Like Being in a Ski Lodge -- Without the ICE
Written: Oct 16 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Rustic mountain retreat
Cons: Far from other attractions
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| mrkstvns's Full Review: Chipinque Hotel |
One of my favorite things about ski trips is the warm feeling of staying in the ski lodge. I love the rustic wood timbers, a fire crackling in a huge stone fireplace, and the feeling of quiet solitude that comes from being outdoors among the pines. There might not be any skiing in Mexico, but there sure are ruggedly rustic mountain lodges with ski lodge warmth!
As you'd expect from a major metropolitan area of over 4 million people, Monterrey has dozens of top-flight hotels, including locations of most major international hotel chains. Many of these are wonderful hotels in their own right, but almost all are in the central urban area. But there is one Monterrey-area hotel that is very special to me, and that really does stand apart from the crowd -- Chipinque. (See my general guide to Monterrey hotels for short reviews of other area hotels).
Monterrey calls itself the "city of mountains" -- la ciudad de las montaņas -- and it's a fitting moniker since the city is surrounded by the towering heights of several mountains from the Sierra Madre range. These mountains are part of a national park that brackets much of the city. The centerpiece of the park system is the huge, white-faced toothed mountain called Chipinque. The park is rugged, with lots of steep mountain trails, and its densely forested with thousands of acres of mature pines.
Set in the very heart of this park is the cozy, comfortable lodge on the mountain's meseta.
Room At the Top
Hotel-style rooms or private cabins? That's your first decision -- Chipinque has both. The lodge has the advantage of being more affordable and closer to the restaurant and bar, while the cabins (called cabaņas) offer more space, privacy, and a more romantic setting. I prefer the cabaņas.
Some cabaņas are large with two or more bedrooms, and are ideally suited for families. Others are smaller, more intimate, and ideally suited for couples. The cabins are rustic log cabins with lots of stonework, from the walls to the fireplaces. Most cabins do have fireplaces, though they may not be operating. The park sufferred a devastating forest fire in 1998, and since then, fires have been banned throughout most of the park. (Last time I was there, they were taking the grills out of picnic areas.)
The rooms are comfortably furnished with rustic-style furniture -- the same kind of stuff you find in ski lodges in U.S. resorts. Beds with stout pine timber headboards and footboards, rustic pine tables and dressers with wrought iron handles and hinges. About the only thing in the room that doesn't seem rustic is the color TV. The bathroom is another story -- very modern with polished marble floors and showers. Our shower area was huge with plenty of room for two.
Our cabaņa had a small balcony with a wrought iron table and chairs. The balcony didn't face down into the valley though, it faced up! That night, we were pleasantly surprised at how beautiful that view really was as the moon reflected off the stark white rocks of the cliffs above us -- it was almost like they'd been lit with spotlights!
Our cabaņa for 2 people for 2 nights cost us just over US$100 per night. I expect that rates vary seasonally and depending on how full the lodge projects it will be. You can find cheaper hotels downtown, but you won't find anything else with this level of comfort for this price.
Dinner for Two
I'm not usually a big fan of hotel restaurants, but I have to admit, I like the restaurant at Chipinque! It's a comfortable, rustic place that feels like a huge friendly steakhouse, except that it's got an incredible view of the city below. The food is mostly northern Mexican -- lots of dishes like fajitas (called arrachera when you're in el norte), and a full bar (I usually stick to beer though). Prices are reasonable -- dinner for two will probably run you US$20-30.
The Great Outdoors
The real attraction that sets Chipinque Lodge apart from other hotels in the area is the park. Miles and miles of hiking and biking trails criss-cross the mountain, some leading to other parts of the massive park system. The lodge has mountain bikes that they'll loan you as guests of the lodge. One of the nicest rides is up to the fire spotting tower on the adjacent peak. It's about 3-1/2 miles as the crow flies. Part of the ride is up insanely steep, ruggedly rocky trails.
If you're not into hiking or mountain biking, there are also tennis courts and the lodge, and a swimming pool. You can also use the park facilities right outside the gatehouse. There's a large playground for the kids, and plenty of picnic tables.
Getting There:
From the suburban neighborhood of Garza Garcia, you travel through an upscale area of million dollar homes that line the broad boulevard that gradually becomes a twisty mountain road as it begins its ascent of Chipinque. There's a guard booth at the park entrance where an admission fee is collected. If you're a guest of the hotel with reservations, tell the guard and he'll let you pass without paying the park entrance fee.
From the gate, it's about 5 miles to the lodge, all of it along a beautiful scenic road that goes around hairpin turns and offers occasional pull-off areas where you can stop and snap a few pictures of the panoramic vista of the city sprawled out at the mountain base. Monterrey is frequently hazy, but on a clear day, the view is incredible! The valley floor where the city of Monterrey lies is fairly arid with scrubby vegetation and lots of rocks. As you climb upward though, the sparse scrub brush gives way to dense pine forest, which makes up the bulk of the mountain terrain.
When you get to the top, there's another guard booth with gates into the hotel area (the general park-going public is not permitted to park in the hotel parking areas). The area is remote, and eerily quiet at night. This solitude is one of the big benefits of the place, but it also means that if you're coming by taxi, you're going to have to plan ahead when you want to leave since there's no stepping outside the door and hailing the first cab to come along. Chipinque is best for people with their own cars.
Recommended:
Yes
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