Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
12 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
15 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
19 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
26 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Mexico Xilitla Posada el Castillo
AO Edited

Posada el Castillo

The former home of surrealist Edward James, who gave Xilitla its main attraction.

Xilitla, Mexico

Added By
linkogecko
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Hallway of the hotel.   Carlos Adampol Garrido/cadampol
Hallway of the hotel.   Carlos Adampol Garrido/cadampol
Posada el Castillo   Carlos Adampol Garrido/cadampol
The Castillo’s watchtower.   Carlos Adampol Garrido/cadampol
Wooden maquettes of architectural features that can be found in Las Pozas.   Carlos Adampol Garrido/cadampol
View of the Sierra Gorda from the Castillo.   Emma
The Castillo’s watchtower.   Carlos Adampol Garrido/cadampol.
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Surrealist Edward James's "Las Pozas" sculpture garden is often known to locals and visitors as his "Castillo" (castle). His actual abode when living in Xilitla, however, was what is now the appropriately named Posada el Castillo hotel. James collaborated with Plutarco Gastelum in building Las Pozas, and the Posada was originally the Gastelum family home. His descendants continue to run the business today. 

While Las Pozas was a more collaborative effort—most often credited to James than to Gastelum—el Castillo was almost certainly more Gastelum's work. One of its main features nowadays might be the many wooden maquettes of whimsical shapes that would later be built in concrete into Las Pozas, as well as a mural by James's friend, fellow Brit and surrealist Leonora Carrington.

Gastelum's architectural flair is on full display here, with some of the most notable quirks including a watchtower jutting out the top, which offers impressive views of the Sierra Gorda mountains that define the Huasteca region where Xilitla is located. The eight rooms available to rent at the hotel are all individually named and include the Don Eduardo room, named after Edward and supposedly his former room in Xilitla.

Related Tags

Hotels Architecture Design History & Culture

Know Before You Go

Tours of the building are available for non-guests for $100 MXN per person. The tours take place daily at 1 pm and 7 pm, lasting for 40 minutes.

A maximum of 20 people can take part in the tours and they can be booked on the phone by calling +52-489-1135-858.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Yucatan: Astronomy, Pyramids & Mayan Legends

Mayan legends, ancient craters, lost cities, and stunning constellations.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

linkogecko

Published

August 23, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.coxandkings.co.uk/destinations/central-america/mexico/accommodation/posada-el-castillo
  • https://www.ciudadypoder.mx/la-posada-castillo-xilitla/
Posada el Castillo
105 Melchor Ocampo
Xilitla, 79900
Mexico
21.386307, -98.990287
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Leonora Carrington Museum

Xilitla, Mexico

miles away

Las Pozas

Xilitla, Mexico

miles away

Sótano de las Golondrinas (Cave of Swallows)

Huehuetlán, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Xilitla

Xilitla

Mexico

Places 3

Nearby Places

Leonora Carrington Museum

Xilitla, Mexico

miles away

Las Pozas

Xilitla, Mexico

miles away

Sótano de las Golondrinas (Cave of Swallows)

Huehuetlán, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Xilitla

Xilitla

Mexico

Places 3

Related Places

  • Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház

    Budapest, Hungary

    Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház

    A stunning Art Nouveau cinema in the heart of Budapest.

  • Hôtel Solvay

    Brussels, Belgium

    Hôtel Solvay

    This historic Art Nouveau townhouse was the former home of the son of a famous chemical inventor and industrialist.

  • Mudéjar Thematic Park

    Olmedo, Spain

    Mudéjar Thematic Park

    The best collection of Mudéjar building replicas gathered in a theme park in Olmedo.

  • St Martin’s Rotunda, Prague

    Prague, Czechia

    Rotonde Saint-Martin (St Martin’s Rotunda)

    The largest and best-preserved rotunda in Prague.

  • Granary in Jankowo up close

    Jankowo, Poland

    Walter Gropius's 1906 Spichlerz

    A Bauhaus co-founder designed this quirky, abandoned granary.

  • Lido, Italy

    Grande Albergo Ausonia & Hungaria

    An intricate ceramic tile facade adorns this five-star hotel.

  • Modern Cloisters of Valira Park

    La Seu d'Urgell, Spain

    Modern Cloisters of Valira Park

    This parody of ecclesiastical cloisters features famous figures from the 20th century.

  • The Little House

    Shepherdstown, West Virginia

    The Little House

    True to its name, this little house presents like a dollhouse, and surprising details are revealed with a quick peek through the window.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.