The Eco-Hotel was designed by its owner, a Mexican architect. Above all what makes the Eco-Hotel special is the location, above the city of Patzcuaro on the street that leads to a city park (picnic area and overlook). The view from the Eco-Hotel is in itself stunning, looking out over 2/3 of the lake and the villages located on its north edge. Recently opened after a few years of construction, the Eco-Hotel has a mexican and american management team that are putting in place a special vision for the hotel, a mix of environmental stewardship and incredibly warm hospitality. You won't find a better view in Patzcuaro and the rest of the experience measures up as well. We had a completely wonderful time during our stay at the Eco-Hotel for 5 nights in early April and suggest that anyone going to Patzcuaro should investigate the Eco-Hotel.

The five best attributes of the Eco-Hotel are:

1) The location - views, views, views. Also, being at the edge of the Calvario neighborhood above the city (but located very close to the city) give you a mix of separation which gives you a quiet place to stay but one that allows you to be in central Patzcuaro or the lake within a few minutes. An added bonus is having an American trained Licensed Massage Therapist who has his home office next door.
2) The food - breakfast is included in the room charge. The chef, Rita, lays on a tremendous spread each morning with a mix of cereal/granola, bread, eggs, coffee, etc. With special arrangement she will serve a dinner on the balcony overlooking the lake. Its hard to decide which to praise more, the view or Rita's cooking, suffice it to say that both are superlative. If you don't stay at the Eco-Hotel, you should go up for breakfast or arrange an evening meal. The food is some of the best in Patzcuaro.
3) The hospitality - the staff is very warm and make the stay a complete pleasure. From incredible breakfasts whipped up by Rita and crew to guided tours, even by the high standards of friendliness set in Patzcuaro generally, the EcoHotel staff is amazing.
4) The rooms/beds - The beds are very comfortable (not always the case in even high quality hotels in Mexico) and the room was exactly what we were looking for (including a spectacular view of the lake from our kitchen)
5) The Eco-Hotel is doing its best to minimize the environmental footprint the hotel has. From energy efficiency projects to growing organic fruit and vegetables on site, the staff of the Eco-Hotel are transforming the operation. This is exactly the type of project which needs support the most, one that was not originally designed with ecological values first and foremost. By diligently making the transition to a more ecological operation, the Eco-Hotel is demonstrating that operating in the greenest manner feasible can lead to an excellent guest experience and is viable for other hotels to follow their lead.

I just stayed at the Ecco Hotel for a Yoga Retreat.
It is a lovely place !
Situated on a hill overlooking the Lake and town of Patzcuaro, the views are incredible. It is very peaceful and a wonderful place for a yoga retreat.
The staff at the hotel could not be more helpful and friendly.
Michelle Roos, the manager, is very accomodating, and knows evrything about the area. She is helpful and always ready to create local excursions. And she does everything, suggests where to go, arranges transportation (if needed) and sometimes goes with the group.
The rooms are lovely, not overly fancy, but beautiful views, and the suites are very large with stove, microwave, coffee maker.
And extremely clean.
The hotel is situated about a 20 minute walk from Patzcuaro, a very Mexican town that is fun to stroll around. No screaming tourist signs, just a town with lots of shops and restaurants.
I would highly recommend this hotel for future yoga retreats, quiet vacations or vacations with famlies. It has I think about 12 rooms, so would be ideal for a family reunion.

My wife and I stayed at the Eco in January while driving from Manzanillo to our winter home in San Miguel. We jumped at the chance to go back to the Eco Hotel in February while family were visiting from Canada. I am happy to say that Patzcuaro was as wonderful as it was the first time, and the Eco was even better. They now serve a full breakfast in the beatuful dining room overlooking the lake and islands. Enchanting!

If you are looking for the Real Mexico. This is it! The hotel is a great place to stay, tranquil and beautiful. Michelle your hostess will take you into the surrounding villages that have been there for centuries and you will meet the craftsmen of old. We have traveled all over main-land Mexico and Patzcuaro is one place we would love to go back to. The hotel is located on a quite hilltop just above town. The walk to town is a few minutes and a great experience. We even ate at the local open-air market and it was fantastic!