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Desert Inn

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A simple hotel with pool catering well for visitors to the whale watching town San Ignacio in Baja California. 

The Desert Inn is a five minute walk from San Ignacio’s pretty tree-shaded plaza which hosts the little town’s ornate and imposing Jesuit mission church. The economy here is dedicated to whale-watching but there’s also a palm-defined green lagoon with good bird spotting opportunities.

The mission-style accommodation is mostly on one level with rooms connected by an arched terrace, and is set beside lawns in extensive grounds studded with a fountain and dazzling bougainvillea among other tropical foliage.  Most of the guest rooms face a decent-sized, lounger-fringed swimming pool , good for splashing around in rather than swimming. The fairly basic rooms are spacious and airy and although the décor is unremarkable the hotel serves its purpose as a comfortable, friendly option in a good location. Some guest rooms are intentionally dark to keep them cool, a respite in the fierce Baja heat. There’s also a large restaurant on site.

Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • Highlights?: Probably seeing the Diego Rivera murals in Mexico City although it is hard to pick out as there were so many moments that we loved. A boat trip on…

    JT, Thames ditton May 2018
  • Most memorable experience: Going by fast boat on Usumcinta river to Yaxchilan where howler monkeys and a deserted site made an unforgettable impression. I could go on and on –…

    PH Victoria Oct 2025
  • Most Memorable Moment?: The awesome encounter with a grey whale mother and calf.

    WS, London Feb 2018
  • Highlights: Boat trip to Yaxchilan - jungle and ruins were great.  Gardens and pool at Hacienda Chichen were lovely. Cuernavaca was a lovely town and we enjoyed Robert Brady museum….San…

    CW, London Oct 2025
  • "Many highlights: The views at Uxmal. Waking up with a view of the observatory at Chichen Itza from our hotel bed. The excellent guides. The friendliness of the staff (and…

    TR, Farnham Jan 2015
  • I loved the mexico city  walking tour  - really felt part of the city. Great restaurant recommendations too!  Also loved everything about San cristobel!

    MK, London Jun 2017
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Our Expert's Opinion

Chris
Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Alex
    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

  • Maggie
    Maggie Wilson - Travel Expert

    Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

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