Vacation Rentals by Owner

Guest: Shelley Kuhleman (Arlington, Texas)
Date of Stay: 10/12/09 Review Submitted: 10/12/09

In August of 2009 we rented this home for a week. The home is awesome. The pictures are exactly what it looks like, they are not misleading if anything they do not do it justice. There were seven in our party who rented the house. From the floor plan it appears like the bathroom off of the 2nd bedroom with the queen bed is accessable from the court yard however it is not. So anyone sleeping in the room with two single beds has to use one of the other rooms bathroom. This was not a problem for us we didn't mind sharing. Every part of the house is charming and very well decorated. The only negative comment about the house that I could make was the bedroom with the double bed has an attached bathroom which is very cute but the water pressure in the shower was seriously lacking. This may be a problem that has be addressed but we ultimately chose to use one of the other two showers in the house. The home is located in a great area, it is really close to the vegetable market and artisians market. The Jardin is a short walk away. The home has compiled a book of restaurants, markets, shopping, travel guides, etc. and we found it very helpful. All the places we tried that they recommended were excellent. The house manager and maid were both very helpful and informative. I had never heard of San Miguel de Allende before coming on this trip. The people are kind and helpful and the culture is so warm. I felt very safe, if fact one day I went out shopping for the entire day alone. There are so many places to visit within a hour drive however I would recommend using a tour guide. The service recommended by the house was excellent. We went on a tour of four other towns as well as horseback riding in the mountains through this service and every experience was wonderful. I would definitely come back and rent this home again.

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Guest: Geta (Berkeley, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/08/09 Review Submitted: 01/08/09

Casa Madelan is one of the best houses I have rented in my many years of travel in Europe and Asia. I'd give it a five-star rating, putting it right up there with some of the wonderful places I've been lucky enough to stay in in the Umbrian countryside. Classic Mexican colonial architecture, simple, exquisite taste in the layout, wall colors and textures, and furnishings, and all the comforts of home -- all on a wonderful street close to everything. This place is juicy in all the right ways -- friendly Mexicans live all around you; you're not isolated in some trying-too-hard hotel or tourist enclave. As I relaxed in the incredibly comfortable and huge master bed, I was delighted to hear roosters crowing, birds singing, and church bells ringing at all hours. After some long and sometimes over-stuffed and over-stimulating days running around San Miguel and the surrounding towns, my family and I would come back to Casa Madelan, open the front door and step into the courtyard, and breathe a huge sigh of relief-- we felt instantly relaxed and safe. On the Spanish/Mediterranean model, Casa Madelan provides a cloistered world unto itself. As I write this, I am picturing the lovely fountain gurgling in the garden at the center of the house and the play of the water and light making shadows on the patio and walls as night falls. Fireplaces in almost every room are an especially nice touch, particularly in December and January, when it's a bit chilly at night. Alan and Madeline have thought of every detail; the bathrooms and closets, for example, are great. I should add that Casa Madelan is also a terrific value. There were just four of us this time, and we used only part of the house. But it was clear to use that several families could use the house very comfortably and still have lots of privacy. The house is spacious and well-laid out. I agree with other guests posting comments that the house staff --Maria the maid, Erika the manager, and Ricardo the gardener -- are a great addition. They are sweet people and excellent at their jobs. We had several minor emergencies during our stay, and Erika was patient and helpful throughout. I will be telling my friends about this place and hope very much to return myself soon. This house is a very, very special find.

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Guest: ruth carol feldman (winnipeg, mb..Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/06/08 Review Submitted: 02/06/08

My partner and I spent 5 wonderful weeks in San Miguel.the house was fabulous, so well located,close to the market for shopping for fruits and vegetables, Maris,the maid was excellent and Ericka who is the house manager was beyond efficient.we loved the house,its very well equipped,lots of room and the upstairs was so very rpivate and allowed us to also enjoy the sunny roof-top.San MIguel is a dream of a place to vacation and this home allowed us all that we needed.cant wait to return..

