Award-Winning Culinary Vacation (Jan 18-25, 2026)

Name: Award-Winning Culinary Vacation (Jan 18-25, 2026)
Brand: Award-Winning Culinary Vacation (Jan 18-25, 2026)
SKU: 12399
Price: January 18-25, 2026 $
Availability: InStock
Rating: 0 (0 reviews)

Book This Experience

Jan

January 18-25, 2026

Take a walk back in time and enjoy the simple pleasures of life in one of the most picturesque mountain villages in Mexico. Hear the church bells ring as you take a stroll on the ancient cobblestone streets. Purchase your ingredients from Chef Ana’s local producers in the market. Cook dishes handed down over generations in our specially-designed, open-air kitchen with a breath-taking view of the 16^th Century ex-convent.

AWARD-WINNING TEPOZTLAN ITINERARY

January 18-25, 2026

IMPORTANT: This schedule is posted to give the guest a general idea of our TRUE FOODIE 7-night package schedule on a normal week. Please check your package details for included elements. The schedule and lineup of dishes may change to take advantage of seasonal dishes, ingredients or the interests of our guests. LVB reserves the right to modify this schedule and the dishes contained therein.

Sunday – Make yourself at home!

Guests arrive at MEX (Benito Juarez Mexico City International) with airport pickup included. The trip takes 1.5 hours from Mexico City to La Villa Bonita and guests will be greeted upon arrival with a delicious homemade cocktail such as Chef Ana’s famous Margarita made with her own Calamondine Orange liquor as well as snacks such as guacamole, cheeses, home-made salsa, and tortilla chips.

Later that afternoon/evening guests will enjoy Chef Ana’s 4-course chef’s table gourmet dinner made from primarily local ingredients grown in the garden or from local providers. Dinner is served within our ample open-air kitchen with a view of the valley below or above our kitchen in the elevated dining area with a 360-degree view of the mountains. Chef Ana will explain her dishes to the guests and also discuss how the week will unfold.

Monday – Traditional Taco Party

The day starts with Chef Ana’s famous big breakfast with fresh fruit, biscuits, homemade jams and jellies along with a new traditional Mexican main dish each morning. Guest will go to the local Tepoztlán market to select the best ingredients from Chef Ana’s local providers and bring them back for your first cooking session in the open-air kitchen.

Today we have a traditional taco party with hand-made tortillas, guisados or stuffings such as potatoes with poblano strips, squash flowers, adobo with chicken, pork in purslane, along with peanut, cilantro, and molcajete salsas. The side dish will be squash a la Mexicana. The meal will be accompanied by horchata to drink, and arroz con leche dessert. The cocktail of the day will be micheladas (beer) with salsas.

Today Chef Ana will teach us about the “nixtamalization” process as well as testing out our tortilla-making technique using red, white or blue masa made from ancestral corn varieties produced locally and make your own tortillas and place them on the comal with Mari your “ama de llaves” during your stay at La Villa Bonita.

Tuesday: Learn about Tepozteco Cuisine

Tepoztlan is a town full of culinary history that is preserved in the family. Today is a day to learn the local Tepozteco dishes. Guests can have breakfast and take an optional yoga class at the beautiful studio at the Hotel La Buena Vibra ($15 USD). Guest not participating in yoga can have a leisurely breakfast and time on your own until the cooking begins at noon to LVB to cook up a storm — dishes such as traditional green mole Tepozteco-style with salt tamales and chayotes filled with chorizo and cheese. Our agua fresca is guayaba with alfalfa and pineapple. The signature cocktail is a strawberry jalapeno mezcalita.

Guests enjoy lunch of dishes prepared with drink service in the open-air kitchen or the elevated terrace. After late lunch, guests will have an opportunity to take a walk into the downtown, relax around the pool with a good book or take a great nap! You are on vacation, it is up to you!

The Walking Locavore Wednesday

dsc_0851-1.jpg

Today guests will join Chef Ana on a walking/eating tour of the Tepoztlan market, visit the Ex-Convent and museum as well as try a wide variety of local delicacies in the market. Walk, learn and eat like a native, delicacies such as itacates, pancita, cecina, and traditional Morelos quesadillas. This is the farmer’s market day in Tepoztlan with an opportunity to see the wide variety of ingredients and dishes that Tepoztlan has to offer.

Breakfast starts a day of pottery and incredible local cuisine. After breakfast guests will witness a demonstration of how to make traditional lead-free artisan pottery from a producer in Tlayacapan by the name of Dona Chayo. Her family has produced pottery in the traditional way for generations. Almost all of Chef Ana’s earthenware in the house Dona Chayo. Learn how these noble vessels are made! Guests will have an opportunity to purchase his traditional rice and bean pots, flatware, cazuelas among many other great items.

