When traveling, it is often difficult to plan a vacation that really embodies all of the elements that one is looking for. As avid horseback riders, we are interested in seeing as much of the world as possible from the back of a horse, preferably riding one that rivals those that we own. As a restaurant owner and a winemaker, we are thrilled when a vacation spot provides the perfect blend of delicious food and tasty beverages. As people interested in learning something about the culture and the people of the places we travel, we are always excited when there is a resident expert to enhance our vacation with answers to our questions about the history, culture, religion, and art of the area. And, while we have had the privilege of staying in many fine, heavily starred hotels throughout the world, what we are always seeking is the place that provides home-like comforts, a place that is clean, welcoming, and beautiful, and doesn't need to win us over with mints on the pillow or a perfectly stocked mini-bar. Many times, when traveling, we've been able to be satisfied with one or two of our desires, but it is not often that we are fulfilled on all of them. Casa Sagrada changed that.

Our primary reason for booking our stay with Mary Jane was to ride horses with her through the beautiful Oaxaca Valley, and ride we did. Mary Jane has wonderful horses, many who can be ridden by novice riders, but will provide experienced riders with the speed and excitement of a fit horse. We spent several days, and some long hours in the saddle, but the excursions were interesting and fun, and left us hungry for some wonderful comida. Enter Rayna and her kitchen staff, who provided us with bountiful meals throughout the day. While breakfast was simple, it was always filling, with fresh squeezed juices, piping hot coffee, and who can forget the delicious hot chocolate, a Oaxacan specialty. Lunches and dinners were equally impressive. Our palettes tingled with the new textures and sensations of traditional Oaxacan fare. Crispy, light tortillas, silky mole', locally made, lean chorizo and Tezano beef, piquante salsa, perfect guacamole, buttery beans. Our mouths water remembering the tastes of Casa Sagrada. Our meals were always accompanied by our beverage of choice, whether it be a nice bottle of wine, a killer margarita, or a glass of refreshing hibiscus water.

Mary Jane really is a wealth of knowledge about the area, and our conversations while riding and around the dining table were always lively and interesting. There wasn't a question that Mary Jane couldn't answer, whether about the fiestas, the locals, the surrounding area, the art, the language, the history, the heritage, the archeology, the architecture. She was fun to talk to, easy to learn from, and made sure that our week was filled with unique excursions and offerings. How wonderful to drink mescal directly from the distiller, and to taste the roasted Maguey plant prior to its fermenting. A sensation one doesn't forget easily. A traditional, cleansing Temascal with Alejandro should be on every visitors list. It is an experience not to be missed. While we did not find time for some yoga practice or a massage, we understand that Shoshanna and Alejandro are wizards in this regard. The only thing we missed, and will have to return for some day, was a trip into the mountains.

Casa Sagrada itself is a wonderful place to spend your days. The space is warm and inviting, clean and tidy, with beautiful gardens, wild orchids growing from tree limbs, peppers growing in the garden, and of course two wonderful, smiling dogs and a most affectionate three-
legged cat. Always a friend around to see how your day was and if your needs were being fulfilled. For relaxing, choose a lounge chair on the terrace overlooking the Sacred Mountain, or a hammock swinging near the cactus garden. And while you won't find your linens changed daily, and you'll be asked to dispose of toilet paper in a wastebasket rather than the toilet, you're room will always be tidied, your bed made, and everything refreshed after a day out and about.

What can we say, Mary Jane and all. You have provided a wonderful experience, one which we will continue to cherish for years to come. We arrived as strangers, departed as friends. Muchas Gracias!

This is the most difficult hotel review I’ve ever written.

The truth is that I liked this place. In the end, the good points outweighed the bad ones. Your experience may vary (obviously, based on the other reviews on this site).

First, take into consideration that several years have elapsed since Outside magazine selected Casa Sagrada as one of its top ten. This property is not operated by a heartless corporation in Salt Lake City. It’s a tiny operation, and something like a family upheaval will have a noticeable impact. That’s all I have to say about that.

It’s also important to note that Casa Sagrada is probably the only inn of any kind in Teotitlan del Valle, making it a player of some weight in the tiny town’s economy.

