Steep discounts in AJOLOTE (ah-ho-LO-teh) this Holiday Season 2021: Minimum stay of only 4 nights! 2 metres from their inspiration, House of the Well, Ajolote and Jacaranda are architectural gems. Cozy yet spacious - Full of natural light - Welcoming - Airy - Magnificent views. Kitchens have excellent cooking equipment and service for 6. Each house has garden and terrace space, laundry. Common gardens. 10 mins to theatres and restaurants. Weekly cleaning, WiFi, gas, water, light; all included. N.B., PLEASE NOTE: if you have any issues with walking, either up or down, please seek other accommodations. As with many homes in this magical city, to arrive to this one you must walk -- either we walk up stairs or we walk down stairs --which in reality are quite comfortable-- but walk we must! There is an acceso DOWN from the Panorámica --a privada, i.e. kept locked-- and easy access UP from below. Each is a gem designed by Mexican architect Miguel Medina. Each has features which respect our high semi-arid environment here in the Bajío, among them two 10,000-litre rainwater cisterns. Each features architectural details deeply rooted in this part of Mexico, such as the “bóveda” (vaulted ceiling) which gives a unique sense of amplitude to even small spaces. As well, both casitas give homage to one of the brightest stars in the firmament of Mexican architecture: the formidable Luis Barragán, first Mexican architect to win the Pritzker Prize, known as “the Nobel of architecture”. The entire house of Ajolote is yours to enjoy! May it be a refuge and a sanctuary, as well as a jumping-off point to explore this beautiful city and this area, so steeped in the history of Mexico. Also: The azotea of the House of the Well continues to be a magnet: at least one guest from Ajolote arrives every morning to do her Tai Ch’i practice. So I invite guests from Ajolote and Jacaranda to enjoy that space as well. The two houses are just across the callejón (lane) from their mother and inspiration, my own home: the Casa del Pozo / House of the Well. Their design, eleven years after that first house was built, is an extension of her spirit. And since we are so close, I will be almost as present as I am here in this house! My own home, the Casa del Pozo / House of the Well, is the home of a working artist. When I'm here I am as available as my practice and rehearsal schedule permits. And of course, when there are house-concerts, everyone is cordially invited! The House of the Well is just across the lane from the Casas del Chan, so we will always be neighbours. Despite our proximity to the heart of the city, there is a certain tranquillity here which many have found very propitious to creative work. This is a people's, not a rich-folks' neighbourhood in an Ibero-American city, so you will hear roosters and dogs and the occasional outburst of ranchera music --as well as the omnipresent church bells still rung by human hands-- ; but it is all very lively and agreeable. This barrio is friendly, vivacious, safe. We are an easy 10 minutes’ walk to the Juárez, Principal, and Cervantes Theatres and from the Jardín de la Unión; some 12 minutes’ walk (at the most!) to the principal building of the University. Walking up, our street is well-lit and in good shape. Coming down from the Panorámica, the stairs of my locked acceso are very ergonomic and comfortable. The Casas del Chan are easily accessible on foot, in minibus (to the foot of our callejón and to the acceso down from the Panorámica, with an 8-minute walk), and in taxi (right to the door of the acceso). The names of these houses reflect an ongoing concern with the spirits of the water and of the land in these surroundings. Please look them up! Configuration: Each house has two bedrooms and 2-1/2 baths. Thus, each house may accommodate a couple both of whom might work at home –a writer and a painter, for example- ; with the occasional guest who could be another couple or a single person. Or, it could just as easily work for two friends rooming together. In each house there’s a main bedroom with a queen bed and its own bath, plus another room with a double bed sized futon, also with its own full bath, which may be used as a studio or workroom and may double as a guest room. Both bedrooms have desks. Other delights: Most of the interior doors are made of mezquite, and some of them are at least 100 years of age: homage to the pride and durability of Mexico. The metal exterior doors are the handiwork of a fine Guanajuato herrero (metal-worker). The interior mezquite doors were hung, and their additional framing crafted, by a French carpenter who found his home here in Guanajuato with the love of his life, a Mexican artist whose work may also be seen in these houses. These homes have been lovingly crafted by hand, by highly skilled local masons and artisans. The art which continues to accumulate on their walls is the creation of Guanajuato artists both established and emerging. Thus, they are the furthest thing imaginable from “properties”. The kitchen and dining area is definitely the heart of each house, featuring Talavera tile from Dolores Hidalgo, some of it custom-painted for these kitchens; and “pulido” (tinted polished concrete) counters like the ones in my own home, the Casa del Pozo. Each kitchen has a service for six and in the centre of each is a mezquite kitchen table, legacy of some magnificent hacienda. Other amenities include: A complete new “batterie de cuisine” of excellent pots and pans; Good knives with sharpener and their own knife-block; Moka-type stovetop espresso maker and electric coffee maker; Coffee mill; Blender; Immersion blender; Juice squeezer. The Mexican-style bathrooms, open, warm and sensual, sing the praises of yet more Talavera tile. Here too some of the tiles –specifically, the ajolotes and tortugas (turtles)- were painted especially for these houses. Bedroom and bathroom amenities include those to which my guests have become accustomed: Hair dryer; 100% cotton towels; Sheets: flannel in winter, 100% cotton in summer!; Down-alternative comforters with down available if preferred; Pillows (four per bed). And of course: Shampoo; Conditioner; Shower gel; Moisturizer. Each casita has its own laundry area with room for line-drying clothes, linens, and towels. There is ample outdoor space in the form of balconies, porches, and gardens. Each house has its own garden and terrace space and there is also ample shared garden space. Presiding over it all is the iconic pirul (pink pepper) tree which gives its name to the Callejón El Pirul, perpendicular to the Callejón del Refugio. This is a people's, not a rich-folks' neighbourhood in an Ibero-American city, so you will hear roosters and dogs and the occasional outburst of ranchera music --as well as the omnipresent church bells still rung by human hands-- ; but it is all very lively and agreeable. This barrio is friendly, vivacious, courteous. My desire is that these houses become truly home for those who live in them. For this reason, my minimum stay is one month, although for this Holiday Season 2021, I’m offering special shorter stay options in Ajolote. By the same token, just as with the Casa del Pozo I offer steep discounts for longer-term stays of three months to a year and onward!