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Sarkus

Sep 5, 2005, 11:55 AM

Post #1 of 16 (1928 views)

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Reservations required in SMA?

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Seriously, I have checked the first 10 pages of posts and have not seen this question. I would like to arrive without a reservation when I make my virgin, red-eye, trip to SMA on the morning of Oct 15th (Sat). Is this ok or would it be best to make a reservation at a hotel first? I prefer to pay somewhat less then $60/night and besides hot water and a relatively quite room I am pretty tolerant. Thanks in advance for any advice. I have enjoyed this forum alot. Interesting, funny, but a real time sink. I can't wait to retire!

(This post was edited by Sarkus on Sep 5, 2005, 3:50 PM)

tonyburton / Moderator

Sep 5, 2005, 12:29 PM

Post #2 of 16 (1918 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required?

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You will be fine. There are several places in SMA in your price range, and getting there first (without a reservation) will enable you to see them first-hand before deciding where you prefer to stay. Have a great trip!

gpk

Sep 5, 2005, 1:25 PM

Post #3 of 16 (1909 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required?

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The lack of a reservation should be no problem, but if you mean you will be arriving on an overnight (red-eye) flight, I wouldn't think walking the cobbled, hilly streets of San Miguel with luggage in tow would be the best way to start a vacation. Why not make a reservation for the first night and shop around the next day?

Gringal

Sep 5, 2005, 2:03 PM

Post #4 of 16 (1895 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required?

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Suggestion: Posadas de las Monjas. www.posadalasmonjas.com
telephone (415)152-0171 address: Canal 37
Friends stayed there this year; said it was clean and well equipped. Ask for a room on the upper floors overlooking the city, as some of the rest are dark. My friends paid $55 US per night. Very near the center of town. I agree with the person that said it would be no funatall to drag your suitcase around the cobblestoned hills the first day.

not_ally

Sep 5, 2005, 3:51 PM

Post #5 of 16 (1873 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Reservations required?

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A post from an earlier round which lists several budget-type places:

http://www.mexconnected.com/perl/foros/gforum.cgi?post=66210;search_string=cheap%20hotels;#66210
----------------------------
"The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly I discover there is no reason." John Cage

Miguel Palomares

Sep 6, 2005, 6:25 AM

Post #6 of 16 (1835 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required in SMA?

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I do not understand this talk above of walking cobblestone streets lugging a suitcase. That is why the Goddess invented taxis.

The Posada de las Monjas is good. I would not say it is near the town center. It is pretty much directly in El Centro, about two blocks from the plaza. A great location. Wonderful views from the upper floors. I last stayed there about a year ago and paid 450 pesos which is a good bit less than the $55 Gringo bucks that Gringal mentions. Maybe they have upped the rate. I hope not.
From Tzurumutaro, Michoacan, "The Village of the Darned."
_______________________________________

The nuts and bolts of moving to Mexico:
http://michaeldickson.blogspot.com/
The dark side of living in Mexico:
http://mexicopeeks.blogspot.com/
Scintillating life in a Mexican pueblo:
http://tzurumutaro.blogspot.com/
http://tzurumutaro2.blogspot.com/

Sarkus

Sep 7, 2005, 12:15 PM

Post #7 of 16 (1763 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required in SMA?

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Thanks to all for the quick reply's. I made a one night reservation for The Posadas de las Monjas. I'll then look around a bit.
Anyone remember their first anticipated trip to SMA??? I'm sure you do. I'm already reading Tony Cohen's book. Thanks again!
Sarkus

gpk

Sep 7, 2005, 12:19 PM

Post #8 of 16 (1762 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required in SMA?

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Be careful, I bought a house on my first trip!!

Don Moore

Sep 7, 2005, 12:36 PM

Post #9 of 16 (1760 views)

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Re: [Sarkus] Reservations required in SMA?

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I remember my own first trip to SMA. It had been so built up by others, and I built it up so much in my mind, that I was somewhat disappointed. Not that it isn't a great place or that I didn't enjoy it, but I liked several other places in Mexico better, including Ajijic and surroundings.

I am still living NOB.

Hope it is all you want it to be.
Don Moore

Bubba

Sep 7, 2005, 4:10 PM

Post #10 of 16 (1737 views)

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Re: [Don Moore] Reservations required in SMA?