Thursday – Squash Blossom Soup and the Chile Relleno!

After a hearty breakfast, guests will have the option of a leisurely morning or optional yoga class at La Buena Vibra Hotel ($15 USD). Our foodie guests will dedicate the day to the Ancho creating Chiles Rellenos stuffed with local Sierra Encantada goat cheese in a red tomato sauce. Learn how to properly prepare a dried ancho to make the useful vessel for so many dishes in Mexican cuisine. We may also create dishes such as traditional white rice, chayotes in white sauce, a tomato lentil soup, a Mexican green salad (pumpkin seeds, avocado, green beans, and fava beans) and we will make our fabulous conchas (pastry) filled with fresh cream and strawberries. Yes. Wow! It is delicious The signature cocktail will be Mexican penicillin (mezcal, tequila, ginger syrup, and lime juice) and tamarind water to accompany our meal.

Friday – Oyster Mushroom Pozole

We start with a fabulous breakfast as usual (with departure to the airport for 5-night guests) and begin our preparations to enjoy the grandeur of Mexican pozole. This hearty soup is a main dish that is a staple of Mexican cuisine.

Guests will learn the technique that is necessary to make any type of mole. This particular mole is from the state of Veracruz in the area called the Huasteca. Guests will also make red rice and natilla for dessert. The signature cocktail of the day is a tamarind margarita and the water to accompany lunch is Mint with Lime and Cucumber. Today we will also visit the tortilla mill to grind our nixtamal into masa.

Saturday: Your day, your way

After your delicious breakfast, you have a day to enjoy on your own. Take a hike, enjoy the weekend artisan market, go out for lunch or just relax. Today is a day to do whatever your heart desires . . .

Sunday: Departure

After breakfast, we will organize our return to the Mexico City airport and count the days until we see each other again for a new culinary adventure.

Tepoztlan, a “Pueblo Magico” (magic village) and one of Mexico’s most unique destinations is located about 5280 ft. above sea level and roughly 1 hour 15 minutes south of Mexico City making transportation easy (we pick you up in the Mexico City airport and bring you back). Because of its incredible “eternal spring” climate, Tepoztlan is a year-round destination where our award-winning packages take place.

Check out our new kitchen!:

La Villa Bonita is located on the upslope of the Tepozteco mountains with a privileged perch above the town and an incredible view of the ex-convent below. We are a 15-minute walk to the central downtown circuit so there is not an excessive amount of traffic in front of La Villa Bonita but we are just minutes away from the centro and zocalo.

The zocalo is the heart of the town square as well as the site of local events. It is great to get a snack and people watch.

Due to its year-round average daily temperature of 83 F/28 C, Tepoztlan has become an off-the-beaten-path destination for those who want a wonderful climate with a picturesque, authentic, and traditional Mexican backdrop. Tepoztlan’s temperate climate with prevailing sunshine, its wonderful adobe facades, incredible local festivals, and ancient cobblestone streets attract Mexicans and foreign tourists from all over the world who seek a traditional, small-town environment.

Tepoztlan is one of the most unique, authentic, and safest places you can visit and has a lower crime rate than most cities and towns in the US. You will get this understanding in the first 15 minutes after setting foot in the village. It is a place that time seems to have forgotten with time-honored culinary traditions, wonderful local produce, and a very enjoyable pace of life focused on family and friends.

Tepoztlan is made up of stubborn townspeople and subsistence farmers who vigilantly guard their traditions from change, which makes it an ideal destination for the “foodie” and the traveler seeks to experience a wonderful culture. “Tepoztecos,” as they are known here, appreciate the foreign tourist because you appreciate their culture. You can walk anywhere day or night and people will say “hello” to you, be cordial, but not overburdening.

Take a hike up to the Tepozteco pyramid for the incredible views of the town below.

Tepoztlan is known as the “Sedona of Mexico” and consists of a very small, tight-knit community where people are very content with their lifestyle — a full social calendar that consists of constant cultural events, celebrations, and festivals during both the week and weekend. Tepoztlan is a piece of art without comparison – exquisite but not commercial. In Tepoztlan, you will hear the enveloping sounds of the community, the church bells, the rooster crowing, the occasional firecracker and the music wafting through the valley. So, enjoy your stay and when you go home, please tell everyone about your experience in the “hidden culinary jewel of Mexico.”

