Review: Numu Boutique Hotel San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

I’m pretty jaded — spending 20 years in New York City can do that to a person — and I take destination-focused superlatives with a grain of salt. After all, copywriters and marketers are paid to make nearly any place sound fabulous. And it’s so disappointing when the reality doesn’t match the hype. Let me tell you this, though: All of the incredible things you’ve heard about San Miguel de Allende, Mexico — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — are 100% true. It is, in fact, a “magical” little enclave tucked in central Mexico’s Guanajuato state.

Despite the hilly terrain and narrow cobblestone streets, San Miguel de Allende should be experienced on foot whenever possible. You’ll get lost exploring the lanes lined with shops, restaurants and galleries housed in colorfully painted colonial-era buildings. The towering spires of the stunning pink Church of San Miguel Arcangel, sometimes called the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, act as your compass and guide you where you want to be.

And the flowers and foliage? The town is incredibly manicured, with tree cover keeping the streets cool, vine trellises along walls and fences, and flowers blooming just about everywhere.

Did I mention the cuisine? This is Mexico, so it’s all terrific, from traditional recipes to spots serving the foods of Italy, France and other nations. (There are expats from all over the world and they’ve brought the best of their culinary traditions to San Miguel, too.) Prices were reasonable, and while plenty of tourists visit, the town felt real. We walked among locals going about their daily business, and that’s a nice change from heading to a Mexican beach resort where the only people you meet are other Americans.

Finally, this is a family-friendly destination with tons of green spaces and parks where local families and tourists come together to watch their kids play.

This destination has been on my radar ever since Hyatt opened Numu Boutique Hotel San Miguel de Allende, part of the Unbound Collection, here in February 2023. I fell in love with the town on a short visit in September and will be back. Numu was a perfect home base. Here’s why.

Getting there

U.S. travelers can most easily get there by flying to one of two airports. Queretaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO) is the closest (an 80-minute drive). Alternatively, arrive via Leon/Bajio International Airport, aka Guanajuato International Airport (BJX). It’s a slightly longer drive to San Miguel de Allende (one hour and 40 minutes).

BajioGo offers shuttle service from both airports for about $30 per person each way. Private sedan or SUV services are also available from a variety of transportation companies and start at around $100 one-way. I booked a private sedan transfer with Transportes y Tours San Miguel Magico.

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If you rent a car, there is on-site parking.

Booking details

In my opinion, Numu Boutique Hotel San Miguel de Allende is a fantastic value, whether you pay cash or use points. It’s a Category 6 hotel in the World of Hyatt program. King rooms start at around $320 or 21,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

When booking, use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for Hyatt stays or one that offers automatic World of Hyatt elite status for value-added benefits. These include:

• World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, automatic Discoverist status, and five elite night credits per year toward a higher tier.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, automatic Discoverist status, and five elite night credits per year toward a higher tier.

Things we loved

• Pancho, the hotel’s sweet Bernese mountain dog who greets guests in the lobby
• How the architect and designer brought the outdoors in with plants and flowers tucked into every corner
• The intimate and romantic outdoor courtyard, where breakfast is served, is also a comfortable spot for an afternoon chat with friends or a nightcap before bed
• Small rooftop plunge pool with views of the entire town and the Church of San Miguel Arcangel
• Proximity to a local park, where families can meet and mingle with locals

Caveats

• There is no elevator to the fifth floor, where the plunge pool and main restaurant are located.
• You may encounter minor communication barriers with some bartenders and servers if you don’t speak Spanish.

The vibe

There are only 44 rooms at this hotel. If you like to breeze through a buzzy lobby, you’re not going to find that here.

But what I loved was that Numu was intimate enough that the staff at the front desk and door had time to chat with us every time we entered or exited the building. Getting to know them and hearing their recommendations for things to see and do was a highlight.

Numu’s design was organic and inviting. We felt at home immediately and it was easy to picture that this used to be the site of someone’s home.

