Set on a hilltop just outside the city center, this six-room hideaway has some of the area's best city views. The rose-colored Spanish colonial inn, with its pair of courtyards, tiled floors, bright-painted walls, and spacious rooms with private terraces, also happens to be something of an art gallery. Owners (and U.S. expats) Bill and Heidi LeVasseur use their walls to display the work of local folk artists; in your room, you might find ceremonial masks, paintings, ceramics, and weavings hanging above your bed or private fireplace. If you like what you see, the LeVasseurs can easily arrange a sale for you.

In its former lives, Casa Liza was a 17th-century colonial estate, and later the home of famed Mexican opera and theater star José Mojica. But that was before New York expat Liza Kisber transformed it in the late 1980s into a stylish B&B, complete with period antiques, local artwork, traditionally landscaped gardens, and outdoor Jacuzzi. The hotel's eight suites, along with a separate two-story villa, are individually decorated. Most have baths and kitchens decorated with Talavera tiles; all have kilims and Oriental rugs, beds with ornate linens, and private patios. The staff will happily arrange classes on local cuisine, crafts, horseback riding and yoga.

Spread among five 16th-century houses just a few blocks from the main city square, this hotel is as close as you'll get to top-of-the-line luxury in San Miguel. An official historic landmark originally built as a home for the town's archbishop in 1580, the property now has 33 rooms and suites, furnished with canopy king beds, colonial antiques, Talavera-tiled bathrooms, and private balconies (a few with views of the city's iconic Parroquia cathedral). There's a small spa with a menu of massages and wraps—all at reasonable prices. The swimming pool, currently closed for renovation, should reopen by late 2007.

Hidden behind elaborately crafted wooden doors, this restored townhouse's five suites and two rooms are decorated with unique ethnic and artistic themes. The Karma Suite has Indian carved-wood furnishings and woven textiles, while the Zulu Suite's bronze figurines and kente-cloth linens and pillows come from Africa. The expansive Pacifica Suite is big with honeymooners; it has a whirlpool tub and rooftop terrace. The hotel has a spacious second-floor patio for evening dining, and the staff can arrange for tours of La Gruta (the local hot spring) and other area attractions.

Set literally next door to the Parroquia, Casa Rosada has terraces with stunning views of the church's dome and spires. Once the home of Diego Rivera's daughter, this 16-room gem is set around verdant terraced gardens and has period touches such as terra-cotta floors and king-size wrought-iron bedsteads, along with more eclectic elements like '50s French-style sofas, Middle Eastern rugs, and East Indian art. Even if you're staying elsewhere, drop by to visit Xapai, the hotel's friendly bar and Mexican restaurant.

San Miguel's oldest B&B is centered around a lush courtyard of jacaranda trees, geraniums, and bougainvillea. Originally built in 1966 as a private home for Connecticut escapees Charles and Gladys Schuck, the property now has ten guest suites done up in cheerful colors like orange, bright green, and aquamarine. Each contains a huge tiled bathroom, towering 12-foot ceilings, working fireplace, and French doors. The common rooftop terrace has plenty of space for sunning, as well as views over the city's rooftops, churches, and the distant Bajio Mountains. Traditional Mexican fare is offered at the onsite lunch restaurant; the cozy heated pool is a welcome relief after a long day of sightseeing.

This alluring four-room retreat, built from the ruins of an eighteenth-century gem on a small side street, retains enough colonial details—original cantera stone around doorways, a bougainvillea-filled courtyard, wood-beam-and-woven-bark ceilings—to remind you where you are. But the dominant theme is Eastern exoticism, a surprisingly compatible partner to traditional Mexican style. One suite features a built-in daybed with a Moorish arch. Vibrant silk saris have been turned into bedcovers and pillows. The service, too, is Zen-like—attentive in a calm, effortless way. Extras include sumptuous complimentary breakfasts in the dining room or on the rooftop terrace, fireplaces in every room, free Wi-Fi and calls to the United States, and DVDs—if you decide not to venture into the charming town of San Miguel.