Hotel Santa Cecilia near Guanajuato, Mexico

A paved road winds up to a large crenellated building with stone battlements. A stone arch connects a tower with the main structure. Hotel Santa Cecilia is a large hotel in the shape of a medieval castle. While the hotel never served as a castle, it does incorporate stone walls of a 17th-century silver mine. Guanajuato is a large city in the central highlands of Mexico. It was an important colonial city because of the area's large silver deposits. Silver continues to be a major export, while tourism and industry round out the balance of the economy. Because it was an important colonial site, the city boasts of lavish colonial architecture and a historic city center that is recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage.