Parador-Museo Santa María

Top choice in Chiapas


You'll feel like aristocracy staying in this beautiful hotel-museum, 1.5km off the road from Comitán to Lagos de Montebello. The restored 19th-century hacienda is decorated throughout with period furniture and art; some of the eight rooms have tiled bathtubs and fireplaces, and all have rough stone floors, grand wooden beds and look out over expansive grassy lawns to the countryside beyond.

There's little to do here but relax, though it's close enough to ruins and waterfalls and it's perfect if you want some luxury after visiting the jungle.

The small chapel is a religious art museum with an interesting array of colonial-era work from Europe and the Philippines as well as Mexico and Guatemala. Restaurant Los Geranios serves Chiapan and international dishes prepared with organic ingredients (including coffee) grown on site.

Look for the 22km marker from La Trinitaria on the Montebello road.