The Quinta Real Puebla Was Once A Convent!

We arrived at our hotel in Puebla City after having a delicious lunch and exploring the Uriarte Talavera pottery studio.

The hotel was the iconic Quinta Real Puebla. But it’s a hotel with a past. And the convent was just part of its history.

 

Quinta Real Puebla

The hotel is located in the center of the city on Pointe Street. The incredible building was originally built as the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in 1593. 

The Spanish Colonial architecture with its central courtyard, thick walls, and heavy carved doors.

It was truly awesome to stay there, if only for one night, as the architecture and artwork were incredible.

 

 

Getting To Our Room 

As luck would have it, we were at the back of the property. 

We enjoyed the walk through the courtyard, then through a sitting area, and a walk down a long outdoor hallway.

 

 

Our room had huge windows that opened onto the street behind the building. For some, that would be not very pleasant. However, living in Central Merida, we are used to the noise and traffic.

 

Our Room

The room was HUGE, well appointed, and had a beautiful spacious bathroom with plenty of hot water.

 

 

The big drawback to the room was that the carpet was a bit musty. We completely understand being in an old, historic 16th-century building. 

But this seemed to be from the 1980s carpet. They may have done better to have pulled it up and had a concrete floor.

 

The Hotel Amenities

The lobby and bar are beautifully appointed. There were several pieces we’d have loved to take home.

The bar was actually a Mezcaleria. While offering a wide range of drinks, its collection of Mezcal from across Mexico was awesome.

 

 

As we left early in the morning for the next leg of our journey, the hotel arranged an early breakfast for our group. We had a delicious buffet offering regional foods and eggs made to order. 

One other thing of note – the wedding planner in Mark would be remiss in not mentioning that the hotel hosts weddings in its courtyard. The signage indicated up to about 800 guests. And the roof is retractable! 

 

 

The Hotel’s Timeline 

We found great historical information on the website Historical Hotels. It seems the hotel is one of only about 300 hotels worldwide inducted into this group. There are hotels in mansions, castles, and other historic sites listed on this interesting site.

Here is the timeline for the Quinta Real Puebla:

1593: Priest Leonardo Ruiz de la Peña decided to build a convent in downtown Puebla called the “Convent of the Immaculate Conception.” Oral tradition stipulates that Ruiz de la Peña developed the facility after experiencing a moment of divine intervention while he was caught in a flooded river.

 

1862: Now a fixture in the local community, the convent became a landmark during the iconic Battle of Puebla. The confrontation was a monumental victory for Mexico as it attempted to fight off the invading French. Nevertheless, the historic structure was left unused after the war and gradually deteriorated.

 

1980s: Thankfully, the building received a new lease on life when local architect Rodolfo Jimenez Brito sought to restore it fully. He specifically established a trust with several investors to restore and convert the location into the luxury historic hotel. Brito ultimately succeeded in recreating the convent as the “Quinta Real Puebla,” which is now one of the best holiday destinations in the entire region.

 

We’d enjoy this location for a longer stay to explore the city of Puebla. But now we’re headed off to explore Puebla City and then a delicious local delicacy for dinner!