Award-Winning Itinerary

January 18-25, 2026

7-Night True Foodie Package (Best Deal!) (SUN-SUN)	5-Night Starter Package (SUN-FRI)
7 NIGHTS STAY ON THE GROUNDS OF LA VILLA BONITA IN ONE OF OUR GUEST ROOMS WITH EN SUITE BATH	5 NIGHTS STAY ON THE GROUNDS OF LA VILLA BONITA IN ONE OF OUR GUEST ROOMS WITH EN SUITE BATH
4 HANDS-ON COOKING SESSIONS IN THE FANTASTIC OPEN AIR KITCHEN WITH TRIPS TO THE DAILY MARKET, FARMER'S MARKET, AND TORTILLA MILL	2 HANDS-ON COOKING SESSIONS IN THE FANTASTIC OPEN AIR KITCHEN WITH TRIPS TO THE DAILY MARKET, FARMER'S MARKET, AND TORTILLA MILL
BIG BREAKFAST EVERYDAY AND ACCESS TO THE KITCHEN FOR FOOD, DRINKS, SNACKS, WHENEVER YOU LIKE THROUGHOUT YOUR STAY.	BIG BREAKFAST EVERYDAY AND ACCESS TO THE KITCHEN FOR DRINKS, FOOD, SNACKS, WHENEVER YOU LIKE THROUGHOUT YOUR STAY.
MEX (MEXICO CITY- BENITO JUAREZ) AIRPORT PICKUP & RETURN* (CHECK GROUP SHUTTLE TIMES ON PRACTICAL INFORMATION TAB)	MEX (MEXICO CITY - BENITO JUAREZ) AIRPORT PICKUP & RETURN* (CHECK GROUP SHUTTLE TIMES ON PRACTICAL INFORMATION TAB)
MARKET WALKING-EATING TOUR AND TRIP TO CORN MILL	MARKET TOUR WALKING-EATING TOUR AND TRIP TO CORN MILL
LUNCH OF DISHES PREPARED ON ALL COOKING DAYS WITH BEER, WINE, & COCKTAIL SERVICE, SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE COOKING DAY	LUNCH OF DISHES PREPARED ON ALL COOKING DAYS WITH BEER, WINE, & COCKTAIL SERVICE, SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE COOKING DAY
INCREDIBLE PERSONALIZED BOOK-READY, PDF MANUAL OF ALL OF THE DISHES THAT YOU MADE DURING YOUR STAY (ARRIVES AFTER YOUR STAY SO YOU CAN MAKE ALL OF THE DISHES AT HOME!)	INCREDIBLE PERSONALIZED BOOK-READY, PDF MANUAL OF ALL OF THE DISHES THAT YOU MADE DURING YOUR STAY (ARRIVES AFTER YOUR STAY SO YOU CAN MAKE ALL OF THE DISHES AT HOME!)
DAY OFF ON SATURDAY TO BUILD YOUR OWN ITINERARY OR RELAX BY THE POOL	DAY OFF ON THURSDAY TO BUILD YOUR OWN ITINERARY OR RELAX BY THE POOL
HIGH SPEED FIBER-OPTIC WIFI, DAILY MAID SERVICE, AND LAUNDRY SERVICE	HIGH SPEED FIBER-OPTIC FOR WIFI, DAILY MAID SERVICE, AND LAUNDRY SERVICE
$ 1,999 USD plus tax PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY $ 2,499 USD plus tax SINGLE OCCUPANCY	$ 1,799 USD plus tax PER PERSON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY $ 2,299 USD plus tax SINGLE OCCUPANCY
PAYMENT OPTIONS: 5% DISCOUNT FOR PAYMENT IN FULL OR HALF NOW AND HALF ON FIRST DAY OF MONTH PRIOR TO ARRIVAL WITHOUT DISCOUNT	PAYMENT OPTIONS: 5% DISCOUNT FOR PAYMENT IN FULL OR HALF NOW AND HALF ON FIRST DAY OF MONTH PRIOR TO ARRIVAL WITHOUT DISCOUNT

La Villa Bonita No-Change-Fee Guarantee!

We want you to enjoy your vacation at La Villa Bonita and we know that things may come up that preclude you from joining us. While we do not accept cancelations or refund payments, if you need to change your reservation for any reason you can do so once without penalty and subject to availability. You will receive a credit towards the same experience that you can apply to a different date or different experience. If you choose a more expensive experience you will need to pay the difference. Please contact us for further details.

