Location: Atascadero, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Central Mexico, Mexico (10 Minute Walk Down to the Zocalo-City Center)
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms + Den, 3.5 Baths (Sleeps 4-5)
The name of our home Manto de Luna means cloak of the moon and this eclectic colonial artist's house is nestled at the top of a hill overlooking the city center of San Miguel de Allende. A romantic private deck off the master bedroom and rooftop terrace opens up to sweeping vistas of the Parroquia-main cathedral that will take your breath away. Sip a glass of wine and watch the fireworks or the birds migrating from the botanical gardens. Relax in the sun beside a Moorish inspired fountain or read books in the two shaded lounge chairs surrounded by blazing purple bougainvilleas in our garden. The secluded patio on the other side of the dining area has an outdoor table and umbrella to dine al fresco. The living room has a gas fireplace, cozy furniture, stereo, cable television, and high speed wireless internet.
The spacious master bedroom has a king size bed, dressing area, and secluded deck perfect for morning coffee. There is an antique wooden desk that looks out to the mountains and a large tiled bathroom with a separate shower and bathtub. The upstairs guest room has a king sized bed, bathroom and whimsical folk art. Downstairs the romantic den has a Moroccan theme and there is an additional queen sized bed and window that looks out to the garden. The fully stocked kitchen has everything you need to prepare gourmet food at home. There is a bottled water dispenser in the kitchen and the house is supplied with large bottles of fresh water for cooking and drinking. Our maid Concha cleans twice a week and our local property manager Gwen is very responsive and available to help should any need arise. There is a washer and dryer in the basement.
Follow the winding cobblestone streets for a 10 minute walk down to the main zocalo past 17th century buildings in this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage city. It is also just 10 minutes to the botanical garden where you can hike among succulents and cacti swarming with birds and butterflies. Just blocks away is a fascinating mask museum and the bustling Mercado Ignacio Ramirez. It's a 3 minute walk to the Santo Domingo swimming and spinning club and you can take a cab to visit the nearby hot springs and swim in bovedas and caves. Atascadero is a historic neighborhood filled with gorgeous homes adjacent to the city center and was home to Sterling Dickinson, the director of art-conscious San Miguel de Allende's biggest art school.
Our colorful home is uniquely filled with original paintings, prints, ceramic pottery and folk art. The owners are both artists with a young son and Rafael López is an accomplished painter who has created United States Postal Stamps, award winning children's books and an official campaign poster as one of the Artists for Obama. You can view his work by typing Rafael Lopez into your browser or clicking on the link below to his website. There is a also a link to the Manto de Luna website posted below.
We created a house book filled with insider suggestions of activities listing our favorite restaurants & cafes, live music and activities, guidebooks to San Miguel de Allende. Renters who have stayed at our home have returned year after year bringing their family and friends. It is the ideal spot to explore our magical mountain city of colorful gardens, intimate cafes and shady courtyards.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Garage
- Off Street Parking
- Gas Fireplace
- Beds
- King Bed (2)
- Queen Bed
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- Stereo System
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Deck/Patio
- Balcony
- View/Location
- Water View
- Mountain View
- Monument View
- Communications
- Telephone
- Broadband Internet
- Other Amenities
- Large water dispenser with plenty of fresh bottled water for drinking and cooking. Fountain, Master bedroom and roof deck terraces with stunning views.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Handicapped Accessible (may have limitations)
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Live Theatre
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Restaurants
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Other Activities
- 17th century UNESCO World Heritage site, Live music, Processions, Gourmet Food & Wine Festivals, Cooking classes
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$360/3 nts...$600/5 nts .. $800/week .. $1500/2 weeks .. $2000/month
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 2003
Rafael and Candice López are both artists and the owners of Manto de Luna. Rafael is a painter born in Mexico City who has created several United States Postal Stamps including the 2011 Latin Music Legends stamps series. In 2010 his illustrations won the Pura Belpré from the American Library Association for Book Fiesta and he has won 2 Americas Awards. He is one of 8 Artists for Obama and did the official campaign poster Voz Unida that sold out overnight raising 60K for the campaign. He has created paintings for Oprah Winfrey's school in South Africa. Candice is a professor of Art and Design who teaches in San Diego and has taught students abroad in Italy, Mexico, Spain, and Switzerland. She teaches a course called Travel by Design and believes that many people use travel to promote personal transformation. They have a desire to make a change and by visiting and exploring new places are able to discover parts of themselves they are unable to find in any other way. As a result of travel they become fearless risk takers, more flexible and can solve problems that lead to a more fulfilling, inspired and productive life.
Why the Owner Chose Atascadero
We spent a month in San Miguel in 2003 and connected to the architecture, mercados and spirit of community. In San Diego we live in the heart of downtown in a large industrial loft that is our studio and home so we fell hard for the garden, immense vistas, unique quality of light and warmth of San Miguel de Allende. The vivid colors and rich textures of our town fuel Rafael's artwork and books. Atascadero was our neighborhood of choice because it lies next door to the city center and has panoramic views of the downtown zocalo, hillsides and surrounding countryside.