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I agree with you Don. I first visited SMA in about 1980 and thought how great it would be to live there. Housing was a bit on the high side at $40,000USD for a nice place. At the time I had never even heard of Ajijic although I had heard that Lake Chapala was a retirement haven for Americans. Here is the difference as I see it:

Both places are beautiful but if you want to live in:

(1) A charming but crowded urban environment surrounded by adjacent dwellings and endless concrete with vertical challenges both at home and when walking to centro where parking is impossible and where there is a surfeit of Texans with way more money (than brains) than you will ever see and where you are or are not based upon which parties you are or are not invited to and you want to wake up every day going, "I live in San Miguel, Therefore I am." which nobody but you is impressed about and then you can go and eat in some mediocre restaurant that all these people are enchanted with but is more about preciousness than substance and then you learn that, while it is only three hours to DF, you never, ever go there but head for the WalMart in Queretaro which you could have done in Veracruz.

You want San Miguel de Allende.

(2) Crowded village environment full of crass expatriates without a clue as to where they are and lounging around in modern houses reminiscent of Rancho Mirage new rich retirement villas which they couldn't afford in Rancho Mirage and pretending to be important in a mileu the Beverly Hillbillies would reject while bragging about having supported some Mexican orphan for one year with 1/3rd of one monthly social security check and seeking redemption in hillbilly line dancing and Little Theater productions of Oklahoma and Kiss Me Kate and trips to the WalMart and Costco in Guadalajara to buy the big steaks and absorbent toilet paper.

You want Ajijic.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Sep 7, 2005, 4:14 PM)

abq

Sep 7, 2005, 5:25 PM

Post #11 of 16 (1727 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Reservations required in SMA?

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SMA again? I've had a modest home here for nearly 4 years and moved here full time over a year ago. I know about the Texans you speak of and they are not near the force you imagine. I've only been invited to their famous parties once. I got lost on the way and never saw first hand what they were like.

The social life here is probably the biggest draw for me. The city is extremly friendly and it's easy to meet the people I like to hang with. We eat dinner at each other's homes and meet at restaurants. We take trips together and help each other out.

Bubba, I'm a foodie too and I admit many of the restaurants here miss the mark. I'm lucky to have a friend here who lived in Italy for awhile that cooks great pasta for me at least once a week. We're talking of starting a "supper" group with each preparing a different cuisine.

Yes, The streets are steep here. I consider that a plus because I've lost about eight pounds without even trying.There is also more a mix in age in SMA. I like that because I'm 49 and sometimes like to hang out with others near my age. Even my "older" friends are in great shape so it's hard to tell their true age.

Gringal

Sep 8, 2005, 8:41 AM

Post #12 of 16 (1665 views)

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Re: [abq] Reservations required in SMA?

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Re Bubba's (and others) rants about San Miguel: Don't pay them no nevermind. I've found it's no use trying to defend the place against this kind of silliness since they don't live here, never have, and didn't meet the kind of people I'd want to know. Or maybe, like Puritans, they're suspicious that somebody, somewhere, may be having a good time and they want to throw ice water on it

I like your idea about "do-it-yourself" dinners that rise above the level of local restaurant fare. Enjoy!

Don Moore

Sep 8, 2005, 10:16 AM

Post #13 of 16 (1649 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Reservations required in SMA?

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gringa,

i hope you did not take my comments as a rant, it was not even a criticism. I just had expected more than I saw and preferred some other places. Actually, I like San Miguel quite a lot, just not enough to move there.
Don Moore

Gringal

Sep 8, 2005, 10:37 AM

Post #14 of 16 (1642 views)

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Re: [Don Moore] Reservations required in SMA?

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Nope. That wasn't a rant at all. I took it as an honest observation. Different strokes. There are many places I enjoy visiting, but wouldn't move there. I happen to agree with you that SMA is waaay over-hyped, considering what's actually happening here. It suffers from Boosterism fueled by commercial interests, especially real estate. For a true "rant", check out Bubba's post on this thread. Nobody does it better.

Nancy4

Sep 13, 2005, 6:14 AM

Post #15 of 16 (1541 views)

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Re: [gpk] Reservations required in SMA?

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Wow, I thoought we were hasty, too. What made you go for it? Eveyone thought we were crazy, it had all the amentities!

Enjoy life.

gpk

Sep 13, 2005, 6:35 AM

Post #16 of 16 (1539 views)

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Re: [Nancy4] Reservations required in SMA?

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We bought the house on the first visit to SMA in about 1996--the house was new and simple, and relatively cheap. We ultimately decided SMA was not for us, but we made money on the sale of the house. For us, SMA was an easy way to acclimate to life in Mexico and then move on.