Climb a steep cobblestone street above downtown Puerto Vallarta and you'll pass under a small bridge linking two houses high above the road. Richard Burton had it built so he could reach Elizabeth Taylor's house without ever stepping onto the street. Together, that bridge and the two homes it joins make up Casa Kimberly: one of the most storied addresses in Vallarta and today a celebrated boutique hotel.
Behind those white walls is a worldwide scandal, a divorce signed in Vallarta, two weddings, a house that nearly crumbled away and a restoration that brought it back. Here is the full story, with the dates, the people and what you can still see today.
Before Vallarta: How the Burton and Taylor Story Began
Elizabeth Taylor was born in London on February 27, 1932, and was a star from childhood, headlining National Velvet (1944) at age 12. Richard Burton was born Richard Walter Jenkins on November 10, 1925, in Pontrhydyfen, a mining village in Wales.
They fell for each other in Italy in 1962 on the set of Cleopatra, where she played the queen of Egypt and he played Mark Antony. Both were married: Taylor to singer Eddie Fisher, Burton to Sybil Williams. A paparazzi shot of the two on a yacht off Ischia confirmed the rumors, and the backlash was huge. The Vatican publicly condemned the pair, and some members of the U.S. Congress called for barring them from the country.
How Casa Kimberly Began: Hollywood Comes to Vallarta
The Vallarta chapter starts in 1963, when director John Huston came to the coast south of town to film The Night of the Iguana. Burton had the lead role, and Taylor came along without a part in the movie. Filming ran from late September to early December 1963, mostly at Mismaloya.
Puerto Vallarta was then a fishing village with dirt roads. According to the American Film Institute's catalog, Burton stayed at Casa Kimberly during the shoot and Taylor joined him there. Huston later recalled that there were more reporters on location than iguanas, and the photos of the couple against the bay helped put Puerto Vallarta on the international travel map.
For the full story of the film and the Mismaloya shoot, read our guide to The Night of the Iguana in Puerto Vallarta and our Mismaloya beach guide.
1964: A Vallarta Divorce, a Montreal Wedding and a Birthday Gift
Much of 1964's drama ran through Vallarta:
- February 27: Taylor turns 32. According to the hotel itself and several publications, Burton gave her the house on Calle Zaragoza for that birthday.
- March 5: Taylor's divorce from Eddie Fisher is granted in Puerto Vallarta.
- March 15: Ten days later, Burton and Taylor marry in a private ceremony at a Montreal hotel.
Accounts differ on the details. Some say Burton rented the house before buying it, and others remember it as a wedding gift. All agree it was the couple's Vallarta home for years.
The Casa Kimberly Bridge of Love
In 1964 Burton had a bridge built at third-floor level across Calle Zaragoza to connect his house, just downhill, with Taylor's across the street. Locals call it the Puente del Amor, or "Bridge of Love." Several sources, including the MICHELIN Guide, say it was modeled on Venice's Bridge of Sighs.
The idea was practical: Burton could cross to Taylor's house without going down to the street and into view of curious onlookers. Her house was big enough for her entourage, which the MICHELIN Guide says included a chef, a secretary and two maids.
The bridge has collected its share of stories, best read as lore rather than fact. A 2017 magazine feature says local nuns objected to the unmarried couple living together, and that the bridge doubled as Burton's escape route after arguments, when Taylor reportedly locked the gate at her end. The hotel's general manager told the MICHELIN Guide that the couple often quarreled but made up on the bridge before dinner.
Today the bridge connects the two suites named after the stars, one at each end, and guests in either wing can walk across it.
From the bridge you look out over tile roofs and the hills above Old Town.
Burton and Taylor's Life in Vallarta
In Vallarta the couple found a measure of calm. They entertained famous friends, swam in the blue-tiled pool that still exists and watched sunsets over the bay. Nancy Schoenberger, co-author of the biography Furious Love, told the MICHELIN Guide that Taylor was never more beautiful than in Puerto Vallarta, and that she loved the sea, the jungle and the macaws.
Burton wrote a piece for Vogue calling Vallarta a delightful place, then begged readers not to come because they would ruin it. Nobody listened. The media frenzy around the couple turned the village into one of Mexico's best-known destinations.
The two kept making movies together. Highlights include:
- The V.I.P.s (1963)
- The Sandpiper (1965)
- Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), which won Taylor her second Best Actress Oscar
- The Taming of the Shrew (1967), with Taylor as Katharina and Burton as Petruchio
- Boom! (1968), another Tennessee Williams adaptation, with Taylor as Flora Goforth
Several of those titles and characters live on today in the names of Casa Kimberly's suites.
