Welcome to the MBH blog and media room!

July 21st, 2009

Let’s get you started!  But, first “si hablas Español, te invitamos a visitar nuestro Blog en Español para los Hoteles Boutique de México.

I’ve set up our blog to provide you with basic information on MBH, our hotels and who we are (See the ABOUT MBH section) and I also post information on all things related to our hotels, their destinations, Mexico food, drink, shopping and much more. POST CATEGORIES can take you to more specific content.

If you’ve recently stayed at one of our properties and wish to comment, please do so on the RECENT GUEST COMMENTS  PAGE.

If you’d like to discuss a topic that isn’t already here, please visit the HEAR ME OUT post and leave your question/comment there. Please let me know what subjects you’re particularly interested in and I’ll do my best to post about them as soon as possible. And to those of you that already have contacted me, many, many thanks. We couldn’t (and wouldn’t) be doing this without you!

Sylvie

images-1Oh! We also have our own Mexico Boutique Hotels Facebook page. If you’re already a fan, well, thank you! If you’re not, but would like to please join the Mexico Boutique Hotels page. And if you really, really like us, please recommend us to your friends. Again, many thanks!

Finally, if Twitter is your favorite news feed, please look me up at :sylvieinmexico.


Mexico Boutique Hotels Represents Mexico (Of Course) During The First-Ever International Boutique Hotel Conference in Colombia

June 22nd, 2010

Puerto Vallarta, MEXICO (June 22, 2010) – This past weekend, the Colombian Hotel Association (COTELCO) and its Cartagena branch welcomed over 150 boutique hoteliers from around to world to discuss, debate and deliberate on just how and what makes a boutique hotel a success. Experts from Italy, Brazil, the United States, France and Mexico, were invited to the Hotel Las Américas Global Resort and Convention Center to analyze what that success truly means, and to give advice on how to obtain it. Every detail was scrutinized, from the administration, to the cuisine, the comfort, the design, the architecture, the style, the front-of-house operations, the back-of-house operations, etc. Thriving businesses were presented as examples and closely studied in order to help hoteliers mirror that success in their own properties.

It was an exciting event that made plain the need for collaboration among every aspect of the industry. Our very own Sylvie Laitre, Director of Mexico Boutique Hotels, was chosen to represent her adopted country of Mexico to highlight the importance of small hotels coming together to enhance their marketing and public relations impact, among other things. What several small, separate budgets would never be able to do, together they can move as one much more powerful entity to create a stronger impact on the market. In other words: there is strength in numbers.

Peter Kaiser, owner and operator of the successful Hacienda Los Laureles—a Mexico Boutique Hotels member—, also participated as an expert, holding forth on the administration, management and operation of boutique hotels.

“I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this unique event and applaud the Colombian Hotel Association for emphasizing the importance of excellence in the boutique hotel industry,” said Laitre. “At MBH we’ve worked very hard to maintain high standards and the true essence of what ‘boutique’ really is. It’s great to know there are others who feel the same way. I brought back many insights from this conference, and I’m sure my international colleagues did as well.”

To chat with Sylvie about what makes a boutique property tick in style or experience any of Mexico Boutique Hotels’ stylish properties, email her at Sylvie@mexicoboutiquehotels.com, call 1-800-728-9098 (US and Canada) or visit www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com.

About Mexico Boutique Hotels:

Established in 1999, MBH is a collection of upscale, independent member properties (located in 25 destinations throughout Mexico) handpicked for their intimacy, high level of service and outstanding attributes. Some are housed in exquisitely restored buildings, others are paeans to Mexican cui­sine, still others showcase the sleekly modern–but they each encourage guests to savor the many fascinating traditions of this vast country, and all offer guests a unique travel experience. Typi­cally less than 30 rooms in size, they are often destinations unto themselves. Based in Puerto Val­larta, MBH is staffed by an experienced team of multicultural—and multilingual—travel and hospi­tality professionals who both live and work in Mexico.

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Reflections on Perception: Negative Hotel Reviews Aren’t Always What They Seem

June 15th, 2010

There are always two sides to the story: yours and mine. And then there’s the truth. When things come up that overwhelmingly seem to back one of the two sides, then odds are that’s the one that more closely resembles the sometimes-elusive truth.

Case in point: recently a negative review was posted on Trip Advisor concerning one of our member hotels, Hacienda de los Santos in Alamos. A little background here: HDLS is a five-star hotel, vetted not only by MBH, but also by Condé Nast Johansen’s and AAA (Four Diamonds, thank you very much); has received yearly successive accolades from the likes of Fodor’s, National Geographic Traveler and other such heady organizations; and has been featured in Architectural Digest.

They have consistently received rave reviews from our guests as well (ask Rocío, our star Concierge, she can send you a list).

