Evening star., 1952-01-20
II ourists Now
I rail Cortez
ToRetreut
(. By Horace Sutton,

MI NH
By Horace Sutton
| CUERNAVACA.-Hernando Cor
tez. conqueror Of Mexico. had q
peachy idea for week ends. When
he was bored with battle and
lfatigued with intrigues, he would
lslip away to the tranquility Of
a quiet little sugar mill near q
lake. not far from Cuernavaca In
Mexico.
Cortez returned to Spain in 1540
and seven years later he was dead
in Seville. The sugar min, which
was the first one built on the con-
ltinent, Kept churning out sugar
until 1912, when some overheated
Mexicans blew 1t up during the
course Of q revolution. A moldy
wreck, the mill lay abandoned
with the ghost Of Cortez and
wounds Of the revolution until
1913. when 1t was viewed by a
Mexican and an American, both
with ideas. E
After World War II, these two
gentlemen, who had Just built the
Del Prado Hotel In Mexico City,
decided that Cortez had had a
pretty good idea. even II 1t was
405 years old. In 1948, with the
flavor Of the old Spanish con-
quistadores in mind. they opened
the Hacienda Vista Hermosa, one
of the most fascinating little oases
on either side Of the border.
It's Old Mexico.
The Hacienda is Old Mexico
and appears to be a million miles
from a billboard or a snarl of
traffic. The arches Of the ancient
Cortez aqueduct tiptoe right across
the middle OF the swimming pool
a stone bell tower looks down on
antique carriage which stands
on the mosaic courtyard by the
lportico. Statuettes, perhaps
brought from Spain In the early
days and found under the dust
|of Mexican attics. stand now. In
quiet pools.
Upstairs. the rooms are opened
with great iron keys. have tiled
floors. Oil paintings look down
from the walls. Some rooms have
huge arched balconies where one
can sit in the shade and wonder
If it is possible to muster enough
energy to descend the stairway
and fiop into the swimming pool.
The bar is q delightful arbor
where one sips q tall, cool green
concoction called the "Gen
Macarthur" o drink which re-
places normal vision with o view
OF five stars. AT night there is
dancing in the patio with soft
lights playing from hidden re-
cesses in the palm trees.
Meals are served in a romantic
|grotto by walters who wear the
traditional costume Of the BRIDE
groom in the neighboring State OF
Guerrero. It consists of a white
shirt embroidered down the front,
an embroidered sash to match
and black trousers.
At luncheon, at dinner, and
sometimes later under the Mexi-
can moonlight, guests are sere-
Inaded by q pleasant little guitar
trio. Since almost every young
man seems to sing and play the
guitar in Mexico, it was not toe
|dificult for the management te
find q trio right on the premises.
In their spare time the troubadors
are. respectively. the Hacienda
barber. tailor and the repairer Of
bicycles.
> Things to Do.
Should the simple life of lolling
around the pool, slipping drinks
and being serenaded ever begin to
pale, the Hacienda can offer
horseback riding down the back
country roads. tennis, badminton.
jai alai and billiards.
One mile away at Lago Teques-
quitengo. an old Aztec tongue
twister. there is black bass fishing
in the lake and water skiing on
top Of 1t. In the fall and winter
there is duck hunting and shoot
ing for quail and wild pigeon.
Adventures can arrange for
jaguar hunts in the mountains 10
miles OF.
So many Norte Americanos have
followed the old Cortez trail that
the 81 rooms Of the Hacienda
Vista Hermosa are usually filed.
Fifty more are being added and all
will be decorated with the courtly
air of the Cortez period. As
things stand now, the Hacienda's
rates for room and board run from
100 to 180 pesos q day for two,
food included. That comes to q
daily tariff between $17.24 and
$19.55 per couple.
The Hacienda Is IS miles from
Taxco and approximately Is
minutes drive from Cuernavaca.