About Cerrito Encantado
Cerrito Encantado is a family place. My father found this hill in Altavista, Nayarit in 2001, spent twenty years building it, and today my husband Chris and I care for it along with a small circle of local friends and neighbors who keep it running. This is the story of the hill and the people behind it.
The Beginning
Cerrito Encantado was founded in 2001 by my father, José Huerta. While driving along the coastal road of Nayarit, he noticed a sign for Altavista. He followed the road up the hill and was struck by the views, the local community, and the natural landscape.
He purchased the land and spent the next twenty years developing the property. He also acquired the surrounding parcels to preserve the natural environment, so the hill stays green and quiet.
Twenty Years of Building
He built the property piece by piece. La Casa Chilam came first. Then La Casa Redonda, with its second-level meditation room. Then Los Cuartos, the outdoor kitchen with its adobe oven, and finally a pool overlooking the valley and the ocean.
La Casa Chilam
The first house built on the hill, and the one Chris and I call our favorite.
La Casa Redonda
The round house, with its second-level meditation room. My dad's favorite.
Los Cuartos
The guest rooms of Cerrito, tucked between the gardens.
The Outdoor Kitchen
An open-air kitchen with an adobe oven, made for long meals.
The Pool
The final piece: a pool overlooking the valley and the ocean.
The Gardens
Surrounding parcels kept natural, so the hill stays green and quiet.
The building never really stops. Next to be redone is La Casa Arellanes, the first house you see when you come down the entrance, though it won't be available for rent.
Almost everyone who built Cerrito is from Altavista or La Peñita. The walls, the terraces, the palapas: local hands made all of it. You can see how everything sits on the hill on our property layout page.
The Town
José worked to build relationships with Altavista from the start. He hosted teachers from the US who taught English to local children, organized movie nights for townspeople, and hired locally. Those connections are still the heart of how Cerrito works today.
If you're curious what the village is like, we wrote about it here: Altavista, Nayarit: What It's Like and What to Do.
The People of Cerrito
Cerrito doesn't run on an app or a front desk. It runs on people we trust, and most of them have been part of this place for years.
Tomasa, who we all call Tomy, is the main caretaker. She looks after the property when we're away, and she's usually the first friendly face guests meet. For 150 pesos a batch she'll cook you beans or handmade tortillas, the best tasting ones around, that you can keep in the fridge or freeze. She's also the one to ask about fruit: if something is ripe, a yaka or a guanábana, ask her nicely and she may share it. These are her own services, so please pay her directly. Her husband Juan and their son Alfonso are part of the Cerrito family too. Juan handles small jobs around the property: clearing weeds, bringing down water, and cutting back the vegetation when the jungle gets ambitious. He can also drive you to La Pila del Rey for 700 pesos for a group of up to three.
Panda is our albañil, the best builder in a wide radius. He loves to hang out and have a beer, but when it comes to building he is meticulous. If there's a festival or a party in town, look for the man dancing: that's Panda.
Pacho, our neighbor above the garage, fumigates for pests once a month. He's the grandpa you always wished you had.
Carmelita lives closer to the plaza and has a family of her own. She's one of the best cleaners in the area, and between her and Tomy, everything gets cleaned to the best of their ability every single time.
About Yazzi & Chris
I'm Yazzi, and my husband is Chris. I'm from Los Angeles, and Chris is from the Hudson Valley in New York. We enjoy traveling and have lived in various places, including four years in Melbourne, Australia. We do everything at Cerrito together, from the website and design to helping guests when we're around. Our favorite house is La Casa Chilam, and our favorite beach is Chacala.
Mexico is personally meaningful to me. My father is from Juarez in Chihuahua, and our family has Mexican indigenous roots. We're interested in exploring Mexico's landscapes, traditions, and healing practices as we continue to spend time here.
My dad now lives in San Miguel de Allende. He's always on the move, loves to tell a good story, and doesn't mind a glass of wine. His favorite house is La Casa Redonda.
And yes, there are dogs. Meet them here.