We do know, however, that no hotel is perfect (though they come close), and one of the signs of a good hotelier is his or her ability to accept constructive criticism and act upon it to make his or her product even better.

Sadly, this review (by a non-guest, mind you) was more along the lines of affronted pride than constructive criticism.

Here are some facts: The hotel does not maintain an “open door” policy for several reasons (actually, it’s a half-door, as only the bottom part is closed during the day). The hotel hosts many high-profile Mexican guests who do not wish to be disturbed. They have also found their guests do not enjoy non-guests wandering about the property while they are in their bathing suits lying out by the pool or enjoying private conversations. Sometimes, the hotel management is asked to keep the hotel as a private oasis for their guests and conduct tours only at specified times. This is the nature of many a boutique hotel, especially a high-end property that values and respects its numerous repeat guests.

And, while there have never been any incidents in Alamos involving tourists at any level, the prudent behavior of the staff was not snobbery; it was merely a matter of safety. When the receptionist of this small hotel was confronted with nine demanding adults with no previous reservations, it was not surprising she was overwhelmed and erred on the side of caution.

Here is another fact: When the gentleman in question wrote to the owner about his experience, he immediately received a letter of apology along with an invitation for a two-night stay at the Hacienda, free of charge. The gentleman’s reply was to post his road rage on TripAdvisor, even after the incident was addressed directly with him in the most gracious, accommodating manner possible.

And here is our question: Why? We would truly like to know what made the Hispanic gentleman take it upon himself to spread the word far and wide that HDLS was “deficient” even after a) the management bent over backwards to appease him and b) it was known there were witnesses to the event with very different accounts of his frame of mind.

My mother always said lo cortés no quita lo valiente. Roughly translated, it means courtesy and valor are not mutually exclusive—but leave no room for the malicious, the unkind and the rancorous.

Have you stayed at Hacienda de los Alamos? If you’re a past guest, we invite you to chime in. But even if you haven’t enjoyed their hospitality, we’d love to read your opinion on this matter.

¡Gracias!

¡Bienvenidos!

¡Bienvenidos!


There’s Nirvana, And Then There’s Hacienda Xcanatún (Mérida)

June 9th, 2010

We paraphrased writer Barbara Weidel, but truth is, we tend to agree with her. According to her bio, Barbara “divides her time between her popular travel and life blog, Hole In The Donut, and writing freelance articles for a variety of traditional magazines and online entities” and recently made a stop at Xcanatún for UpTake.com, “a travel search and discovery site” that has it’s own “honest take on lodging”—and we love honest.

Please read here and enjoy… We sure loved the accolades; thanks Barbara!

Hacienda Xcanatún

Hacienda Xcanatún


Time Travel: Hacienda de los Santos (Alamos)

June 7th, 2010

Writer Karen Catchpole and husband/photographer Eric Mohl continue to trek their merry way across the American continent, stopping hither and yon to stop and smell the rosas. They recently parked their truck in Alamos, visiting our dear friends, the hoteliers Nancy and Jim Swickard, at their fantastic property, Hacienda de los Santos.

Check out their latest blog entry on the gorgeous hotel and the beautiful colonial town that surrounds it…

Thanks, Karen and Eric y ¡buen viaje!

Los Alamos

Los Alamos


Hacienda San Angel (Puerto Vallarta) Is Going To The Dogs (And Cats!)

June 5th, 2010

Got your attention, didn’t we? :)

Those who know owner Janice Chatterton know she runs Hacienda San Angel, one of the Puerto Vallarta’s most exquisite boutique hotels—and that she’s a dog lover through and through (in fact, her own well-behaved babies have the run of the property). She’s also famous for putting her time, energy and money where her heart is, meaning she helped found the Puerto Vallarta SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in 2007.

The SPCA maintains a no-kill halfway house for animals that are being prepared for and awaiting adoption. The group manages veterinary care and sterilization, organizes weekly adoption events, oversees a foster program and educates the community on the benefits of spaying and neutering dogs and cats.

The Puerto Vallarta SPCA is primarily run on donations and volunteer efforts. To encourage awareness, participation and donations, Janice and her hotel host an annual fundraiser gala in November. Tickets are $120 each this year and all proceeds directly benefit the SPCA and the animals in its care.

But wait, there’s more!

To further the cause of giving every loving pet a home, Janice has announced that she will donate $20 per room booking to the SPCA on behalf of the hotel guests. Each $20 donation can cover the costs of housing and food for a stray dog for at least two weeks.

Plus, to encourage her guests to personally get involved, she’s also offering complimentary margaritas and tapas as a tasty “thanks” for those who make a donation of time or money ($50 USD or two and a half hours in the shelter walking dogs).

Every good deed deserves a just reward!

Like to meet one of Janice’s furry friends? Read up on sweet Milly at http://dickmanfam.blogspot.com/2010/05/and-milly-becomes-famous.html