Payment Options and Sales Tax

You can receive an additional 5% discount by paying in full upon making your reservation or you can pay full price paying half to reserve and half due on the first day of the month prior to arrival. The 5% discount is not valid with any other discount, sale or promotion. We will send you an invoice by email that you can pay online. Prices do not include 16% sales tax which will be added to the final price of your package. Tips for the staff are not included.

img_1350.jpg

Welcome to Chef Ana´s mountain home that was specially designed for her culinary program. The property consists of 8 guests rooms all with private baths. Each room has a different design and are very comfortable. All rooms have a king bed and some rooms have the possibility of 2 twin beds or 1 king. All rooms have french doors that open up to a common courtyard with incredible views of the surrounding mountains and steps from the open-air kitchen.

img_1432.jpg

La Villa Bonita is built in a citrus orchard on a hectare of terraced land, complete with an herb and vegetable garden. The specially-designed open-air kitchen is complete with a living area, three sinks, lots of cooking and prep space as well as a 360-degree view of the majestic mountains. Above the kitchen sits our 16-person-capacity glass table with an incredible panoramic view of the Tepozteco mountains, the ex-convent, and the town below. La Villa Bonita is located in a very quiet residential area of town away from the downtown hum.

Check out our new kitchen!:

ikcw - Davenport, Florida

"Absolutely worth it!"

Susan T - San Diego, California

"Chef Ana at La Villa Bonita leads a fantastic culinary adventure."

ivey1982 - Montreal, Canada

"Chef Ana is an amazing host and guide to the culinary world of Mexican cuisine and passion for life, food and her culture."

PersnicketyPT - Scottsdale, Arizona

"Once Again, The Best, The Best, The Best!"

mymexicotours - Santa Cruz, California

"We all had a great time together during our days in the kitchen with Ana preparing some wonderful traditional dishes."

UMysGMo - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

"The experience provided by Chef Ana and her husband Robb is truly amazing."

This is the general information or frequently asked question section! If you have a question, it is most likely answered here!

Time Difference. Mexico does not use daylight savings so sometimes we are in Central and sometimes Mountain. Check to see what time it is. Your phone will change automatically.

Climate. Our climate is known as “the land of eternal spring” so it is not generally too hot or too cold. However, we are also a mile high and in a mountain climate. It may be chilly in the early morning or night. We suggest a light jacket for the early morning or evening. April and May are our hottest months potentially reaching the 90s F during the day and cooling off at night. June to September is a very temperate time to join us. It is NOT HOT! It rains at night at about 10:00-11:00 pm and the sun comes out during the day reaching 70-80 F. In the winter months (November to February), it can be chilly at night and in the early morning. The rooms do not have air conditioning or heating as the temperatures are never extreme. Your room is equipped with a ceiling fan and an extra blanket. If you need anything, please feel free to ask.

Covid or other Illnesses. If you are feeling under the weather prior to your arrival please take a COVID/FLU test. If your test comes out positive you can reschedule without penalty to another date subject to availability as a full credit for what was previously paid. If you join us with COVID or another visible illness, you will not be able to join the class until you are asymptomatic and test negative so please use test prior to coming down. If you are sick, while you are here, you will not have the ability to change to a later date or receive a refund of any kind.

Amenities and Laundry. We provide very nice amenities for the rooms – local soap, shampoo, and lotion. We also provide bathrobes and hair dryers. Feel free to pack light. We have laundry facilities on the property and we can wash your clothes for you.

Cancelation Policy. We understand that something may come up at the last minute and you may not be able to make your trip. While we do not allow cancellation or return of money already paid, we do allow for changes to different dates subject to availability. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to change your date so that we may offer the space to others.

Bugs. We are a mountain climate and do not have any standing water, lakes or ponds in the village. As a result, we do not have an overabundance of mosquitos but there can be a few depending on the time of year. If you are susceptible to bug bites we suggest insect repellent and we suggest not leaving the door to your room open, especially in the early evening.

Whatsapp. Please download and install Whatsapp on your cellphone. We will use this app to stay in communication before and during your stay. Please download and install. This entails receiving an SMS text message to confirm your phone number. You will need to enter that code in the app. Once you have done so, please send us your cellphone number. As we get closer to the date, we will send out a confirmation message. Please send us a photo of yourself so that we can identify you at the airport. We will send a picture as well of your driver.

Passport and Visa. You need a valid passport to travel to Mexico with 6 months of validity beyond the date of entry into the country. Countries such as the US, Canada, Japan, England, the European Union, do not need to have a visa prior to arrival in Mexico. You will fill out a form either on the plane or upon arrival in Mexico. Keep this form in a safe place during your stay. Do not take it out with you on excursions. Upon departure, you will return this document to the airline. If you are coming from a country not listed, please check with the Mexican embassy or consulate in your home country.

