing to forgo a full range of services in exchange for the intimacy and better food of a small sophisticated hotel.
Limestone and brick walls and stone chimneys add character to the interiors. Bright bouquets, varnished woods, gilded mirrors and museum-quality colonial-era pieces enhance the formal ambience of the public areas. Arrivals are seated at check-in and served a glass of bubbly.
The glossy restaurant is as elegant in the afternoon as in the
evening, and the menu combines international choices with a regional menu compiled from the favorite dishes of all Quinta Real hotels. Mexican dishes are not watered down for tourists here and they outnumber bland international options at the breakfast buffet, where tuxedoed waiters provide attentive service and live music performers play every day. The adjoining bar is small, but serves a wide array of whiskies and tequilas.
The token cobalt-blue pool and whirlpool are not large, but are tiled in blue and surrounded by a deck with quality cushioned lounge chairs and umbrellas. A full fitness center overlooks the grounds and is well-equipped. Meeting rooms expand for up to 200 people and are supplemented by a 24-hour business center with complimentary Internet access.
The studios and suites are fitted with unique Mexican appointments, wooden pillars, concave shell motifs worked into the stucco, distressed-wood furniture, painted armoires and rustic stone fireplaces. The quality of both the furnishings and the fabrics is top-of-the-line, complete with a pillow menu. Large mirrors and glass-topped d\d coffee tables add a modern gloss to the traditional look, as do the minibars and late-model TVs. Single king or paired double beds with tapestry spreads perch on platforms. Wine, emerald, or ochre tones add richness to the suites, many laid out on split levels. The marble combination baths are sybaritic, with brass handrails, twin basins, ruffled bath curtains, hair dryers, slippers, Hermes toiletries, and robes. The 35 Gran Clase suites add whirlpool tubs. Wired Internet access is free, while spotty wireless service is found in public areas. Housekeeping is stingy with toiletry replacements and fresh towels, but provides turndown service each evening. Room service quickly delivers handsomely prepared trays until 12 pm.
In terms of service and character, boutique hotel Villa Ganz is the only real competition in town. International tourists pining for home may be more comfortable at the Fiesta Americana or Crowne Plaza, but the highly trained, bi-lingual staff here blends fine deportment with efficiency, and most guests will find little to complain about except, perhaps, the ho-hum commercial location.