The room

I booked a king deluxe room and, as a World of Hyatt Globalist elite member, was upgraded one category to a 558-square-foot premium room. A tray of macarons was waiting for us when we walked through the door for the first time. The room was lovely, as you’ll see in the photos.

To be honest, I was initially disappointed we weren’t upgraded to one of the master suites, since there was availability for our dates. When I initially made the reservation, I tried to apply a suite upgrade award to confirm a suite upgrade. Unfortunately, Numu doesn’t accept them. I was told the hotel would do its best to upgrade us anyway. Before our stay, I emailed the front desk to let them know how much we’d appreciate the suite but, alas, no dice. I’ve heard from many other Globalists whose experience was the same.

The room was beautiful, though, and I was pleased with it. However, next time, if I want a suite, I’ll just book it outright since upgrades don’t seem to be as free-flowing at this hotel as at others in the Hyatt network.

I loved the wide wood plank floors, blackout drapes, Nespresso coffee maker, rainfall showerhead and multiple sitting areas that were all very comfortable. I missed having a terrace or balcony, though. Our room only had a French balcony overlooking a side street. It was nice to have the fresh air but I would have preferred a step-out balcony since the weather was fantastic during our stay.

The staff kept the room stocked with necessities, such as Mighty Leaf tea and coffee pods and bottled water. There is also a refillable container and a water station on each floor.

The minibar offered for-fee soda ($3), beer (from $5), alcohol such as Jack Daniel’s whiskey and Belvedere vodka (from $9), and snacks like gummies, nuts and chocolates (from $8).

The large flat-screen TV on the wall across from the bed offered Google Chromecast to stream on.

If your travel party brings a lot of luggage, there’s plenty of room in the double closet, which also houses two bathrobes and two sets of slippers for guest use.

The king bed was extremely comfortable with nice fluffy pillows (many Hyatts love stocking rooms with those pancake-style pillows but I’m not a fan). There were USB outlets on both sides of the bed as well as two USB outlets on the top of the clock radio.

The bathroom was quite large and had a marble vanity and a cool sink with a modern faucet.

The shower, with a teak bench and rainfall showerhead, had a glass door, and there was a separate toilet room with a frosted door. I liked the glass ceiling that brought in sunshine and moonlight (no need for a night-light).

Toiletries — including bar and liquid soap, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner — were by Soona. There was also a basket of amenities that travelers may need — things like a dental kit, shower cap, comb, cotton swabs, sewing kit, shoe mitt, loofah and lint mitt.

Food and drink

Numu is a boutique hotel, yet it offers two on-site restaurants and room service. Interestingly, both dining venues are outdoor.

Enrique

You’ll find Enrique in the courtyard off the lobby, serving breakfast. It’s also a good place to sit with drinks purchased at the lobby bar.

The restaurant part of the courtyard has tables shaded by retractable awnings and umbrellas. Comfy seating areas are tucked further back in the courtyard.

It’s a nice place to work in the morning if need be or enjoy a drink in the afternoon or evening.

The breakfast menu is small but there are some delicious options, such as:

• Avocado toast with spinach, tomatoes, pesto and pistachios ($10)
• Crab roll on brioche with tartar sauce and lemon ($21)
• French bread served with mascarpone cream, berries, peaches and roasted apples ($12)
• Pancakes with bananas, apples, strawberries and peach jam ($10)
• San Miguel eggs with blue corn tortillas, peaches, chorizo, molcajete sauce, cheese and avocado ($14)
• Chilaquiles with green or red sauce, refried black beans and avocado ($10)
• Swiss enchiladas with corn tortillas, chicken and a creamy green salsa with manchego cheese, red onion, cream and cilantro ($11)
• Quesadillas with Oaxaca cheese and fresh huitlacoche (corn fungus) sauteed with epazote (an oregano-like herb) served with refried beans and salad ($10)

Smaller entrees, such as fruit bowls, acai bowls, oatmeal and breakfast sandwiches are also on the menu. Servers also came around with fresh pastries, and they were delicious

As a World of Hyatt Globalist, my breakfast was complimentary.