Where Is Casa Kimberly? Calle Zaragoza and Gringo Gulch
Casa Kimberly sits on Calle Zaragoza, on the hillside above the historic center, a few blocks from the Malecón and a short climb from the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The area, on the north slope of the Cuale River, is known as Gringo Gulch. The name dates to the 1950s, when Americans and Canadians began building homes here. Local historian Moisés Hernández López notes that "gulch" fit the ravine-like terrain, while "gringo" was a friendly nickname for the newcomers from the north. After Burton and Taylor arrived, writers and film people followed and settled on the same hill.
That early colony left its mark. Many residents taught English, supported the Red Cross and local scholarship programs, and some married into Vallarta families. Architect Fernando "Freddy" Romero, who moved to town in 1952, pioneered the Vallarta style: adobe, clay tile, local ceramics, gardens and wrought iron blended with modern lines.
Today Gringo Gulch is a quiet neighborhood of steep lanes, shaded stairways, whitewashed houses, tile roofs and bay views. For the rest of downtown, see our guides to the Puerto Vallarta Malecón and Old Town and Puerto Vallarta history.
The hillsides above downtown Vallarta, where the expat enclave known as Gringo Gulch took root.
What Happened to Casa Kimberly After Burton and Taylor
Burton and Taylor divorced in June 1974, remarried on October 10, 1975, in Botswana, and split for good in July 1976. According to the MICHELIN Guide, Taylor kept Casa Kimberly after the first divorce.
A month after that second split, Burton married model Susan (Suzy) Hunt, former wife of Formula 1 champion James Hunt. In 1977 he gave her a house close to the old one, called Casa Bur-Sus. That marriage ended in 1982, and Burton died on August 5, 1984, in Céligny, Switzerland, at 58.
Taylor kept visiting Vallarta even after Burton's death and sold the property in the 1990s. She died in Los Angeles on March 23, 2011, at 79. Over the years the house fell into disrepair; accounts from that era describe it operating for a time as a guesthouse that also welcomed curious visitors.
Casa Kimberly Reborn: Restoration and Reopening
The turnaround came thanks to Janice Chatterton, an American entrepreneur. In 1990 she bought the former Casa Bur-Sus from Susan Hunt, turned it into Hacienda San Angel and, over the years, added neighboring villas and antiques from across Mexico.
She later acquired the Taylor and Burton houses and led a renovation of about five years. The work restored the heart-shaped pink marble tub Taylor commissioned, the original pool and the Bridge of Love, and added a new hillside building with a gym and spa. Casa Kimberly reopened as a boutique hotel in late 2015.
For the opening of its restaurant on November 28, 2015, a life-size bronze of Burton and Taylor seated together was unveiled. It is the work of Jim and Christina Demetro, cast in El Pitillal and modeled from photographs and measurements of the two actors.
Casa Kimberly Today: A Boutique Hotel with a Legendary Past
Today Casa Kimberly is a nine-suite boutique hotel spread across the two original houses plus an addition built into the hillside. It blends Colonial Mexican architecture with old-Hollywood glamour: blue-and-white tile, arches, fountain courtyards and 19th-century antiques. It's a natural fit for couples, honeymooners and classic-film fans.
A MICHELIN Key
In 2025 Casa Kimberly earned One MICHELIN Key in the guide's first hotel selection for Mexico. It was one of four Puerto Vallarta hotels recognized on that inaugural list.
The Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Suites
Each suite is named for the couple or their films: Cleopatra, Velvet, The V.I.P.s, Katharina, Virginia, Sandpiper and Flora, plus the two signature suites. The Elizabeth Taylor Suite is the showpiece, with a terrace pool, the actress's original pink marble tub and a small dome over the bed inscribed "vive el amor" ("long live love"). At the other end of the bridge, the Richard Burton Suite has the feel of a writer's retreat.
Dining, Spa and Views
The hotel's restaurant and tequila bar, The Iguana, is set in an open-air dining room framed by arched porticos, and there is also a spa and gym. The restaurant is named for the film, and the hotel says the tequila bar sits where Burton once had his own bar. Terraces look out over Old Town's tile roofs to the bay, and the official site advertises mariachi nights on certain evenings.
The arched porticos of Casa Kimberly, now a boutique hotel.
Hacienda San Angel, Burton's Other Vallarta Home
Nearby on Calle Miramar is Hacienda San Angel, the house Burton gave his next wife, Susan Hunt, in 1977, when it was called Casa Bur-Sus. Today it is a 12-suite boutique hotel with hand-painted frescoes and antique religious art, and it also received One MICHELIN Key in 2025.
