El Angel Azul

Rooms

El Angel Azul has just 10 rooms. All have a radio, remote-control air-conditioning (essential for Mexico) and hot showers, although the power can vary according to room. Beds are simple with vivid comforters and quilts; walls are colour-washed in yellow, blue or terracotta; floors are tiled. One of the cheaper rooms on the ground floor looks onto the courtyard, which makes it a bit dark (a downside) but also quite cool (an upside).

The 9 Double Rooms have queensize or twin beds; some are more colourfully decorated than others.

The Suite is accessed by a winding staircase and has a lovely private terrace overlooking the central courtyard and the bleached rooftops of the surrounding barrio. It also comes with a queensize bed, a Bose iPod dock and a small refridgerator. As its terrace is hidden from the rest of the hotel and (most) of the nearby buildings, we would recommend it if you’re in the mood for total privacy - and there’s a sneaky miniature of tequila to get you in the spirit...

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Communal kitchen
• Cots Available
• Internet access
• Radio clock
• WiFi

Eating

As of June 2014, there are no meals served at El Angel Azul. Ester wants guests to have independence, and be able to eat as and when they please, so has opened the kitchen to all staying at the hotel (guest each have storage and fridge space). Cook yourself up a feast and sit in the communal gardens with the sound of the fountain babbling in the background and the resident cat, dog and pair of love birds wandering around your feet. There’s a grocery shop on the corner where you can buy most things you’d need, and for the items you can’t, there’s a larger store a 7-minute walk away.

For those who’d rather not fend for themselves, there’s a bakery, Pan d´Les Bakery and numerous coffee shops less than a 5-minute walk away for breakfast, and dozens of restaurants and cafes for other meals. Esther recommends Il Rustico for pizza, Nim for cool design and international cuisine, Bismarcito for exceptional tacos (not to be confused with Bismarck down the road!), and Rancho Viejo for a great range of simple but tasty Mexican food; plus she provides all her guests with a map that features a list of shop and more eateries that she recommends. La Paz’s promenade, the ‘Malecon’, is only a 10-minute walk away and has plenty of tapas grills and bars for the evening repast.

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Count the numerous types of cacti in the garden - use the handy guide posted on the wall to identify them - and have a sunset cocktail with your host Esther, mistress of the perfect margarita
  
• Explore La Paz: in the evening, walk along the main promenade, the 'Malecon'... the recently expanded seafront squares and paths throng with tourists and locals, and the air is filled with mouth-watering smells
  
• Head to one of the nearby beaches. La Paz has its own beach but you're better off heading out of town: within a 10- to 45-minute drive lie some of the loveliest beaches in Baja, with white sand and clear turquoise water. Tecolote is the largest and most popular beach in the area: after a 30-minute drive from La Paz slide into the cool blue waters of the Sea of Cortez, then sample delicious gulf salmon and garlic for lunch
  
• Take a boat trip to Isla Espíritu Santo and Los Islotes. You'll see stunning rock formations, remote beaches and the largest sea lion colony in Baja, with stops for snorkelling, swimming and lunch. Numerous travel agencies can arrange these all-day trips
  
• Go scuba diving: the Sea of Cortez is home to 850 species of fish, best seen from June to September. Local agencies can arrange day trips to include the sea lion colony at Los Islotes, a sunken ship, a 60-foot wall dive, reefs, and hammerhead sharks and manta rays
  
• Try sea kayaking - it's one of the best ways to explore Baja's often inaccessible shores and calm waters. It's becoming extremely popular and local companies can arrange trips from 1-10 days for beginners and advanced kayakers alike (the main season lasts from October to April)
  
• Have a go at sport-fishing: La Paz is famous for its marlin, dorado and yellowfin. Hire a panga with a guide and equipment
  
• Go whale-watching. Between January and March, thousands of gray whales migrate from Alaska's Bering Strait to the Pacific coast of Baja. Several companies arrange whale-watching day tours that originate in La Paz and go to one of the main hotspots, Magdalena Bay, a 2-hour drive away. Prices including breakfast, lunch, transportation and an English-speaking guide

For the above activities see Rates for an idea of cost.

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Private guided tours
• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Whale watching

Kids

No children under 12 years are accepted, except for babies. Over 12s are charged as adults. Baby cots can be added to all rooms on request.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection