Gay San Miguel de Allende San Miguel de Allende City Guide

Oh, San Miguel De Allende. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways. Your 16th-century skyline. Your cobblestone streets. Your colourfully painted houses. Your bounteous flowers blooming. Your baroque Spanish architecture. Your vibrant marketplaces. Your standout restaurants and hotels. And, of course, your light, which has drawn generations of artists into your embrace. Lovingly referred to as SMA, the World Heritage Site is Mexico’s most lauded colonial city and a place travellers return to again and again, many of them deciding to move there for good. About 10 per cent of the population is expats, which gives the town, located in Mexico’s central highlands, an international feel while still retaining its laid back vibe. The culture is decidedly gay-friendly, although gay-embracing might be a more accurate way to put it. While there are plenty of gay ex-pats and travellers, it’s simply too small a city to sustain a full-time gay bar or club. No matter, SMA is a progressive, sophisticated, welcoming place for gays.

Only in a city with so much colonial quaintness could one possibly welcome a modern, chic hotel to balance out the equation

The best hotels in San Miguel de Allende

The beauty of San Miguel is captured in the Dos Casas Boutique Hotel. The 18th-century residence turned vanguard hotel is a thoughtful mix of colonial, mid-century, and modern design. With just a dozen rooms, an award-winning restaurant on site, spa, rooftop terrace, and patio courtyard with a running stone fountain, Dos Casas is tranquillity embodied. Depending on whether you prefer your hotels romantic or vibrant, L’Ôtel has two sister properties with different personas. L’Ôtel Chiquitos offers four cosy guest rooms in an intimate colonial house at the end a quiet cobblestone lane. Dôce 18 on the top floor of the chic Dôce 18 Concept House has a more vibrant flair. You can’t lose with either one. Walk through the ancient, wooden doors of the Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada and it’s hard not to become immediately enchanted by the fairytale hideaway dotted with blooming flowerpots and hidden terraces. The stone pool in the landscaped garden is magical. Only in a city with so much colonial quaintness could one possibly welcome a modern, chic hotel to balance out the equation. Hotel Matilda’s modern minimalism makes it a perfect complement to the town’s historical beauty. This is where the cool kids stay. The rooftop infinity pool is a plus as is the pet-friendly policy. An antique six-bedroom colonial mansion that once belonged to a Vogue photographer, you might recognize Casa No Name from the zillion design mags it’s been featured in. You’ll think nothing can top the restored 18th-century mural and fragrant garden until you spy the glass floor that gives you a peek into ancient tunnels underneath the home that workers uncovered during the renovations.