Casa Estrella de la Valenciana Hotel Boutique

Off the main road through Valenciana — Guanajuato's colonial silver-mining district 3km above the city centre — Casa Estrella occupies a restored hacienda-style property within walking distance of the Templo de San Cayetano, one of Mexico's finest churrigueresque facades.

Rooms wrap around a planted courtyard, each finished with hand-painted Talavera tile and local stonework. The property's elevation brings cooler nights than the canyon city below, and breakfast on the terrace overlooks a hillside of agave and colonial rooftops.

Valenciana's quiet lanes suit guests wanting distance from the student-heavy Jardín de la Unión scene; the Centro Histórico is a ten-minute taxi ride down the hillside road.