fbpx

Happy 20th Anniversary Hacienda San Angel

20 years ago my Mother, Janice Chatterton, began the creation of the Hacienda San Angel. The evolution over the years has been nothing short of amazing especially considering it was never planned. In grief after losing her only son, she poured herself into two passions; rescuing dogs and looking for antiques. Pursuing her two greatest passions in trying to soothe her grief, she found a new purpose in life, and wa la…the Hacienda San Angel and the SPCAPV were born.

For 2 decades now, people have been arriving through our large wooden doors, whipping out their cameras in surprise as they try to capture the unexpected beauty that greets them, receiving delicious signature welcome drinks upon arrival, been pampered by attentive staff, basked in shadows of elegant colonial Mexican architecture, refreshed in one or all of 3 pools, been appreciating antique furnishings, lounging in luxury linens, enjoying the mountain and bay vistas, oh and petting the dogs. Couples have been engaged and married here, people have celebrated birthdays and anniversaries here, our space has been adorned with romance and joy many times over. There’s even been times the Hacienda served as a sanctuary to animals and people in distress. The Hacienda San Angel became an oasis for both people and animals.

This is a bittersweet time to honor and celebrate Mom and the Hacienda San Angel. What Mom created deserves to be celebrated on its 20th anniversary; it was such an unexpected, unplanned but wonderful accomplishment. However it is with a mixture of sadness that she is not here to be celebrated herself. We lost my beloved mother, grandmother and creator of the Hacienda San Angel in 2019 without any warning at all. Now, somewhat recovered from the shock but never the same since without her, the family strives to preserve, protect and continue what she created in her memory.

The Hacienda San Angel also served as a sanctuary for more than 50 dogs during a hurricane one year. Mom was absolutely passionate about dogs insisting they were more loyal than most humans. She was followed by 8, sometimes a dozen dogs wherever she walked throughout the venue. People who didn’t like dogs in the restaurant were asked to leave. The dogs trumped. She started one of the first animal rescues in Puerto Vallarta and over 20 years, with the help of many caring volunteers, created a network of adoptive homes in Canada and the US. Volunteers who would take dogs to their new furrever homes were given complimentary stays at the hotel in appreciation and we continue to do this still as she would want.

In the spirit of celebrating the Hacienda and it’s patrons we have a couple of offers:

For the month of February Only

  • A celebratory drink on the house, please clink your glass and “Salud” my Mom and Hacienda San Angel.
  • 20% off any reservation made for stay during 2023.

To redeem just say…

“Happy Anniversary Hacienda San Angel!”

Come play in Paradise!

What to do in Puerto Vallarta?
Enjoy Every Minute!
Puerto Vallarta is humming with preparations. Come play in paradise. Only if you are looking for sun, fun and relaxation! If enjoying every minute is your goal. Then let it be a reality in beautiful Puerto Vallarta!
Dinner on the Pirate Ship? How about spectacular nightly fireworks?
Take in an ATV ride through the jungle! Not just snorkeling, lets go zip lining! A visit to the Botanical Gardens is a must. Whale watching, a day at the beach, or cruise along the Malecon Boardwalk. Visit art galleries, and take in live shows in various venues.
The people of Puerto Vallarta are amazingly rich in kindness. Welcoming in sharing historical information about their community. They love to provide enjoyment to visitors. And eagerly await your arrival. With an abundance of options for your time away.

Nestled high above the narrow cobblestone streets, one of the world’s most elegant and romantic boutique luxury hotel experiences awaits. Hacienda San Angel surrounds its visitors with the genteel charm of Mexican Colonial architecture and turn-of-the-century furnishings.
Don’t wait; book your stay at the Hacienda San Angel. If we cannot accommodate your stay. Be sure to stop by for dinner. We will deliver you a wonderful dining experience. With live music to add to your list of experiences in Puerto Vallarta!

Hacienda San Angel Puerto Vallarta Luxury Inn
https://haciendasanangel.com/reviews/

The Sweet Spot…

I consider Puerto Vallarta one of many “sweet spots” on the planet.


Right now, Puerto Vallarta is humming with activity. The weather is great, people are happy and having fun even when they’re working! The bridge to old downtown is coming along and soon we won’t be able to tell Hurricane Nora ripped through last August. For a small town, this one holds a lot!

Memories to Create
There is so much to do in Puerto Vallarta and for almost every kind of desire. One can hike to a waterfall in the jungle, zipline through the trees, take an ATV ride, go horseback riding, pet an iguana, go snorkeling, fishing, parasailing, golfing, boating, live theatre, live music, art galleries, dinner cruises, fireworks, shopping, swimming, eating and drinking. One can also do nothing but relax while listening to the birds and the ocean. The views never stop here; between the Sierra Madres and the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta hosts an array of beautiful flowers, birds, reptiles, trees and landscapes.

People to Meet
I think it’s enough to boast about having beautiful and enjoyable surroundings to attract visitors, but now add “friendly” to the mix. Puerto Vallarta must be one of the friendliest towns on the planet. Local Mexicanos and ex-pats both are so welcoming and supportive. The community here is fun loving, diverse and genuinely caring. Hurricane Nora’s devastation really illuminated this when everyone came out to help those most harmed and to help businesses clean up the sidewalks outside their doors.

Community to Know
There is a notable animal rescue community that has grown and made a huge difference in housing strays and reducing the proliferation of unwanted animals through free spay and neuter clinics. Lastly but no less important there is an artist community and volunteer gardening group that also contribute to keeping Puerto Vallarta beautiful and loving.

