Quinta Don Jose Boutique Hotel

My mother-in-law visits Tlaquepaque every year to buy from the local artisans from the En Art Expo and invited us along for the ride!

We stayed in Room #6, a Deluxe King room on the top floor with lovely views overlooking the pool and fountain. 

Our room had a rustic, homely feel, with a clay tiled floor, spacious wardrobe, pops of traditional Mexican art and handcrafted wooden furnishings including a vanity desk (which I thought was a nice touch!). The ensuite had a lovely blue-tiled vanity with a Talavera sink and we were pleasantly surprised with the high-pressure shower and amenities. 

There are a variety of different size rooms to choose from and each is uniquely decorated (the poolside suites are the most luxurious – one even has an indoor jacuzzi and glass ceiling rain shower!). Every room has your creature comforts covered, including air conditioning, a coffee maker, hot/cold purified water dispenser, bathrobes and slippers and a flatscreen TV with Netflix. 

When I first stepped into Don Jose, I instantly felt a real sense that we had arrived in Mexico, contrasted with feeling right at home. The friendly staff take pride in making their guests feel welcome and a part of this family-run, boutique hotel.

The building itself has a Hacienda-style ambience, with archway doors and indoor plants, bright artwork and sculptures around every corner. After checking into our room we met with everyone for dinner at the in-house restaurant, TlaquePasta. The restaurant is open to the public and is always full, thanks to its fresh Italian and Mexican fusion cuisine, live music and dinner-party style atmosphere. The food was so good we ended up eating at the hotel restaurant twice for dinner (something I never do on holidays), and enjoyed the complimentary breakfast every morning on the patio. 

The restaurant, curated Tequila bar and hospitable staff are all exceptional, but I have to say that the best part of staying at Don Jose is the relaxing pool and lush gardens.  The freshwater pond with turtles accompanied by the sounds of the waterfall really give the sense that you’ve discovered a hidden sanctuary, making it too easy to forget that you’re only a stroll from the shops, restaurants and galleries of Tlaquepaque.

Tlaquepaque is especially known for its galleries, ceramics, pottery and Mariachi. Mexico’s arts and crafts capital, this is a fantastic destination for shopping, dining and admiring the local works of art in one of the many independent galleries. 

Evenings are spent walking down the vibrant Calle Indepencia, watching the street performers and dining out in one of the many fabulous restaurants. I also highly recommend trying some of the local street food and churros at the night markets. There are lots of people out and about (especially on weekends) but not too much of a nightlife after 11pm.  

A couple of days is enough here, but there are plenty of day trips you can do to round out your trip. A day trip to Tequila is always fun and if you’re looking to deck out your home, you’ll find the best prices for handcrafted pottery, furniture, and hand-blown glassware in Tonala, which is only a short taxi ride away. 

While the vibe here at Don Jose is relaxed and can be low key if that’s what you’re after, it’s relatively easy to meet other guests hanging by the pool, at the bar or during breakfast on the patio.

We chatted to some girls in their late 20s visiting from California, who were sun-baking on the pool chairs next to ours, and also with some lovely older Canadian ladies who have been coming to Don Jose for the past decade on their annual getaway from their husbands. 

Charlie the bartender came around every afternoon during happy hour, bringing us frozen margaritas by the pool and catching up on our day’s adventures.