Noia Sazon con Alma

Even if you don’t stay at Numu, lunch or dinner at the Mediterranean-themed Noia Sazon con Alma, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, is in order. The views are beautiful, the staff friendly and we enjoyed the menu when we ate there for dinner.

Starters included things like fritto misto ($22), hummus ($12), baba ghanoush ($12), beef carpaccio ($21) and tuna tartare ($20).

The soups and salads looked quite tasty, including the burrata and charbroiled vegetables ($18).

The main courses included a catch of the day ($26), rigatoni with Bolognese ragu ($21), tagliatelle with fra diavolo sauce and poached lobster tail ($30), beef filet with sauteed spinach and cremini mushrooms ($35), veal chops and steaks, and some house classics such as guacamole, shrimp aguachile and gorditas.

I ordered the baba ghanoush (so light and delicious) and the 24-hour marinated grilled chicken with endives and chimichurri sauce. I tried to replicate the recipe at home and it wasn’t nearly as yummy. I would order that again if I had the chance.

Bars

You can order a drink from one of two full bars. One is in the lobby.

The other is at the rooftop restaurant, Noia, and it was open every time we passed by from the afternoon and well past dinner.

Room service

You can order breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The menu is a smaller version of what’s served downstairs at Enrique and, surprisingly, the prices are the same whether you dine in the restaurant or in your room. Lunch and dinner can be brought to your room or suite from 1 to 11 p.m., and the menu items are from Noia, the rooftop restaurant. There is a small overnight menu — burgers ($20), club sandwiches ($20), soup ($10) and tacos ($21) — for cravings between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Amenities and service

While this hotel is intimate, it does offer a nice range of amenities.

Pool

Our favorite amenity, by far, was the rooftop pool. It’s a long, rectangular plunge pool, faced by a raised dais of very comfortable lounge chairs, with accompanying shade umbrellas and cocktail tables. One side of the pool has an infinity edge. It’s a very relaxing spot, but be aware that the water gets so warm that it feels more like a hot tub than a pool. We liked it since the days had turned a bit cool, but it’s something to keep in mind if you travel during hot weather.

In addition to the pool, the rooftop has a few seating areas overlooking the town and within the outdoor bar/restaurant, just a few steps down from the pool. We were the only ones at the pool on both days we visited. Noia’s bar staff took care of us while we were there.

Fitness center

The fitness center is on the ground floor at the end of the hall, behind the lobby. It was incredibly clean and had a nice array of fitness gear.

Spa

By appointment only, the small spa offers treatments such as facials (from $135), deep pore cleansing ($135) and collagen repair ($168). Massages — relaxing, hot stone, Swedish, deep tissue and reflexology — are also offered as either 50- or 80-minute sessions ($114-$162).

Accessibility

Often, smaller boutique hotels abroad don’t offer accessible accommodations. I’m pleased that Numu does. Book the 516-square-foot accessible rooms with wide doors, two queen beds, roll-in shower, emergency strobe light and strobe-light smoke detector, lowered thermostat and light switches, and lowered door peephole and door latch.

These rooms also have a lovely private garden terrace. However, as I mentioned above, there is no elevator access to the floor that features the pool and restaurant serving lunch and dinner. You must use the stairs. However, the rest of the hotel is accessible for anyone using a mobility assistive device, such as a wheelchair or walker. There is no step upon entering the hotel and hallways and doors are wide, allowing clear and easy access.

Checking out

We were sorry to have to head home so soon. Pancho, the lobby dog, gave us a play pose and head bump when he saw us with our bags on the morning of departure, and he walked us out to the car parked in front. So sweet.

Next time we visit, we’ll stay longer. While the Rosewood across the street also looks divine, Numu’s staff and the gorgeous building, courtyard and rooftop pool won us over for future visits — not to mention the great value if booked using World of Hyatt points.