by Danielle Andrews Sunkel
Danielle Andrews Sunkel, Natalia Bejarano Calero, Elizabeth Petersen, Ian Berg, Alan Berg, Linnyette Richardson-Hall and Carmen Laborin on the Post=tour of Guadalajara & surrounding area
After speaking at the Latin American Congress of Weddings & Events, we had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Post Tour Arranged by Elizabeth Petersen of Specialty Cleaners in Guadalajara. This trip was sponsored by a host of organizations including The Latin American Congress of Weddings & Events, the Mexico Tourism Board, Mundo Cuervo, Hacienda de Carmen, Hacienda La Labor and Villa del Ensueno.
13 rings to represent the original calendar of months, with four smaller rings, representing the seasons.
Our tour started an hour west of Guadalajara, at the Gauchimontones archeological site near the town of Teuchitlán. Guachimontones is the site of circular pyramids from 300BC! The pyramids were first discovered in 1970, but only excavated in 1996.
Danielle & Tracey atop Gran Gauchi, the largest of the pyramids
We climbed to an elivation of 5000 feet and had an amazing view of Teuchitlán and the mountains beyond. Teuchitlán means “place dedicated to the divine”, which is what Guachimontones is all about. The Teuchitlan tradition, was a complex, peaceful society consisting of about 40,000 people. There were no human sacrifices made here.
How the place looked in 300BC
We had quite an experience here, a prayer circle, a ballgame demonstration and a fabulous tour.
Our guide demonstrating the traditional ballgame.
The site is very peaceful.
Danielle with the pyramids and the town of Teuchitlán behind
Our next stop was the unbelievable Hacienda de Carmen Hotel and Spa. I don’t know how to properly describe this gorgeous establishment. It is serene, beautiful and so full of histroy. It is everything you would want from a traditional Mexican boutique experience and more. Carmelite Monks over 300 years ago to finance Guadalajara’s famous Convento del Carmen.
The front of the Hacienda
The cuisine at Hacienda de Carmen is wonderful. The food is prepared using only local ingredients and most are grown on-site. They even age their own tequila, Alebrijes.
The grounds of Hacienda de Carmen are so serene and the spa is just gorgeous. It is very easy to forget your troubles, let your hair down and just relax here.
This was dreamy. Relaxing away an afternoon, reading in a hammock. Photo by Carmen Laborin
Tracey and I walked all over the property taking over 100 photos each, around every corner there was something new and gorgeous to discover. There is a six-hole golf course, a lake, bubbling fountains, a pool, the spa, stables, rabbit cages and many fruit trees.
Each of the doors leads to a unique hotel room.
The ruins make a perfect photo op!
There are two of these waterfall features on the property, I just love them!
Can you imagine wedding photos here??? This couple is having an Engagement photoshoot here.
This would be the ultimate location for a wedding and there are even 27 rooms for the guests.
Amid the pomegrante, lime, fig and mango trees, overlooking a volcano, the perfect spot to put a tent for weddings, there is even a gorgeous restroom building beside this space.
This courtyard is amazing for an outdoor ceremony or reception. At night, this gorgeous tree is lit with Mexican tin lanterns.
This space is amazing. It has in-laid mosaics on the floor, gorgeous rounded ceilings and beautiful pillars. Perfect for today’s “Rustic” themed weddings.
They even have their own, Achbishop-sanctioned, private Catholic chapel.
This is the very-private Honeymoon Suite
Outside the Honeymoon Suite
Inside the Honeymoon suite. There is a steam room, jacuzzi and a door off the back leads to the in-ground pool.
Before we left the next day, Monica Baeza, one of the family owners of the estate showed us their 160-hectare agricultural system. They grow sugar cane, corn and peppers on their land.
Inside one of the greenhouses, Monica explains the Hacienda de Carmen’s agricultural operation.
Time for a group photo in front of the sugar cane fields before we head off to Tequila.
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