Huge hotel planned for Ajijic and Lake Chapala

Radisson Blu Hotel Announced at Mexico's Lake Chapala

Mexican real estate and investment firm Sun-Star Group, led by real estate developer Omar O’Rourke Martinez and his partner Thomas Wahl, a seasoned hotel executive, have executed an agreement with Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, for the development and operation of a Radisson Blu Hotel at Lake Chapala, with an option for additional territories.

Lake Chapala is a popular destination located within 50 kilometers of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city, and located within 25 minutes of Guadalajara’s international airport as well as El Salto, an important industrial corridor and home to the Mexican and Latin American headquarters for many multi-national corporations.

Radisson Blu is an upscale international chain of full service hotels and resorts brand with stunning design and truly innovative service features. These flagship hotels are found in prime locations around the globe, with more than 395 properties now open or in development in more than 110 countries.

Radisson Blu Hotel Announced at Mexico's Lake Chapala

Tonala for a few days

A little disappointed with the quality of the artenesia but glad we went. We had two choices for hotels and we went with the less expensive Hacienda del Sol which turned out well. The other option was the Casa de las Palomas for about 100 pesos more. Hacienda del Sol was 450 pesos for 2 people, had a nice restaurant in the lobby and large indoor parking. Both are close to downtown and the Art Tianguis.

We had planned on staying 3 days and seeing more of Guadalajara but we found Tonala not very interesting and lacking decent restaurants and a taxi to Guad Centro was 150 pesos. Didn't want to deal with buses or park downtown. Walked a lot Saturday and did the Artisania Tianguis on Sunday morning. The tianguis goes on for blocks and blocks but I found very little was special. The shops that are there every day are not real easy to find. I'm sure we missed a few good stores but maybe another time

Sunday afternoon we took a taxi to downtown Guad, walked alot more and took one of the Tapatio tour buses around the city center. More on downtown and the tour on another post.

Casa de las Palomas

Hacienda del Sol

Hacienda del Sol restaurant

First church on the Tonala plaza

Opposing church across the plaza

Upscale artesenia shop

The endless tianguis (market)

Jose Cuervo train and theme park

Tequila giant Casa Cuervo will invest 25 million dollars in the next 18 months in its bid to turn the town of Tequila into one of Mexico’s leading tourist destinations.

Apart from operating the new Jose Cuervo Express tourist train, which made its inaugural journey from Guadalajara to Tequila last week, the company is building an 87-room hotel, four museums and a conference hall.

The new hotel will be operated by the upmarket Camino Real chain, while the museums will focus on contemporary art, folk art and the equestrian sport of charreria. Cuervo is also promoting the installation of small privately-owned liquor stores in the town in an effort to reduce sales of adulterated tequila.

Jose Cuervo's express train to Tequila The new seven-carriage tourist train has a capacity for 395 passengers and will make three weekly trips, on Fridays evenings, from 7 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The luxurious train is equipped with a full bar and restaurant.

Unlike its established rival the Tequila Express, the Cuervo Express travels into Tequila itself and takes visitors to the Cuervo distillery and its ancillary tourist development, Mundo Cuervo (the World of Cuervo). For more information on the Cuervo Express, visit www.josecuervoexpress.com or call 01-800 681 0442.

Guadaljara Reporter article