Housed in a colonial beauty some 500 years young, this family-owned hotel is noteworthy for its exposed stone and brick walls with high, mahogany-beamed ceilings. That look carries through to the best room in the house, No. 11, with its open-air Moroccan tiled bath and shower, which leads to a normal bathroom. A swimming pool shaded by a mammoth mango tree is flanked by two stories of guest rooms, the better ones being Nos. 2, 3, 6, and 7; the loft rooms you don't want. The rooftop solarium and Jacuzzi can be a respite when the orchids are in bloom and everything is in repair. In 2004, this was the dream project of the owners Marc Bautil, of the Belgian consulate, and his wife, a Philippine-American business woman. Ask about their two-bedroom apartment nearby, available for short-term rental. Pros: As atmospheric as a Mexican hacienda, excellent location in the Zone, cable TV. Cons: Employees are not properly in tune with good service standards when the owners are away and working on other projects, bedding, towels, and in-room artwork need to be upgraded, open closets.
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