For this posting, we spotlight the project El Secreto for our blog category on Gated Communities.
If you’ve decided San Miguel de Allende is a town where you want to spend more time, and you’ve decided a gated community fits your lifestyle, you’ll want to watch our blogs on Gated Communities. With each blog, we focus on a community we’ve visited especially with our clients in mind so we can answer your every question. And for this blog post, our spotlight is on El Secreto.
Located south of San Miguel, just south of the Mega super store off the Salida de Celaya, this modern, luxury community boasts condominiums from two-bedroom, single-level units to four-bedroom, three-level units, meeting almost every homeowner’s lifestyle requirement. The “bridge units”—all living is above the street below and accessed by elevator—are especially unique. Raul, the developer, tells us the project has been awarded three separate national housing awards by two Presidents of Mexico and as an ex-architect and developer myself, I can easily see why.
El Secreto is built to exacting standards demanded by the international clientele who have already chosen the project as a secondary—and sometimes a primary—home. American and Canadian expats will find this project nearly identical to projects north of the border, while the many Mexican nationals investing here realize it exceeds many competing local projects. As just one example, all Secreto units boast both cisterns and hidden rooftop tinacas—a double back-up for any unforeseen city water shortfalls—all of which utilize a pressurized water system for those luxurious morning showers we all love.
Secreto designers paid special attention to kitchens and bathrooms, just as U.S. designers must. Kitchens boast granite countertops with undermount sinks, contemporary cabinets with modern hardware, and slow-close drawer slides, the first we’ve seen in San Miguel. Bathrooms are especially sexy: wall-mount faucets spill into vessel sinks, and showers boast frosted glass dividers and doors.
Even the front door design offers a custom touch: the window vent opens for fresh air, allowing the remaining grill to provide security even while you’re napping on your rooftop hammock or soaking in the rooftop hot tub. A rooftop kitchen area—complete with grill—dramatically expands entertaining options, and Raul welcomes buyers’ customization requests: he’ll price the extras for you and give you an estimate of the extra time required for completion.
Common area amenities include three pools—one an adult-only pool—each with a warmer soaking pool, although only one pool remains heated during winter months. The gym is spotless and the clubhouse often hosts morning yoga sessions or exercise groups. For weekend visits, the on-site concierge service is ideal: just call ahead to have the kitchen stocked with groceries, flowers waiting in the dining room, or reservations made for dinner. And with a quick call and short wait, residents can enjoy spa services in the clubhouse or in their own unit.
Security proves tight, a popular amenity with buyers from Mexico City: I’ve been requested to leave my driver’s license every time I’ve visited the property, and there are no “back doors” allowing a security breach. The grounds are patrolled, as well, offering help from unloading groceries to changing a flat tire. Raul tells us several owners are repeat buyers from his company’s other projects, like el Encanto and el Caracol, both because of the service and value provided.
As of January 2011, units remain available with prices beginning at 2.7 million pesos (about U.S. $206,000 at today’s exchange rate), with monthly HOA fees starting at 1,870 pesos (or about U.S. $142).
Want to learn more? Need to compare this to other gated community options? Contact us here today, and we’ll be happy to help you find the option best fitting your lifestyle!