A small and welcoming “Bed and Breakfast” hotel with six guest rooms, located in the heart of Cholula, Puebla.

The Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA is located in a large and elegant adobe home built in the 19th century, a few steps from the Great Pyramid and the Royal Chapel. The old home was lovingly restored, respecting the original architecture while adapting it for today’s use. For two years, Puebla’s artisans carved the stone and wood with traditional tools. Two patios, adorned with limestone fountains, are the focal points of the building.

The Patio of the Talavera Fountain is nestled around a laurel tree, under the apex of a crystal pyramid. Breakfast is served each morning under the tree branches and in the afternoon, guests can enjoy a glass of wine on the surrounding terraces. An antique grand piano, once played by composers Agustin Lara and Pepe Guizar, is part of the décor. Twenty-four unique 18th-century talavera tiles decorate the fountain. The tiles were originally from a Jesuit monastery in the city of Puebla.

The Patio of the Lion Fountain is a beautiful garden with a pleasant central seating area, accessible by a wooden footbridge. Most of the bedrooms and the library are accessed through this patio, which is surrounded with a Saint Thomas marble hallway, protected by a transparent eave. On the south wall, a sculptured stairway accesses the building’s roof garden, where there is a pool with whirlpool, a wet sun-tanning area, a wooden terrace with a huge flower box, and a small telescope. From the roof, there is an exceptional view of all the important buildings in Cholula, the Great Pyramid, the volcanoes, and at night, the starry Cholula sky.

The guest rooms at the Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA conserve their original high ceilings with wide beams, but under the clay floors, hundreds of meters of hot water pipes meander, which help maintain an even temperature ten months a year. Although the thick adobe walls are natural thermal insulation, each room has air conditioning for hot summer days. The double-paned windows help with both acoustic and thermal insulation, and wooden shutters permit the rooms to be completely darkened. The bathrooms are modern, all with bathtubs, sinks and marble floors.

Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA is a small architectural jewel in Cholula, located a few steps from greater jewels like the Great Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, the Royal Chapel and the Franciscan Convent San Gabriel.

Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA is not a conventional hotel, but rather a place of lodging for those who travel leisurely and know how to enjoy the simple and pleasant details of life: a grand piano, a glass of wine, the silhouette of a volcano, a fluffy bed, a warm bathtub and a gourmet breakfast.

At Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA guests receive the personal attention from the owner, Ms. Belem Ríos.

Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA closes during the second and third week of July and from December 22 to January 3, every year.

Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA is a member of the World Heritage Alliance and it is engaged in promoting and maintaining the culture and historical wealth of the region. As a member of the Alliance, Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA promotes sustainable tourism by implementing the principles of the alliance, participating in the qualification of the personnel of the hotel, informing the guests on the sites patrimony, supporting community development around World Heritage sites. Furthermore, the hotel is encouraging the employees to support the local community and the United Nations’ efforts.

The hotel is member of the distinguished group “Tesoros de Morelos” (Treasures of Morelos.)

ACCOMMODATIONS:
Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA has six guest rooms, called “Alcobas de los Pintores" (Bedrooms of the Painters) named after six famous painters whose works representing the "Adoration" are reproduced in each room.

Check-in: 3:00 p.m.
Check-out: 1:00 p.m.

Alcoba Andrea Mantegna:
This guest room was originally the kitchen of the house. It has a queen bed. The oil painting over the bed is a copy of “The Adoration of the Magi," painted by Andrea Mantegna in 1500. It reflects the influence of the Venetian and Flemish schools.

Alcoba Ghirlandaio - Domenico di Tommaso:
Originally the dining room of the house and its beautiful French-style stucco ceiling has been preserved. From the middle of the ceiling hangs a silver French chandelier with eight lights. It has a king bed, a desk, a fireplace and a large bathroom with a sunken double whirlpool bath and separate shower besides of a small interior garden. The oil painting that decorates the room is a copy of “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Ghirlandaio, painted for the Sassetti Chapel in the Santa Trinita Church, in Florence.

Alcoba Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez:
This guest room was originally the boys’ bedroom, and has a queen bed. A stone stairway leads to a loft, where there is a sofa bed and a desk. The oil painting that decorates this room is a copy of “The Adoration of the Magi” by Diego Velazquez, dated 1619, and may have been painted for the Novitiate of the Seville Jesuits.

Alcoba Giorgione - Giorgio da Caltelfranco:
Originally the girls’ bedroom, it has a queen bed and a desk. The oil painting that decorates the room is a copy of “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Giorgione, which is believed to have been painted prior to 1506.

Alcoba Bartolomé Esteban Murillo:
The former master bedroom of the house, and has a queen bed. A stone stairway leads to a loft, where there is a sofa bed and a desk. The oil painting that decorates the room is a copy of “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Esteban Murillo

Alcoba Pieter Bruegel, the Elder:
This alcoba was originally the living room of the house. It has a king bed, desk, fireplace and large bathroom with a sunken double whirlpool bath, separate shower and a small interior garden. A stone stairway leads to a large loft, where there is a sofa bed and a desk. The oil painting that decorates the room is a copy of “The Adoration of Magi” by Bruegel the Elder. “The Adoration of Magi” is an archetypal image and has been extensively painted by artists of all epochs and all styles. Nevertheless, only a few manage to give it a new air.

All bedrooms offer the following services and amenities:

• Air-conditioning, although the thick walls of the hotel offer natural insulation
• Bathrooms with shower and bathtub
• Cable LCD televisions
• Digital safe
• Heated floors
• High-speed Internet with Ethernet access and wireless (WI-FI)
• Noise-blocking windows and wooden shutters that allow the room to be completely darkened at any time of the day
• The furniture is in a French country style and is made of alder; a tree from the British Isles that the Celts and Scots believed was sacred.
• Two telephone lines with direct dialing

Smoking is not permitted in the “alcobas” and bathrooms, although it is permitted in the public areas of the hotel.

Because the hotel is a peaceful place and has a roof-top pool, Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA does not accept children under age 12. All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their parents and under their responsibility.

RESTAURANT:
Estrella de Belem, B&B & SPA is a “Bed and Breakfast” and does not have a restaurant. A gourmet breakfast is daily served to the guests in the Patio de la Talavera, under a crystal pyramid.

Gourmet breakfasts can be served from Monday to Friday, to small groups (four to 12 persons) of non-guests. However, appointments are need at least four days in advance.

GUEST SERVICES:
The hotel has a washing and a dryer machine for the use of the guests. Outside dry cleaning services are available. During the weekdays, clothing received in the morning is returned in the evening. On the weekends, clothing is returned Monday evening.

Estrella de Belem has a roof garden with a pool and a whirlpool, wet sun-tanning area and terrace. The roof garden has spectacular views of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the San Gabriel Convent and the volcanoes. The use of these areas is free for guests.

In addition, the hotel offers, by pre-arranged appointment and at an extra charge, massages, body treatments and facials in a private cabin. If the guest desires, massages and treatments can be given outdoors on the terrace.

 

For prices, reservations, availability and bookings, please contact us at: visit@luxuriousmexico.com