The original high-end hotel in Valle de Bravo, Hotel Rodavento has kept up with the times and continues to be some of the area’s most popular upscale lodging.
Hotel Rodavento sits about 20 minutes outside of Valle de Bravo, the weekend retreat town for Mexico City elites 
and a growing number of national and international tourists. The hotel has a little bit of everything and while transportation is provided in and out of town, many regular guests camp out on the hotel’s grounds, drink in hand, and don’t find that much pulls them away.
The centerpiece of the property is a small manmade lake, big enough for kayaking and boating and even stocked with local trout for casting a line or two. A long dock extends out into almost the center in an Instagram-worthy setting of natural woods and clear-blue sky. All this is visible just outside the glassed-in dining room where a buffet breakfast, all other meals and cocktail hour are held.
Your stay can be filled with dozens of activities on and off the grounds—trail riding, archery, kayaking, the climbing wall, the zipline, hiking and woodsy picnics are all things that the hotel will arrange for you. Of them all, the most fun being the Kids Club (sorry mom and dad) with all-day activities in the woods, crafts, games, books and snacks. The service is about 40usd a child per day.
This is truly a family hotel, with a certain Dirty Dancing resort feel to it — rich city folk out in the country for a little rest and relaxation while their kids are entertained by the event staff and eat roasted marshmallows by the fire. But instead of a sexy dance instructor and tables of bridge players there’s an extensive spa (which soon will include a new sauna, steam room and shower area), as well as meeting and event spaces that can be converted for a weddings, yoga classes,
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or team-building activities.
Rooms are divided into three types. The two types you will find situated in the woods are cabin-like with wood-burning fireplaces and outdoor terraces that face the woods. The Double Lofts have two full-size beds and two individuals in an overhead loft and the King Lofts have a king-size bed and two individuals in an overhead loft. Some have outdoor tables for dining al fresco. The newer Forrest Suites are 2-story luxury rooms, in a loft style, that are larger than the cabins (about 75 square meters) with king-sized beds and a sofa bed. They have more upscale décor as well as a free minibar with water, soda and beer. All rooms include coffee makers and natural and carbonated bottled water for guests. Rooms run from around US$350-520 a night.
This isn’t a good choice for anyone with mobility issues, as stairs are an almost constant fixture for all the accommodations. The Forrest suites in the southeastern part of the property are a little easier to manage, but all the cabins set in the woods have a multitude of steps and a decent walk to get to common areas – one even has a wooden drawbridge.
Building the main section of cabin-rooms the hotel tried to maintain as much of the local foliage as possible, sometimes leaving a space in the ceiling for a tree to grow through. The cabins are built up on stilts so as not to interfere with the nature surrounding them and also to allow natural water filtration in the soil – this area gets lots of rain and without this the property would likely flood often. They have their own small water treatment plant and reuse gray water for watering plants, as well as make an attempt to use biodegrable products in the kitchen and in the spa.
The only disappointing aspect to the hotel is their rather boring menu of pizzas, sandwiches and salads. The restuarant used to be a much more gourmet affair, but they seem to be finding their market likes these dishes better. The extensive cocktail options somewhat make up for the ordinary food, with both traditional and in-house concoctions and even some local mezcal and the Hotel Rodavento brand craft beer. Room service runs until 10pm.
All in all this hotel is an excellent option for families that want the comfort of an upscale hotel but the activities and kids’ entertainment of a resort. Its gorgeous natural setting is a top highlight, along with the can-do attitude of staff that promises to please, whatever the request. As Valle de Bravo grows as a tourist destination, Hotel Rodavento continues to be a top choice in accommodations.
You can make your reservation at this boutique property through the hotel website or Hotels.com.
© All Photos Courtesy of Hotel Rodavento
