I was fortunate to spend two nights in Patzcuaro in early April before Semana Santa.  This historic, colonial  city on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro was once an important religious and political center.  It is known for it’s Day of the Dead celebrations on November 1st of each year.  Here Mexicans from all over the country gather on the island of Janitzio and in the villages around the lake. This trip I visited the villages of Tzintzuntzan, Tocuaro known for its award winning wooden masks, Erongaricuaro and Quiroga.  Patzcuaro has lovely squares,  old churches, great restaurants and many shops offering the best of local crafts.  Do not miss Zocalo which is owned by good friends.  I stayed at La Siranda, an amazing boutique hotel right off the Plaza Grande.

La Siranda, a classic residence in the heart of Patzcuaro, which has been transformed into a cozy, special class casa-hotel with 5 suites and picturesque grounds. It combines tradition, refinement and serenity, with the element of exclusivity and therefore has no name on its facade.

With origins in the eighteenth century, the grounds were once the orchards of the Santa Caterina de Siena convent. The property retains spaciousness and breadth prevalent in the houses of that era, and has been furnished with modern and sophisticated decor that blends tastefully with Mexican furniture and objets d´art from around the world.

The spacious suites are crowned with impressive five meter ceilings and wooden beams, and also feature adobe walls, fireplaces, modern bathrooms, king size beds, heating for winter, and fine folk art from Michoacan.  I ate two meals on the terrace.  The food was the best I had in town!

Located adjacent to Plaza Grande, known for it´s exceptional size and elegance, La Siranda is a neighbor of the Casa de los Once Patios, the Santa Caterina de Siena convent, which was constructed in the 18th century, but today is home to many artisans who reflect the richness of Michoacán culture in their work. It is within walking distance from the former Jesuit College, the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, and other magnificent buildings of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when Pátzcuaro was the political and religious center of the current state of Michoacan.

Patzcuaro is easily reachable from Morelia.  The new cuota from the north is now open so it cut off an hour from the drive from San Miguel de Allende!

In this issue, an article by Scott Resch describes how more and more people are looking to accumulate experiences in their lives.

“And Robert Glaze, founder and president of the Weybridge Collection, is catering to it. Currently, he offers five properties for the art connoisseur, with ownership in the Santa Fe location allowing for the exchange of three in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and one at The Snowmass Club in Colorado. He also expects to secure residences in Umbria, Charleston, and Carmel, to name a few.

“My whole philosophy was like Under the Tuscan Sun, A Year in Provence, On Mexican Time, books like that,” he says. “You know, environments that are warm and inviting and decorated in a way that a masterpiece would be created–but is connected to what’s around it. We want to make sure the place looks like where it is, and we want to make sure those places aren’t in touristy or sterile areas.”

Those values are generating a lot of interest in The Weybridge Collection, which only officially launched the sale of fractional ownership in the 6,000 square foot Casa Las Artes a few months ago yet already has several parties considering the purchase.

But the last thing Glaze wants is for an owner’s experience to end inside the residence. That’s why the blog he started on Weybridge’s website is rife with information on regional restaurants and festivals, and it’s why he’s employed a concierge to set up special programs, such as tours of famous artists’ studios and trips to visit Georgia O’Keefe’s home and studio.

Indeed, interacting with the community and forming a cultural connection is even more important to his clients than walking into their Santa Fe bedroom and seeing a rare painting or artifact. At least that’s what Glaze anticipates hearing soon after the first key goes through the door.

“Experiential to the max” is how Glaze describes his product. “Members get individual homes with individual spaces and a chance to find balance in their lives. Because the truth is, businesses are working their employees harder and harder, and I think Americans, for the most part, are missing out. So collecting homes and collecting art– those are just nice ways to help people collect some experiences, too.”

“I wanted to collect historic, artistic, and culturally relevant homes with the same discernment as I do when I collect fine art. That’s why I call our homes a collection, not a club. The homes themselves are large and comfortable works of art.” - by Robert H. Glaze

Read more (PDF Page)

Helium Report blends comprehensive directories, objective analysis, and consumer reviews. The Weybridge Collection was recently featured by Susan Kime, an experienced luxury lifestyle journalist of Helium Report. An avid world traveler, Ms. Kime has written over 100 stories for leading luxury publications. As a guest contributor to Helium Report, Susan will periodically share her insights into various resorts and fractional real estate options. In her words - “The interiors of these homes and their locales - in Tesuque, New Mexico, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico - all reflect the diverse cultures from which these residences grew. Robert H. Glaze wants to collect artistically and culturally relevant homes in the same way he collects his fine art, with a sense of legacy.”

Read the full story by Ms. Kime

“It’s more about building a true second home experience for our owners as opposed to giving them the typical generic vacation club experience that has become so common these days.”
Read the article (PDF).