This elegant and colourful townhouse in central Oaxaca has had an eventful life. Built in the 1900s as a colonial home, it survived several major floods before an earthquake left it uninhabitable in 1991. The stalwart Cabrera family took a deep breath (and a big loan), vacated the house and engaged local architect Jorge Quintanar to completely remodel it into a stylish, multi-level home. In 2001, it was reborn as an intimate and successful guesthouse, before changing to its current format of a house rental - still with the Cabreras at the helm.
At its heart is a peaceful stone patio, around which are arranged the 3 bedrooms, the cheery yellow kitchen, the dining room and the living room, topped by a sunny cactus-filled terrace. Many traditional features are preserved - beamed ceilings, brass chandeliers, wrought-iron and ivy-covered walls - as well as some whimsical touches, like the cherub wall hangings and vintage dolls.
The welcome from Adriana and her team, who meet you on arrival and are on hand throughout your stay, is as warm as the ochre walls. They can book you a tour to the Zapotec site of Monte Alban, or the river pools of Hierve el Agua (guided by husband René); or a cooking lesson in the house's homely, well-equipped kitchen (with sister and chef Pilar). The kitchen-diner is a great space for dinner - home-cooked or otherwise - and a mezcal nightcap. Otherwise, the restaurants and markets of downtown Oaxaca are just a short walk away.
Highs
- This is a private, privileged place to stay in the heart of town
- We loved the décor - a joyful blend of modern and traditional Mexican
- Lots of semi-outdoor spaces to relax in
- Daily maid service, plus (for a small charge) freshly made breakfast
- It’s close to restaurants, shops and markets
Lows
- This is a simple, authentic townhouse, at a fitting price; don't expect gardens or a swimming pool
- The central location means there’s some street and traffic noise
- Street parking only
Best time to go
Oaxaca is ideal at any time of the year - it has a temperate climate, though there's some rain from May to October. There are festivals throughout the year, including Semana Santa (Easter), Guelaguetza (a dance festival held during the last 2 weeks of July), Day of the Dead (1-2 November), and the intriguingly-named Noche de Rábanos ('Night of Radishes'!) on 23 December.
Our top tips
Don’t be shy about signing up for a private cooking class with La Olla’s head chef Pilar Cabrera. It’s a fun half-day of shopping (she’ll take you round the local market), chopping (you’ll be hands-on assembling the food), cooking - and, of course, eating it all in your own cheery yellow kitchen. We helped to prepare tamales and tortillas alongside delicious dishes chosen from Pilar’s cookery book.
Location
La Casa de los Milagros is located in the centre of Oaxaca, a provincial city about 500km south of Mexico City.
By Air
Oaxaca Xoxocotlán International (10km away) is the closest airport. It's served by domestic flights, plus occasional services from the US. If coming from the US, or wanting to combine Oaxaca with the coast, you'll find there are more flights to Bahías de Huatulco (270km away). If you're coming from Europe, you’ll probably fly into Mexico City (500km away), from where there are about 10 daily flights to Oaxaca.
Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
From Oaxaca airport you can either take a taxi or hire a car (see below). If coming from Huatulco, you'll need to drive or take the air taxi service to Oaxaca.
By Bus
First-class bus services operate regularly between Oaxaca and Mexico City (6 hours), Pochutla (7 hours), Puerto Escondido (9 hours), San Cristóbal de las Casas (12 hours), Tehuacan (6 hours) and Villahermosa (14 hours).
By Car
Having the use of a car makes exploring further afield easier, but watch out for the potholed roads. See our car rental recommendations. There's no off-street parking at La Casa de los Milagros, but you can normally find a space on the road outside.
Detailed directions are provided when a booking is confirmed. 
More on getting to Mexico and getting around
Airports:
- Oaxaca Xoxocotlán 10.0 km OAX
- Bahías de Huatulco International 270.0 km HUX
Other:
- Beach 250.0 km
- Shops 0.4 km
- Restaurant 0.5 km