The Ultimate Pairing at Casa de Sierra Nevada

(Casa de Sierra Nevada, pictured above)

The ultimate pairing for travelers with a penchant for cooking begins April 9. Sazón, the cooking school in an 18th century colonial mansion, and Casa de Sierra Nevada, the Orient-Express hotel, offer a four-night Spice of Life Culinary Package.

This four-night package is available for Monday arrivals and Friday departures.

Highlights of the package include:

Accommodations at the luxurious Casa de Sierra Nevada
An exclusive two-hour tour of the colorful San Miguel Market on Tuesday with a chef as your guide. Participants will receive pointers on selecting the 'best of the crop' and will bring unfamiliar produce and spices back to the Sazón kitchen.
On Wednesday guests will immerse themselves in some of the renowned regional cuisines of Mexico, ranging from Oaxaca to the Yucatan, and learn about the depth of the culinary offerings of the country.
On Thursday guests will embrace San Miguel cuisine with heirloom recipes from local cooks and learn how the Spanish colonials influenced the cuisine. During the evening guests will enjoy a wine tasting with a local expert.
One 3-course menu du jour dinner at one of Casa de Sierra Nevada's restaurants.

Offered April 9 - September 28, 2007, prices start at approximately USD $1352 (14,640 pesos) per person for single occupancy or USD $780 (8,420 pesos) per person for double occupancy for the Spice of Life Culinary Package. All rates are based on availability and do not include tax or gratuity. Package price is converted from pesos to dollars at time of departure.

Enjoy Colonial Mansions

At Casa de Sierra Nevada, guests will enjoy one of 33 rooms housed in five “casonas” - colonial mansions -- each featuring five to seven guestrooms or suites, surrounded by cloistered outdoor courtyards with fountains, small gardens and al fresco corridors.

(Dining is elegant at Casa de Sierra Nevada)

Each guest room is architecturally unique and is furnished in its own individual décor. All capture the rich history of the area with decorative touches such as hand painted Talavera tiles, bovedas - curved or domed ceilings, canterra fireplaces, polished copper sinks or original paintings by local artists.

Sazón is a cooking school and retail store. The word derives from the verb “sazonar” meaning “to season or spice.”

In addition to the Spice of Life package, the cooking school offers a variety of programs ranging from two hour cooking classes on local specialties and tours of the market to week-long culinary packages.

Sazón's retail space offers hand-blown glassware, vivid textiles, and artful pottery created exclusively for Sazón by Mexico's master artists. The store also offers traditional Mexican cazuelas, molcajetes, and signed folk pottery along with some of the latest kitchen finery and gadgetry.

A Lavish Courtard Awaits You

A lavish central courtyard - just off the retail spaces - has a kitchen herb garden, a soothing fountain, and an open dining room with a massive stone fireplace.

To reach San Miguel de Allende fly into either Mexico City (a three and a half hour drive) or the Guanajuato-Leon Airport (one and a half hour drive.) The Guanajuato-Leon Airport has direct flights from Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago.

For additional information or reservations from the USA: 011-52-415-154-7671 or toll-free 1-800-701-1561. Visit www.sazonsanmiguel.com or www.casadesierranevada.com.

About Casa de Sierra Nevada
Opened in 1952, Casa de Sierra Nevada, located a few blocks from the main city square of San Miguel, has 33 rooms spread among nine 16th to 18th century Colonial mansions including: Casa del Parque, a former fort in the 17th century which became a customs house catering to the silver trade; and Casa Principal, the former residence of San Miguel de Allende's Archbishop in 1580, now an official historical landmark.

Centuries old architecture and individually designed buildings and guest rooms combined with genuine Mexican hospitality create a true residential feel.