Hotel Cielo Rojo – Experiencing San Pancho’s Iconic Hotel & Bistro
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If any business could fully emulate the essence of San Pancho, it’s the lovely Hotel Cielo Rojo. For the past 15 years, Hotel Cielo Rojo has been an integral part of the development and identity of San Pancho.
With its location close to things to do in the heart of town, its exquisite bistro, and formidable hospitality, it’s a long-time favorite accommodation for both international and national visitors.
When its founder, Gisela, drove down the main avenue of Tercer Mundo in San Pancho in 2005, she immediately fell in love with the town’s humble and charming character. The rest is history. Or so it would seem! Hotel Cielo Rojo quickly integrated into the local community and grew alongside it.
After getting to stay overnight in our homey room, and experiencing (on several occasions) their gourmet, sustainable fare, I’m happy to share my honest thoughts about staying at Hotel Cielo Rojo.
Here is my full review and experience at Hotel Cielo Rojo in San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico!
The Hotel
You’ll see Hotel Cielo Rojo with a white arrow on all the directional signs as you turn into San Pancho and drive down Tercer Mundo. It’s the only featured hotel in San Pancho.
As for its prime location, Hotel Cielo Rojo proudly lies in the heart of town. Their slogan, “where horses share the streets and sunsets are the main event,” speaks to this pueblo’s charm.
There’s also much to be said about the decor inside Hotel Cielo Rojo. Everything, from the exterior’s warm yellow paint to the original artwork, is Mexican-inspired and carefully selected.
But Hotel Cielo Rojo is much more than simply a place to stay. Gisela and her business partner, Calixto, aim to create a “home away from home” atmosphere.
This positive energy can be felt deeply throughout your stay, experienced through authentic daily interactions between staff and guests, turning strangers into friends. More often than not, you’ll find Gisela and Calixto intermingling with their guests, some of whom are long-time Hotel Cielo Rojo visitors.
The Philosophy
The Hotel Cielo Rojo stands out among all the hotels in San Pancho. Not because it’s spotless or perfect, but because everything is purposeful!
From the rooms to the bistro, everything is designed to promote Mexican artisanship, creativity, and sustainability!
The Rooms
The hotel features three open-air floors filled with Mexican art and plants. As you wind your way up to your room, stop and look around! It’s in these small moments of silence that you can experience Hotel Cielo Rojo’s warm, homey atmosphere.
There are approximately 10 rooms, including doubles, suites, and triple rooms that are designed to accommodate groups and families.
We stayed in the Bougainvillea room, a double room on the third floor with a view of the private courtyard below. It’s perfect for couples!
A welcome bottle of Hotel Cielo Rojo’s branded tequila greeted us on the bedroom shelf. It’s plenty for at least 2 shots to celebrate with your travel partner!
The courtesy tequila, artisanal soaps, and organic cotton bed sheets, all spoke to the essence of Hotel Cielo Rojo’s down-to-earth, Mexican hospitality and sustainable philosophy.
The Organic Bistro
Speaking of Hotel Cielo Rojo’s essence, the property wouldn’t be complete without its very special and inviting Bistro Organico! As you enter the bistro, the open-air kitchen and private inner courtyard invite you in.
As one friend (who frequently dines for lunch at the bistro) told me, it’s like walking into a romantic, intimate cafe somewhere in Europe.
What sets the bistro at Hotel Cielo Rojo apart from other San Pancho restaurants, is its dedication to organic, sustainable, wholesome food. They source healthy ingredients from local and regional farmers and hone in on their chefs’ expertise and creativity in order to create unique Mexican-inspired dishes.
I’ve eaten at the Bistro on a number of occasions and came to the conclusion that it’s my favorite place to eat in San Pancho!
Should you choose to stay as a guest in the hotel, you get a small yet sweet complimentary breakfast of granola, yogurt, and fruit. You can add on food from the menu for extra if you’d like.
I highly recommend the banana pancakes, organic huevos rancheros, or the avocado toast!
Special Events
The bistro isn’t just a place for good food, however.
It also hosts quite a number of special events, thanks to its warm and inviting atmosphere, filled with plants and Mexican-style decor.
Valentine’s Dinner Evening 2020
On any given week, Hotel Cielo Rojo is likely to host a book signing or gallery showing by a local artist. They even welcome special chefs from around the world.
You can also expect gourmet dinners or luncheons at Hotel Cielo Rojo’s Bistro for special occasions, like Valentine’s Day, Hotel Week, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, and so on!
We recently had the pleasure of sharing a special 4-course organic dinner at Hotel Cielo Rojo for Valentine’s this year, and it made for the perfect evening with wholesome food, selected wine pairings, and live jazz music.
The Vibe
I love the vibe at Hotel Cielo Rojo, especially during brunch hours when the sun is shining through the trees, and the breeze is nice and cool.
My favorite feature in the courtyard is the babbling rock fountain, which brings a sense of calm and tranquility.
Hotel Cielo Rojo also sells local and regionally sourced Mexican handmade clothes, jewelry, bags, oils, snacks, and more. Look for the small, airy enclosure as you enter the hotel on your right.
As for things to do outside of the hotel, you’re mere steps away from a handful of local boutiques and restaurants.
To name a few, there’s Ikan, a delightful seafood restaurant, and the Kiosko for all your convenience needs (it also has an ATM inside). Just one street over is where you can find two produce markets and a variety of popular restaurants.
Of course, don’t forget you’re only a 6-7 minute walk to the beach!
Amenities
You can expect to have the following amenities during your stay at Hotel Cielo Rojo!
- Comfy double beds with organic cotton sheets
- Air conditioners in the rooms
- Artisanal soaps/shampoos
- Fresh linens and towels
- Complimentary breakfast
- On-site organic bistro
- Bicycles for guests
- Beach umbrellas and towels upon request
- Tequila tastings on Fridays
- …and more!
There is also wifi in all of the rooms. The wifi booster doesn’t work as well on the third floor, but the tables in the bistro downstairs double as a nice place to work on a laptop.
Staying at Hotel Cielo Rojo in San Pancho
With its warm and personable service, organic Bistro, central location, and authentic Mexican Pueblo atmosphere, Hotel Cielo Rojo has been a long-time favorite place for visitors to San Pancho!
At the end of the day, what I appreciate most about Hotel Cielo Rojo is its sustainable values and dedication to preserving and promoting Mexican artisanship!
You can follow along on Hotel Cielo Rojo’s Instagram page for event updates and more right here.
If you want an authentic experience in San Pancho, a stay at Hotel Cielo Rojo is a must!
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Finally, a special thanks to Hotel Cielo Rojo for sponsoring and hosting me to stay at the hotel. As always, all opinions expressed here are my own! I love HCR and think you will too.