Piedras De Sol Solaris

“Great place if you know what to expect”

After visiting nearby Las Estacas and its crowded environment, we drove 5 minutes down the road to the non-charming village of Tlaltizapan. It is a sugar cane growing region set in a valley. Fortunately we found the crumbling grand entrance to the hotel off the road. It appeared to be grand at s… more

After visiting nearby Las Estacas and its crowded environment, we drove 5 minutes down the road to the non-charming village of Tlaltizapan. It is a sugar cane growing region set in a valley. Fortunately we found the crumbling grand entrance to the hotel off the road. It appeared to be grand at some distant past like the 1970s or perhaps 1980s with a cobblestone tree lined parkway up and up to the hotel itself. Parking at the lobby was a welcome relief, with a charming fountain cooling the desert air. The lobby is festooned with original blown glass artwork of a grand scale. Our reservation was quickly honored, and it seemed like we were getting royal treatment for a serious budget price! We got a room with a double bed, a single bed, and a pullout sleeper sofa. The materials were quite dated but clean except for the sleeper sofa, which we chose not to use. The room was very large, with an ample bathroom and nice hot shower. The sizable balcony with table and chairs was stupendous. The view of the green valley below and the arid mountains surrounding is breathtaking. As night falls, the twinkling lights of small villages up the valley become visible. It is possible to view at least four separate villages up the valley from your balcony. It was reported that on clear mornings the majestic snow capped Volcan Iztaccihuatl is visible. However, we were denied this experience due to climatic conditions. The bathroom was not perfectly clean and could have used a paint job, as there was plaster falling from some corners. Again, it was like it was nice in the 70s but has not been updated. I must speak of the grounds. We traveled with our 5 and 9 year old children, and they were enchanted by the two separate swimming pools with equally stunning views of this mountain valley. Exploring further reveals a decrepit cement waterslide that was non functional, but the kids had fun climbing up and down the bouganvilla strewn cement pathway, perhaps dreaming of sliding down with water. However, the cement sides made us parents wary of possible injurious behavior, so we looked elsewhere for fun. Fortunately there is much to be had. There is a small playground with swings and monkey bars for the kids, always set in this oasis vegetation. There is a run down abandoned snack bar that the kids had fun making "lemon ice cream" from the surrounding fruit trees and "serving" it to us. Again, an opportunity for imagination to run wild. Further exploration could lead to the helipad and "camping area." We visited on a weekend (Las Estacas crowded and suffocating) and were pleasantly surprised that this hotel had perhaps 5 other rooms filled on a puente weekend. This did have an effect on the restaurant service. The restaurant is set slightly below and to the side of the rooms, affording equivalent fantastic views while dining. It is open air but covered, offering a refreshing airy experience. The service was slow because of few patrons. My son was excited for pizza, but they said they had none. He instead had chicken nuggets. We had some arrachera and a mixed salad which were both good, but not excellent. In the morning, we came down at 9am and were told there would be service in 20 minutes (!). We were the only ones there and enjoyed the peace and quiet while sipping our disappointing coffee, which tasted instant. The standard eggs and beans plates were fine. The bar was not stocked. They ran out of beer for patrons (on a holiday weekend!) when there were only a handful of patrons! Overall, if you are looking for a not quite perfect way to relax and escape the crowds, Piedras del Sol offers a unique and enjoyable experience if you can suffer a few disadvantages. Bring your own beer and be prepared to wait for food. It is a wonderful setting to wait!

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