We recommend confirming hours and availability directly with each property.
Casa Kimberly Timeline
- 1950s: Americans and Canadians begin building on the slope that becomes Gringo Gulch.
- 1962: Burton and Taylor fall in love in Italy while filming Cleopatra.
- 1963: The Night of the Iguana shoots from September to December; Burton stays at Casa Kimberly.
- 1964: The house is given to Taylor for her 32nd birthday; her Vallarta divorce (March 5); Montreal wedding (March 15); the Bridge of Love is built.
- 1974: First divorce; Taylor keeps Casa Kimberly.
- 1975–1976: Second wedding in Botswana and second split.
- 1977: Burton gives Casa Bur-Sus to Susan Hunt.
- 1984: Richard Burton dies in Switzerland.
- 1990: Janice Chatterton buys Casa Bur-Sus, today Hacienda San Angel.
- 1990s: Taylor sells Casa Kimberly.
- 2011: Elizabeth Taylor dies in Los Angeles.
- 2015: After about five years of work, Casa Kimberly reopens as a hotel; the bronze of the couple is unveiled.
- 2025: Casa Kimberly and Hacienda San Angel each receive One MICHELIN Key.
Self-Guided Half-Day: In the Footsteps of Burton and Taylor
You can walk this route on your own in three to four hours:
- Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Start at downtown's landmark. Its famous crown was installed in 1965, right when the couple was living in Vallarta.
- Climb into Gringo Gulch. Head uphill from the church toward Calle Zaragoza.
- The Bridge of Love. Admire the bridge from Calle Zaragoza.
- Hacienda San Angel. A few blocks away on Calle Miramar, see from outside the house Burton later shared with his next wife.
- Isla del Río Cuale. Walk down to the river island, home to the 1988 statue of John Huston and a bust of Elizabeth Taylor.
- Finish on the Malecón or in the Romantic Zone around sunset.
Best time to go: the dry season, November through May, is the most comfortable for walking. June through October brings more rain, and July and August are very hot, so set out early. What to bring: shoes with good grip, water, a hat, sunscreen and some cash for snacks. Budget: seeing the bridge and strolling the neighborhood is free; if you want to dine at the hotel, book ahead.
Explore Old Town on Riviera Tours & Transfers' City Tour
Want to see downtown with a guide who knows its stories? Our Vallarta City Tour runs every day, lasts about 7 hours and is offered in English and Spanish. It includes:
- A guided walk through downtown Puerto Vallarta
- A visit to a traditional jewelry workshop
- Free time for shopping
- A tequila stop
- A visit to a regional-cuisine restaurant (meal not included)
Prefer lunch included? The Vallarta Plus City Tour adds a distillery tour, a tequila tasting and a meal at a regional-cuisine restaurant.
Check dates and book the Vallarta City Tour →
Tips for Visiting the Casa Kimberly Bridge
- Wear comfortable shoes. Gringo Gulch's streets are cobbled and steep, with plenty of stairs.
- Go early or near sunset. It's cooler for the climb and the light is better for photos.
- Be respectful of guests. It's a working hotel: enjoy the bridge from the street, and save the interior for a stay or a restaurant visit.
- Mind the neighbors. Gringo Gulch is residential: keep voices down and don't block driveways or stairways.
- Pair it with Old Town. The Malecón, the parish church and the Romantic Zone are all close by. For more storied properties, see our guide to historic hotels in Puerto Vallarta.
FAQ
Where is Casa Kimberly in Puerto Vallarta? On Calle Zaragoza, on the hillside above the historic center in the area known as Gringo Gulch, a few blocks from the Malecón and the parish church.
Can you visit Casa Kimberly without staying there? You can see the bridge from the street for free. To experience the inside, you can book a table at the restaurant or a stay; check current options with the hotel.
Why is it called the Bridge of Love? Richard Burton had it built in 1964 to connect his house to Elizabeth Taylor's, directly across Calle Zaragoza.
Was Elizabeth Taylor in The Night of the Iguana? No. She accompanied Burton during filming but did not have a role in the movie.
How many times did Burton and Taylor marry? Twice: first in Montreal in March 1964, then in Botswana in October 1975. They divorced in 1974 and again in 1976.
When did Elizabeth Taylor sell Casa Kimberly? In the 1990s. After years of decline, it reopened as a restored hotel in late 2015.
What is Hacienda San Angel's connection to Burton? It was the house Burton gave his next wife, Susan Hunt, in 1977, then called Casa Bur-Sus. It is now a boutique hotel nearby.
Photos: Another Believer / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons (all four images)
