A kilometer south of San Ignacio [1] on the west side of Mexico 1, the longstanding Baja Oasis Motel (tel. 615/154-0111, US$30) has 10 air-conditioned rooms. Some have king beds, others have queens or singles. All rooms include purified drinking water and hot showers. The quality of service seems to have slipped noticeably in recent years.
A better option at this price point is the new Hotel Cabañas (no tel.), just past the Mercado La Huerta, on the left side of the road as you head toward Laguna San Ignacio [2].
Casa Lereé (tel. 615/154-0158, www.casaleree.com [3]) a single-story colonial near the town plaza, was constructed around 1885 as a family home and became the first guesthouse in San Ignacio around 1900. It has served many generations of travelers in the years since. Two small garden rooms (US$40) open onto a shady patio and share a full bath (each now has its own toilet in the room as well); a larger suite (US$75) in the main house has its own bath and anteroom. Gated parking is available.
Owner Jane (Juanita) Bames has collected a number of historical sources, articles, and photos, and she offers guests and nonguests a free, self-guided tour through the house (guestrooms excepted). She also has created accurate town and hiking trail maps. Guests can use Wi-Fi inside the main house common area. Pets are okay. No TV or air-conditioning. Cash only. (Stop at an ATM before you get to town, as there are no ATMs in San Ignacio.)
Motel La Posada (tel. 615/154-0313), a few blocks from the central plaza, and Motelito Fong (tel. 615/161-8573), at the entrance of town, both offer simple rooms with private bathrooms and secure parking for US$25.
Next to the oasis as you drive toward the town center, Canadian expats Terry and Gary have rebuilt Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast (tel. 615/154-0333, www.ignaciosprings.com [4], US$65–125) little by little since Hurricane Jimena brought flash floods up to the ceiling of their property. Accommodations now include yurts in various sizes, some with private baths and others with shared facilities; one small palapa casita next to the river; and two block-style buildings with a shared shower facility.
Each yurt is unique in style; for honeymooners, the China Wall yurt features Chinese tapestries, lamps, and silk robes along with a whirlpool bath—for sure the only suite of its kind in Baja. Prices include tax and a big, hearty home-cooked breakfast; credit cards are accepted. Kayaks and skiffs are available for guest use. Ignacio Springs has wireless Internet access for every yurt.
Terry and her staff prepare home-cooked dinner for guests and nonguests (reservations required by 2 P.M. for dinner that evening). Her prix fixe menu changes according to what’s fresh and in season, but she’ll take special dietary needs and allergies into consideration when planning the meal. The price of US$15–18 includes homemade pie or cake for dessert, and Terry usually has Starbucks coffee on hand to satisfy your espresso craving.
Ricardo’s Rice and Beans (tel. 615/154-0283, http://ricardoriceandbeans.googlepages.com [5]), the unofficial stopover for Baja 1000 motorheads, offers big rooms with air-conditioning and wireless Internet for US$50.
About 3.5 kilometers off Mexico 1 on the edge of town, the Desert Inn (tel./fax 615/154-0300, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/800-9632, www.desertinns.com [6], US$85) got a facelift in late 2006. Not much has changed since then. It offers 28 rooms with air-conditioning, plus a restaurant, pool, and billiards room. Rates are highest during the whale-watching season.
You can camp at several small campgrounds set in palm groves along the Río de San Ignacio (but beware the bugs). Almost opposite the Desert Inn, El Padrino RV Park (tel./fax 615/154-0089) has about 100 sites (20 with hookups). RV sites cost US$18 a night. Tent camping runs US$10 a night. Amenities include a dump station and bar/restaurant. The management arranges whale-watching and cave-painting tours for guests.
Camping Los Petates (no tel.) and Camping Lakeside (no tel.) are a step behind in terms of services, but they have the best location facing the river. Sites at Los Petates come with hot showers and electricity, and a small shop has camping supplies. Rates are US$12 for RVs and US$5 per person if you camp.
In addition to its hotel rooms, Ricardo’s Rice and Beans (tel. 615/154-0283, http://ricardoriceandbeans.googlepages.com [5]) has 20 RV spaces with full hookups and hot showers for US$25; tent sites are US$10.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/baja-cabo/guerrero-negro-bahia-concepcion/san-ignacio-and-vicinity/san-ignacio
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/baja-cabo/guerrero-negro-bahia-concepcion/san-ignacio-and-vicinity/laguna-san-ignacio
[3] http://www.casaleree.com
[4] http://www.ignaciosprings.com
[5] http://ricardoriceandbeans.googlepages.com
[6] http://www.desertinns.com