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Guest: Debbie Kearns (Houston, Texas)
Date of Stay: 12/21/07 Review Submitted: 12/21/07

We were fortunate to find Casa Madelan on our seventh trip to San Miguel. We had previously stayed in a B&B and in a condo just up the hill from Casa Madelan. This was our best experience yet. The homeowner, Alan Kerr has taken the time to make a website to showcase his home - and believe me, it is every bit as lovely as it seems - and more. Alan goes the extra mile to send you information about the house, websites to help you plan your stay and other information. I was very impressed. The location of the house can not be beat - a very easy walk to the jardin. The house is lovely and not outfitted at all like a typical rental. We were comfortable from the moment we walked in the front door. It felt like we were in a home - plenty of hot water and water pressure, not something you usually find in San Miguel! The floor plan worked great for us with three couples - each with our own baths. The upstairs patio was where everyone congregated. In this internet age, where everyone has to be connected, the WIFI was a must. We had never visited in November before and except for a freak hail storm, it proved that there is never a bad time to be in San Miguel - it was during the celebration of Mexico's independence so the fireworks and parades were fun to see. We always say we wish we owned a place in San Miguel, now we are happy to know that we can come back to Casa Madelan.

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Guest: Richard R. (Washington, DC)
Date of Stay: 10/23/07 Review Submitted: 10/23/07

I want to let you know how thoroughly we enjoyed our visit to San Miguel, made especially memorable by "our" wonderful house on Calzada de la Presa. Your home was everything--and more--than we had expected. I understand the upstairs master suite was newly added this year, though it's so well integrated into the rest of the house that its newness is undetectable. The upper-level terrace was a place where we loved to hang out---great for reading, lounging, enjoying the late twilights and sometimes for outdoor dining. The house became such a magnet for us that it was hard to force ourselves out to see what lay beyond the doors. We did, however, manage to renew our acquaintance (from 1998) with San Miguel. Traffic is worse, the suburbs have grown outward, but the center remains with almost all the charm that we remember from before---the Jardin, the churches, the market, the architecture and the wonderful people. Experiencing the aerial bombardment of Independence Day night was a highlight (not a night for much sleep), as was the great parade in honor of St. Michael's Day. We were happily able to share the house and the SMA experience with my sister and her husband, who joined us for a few days before we left and who then stayed on for a week afterward. They were equally taken with the house and the city. Maria kept the house clean with great efficiency and very gamely tried to cope with our limited Spanish. Erika is a gem, who was always reliable in dealing with our needs or problems. She also gave us all a great tour of the botanic garden one day, a site we had missed on our previous visit. We greatly enjoyed meeting both of them and already miss being pampered and tended to so well. I'm glad we had this chance to experience San Miguel again from such a charming and comfortable perch.

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Guest: Betsy Cohen (Watertown, MA)
Date of Stay: 05/10/06 Review Submitted: 05/10/06

To leave Boston for Mexico in February (2/14-27/06) was a pleasure. To then stay in such a wonderful house was a huge treat. It was just as beautiful as the photos on the site -- even more so. From the living room and kitchen, to the en-suite bedrooms, and fantastic roof deck, the house was the ideal spot from which to enjoy San Miguel. The location was terrific.... close to the Mercado and only minutes from the Jardin, but up the hill just enough to feel more private, to feel part of a neighborhood. Fernando and Fatima were extremely helpful and proved to be excellent resources. I am looking forward to scheduling a return stay and hope that the next visit can be even longer.

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Guest: Anne Challamel (Paris, France)
Date of Stay: 05/10/06 Review Submitted: 05/09/06

We have just spent the most wonderful stay in San Miguel...we were so happy to live in Casa Madelan! We loved everything about it: tle location, next to the central market in a very friendly neighbourhood, and so centrally located that we could walk to our the major centers of interest in SMA- the lay-out of the house, conveniently organized around a spacious patio-the large rooms with high ceilings and light pouring in-the decoration, traditional mexican colours, with beautiful african materials (the 2 mix beautifully and are very "chic")-the very well equipped kitchen perfect for a gourmet cook-the nice sound of the central fountain surrounded by luxurious ferns and trees- and our favorite space; the tejado, outside sitting rroom on the roof terrace, where we spend most of our day! We also appreciated the sense of service and the kindness of Fatima, The maid and Fernando, the house manager, both very friendly and efficient. We loved it so much, that we have already booked the house for next year!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/10/05 Review Submitted: 11/10/05

