Courtesy Casa Kimberly
In the early ‘60s, Richard Burton famously gifted his 32-year-old lover Elizabeth Taylor a luxurious hillside getaway-from-it-all love nest in the reclusive paradise of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on sparkling Banderas Bay. Now called Casa Kimberly, the enchanting enclave, restored in 2010, is a location-enviable nine-suite boutique hotel, where, as the property puts it, “lovers, artists and adventurers are invited to fall in love again.
Besides its Hollywood heel-print, the one-of-a-kind confines feature out of the ordinary pampering and indulgences, including distinct spas, oblong pool, world-class open-air dining, a top-flight tequila bar, and sublime terrace views and beaches.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
Notably, Casa Kimberly has honored its indelible past, having preserved and restored the Burton-imagined Puente Del Amor (“Bridge of Love”), as well as the pink-marble, heart-shaped tub that Taylor commissioned. The bridge connected two classic Old Town villas, providing paparazzi protection, separate spaces for “Dick and Liz,” and rendezvous points for the mercurial lovebirds.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
“The buildings have a rich history of romance, luxury and intrigue,” as the property puts it, and the hotel is a key attraction in Puerto Vallarta, which is quickly becoming Mexico’s answer to South Beach. Burton was inspired by Venice’s Baroque-era “Bridge of Sighs” that escaped prisoner Casanova once crossed. It tellingly connected freedom and incarceration for inmates.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
The nine regal suites at Casa Kimberly are each individually designed and appointed with magnificent antiques, crystal chandeliers, hand-painted tiles, and exquisite state-of-the art baths. Spacious patios with Jacuzzis and plunge pools take in Puerto Vallarta’s exquisite views. The Spa offers a custom menu of pampering.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
The Iguana (named for Burton’s Puerto Vallarta-set film Night of the Iguana) is an open-air, sea-breezy first-class restaurant with a contemporary Mexican menu; adjacent is the top-flight tequila bar. Iguana features a blend of modern and traditional Mexican cuisine. Open on three sides, all guests enjoy extraordinary views and fresh air while any of a dozen crystal chandeliers gently chime in the breeze.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
The international media attention Burton and Taylor attracted transformed Puerto Vallarta from sleepy fishing village into timeless vacation destination. Today the hotel nods to its original understated elegance with an atmosphere of subtle Hollywood glamour and traditional Colonial Mexican. The pool, azure-tiled, is as it was when Taylor and Burton entertained famous friends there.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
The Elizabeth Taylor suite is a standout. Reached by a private elevator or hand-panted tile steps, it leads from the cobbled-stoned courtyard and encompasses more than 2,500-square-feet of opulence, says the property. It features a wrap-around terrace, and boasts it’s own pool overlooking Banderas Bay and the Sierra Mountains.
“Over the magnificent Mexican Colonial-style bed, a Swarovski crystal chandelier illuminates the hand-painted winged cherubim gracing an elegant dome,” they note. (Neat detail: the tub Taylor commissioned arrived in the shape of an actual heart rather than that symmetrical “Valentine” variety favored in old ski resorts.) Other suites take names from the actors’s films, such as Cleopatra.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
In addition to the Elizabeth Taylor Suite, there is the pool-adjacent Richard Burton Suite, set in the star’s once personal quarters across the Puente Del Amor. The other seven suites have private terrace Jacuzzi’s and strikingly beautiful baths. Each suite features unique elements, such as hand painted tile ceilings, brick domes, murals, claw foot tubs and patio fountains.
Courtesy Casa Kimberly
A petite tequila bar with antique-mirrored bar back and a selection of dozens of highly regarded and rare tequilas and mescals await guests. A resident tequila expert introduces curious visitors to the art and charms of Mexico’s most famous spirit. Across a grand terrace and tucked into private corners are two luxurious spa suites. Each accommodates two guests and features a private Jacuzzi. Treatments highlight the natural healing powers of agave and other locally sourced ingredients.
We’ll see you there.