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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

  • There were many highlights: the beautiful beach on our first morning in Cancun, the boat ride among the flamingos at Celestun, the sight of the Magicians Pyramid at Uxmal and…

    AF, Merriott Feb 2020
  • Highlights: Discovering and enjoying the Mexican culture and despite pre visit warnings, being so surprised that Mexico City is nothing like as dangerous a place to visit as I had…

    Cw, Macclesfield Mar 2026
  • Highlights: Palenque site. The beach at Tulum

    JB, Leatherhead Feb 2016
  • As a first time traveler to Central America, I can't stress enough how pleasurable Journey Latin America made Mexico for us.  We feel as if we have a million magical…

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  • A trip into the Sian Kaan biosphere with a community based tour company was a beautiful way to celebrate a 14th birthday for one of our girls.</p>

    CL, Stafford Aug 2019
  • “My sister summed it up by saying that there was nothing that she would have changed, the holiday was perfect. Mexico was a delight, we had never been before, the…

    RN, Ascot Jun 2014
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Our Expert's Opinion

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!

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Bartolome, Galápagos

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    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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    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

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    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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