We got the last room available. The rates seemed high for a room with an outdoor bathroom, but they did include breakfast and dinner, so I agreed. The website made the place look very elegant, I thought, so how bad could it be? In my experience, there’s usually at least a sink in the room even if there’s no toilet and shower.

Our room was Paris-small: Only slightly larger than the bed. No sink. Other guests had nicer rooms, but they also paid more than we did.

The grounds are not tidy. In fact, they’re downright weedy.

The outdoor bathroom was actually charming, with lovely tile all over the shower room and a fun outdoor sink. The downside is that the shower wasn’t cleaned during the four days we were there, and the termites in the ceiling had been dropping chunks of wood down into the soap. I suppose it’s excellent for exfoliation, if you’re into that kind of thing.

This is a rustic inn, and I do not hold the plumbing against them as they’re just victims of the town’s infrastructure, but it probably should be mentioned here that you’re advised not to flush until absolutely necessary (which isn’t a problem, really), and that you can’t flush toilet paper at all (which is). One simply puts one’s paper into the wastebasket. The wastebasket gets emptied every day. On the last morning we were there, the inn dogs had gotten into this trash and spread it about. The staff had it cleaned up quickly, but it happened.

I also do not hold the mosquitoes against them. We were there at the end of the rainy season. But when we discovered that there were colonies of fleas on the property (the dogs were filthy) and that they were biting us and riding on our clothes into our room and our bed, I did complain. Fleas are pretty easy to control since Bayer invented Advantage. To their merit, the hotel did refund some of our money when I complained about the fleas.

I don’t need to have my sheets changed during my stay, but I do like my bed to be made. On the first day, this was overlooked, although the bed was made on the second day. I asked for dry towels late one evening, but they weren’t delivered until after my shower the next morning.

If you’re still reading, you are probably intrigued and you might be just the right sort of customer for Casa Sagrada.

The owner is a businesswoman, and she appears to be one of those people who is driven. She has written a book about the culture in the town, complete with beautiful photographs she and family members have taken over the years she has lived there. She is not a native, but she values and understands the local mindset.

The kitchen puts out some excellent local fare – multi-course meals with flair. Other reviewers go into more detail on this matter.

The inn is on a hill above the town, and due to the prevailing winds, one can stand on the terrace and hear every sound the town makes, from the beginning music students at the grade school to the burros, turkeys, and roosters in every backyard. It is truly a delight.

The website touts various activities available, and I highly recommend an all-morning or all-day guided horseback ride through the hills. Others enjoyed yoga, massage, and less traditional healing adventures.

By far, the thing I enjoyed most about this unique property was the view of the valley from the terrace, with the sacred mountain just beside us. Sitting down with a glass of wine, a three-legged cat curled up in my lap, to enjoy a painterly sunset after a day of sightseeing, listening to sounds of singing in the town below, more than balances a few fleas and some moist towels.

Casa Sagrada is a soulful place to stay. Mary Jane and her husband Arnulfo are generous hosts. I highly recommend this exquisite jewel of a resort.

My boyfriend & I stayed 5 nights at Casa Sagrada in early September. Since it was the end of the season, we were the only ones there. The house is nestled on a hilltop of Teotitlan de Valle, so the views are breathtaking. On some days the clouds were level with the house that it felt like we were floating on them. Our room was nicely appointed with traditional artwork & rugs weaved by the owner, artist Arnulfo Mendoza. It opened up to a veranda overlooking some cacti & the stable. Since, we were the only guests there, it was our own private patio.

Nothing could describe the food. Reyna's cooking is World Class, that we kept asking her to come back home with us. She cooked us breakfast & dinner accompanied by fresh juices & delicious desserts. By chance we happen to be there right before a fiesta, that we got to experience the world famous Mole Negro the last night we were there.

We enjoyed 3 days of horseback riding through the valley with Mary Jane and our designated horses Centurion & Mambo. Mary Jane was a great guide & she knew how to ease any tension from an unexperienced rider.

Teotitlan de Valle is a perfect stating point for day trips to the market of Tlacolula & the ruins of Mitla. We took an un-guided hike up one of the nearby peaks with a packed lunch from Reyna.

I could just keep going but there are not enough words to describe how much I loved Casa Sagrada, I havev shared some of my photos and video, so you can judge for yourself.