House of the Butterfly
Near Montezuma's Castle lies a peaceful hacienda in Camp Verde, Arizona.
By: Candy Moulton 08/01/2008
Several years ago, Kat Vinson contemplated purchasing five villas and operating them as a bed and breakfast in Camp Verde, Arizona.
Before making the decision, she drove to nearby Sedona, and there in the red rock country, she meditated on the deal. When a butterfly landed on her hand, she took it as a sign that she should purchase Hacienda de la Mariposa—House of the Butterfly.
This New Mexico-style villa resort has five acres with a wooded creek view, gardens, fruit trees, a wedding chapel and a pool. Each of the villas has a private spa, cozy fireplace and butterflies both inside and out. “We consider it a petite resort,” says Kat, who operates the bed and breakfast with her husband Reggie, more famously known as Rockin’ Reggie Vincent (yes, Vincent, not Vinson).
An advertisement drew Kat to Hacienda de la Mariposa in part because she has “always loved the butterflies.” Since purchasing the property, the Vinsons have branded it with their own unique style as they attempt to provide a peaceful setting where people can restore their spirits while appreciating the Western heritage.
“When people come, we give them a little piece of our heart,” Kat says.
History, Just Around the Bend
The earliest people to inhabit this area of Arizona were the Hohokam, skillful farmers who arrived around A.D. 600. They were followed by the Sinagua people who moved in and created homes in the ancient cliffs circa 1125, farming along Beaver Creek. Evidence of their habitation—the five-story, 21-room adobe structure they once occupied and that is now part of Montezuma’s Castle National Monument—stands little more than a mile downstream from the Hacienda de la Mariposa.
The Sinagua are believed to have been assimilated into Hopi culture. The Hopi also revered butterflies for their beauty and role in pollinating plants. Each year in late summer, Hopi youths and young adults take part in the Butterfly Dance, meant to recognize the role the butterfly plays in the cycle of life. The girls wear elaborate headdresses for the dance. The traditional hairstyle of young Hopi women includes whorls of hair above each ear. Representing a squash blossom, the whorls also depict butterfly wings and are traditionally known as poli’ini, or “wearing a butterfly.”
House of the Butterfly
The main villa features a handcrafted cedar door that leads into the gathering room with its 20-foot high ceiling and exposed vigas. A kiva fireplace in one corner balances banco-style seating where guests can visit with each other.
Rooms within the House of the Butterfly are the Monarch, with its rustic armoire and writing desk, the Gossamer Wing, which has a king sized bed, reading nook and fireplace, and the Mariposa Creekside, with a private gated patio and bay window.
In the Casita la Mirada (Little House with a View) are the Painted Lady and the Sonoran Blue rooms. The former overlooks a water garden, while the latter has a kitchen, dining nook and walled in courtyard, making it ideal for a longer stay.
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