Stay at Mira Earth Studios
For my 40th birthday, I was seeking not just time away from home, but a place to reconnect with nature. I had been searching for wilderness all year, but I wanted to spend more than an afternoon in a national forest. Staying at Mira Earth Studios seemed to be the perfect solution. Built into the hillside and made with natural materials and utilizing local products, a week at the new hotel in Valle de Guadalupe could offer comfort, a little luxury, and a much-sought-after retreat into nature.
On La Ruta de Vino, Mira Earth Studios sits upon a rocky hillside and blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. I could scarcely see the studios as my husband and I drove up the dirt road because they blended so well into the environment. To enter our studio, we walked level with the green rooftops alive with succulents and stepped down a narrow stairwell to our front door. Upon entering, the bathroom to the left was built with earthen materials, and a circular skylight let in soft natural light. Next we found a king-size bed with light earth-toned covers that promised comfort. A few steps down led to the open kitchen, small dining area, and a handwritten card welcoming us for our few days in residence. Local coffee, tea, wine, and tequila filled the shelves while snacks, many gluten-free, were available for us to enjoy.
The best part of Mira Earth Studios was the east-facing floor-to-ceiling folding door that could be pulled aside to let in the open air. Two woven chairs sit next to a stone fire pit, and a covered jacuzzi filled each balcony, offering views of the large valley. Cultivated lands, grapevines, and gigantic boulders covered the hills and land below. The scenery was breathtaking, and I slowly relaxed under the calming effect of the studio and its surroundings.
Our first morning showed brilliant rays of sunlight piercing the low-hanging clouds. I prepared a pot of té negro and sat on the balcony for a while, soaking in the cool morning and the slowly rising sun on the horizon. Beyond wellness treatments and local experiences, Mira Earth Studios offered to deliver local ingredients to our room so we could make chilaquiles. Although I am of Mexican heritage, I never learned how to make this breakfast specialty in my youth. A ring at the doorbell signaled our basket had arrived, and soon we were cooking away.
Later in the afternoon, we visited the property’s infinity pool and bar area. A DJ was near the counter, but for some reason was playing soft rock favorites in English. I asked our waiter if the music could change to something more fitting the locale, and sure enough, the DJ switched to Spanish and a more lounge poolside vibe. Visiting in September meant we had missed the August harvest season and preceded the holiday travelers of November and December. The only other guests were a couple who seemed to also be traveling from up north. They kept to their space, we kept to ours, and everyone was satisfied.
I woke in the wee hours of the morning on our last day. It was not from discomfort but from the reality that we had to leave and return home. Instead of fighting the restlessness, my husband opened the large window, and we watched the sun rise. A soft morning breeze carried the fragrance of dewy sage and the earthy scent of a land refreshed after another turn around the sun. I did not want to leave, yet I knew home beckoned. The kids and a myriad of household responsibilities needed my attention. But in that moment, I was blissfully at ease. Perhaps it was the numerous parts made from the earth, or being in the midst of nature, that brought me such peace. Either way, I had found my new favorite place in Valle de Guadalupe. It is a studio built with packed earth, yet it has all the luxuries I could ever need.
