Part of San Miguel de Allende’s history has been reduced to stones and earth with the demolition of the Rancho Hotel Atascadero, a property that provided lodging for over 75 years and was recognized as one of the first tourist hotels in the municipality.
The emblematic hacienda also boasted a multifaceted history, having served as a silk factory and a convent before becoming one of the city’s first hotels.
The Rancho Hotel Atascadero, one of San Miguel de Allende’s first tourist complexes, was demolished after more than 75 years. Demolition of the site, located on Prolongación Santo Domingo, began just a few days ago. The property occupied a large block on the edge of the Atascadero neighborhood and was acquired in the early 1940s by the Peruvian artist Felipe Cossio del Pomar with the intention of converting it into a university residence for fine arts students who were beginning to arrive in the town.
“The idea of speculating when I bought ‘El Atascadero’ never crossed my mind. Located within a city undergoing rapid urban development, one can already imagine what it represented as a business. When I acquired it, I only thought about the school; besides, there was the pleasure I derived from beautifying such a beautiful place,” Cossio del Pomar is quoted in the book San Miguel de Allende.
After the project, in which the artist built the entrance, swimming pool, and changing rooms, the space became a haven for intellectuals and students, also hosting distinguished international visitors and artists, including Pablo Neruda, Rafael Heliodoro Valle, Jesús Silva Herzog, Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, and Gabriela Mistral.
Years later, in 1948, the ranch became one of San Miguel de Allende’s first tourist hotels, boasting 51 rooms and amenities such as a swimming pool, sauna, green spaces, parking, meeting rooms, and even the first tennis and racquetball courts in the city.
The hotel closed its doors in early 2026 for what was initially planned as a complete renovation; however, demolition began a few days ago, announced by a notice stating that the project has permits from Urban Development and the National Institute of Anthropology and History, though it avoids revealing what the replacement project will be for the building that represents a piece of the city’s history.
Source: periodicocorreo