The Unique Benefits of this House
We come to drink in the local color of stirring religious processions, authentic regional foods, international chamber music and film festivals. We like to sit in intimate cafes and listen to street musicians and draw and write in our journals. There is an artist sketchbook easel in the house and you can take it out and paint should you be so inspired. Often we sit quietly in the lounge chairs and read good books or enjoy toasting the sunset from the roof. Our son enjoys long hikes in the nearby botanical gardens and together we shoot photos and draw to record our experiences.
We love walking to town each day, exploring the mercados, savoring the restaurants and meeting with friends. Our home is a place to renew and re-charge your batteries and we enjoy the chance to share this restorative experience with others. Our house book is filled with wonderful notes and sketches from previous guests who have connected with the people, culture and spirit of our town.
Property Photos
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- View from our rooftop terrace of downtown city center - San Miguel de Allende Vacation House in Guanajuato, Mexico with a Mountain View
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- Kitchen, living room fireplace & folk art - San Miguel de Allende Vacation House in Guanajuato, Mexico with a Mountain View
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- Read a book while relaxing by the fountain - San Miguel de Allende Vacation House in Guanajuato, Mexico with a Mountain View
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- Spacious master bedroom with adjoining sundeck perfect for morning coffee
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- Charming patios to rest and unwind
Traveler Reviews (16)
Spectacular Views
Guest: Nancy
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Date of Stay: 12/11/11
Review Submitted: 01/03/12
We are pinching ourselves. Manto de Luna has the most spectacular views in town. We had coffee on the terrace outside our bedroom each morning, watching the birds and the world go by. When we first saw the roof deck my husband said "now this is a room with a view." Enjoying the charms of this beautiful town and thank you for opening your home to us. We will be back soon.
Recommended for:
Hospitality and Grace
Guest: Suzanne and Jack
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Date of Stay: 10/01/11
Review Submitted: 11/17/11
We can not be silent about how much we are enjoying being in your Manto de Luna. The property management company you are using is EXCELLENTE! Such hospitality and graciousness, ....flowers that arrived the day after we did and were gorgeous! Thank you so much! Concha your maid has been wonderful to us. “We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again -- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more." - Pico Iye
Recommended for:
Guest: V. Michael
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Date of Stay: 08/12/10
Review Submitted: 08/23/10
Manto de Luna embodies all the qualities and unique atmosphere of San Miguel de Allende. Arts, light, surprisingly lush nature and plants, delicious food, history and most of all aqui hay de color humano. More than just a variation, this time is like a chapter of life that I will recall and that is inspiration. This house is pure vida-joy. It is generous and has soul like it's owners.
Recommended for:
Guest: Dave
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Date of Stay: 03/01/08
Review Submitted: 07/09/10
Our friends loved staying with us and of course want to come back next year which we will. Thank you also for your wonderful, talented "care team" that was available to help us with little things and answer all our questions.
Recommended for:
Guest: Lucho
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Date of Stay: 01/01/10
Review Submitted: 07/09/10
Lo mas triste de San Miguel es cerrar la casa, pero lo mas bello es saber de que podemos regrezar y abrirla y llevarnos el sol de este maravilloso lugar. Gracias!
Recommended for:
Guest: Karen
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Date of Stay: 03/01/08
Review Submitted: 07/09/10
From the moment we entered Manto de Luna I felt I never wanted to leave. Your home. It's so wonderful and everything you have in it gives more to the experience. I cooked in your kitchen and listened to birds on the patio and the geese across the road. Nearly every morning I painted and made the best are I've ever done. Everyone who visited us during the month was touched by this place. The fountain. How utterly perfect. All the sounds created the atmosphere of peace and beauty. By noticing the objects and things that are left in your home so invitingly I felt I knew you and would certainly like to know you. Thanks for inviting us to putter in the garden so I happily did. We will be back in 2 years.
Recommended for:
Guest: Kecia
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Date of Stay: 12/01/08
Review Submitted: 07/09/10
We went on the house and garden tour but none of the homes had the comfort and beauty of Manto de Luna. We saw fireworks from the rooftop and enjoyed Doc Severensen playing in town. Thank you for a once in a lifetime experience.
Recommended for:
Guest: Rocío
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Date of Stay: 06/01/08
Review Submitted: 07/09/10
We spent a delicious week at Manto de Luna with our four month old son who couldn't have enough of the beautiful fountain. We hosted a few friends for a couple of days and enjoyed great meals in the patio and dining room. We certainly hope to come back to San Miguel and repeat our stay at Manto de Luna.
Recommended for:
Guest: Charles
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Date of Stay: 07/01/08
Review Submitted: 07/09/10
I loved the thunderstorms and lighting shows. We will never forget the 9pm fireworks show and music from our balcony celebrating San Miguel becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site. We leave a little bit of ourselves here and take so much back with us.
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #288355
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Date last modified - Tuesday, September 27, 2011