From the moment I opened the fron door and stepped inside Casa Madelan, I knew that my family and I would be very much at home there. The decor was perfect. It was like a dream come true for me. I really felt as if I was in old Mexico. My 4-year granddaughter, upon seeing the twin-bedded room, shouted "this is mine" and moved right in. The two other bedrooms were spacious and very comfortable, and the great room was downright spectacular - simple but elegant and comfortable. My daughther and I spent many a night going over the day's events at the kitchen table. We just loved the way it was set up - also all the amenities, including purified water. Ample sheets and many large absorbent towels were a nice surprise, since that it not always the case with other rentals. My husband and son-in-law loved grilling on the large roof and contemplating the fire in the fireplace on cool evening. The neighborhood was very nice - very friendly and close to everything. My granddaughter especially liked playingwith the neighbors' children and seeing how many new chicks had hatched in the morning. All in all, our stay in Casa Madelan was perfect - including Fernando, the manager, and Fatima, the housekeeper, and I know that we'll be back at Casa Madelan again.

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Guest: vicki meredith (Jackson, Wy.)
Date of Stay: 05/05/05 Review Submitted: 05/05/05

I stayed at the house for a month and was not ready to leave. My adult children and spouses visited during that time. The patio on the second level was perfect for getting together at the end of the day and the barbeque grill upstairs was great for grilling on New Years Day. We all loved the close proximity to the market for fresh vegetables and flowers. We did some cooking while we were there and the kitchen is more than adequate. Fernando, who manages the property is wonderful. I'm ready to go back.

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Guest: Bette Land (Washington, DC)
Date of Stay: 10/18/04 Review Submitted: 10/18/04

I wanted to take a minute to thank you for being so gracious in renting us your lovely SMA house, and especially in accommodating us longer when my sister's return flight was cancelled. Our womens' reunion week away in SMA was simply marvelous, especially due to the fabulous house in which we were staying. Your gorgeous living room, complete with gas fireplace and magazines, was so inviting! We congregated there every afternoon and evening to exchange stories of our daily adventures. And the well-equiped kitchen was wonderful, not that we did any cooking on our vacation, other than making a pot of coffee and mashing marvelous fresh, fresh avocados into guacamole that Juan would pick for us off your tree on the patio. Finally, the fact that there were three good-sized bedrooms nicely afforded us private space that we needed. One day we had difficulty getting into the house. Not only did Fatima, the cleaning lady, come to our aid, but also the house manager Cesar and his assistant Sebastian came by as well. We felt so comforted in their attention. You are so blessed in having a lovely mostly English-speaking staff that so efficiently runs that house for you! They all could not have been sweeter or more helpful. Finally, a couple of other pluses: one doesn't need converters for hair dryers - i.e, it's the same voltage as in the US. Also another huge plus is that the house drinking water is filtered. Not one of us suffered from that dreadful Montezuma's revenge that everyone assured us that we'd get! Again, thank you so very, very much. I look forward to returning to SMA and hopefully to your house as well. It is so nicely situated in being too close to the tempting artisans' market. We couldn't stay away from it! Plus, we thoroughly enjoyed the good restaurants nearby, especially San Agustin (yummy chocolate con churros!), Ole Ole and the Correo Cafe (I dream of the tortilla soup there). Bette Land Washington, DC

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Guest: Pat Gonnering (Naples, fl. 34108)
Date of Stay: 10/18/04 Review Submitted: 10/18/04

Now THIS is a real vacation home! The home and the courtyard were delightful and the house was as cozy as could be! Not one, but 2 fireplaces, for those cool SMA nights. The staff was very helpful. There is a gardener who picks avocados from the tree and puts them in the kitchen for you. The housekeeper, who comes 3 times a week, can't do enough to help. Finally, the caretaker is there to help with any problems you may have. The location could not be better!!! It is 3 short blocks to town and only 2 short blocks to the market. This is where the locals go to sell their hand made crafts. We made it a daily thing. San Miguel is a friendly town, you will never feel threatened (as some Americans do in forgein countries) and you can't imagine all the Americans we met that are moving to San Miguel as their permanent home! We can see why. This is a great historic city which everyone should visit. If you have the opportunity. We will be back! And it will be at 21 Calzada de la Presa !

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Guest: Sean McDaniel (Santa Monica, California)
Date of Stay: 09/12/04 Review Submitted: 09/12/04

I want to thank you for sharing your lovely house in San Miguel de Allende with me and my family. You have a beautiful property there on Calzada de la Presa, and we never tired of appreciating its quiet charm. Our two weeksthere were both exciting and restful. The city is stimulating, charming and easy to navigate. We look forward to staying there again some time in the near future. You are fortunate to have found excellent employees. Your property manager Cesar Rios was friendly and very helpful. Both the gardener and housekeeper Fatima were capable, efficient and largely unobtrusive. Everything we counted on having was provided. There was plenty of space for the three of us to spread out. The weather was quite as we had expected; beautiful. You have nice neighbors. The proximity to the Mercado, Bonanza and an excellent panaderia were appreciated.The notes and recommendations you provided were very helpful. "Inside San Miguel" and the local weekly were a big help as well. Naturally we ended up wishing the casita was ours. -Sean McDaniel, Santa Monica, California

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Guest: Paul & Merrily Beyreuther (Taos, New Mexico)
Date of Stay: 05/15/04 Review Submitted: 05/15/04

Our email correspondence prior to renting was prompt and courteous. We received great pictures and a floorplan. The house was great, well located and had a delightful staff. We would certainly rent that house again.

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Guest: Ruth31 (Sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 01/09/04 Review Submitted: 01/09/04

Our 3-week stay at Casa Madelan was nothing short of perfection. Alan the homeowner was more than helpful from our very first enquiry and made sure that all our needs would be met through the duration of our visit. The house is ideally located close to the Jardin as well as various daily markets. It is an oasis, and while we loved wandering the streets of San Miguel for hours each day, we also loved just being at home in the very relaxed atmosphere of Casa Madelan. The home décor and layout made us feel we’d entered a peaceful sanctuary each time we came through the doorway. The courtyard allowed ample room for our young son to play and explore as he ran in and out of the rooms surrounding the courtyard. This is a home we would definitely rent again and can’t wait to return.

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Guest: Carol Sezler (Basking Ridge, NJ)
Date of Stay: 10/15/03 Review Submitted: 10/15/03

We loved the house. It was beautiful and very comfortable. The kitchen was fully-stocked and everything was provided. The house was in a terrific location. It was near enough to walk anywhere in town, come back to put down all the items we bought and go back out again. We loved San Miguel and will definitely rent this house again!

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Guest: Nancy Zaslavsky (-)
Date of Stay: 08/21/03 Review Submitted: 08/21/03

Wake up to a chorus of church bells and roosters in this open patio, Spanish Colonial-style house just around the corner from San Miguel’s traditional marketplace. As a Mexican cookbook author, food writer and culinary tour leader the location is almost too good! My husband and I enjoy the spacious living-dining room for entertaining with its soaring, high ceiling and huge fireplace. The ample kitchen is a bonus for me, with plenty of good light and quality equipment. The water purification system is a dream; this is the first time that I’ve been able to drink water directly from taps anywhere in Mexico, from the kitchen and bathroom faucets. The owners and manager went out of their ways to ensure our enjoyable stay.

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Guest: Lyndall Stanley (Roswell, GA)
Date of Stay: 05/05/03 Review Submitted: 05/05/03

Three women for "a week away from it all". The house was lovely----Mexican atmosphere with lots of together space, but also private places to read by yourself or just be! The bathrooms and kitchen were nice too, with wonderful Mexican tiles. (being a blue and white person, I wanted to bring the kitchen home with me!) It was within walking distance of everything which was an extra plus. We purchased flowers, wine, and ingredients for our evening snack in just minutes after our arrival. The owner and house manager were especially friendly providing information, getting bus schedules,and making us feel like special guests.....would definitely take this house again!

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Guest: Joyce Pyle (Springfield MO)
Date of Stay: 02/05/03 Review Submitted: 02/05/03

This is indeed a "colorful Spanish Colonial" casa. The location is excellent, the house is well appointed with attention paid to every detail. Staying here made our visit to San Miguel an extraordinary experience.

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Guest: Alan Kerr
Date of Stay: 10/03/02 Review Submitted: 10/02/02

We have recently added a significant amount of batiks and other artwork to the house that we brought back from Africa, some of which you can view on our personal website that you can find on our vrbo listing #13574.

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Guest: Karen McKay (Catalina, CA)
Date of Stay: 09/29/02 Review Submitted: 09/29/02

I just wanted you to know how much we enjoyed our visit to SMA, and especially your house. The location was perfect-- bakery, tortilleria and mercado so close, downtown an easy walk. Your house was very comfortable, especially the courtyard. Fatima and Antonio were lovely. Everything just worked out perfectly, and we all agreed we would like to return. I'd like to take my husband down there one of these days, also. I had never been anywhere in Mexico except the beach resort areas-- what a difference.

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