Our address for the purposes of filling out your VISA is:
La Villa Bonita Mexican Culinary Vacation
Prolongacion Aniceto Villamar #150
Col. Tierra Blanca
Tepoztlan, Morelos 62520
Phone: 739-395-1515

Airport Pickup. Airport pickup and return are provided to the Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) if you can meet our guidelines for our group shuttle. The trip will take about 1.5 hours depending on traffic on a very nice toll road. Once you have made a reservation, we will send you specific instructions on how to meet our shuttle.

For arrival in MEX, please arrive before 4:00 pm. 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm is ideal. You may arrive earlier, but there may be some wait time as other guests arrive. You can wait in the Urban Corner restaurant in terminal 1 which is our pickup point. We will give you detailed instructions on how to get there. If you cannot meet our pickup requirements, Uber is very good, reliable, and reasonably priced. If you do not want to wait for other guests or arrive after 4:00 pm, you can take an Uber at about 80 USD which can fluctuate depending on demand or exchange rates. The fare does not include tolls that are reimbursed to your Uber driver through the app afterward (about $10 USD). So do not pay your driver for tolls as you will be charged twice. If you want to tip your driver feel free to do so. I generally tip 100 to 150 pesos for good service.

Airport Departure. For departure, we have more flexibility. If you would like to use our shuttle, your departure time should be after 12 noon. You may leave earlier for an additional fee. We have an Uber driver on call who charges $1900 pesos per trip (currently about 95 USD).

Health. Tepoztlan has a small clinic and private doctors if you would like to see one during your stay. We suggest that you check with your insurance company prior to your trip or purchase an international policy. As well, some credit cards include some international coverage. Major hospitals are 40 minutes away in Tepoztlan and 1 hour away in Mexico City. If there is something that you need to have on hand at LVB prior to your arrival, please let us know and we would be happy to arrange for that.

Vegetarian, Vegan, allergies, or special diets. We can accommodate special diets. Please contact us prior to arrival so that we may accommodate your diet. There is dinner on the first night which is prepared prior to your arrival. Please let us know through Whatsapp if you have anything you do not eat.

Clothing. We will do walking in town so please bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat, shorts, a light jacket, sunscreen. This is “the land of eternal spring” so it never gets too hot or too cold but since it is a mountain climate (about a mile high) there will be swings in temperature as the sun goes down. It may be chilly in the morning/night and hot in the afternoon so layers or a light jacket are advisable. Our kitchen is open air. We suggest appropriate footwear in the kitchen as we are dealing with hot items and cutlery.

Getting Around in Tepoztlan. Tepoztlan is very safe and you are free to walk around both day and night. We can also call for a taxi for you or you can take the Combi which runs on a route to the center of town for 10 pesos.

Electricity. Mexico has the same plugs and current (110) as in the US and Canada.

Money Matters. The Mexican currency is the peso. There are 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 peso bills along with 10 and 50 centavo coins, and 1, 2, 5, and 10 peso coins. The current spot exchange rate as of SEPTEMBER 2021 is about 20 pesos per USD. We do not suggest exchanging money in your home airport as you will not receive a good exchange rate. Exchanging USD is limited now in Mexico and many banks do not allow for the exchange of dollars anymore for non-account holders. In the airport, you can exchange a limited amount of dollars but we suggest taking money out on your ATM card. This can be done at the airport or in Tepoztlan. As far as credit cards are concerned, most established restaurants and stores will accept cards but they are not accepted in the market or with smaller shop owners.

Cellular/Telephone. We have VERY GOOD wi-fi in the house but it is great to have data when you are outside of the house and walking in town. Since we use WhatsApp for group announcements it is handy to have some data when outside of the house. Many cellular companies including roaming in your plan while others you can add a limited amount of data to your plan. Please check with your cellphone company.

If someone would like to call you, our house line is +52-739-395-1515. People may call you at any time on that number although our house staff may answer in Spanish. Guests can make calls to the US and Canada free of charge on our house line. Just ask us to access the outside line. You can give our main line number +1-631-994-3436 US for emergencies but it is transferred to Robb´s cellphone and he may not be with you at the moment of the call.

Mobility. Important to Know. If you have mobility issues, please let us know prior to your trip. Although there is walking in the market and going back and forth, we can arrange for a taxi or our vehicle to pick you up and return you to the house. We are happy to accommodate to have you participate in as many of the activities as possible. We will let you know what activities require walking and which do not. We are not wheelchair accessible because of the steps to enter the house as well as the kitchen.

Book This Experience Share This Experience