In 1616, Hernando Aragonés built the residence, “Our Lady of Santa Ana”, and planted an orchard on the grounds. Over the next 160 years, as ownership of the residence changed hands, additional parcels of land were purchased. Over time, farming and pulque production became the main activities at the estate.
In 1777, when Ramon Goicoechea purchased the property, he expanded it to 84 acres and renamed his new home, "Hacienda de Goicoechea". The hacienda as it stands today, is the site of San Angel Inn.
Beginning in 1806, and continuing for the next 100 years, the hacienda and its land was either bought or inherited multiple times. Finally, in 1906, the property was acquired by the San Angel Land Company.
Two years later, in 1908, new owners, Jeanne Roux and Magdalena Cabassut, opened the San Angel Inn, a hotel named after the surrounding residential area. Six acres were kept for the hotel, while the rest of the land was subdivided to form the Altavista neighborhood.
Carlos Prieto, a writer and musician, purchased the property in 1948, 11 years after it was declared a “Colonial Monument”. He and his co-owner, Cecil Jacque, enjoyed hosting classical music concerts on the grounds. For a number of years in the late 50’s, they lended the property to the Universidad Iberoamericana Schools of Architecture, Design and History of Art.
Later, a group of investors decided to create the restaurant, "Antiguo San Angel Inn", with the aim of showcasing the best of Mexican cuisine. They hoped to attract guests from all over the world with the service and hospitality that Mexico is known for.
San Angel Inn Restaurant opened on June 13, 1963. From the beginning, we’ve taken great care to preserve the beauty of the original gardens, as well as the hacienda’s physical structure. In doing so, we’ve created a unique environment, where our guests can enjoy the best in modern cuisine, surrounded by centuries of Mexican history.