If you haven’t visited or explored Puerto Vallarta, it is time to add it to your bucket list. This is a “Sweet Spot” on the planet for sure!

History of Cinco De Mayo

We are living in extraordinary and challenging times. Our family at Hacienda Angel extends our hand in friendship and wishes you and your family health and well-being. 

Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. Most of us know this date as a time of celebration, which it is! Let’s look into the history of this date and understand more deeply why it is important. 

Cinco de Mayo is the date when Mexico defeated France, under the leadership of Napoleon III, at the Battle of Puebla. It was an unexpected victory, and one that liberated Mexico from European rule. It is not, as one might expect, a national holiday. Cinco de Mayo is a commemorative date that signifies independence, and celebration. 

There were many battles between Mexico and French rule in the mid to late 1800’s. Of all the battles, the Battle of Puebla, or Cinco de Mayo, has galvanized the imagination of the people and stands as a symbol of a culture thriving in difficult times.

In the adversities we face, let us celebrate the spirit of Cinco de Mayo.

Please contact our Concierge for historical destinations in Mexico. 

Isla Rio Cuale – A Forgotten Jewel?

Well not for Hacienda San Angel Guests! Only a stone’s throw away you will find the Isla Rio Cuale, one of Puerto Vallarta´s best-kept secrets so close to our hotel. Make sure you ask our concierge to prepare you a box lunch to snack on while you enjoy all the happenings at this special spot so close….yet so far.

There is a whole long island green with such diverse flora and fauna that is engulfed by the rushing rivers of the Isla Rio Cuale. Make sure to sip a margarita at one of the restaurants on the island and if you need to cool off take a dip in the river or even better, enjoy air conditioning at a very special piano bar, the Iconic El Incanto Music Club.

 The Isla Cuale has 2 hanging wooden bridges that you must cross. But…don´t lose your balance.

There is a cultural center at the most inland point of the Isla Cuale offering various classes from painting and sculpture to singing and piano. There is always someone to chat with and there is an abundance of classic old white benches to take a rest among the lush vegetation.

The Isla Rio Cuale was originally considered a play area almost half a century ago for the children of Puerto Vallarta.

There is a Bronze John Houston monument located on the island. This monument was placed to mark the 25th anniversary of his movie “The Night of the Iguana” which was filmed at Mismaloya Beach. Make sure to take a selfie!

Where the Isla Rio Cuale meets the Pacific enjoy watching children play, pelicans frolic, and a must-visit to the archaeological Cuale Museum. During the rainy season, the river runs heavily into the ocean and at other times of the year, there is just a calm flow that the birds and local children enjoy.

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping! You will find some wonderful vendors selling some must-have souvenirs and Mexican handicrafts.

You can walk back up the stairs to Hacienda San Angel or jump in a taxi only two-minutes away.

Enjoy!

The History Of Puerto Vallarta

Take a walk down memory lane and let Hacienda San Angel that has a past filled with glamour and romance take you on a flash back to the past……….. We will never forget the spirit and those who founded Puerto Vallarta contributors to its magic that has kept thriving over the past century. 

Puerto Vallarta was originally called Las Peñas in the early 19th century. Its neighboring towns were thriving due to mining and agriculture in San Sebastian del Oeste, Talpa de Allende and Mascota.  

puerta valletta history

The real story regarding the founding of Las Peñas, Puerto Vallarta today is that it was founded by Guadalupe Sánchez Torres, on December 12 1851, as Las Peñas de Santa María de Guadalupe.

Puerto Vallarta grew alongside these high in the sierra towns that are still hidden gems one of which San Sebastian has recently been awarded one of Mexico´s most magical towns. Puerto Vallarta transformed itself into a small fishing village and a served as a landing spot to receive goods to then send inland.   

From 1925 until 1935, the Montgomery Fruit Company operated in the area around Ixtapa which provided an important source of employment in the area. 

Did you know? The first airplane service arrived in 1932 to Puerto Vallarta?

Puerto Vallarta  became a vacation destination for residents of the Sierra Towns by the mid 1950´s and most of the original settlers were those who left the mountain to enjoy llfe by the sea! 

The late Richard Burton purchased the Hacienda’s San Angel´s main villa as a Valentine’s Day gift for his wife, Susan in 1977, after falling in love with Puerto Vallarta as he filmed John Huston’s The Night of the Iguana there in the mid 1960’s. The cult classic film put Puerto Vallarta on the map as a favorite vacation spot for the international glitterati. Perched on the hillside above the famed Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Church, the villa, aptly named Casa Bur-Sus, embodied coastal charm and Mexican architectural tradition. Enjoy seeing some of the old photos of those times by clicking here (I have collected some amazing old photos that I will put in an album and upload tomorrow and put link to)

In 1990, entrepreneur Janice Chatterton purchased Casa Bur-Sus from Susan Burton to use as a vacation home. After splitting her time between San Francisco and Puerto Vallarta for ten years, she decided to relocate to Puerto Vallarta, and began to spearhead a major renovation. The renovation of Casa Bur-Sus soon became a newfound passion for Chatterton, and when she was presented with the opportunity to purchase an adjacent villa, she eagerly snapped it up, renovating it and coining it Casa San Angel. So became Hacienda San Angel, and its original eight room property, which debuted in 2003. Since opening the Hacienda, she has purchased and renovated several additional neighboring villas, creating a spectacular property connected by lush interior courtyards filled with bubbling fountains, fiery bougainvillea and dramatic sculptural details brimming with ancient beauty.

Puerto Vallarta has changed a lot, but a stay at Hacienda San Angel will definitely take you back to the good old days of glamour and old Hollywood!