“We’ve always felt like the energy of the building is really warm and welcoming,” remarks Laura Kirar. The American-born designer, who has been living in Mexico full-time for the past three years, is the owner of Mesón Hidalgo, a guest house and boutique in San Miguel de Allende.
Laura Kirar’s goal to open Mesón Hidalgo was always a “someday kind of thing” but has turned out to be quite the success.
Built in 1693, it was rumored to once have been home to a priest who “healed people and performed miracles,” hence its aforementioned good juju, but today it’s been transformed into three distinctive guest suites and a retail spot, a model that is unlike anything else in the colorful tourist town.
“The first time I visited, I was smitten,” Laura says of San Miguel de Allende. “I fell in love with the people and how beautiful it is.” It is indeed picturesque, and Mesón Hidalgo perfectly captures that same spirit through its whimsical design schemes and hand-crafted furnishings. The best part? Everything is for sale: “Whether it be vintage lamps I have collected and put in one of the guest rooms or things made in the Yucatan, everything can be taken home or made-to-order,” says the designer.
From the doorway to the stairs to the tapestries hanging on the walls, the space is filled with incredible attention to detail.
The building was last renovated 30 years ago but still needed to be brought up to a luxury level, which was done over a six-month period through new plumbing, doors, hardware, and paint.
