Traveling in rural Mexico can sometimes mean giving up some creature comforts when it comes to accommodations, but Cabanas Servin was an unexpected surprise near Tarandacuao, Guanajuato when I went on a recent adventure tour through the area. Six stone cabins are interwoven with an overflowing landscape of endemic flowers, giant ceramic sculptures, and butterflies. Whimsical garden paths meander the property giving you a sense that the place is much bigger than it is and providing privacy from the other cabins that surround you.
The cabins were originally built to house students of Jaime Servin, a well-known ceramist in Guanajuato who still offers a series of classes on the property. As tourism grew in the area, the cabins were open to the public, and while they don’t offer food and beverage services on the property (a future priority for the owners), it is one of the nicest places to stay in the surrounding area. Each cabin is a little different, with some more rustic than others. The “Antigua” cabin for example is lit solely by candlelight and has a traditional jicara bath (a type of gourd used with a stone bathing pedestal to give you a kind of pour-over shower). Other cabins have more modern amenities but each has a large comfortable bed, colorful linens, and bright ceramic pieces inlaid into walls and countertops.
Two of the larger cabins, the Antigua, which sleeps 4, and the Querencia which sleeps six, also include a small kitchen. The Estrellita cabin also sleeps four but with no kitchen and a full bathroom, and the other three rooms on the property have only a single bed in either full or queen size, so be sure to ask if you want more sleeping space. There is wifi throughout the property as well.
A large, three-bedroom house is located off-property but comes fully equipped with a full kitchen, living room, backyard, laundry area, and two full baths (one located inside the master bedroom). The only drawback to the house is that the property’s internet doesn’t quite reach it and there is little cell service in the area. Good for a family or group of friends that want to disconnect for a while. The hotel also has a lovely high-ceiled gallery space with lots of natural light that can be rented for an event or small wedding.
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Cabins are set back from the road and relatively quiet, and many have ample outdoor patios with chairs and tables for enjoying the almost year-round great temperatures in this part of Mexico. At the front of the property is the Servin Ceramics store to pick up a few souvenirs from your trip, and as I mentioned, to take a ceramics class with the master in you’re interested. For more adventurous travelers, the hotel works with a local tour provider, Taranda Rafting, that takes groups out to river raft or kayak nearby. Be sure to request their English-speaking guide if you need one. During my stay there we had the opportunity to kayak into a local canyon where stunning flora and fauna abound.
The nearby town of Tarandacuao has a handful of small eateries and Guanajuato’s famous sunken church is also nearby, another great side attraction to see while there. While the rustic nature of the cabins is not for travelers looking for luxury, they are great for getting away from the hustle and bustle and enjoying the peace and quiet of rural Guanajuato state in a comfortable and cozy setting. Cabins are also very reasonable, ranging from 62 to 100usd a night.
*The writer was hosted at this hotel but her opinions are her own.
