FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

Heaven is in the state of Tamaulipas. If you come visit Monterrey, Tampico or Ciudad Victoria, you will be only a few hours away from “the entrance to paradise”.

Declared nation’s historic monument, Hacienda Santa Engracia was so named by its founders and now operates as a hotel.

Settled in an enchanted region, this vast property was passed on from generation to generation, and has now almost 300 years of history trapped inside long terraces, luminous patios, lovely arches, and high-beamed ceilings.

Even its employees have most part of their lives working there. Efren Ramirez has worked in the Hacienda for thirty years, and he knows better than anyone its interesting history.

Dear Traveler,

Deprived of television, computers, telephones and other devices, in Hacienda Santa Engracia you will you will forget about the modern world, and remember how it feels to commune with nature, and entirely enjoy a couple of days with your dearest people.

But contrary to what you may think, you will not have a minute to get bored. Your children will be thankful when they discover the vast gardens of orange trees surrounding a full-size pool. And for grown-ups, there are tennis, volleyball and football courts, a gym, and even the possibility to get a massage or a temascal treatment. At night, El Cadillo bar offers the perfect ambiance to play dominoes or watch the only TV in the property while sipping your favorite drink.

Some fascinating elements make this place unique.

An extraordinary billiards room now occupies the former “tienda de raya”, the store where workers exchanged their wage paid in coupons for goods. It has original carved wooden doors and several paintings and statuettes related to its livestock past.

Each of the 31 rooms are one of its kind. Some of them have a fireplace and the original ancient furniture. But I have to warn you… you may see or listen strange things! According to Efren, a young couple reported feeling a boy jumping in their bed at night. When they turned on the lights, it stopped… Another guest said he saw a small blond boy wandering in his room and then disappearing before his eyes! He later declared that this boy had an enormous resemblance to one of the kids in the family pictures hanging on the walls… who lived there decades ago!!

The Hacienda has three dining rooms, one in an open-air veranda looking to the pool, and two impressive private dining halls. The larger one has a fireplace, clay and tile floor, tall ceilings with timber lintels, and a wooden cabinet holding the ancient set of dishes belonging to the family. When you enter, you feel transported to those early years when one of the landowners liked to make his beloved horse Talmar dance on top of the solid ebony table. “He loved Talmar so much that when it died, his owner ordered to make a table and use Talmar’s foot as its legs” said Efren. You can still see this small table in the El Cadillo bar.

But it is probably nature surrounding the area which gave this place the epithet of “entrance to paradise”. At only few minutes by car, you reach the Salto del Tigre (“jump of the tiger”) canyon. With a cliff as background, a lovely river with small cascades and opalescent waters originates. You can see through it and watch the pebbles and stones in the bottom. In hot seasons, people come here to enjoy a fresh dip. Lots of enormous trees, considered sacred by some natives, border the river. If you stroll along the adjacent path you will experience the feeling of being in a movie set. And if you walk enough, you will witness unbelievable landscapes, with peaks that rise toward the sky like a celestial prodigy. You may ascend the little road that takes you to the entrance of a cave, but please do not enter, it is dangerous. In any case, the climbing is worthwhile because from there you will have a spectacular view of the abyss and test the echo. Here you will understand why the place was perceived as heaven. God’s presence is absolute.

From Monterrey city, take the National Highway to Ciudad Victoria. 270 kms from Monterrey, in kilometer 27 (34 km before Ciudad Victoria), you will find a road sign indicating where to turn. You will take a smaller road to the town and the well-known Hacienda. If you are driving by night, pay special attention because the sign is not very visible. Tel. (835) 337 16 58 www.haciendase.com