One of the effects of the global lockdown is the realisation that travel, and especially explorations abroad, shouldn’t be taken lightly, but cherished instead, opting for inspiring and meaningful experiences only. Based in Mexico, a country steeped in history and boasting a richly layered culture, Grupo Habita, a hospitality company with several hotels nationwide and also abroad, has quite brilliantly fused the country’s cultural legacy with modern boutique hospitality, offering such a memorable stay to discerning globetrotters. The company’s newest property, Círculo Mexicano, has just opened its doors in Mexico City, adding to its alluring portfolio with a style and charm all its own. Situated a few blocks northeast of Downtown, its very first property in Centro Histórico, the oldest part of the Mexican capital, the hotel occupies a 19th-century residential building. Grupo Habita tapped local architecture practice Ambrosi Etchegaray to breathe new life into the structure, resulting in an appealing blend of old and new.
A collapsed roof has been removed to recreate a light-filled patio which connects all of Círculo Mexicano‘s 25 rooms, situated on the second and third floors. Mind you, the ground floor is home to a mercado, featuring a tightly curation of shops, such as Simple by Trista, and dining options by acclaimed chef Gabriela Cámara, all of which adds to the sense of immersing oneself in local culture, albeit in a contemporary way. Mind you, the cradle of Manuel Álvarez Bravo, an icon of Latin American photography, stood on the premises, and Círculo Mexicano pays tribute by way of an exhibition of his works in collaboration with the Álvarez Bravo Foundation. Each of the rooms and suites has been designed according to the Shaker design philosophy by design studio La Metropolitana, which has resulted in modern comfort captured by essential furnishings, all crafted with natural materials.
While 18 rooms have a private patio, the remaining rooms have a balcony which looks out onto on Calle República de Guatemala. The rooms vary between 20 sqm. (215 sq.ft.) and 75 sqm. (807 sq.ft.) in size and all have a king-size bed and rain showers except the Top Suite which comes with a lavish bathtub. Adding up to the modern hospitality experience are complimentary organic bath amenities, WiFi access, 24-hour room service, security and bike rental. But that’s not all, folks. One of the aforementioned dining options is ONA Le Toit, a culinary pop-up gourmet restaurant supervised by Romain Tischenko. The Paris-based top chef collaborates with sommelier Ioulia Gourieva, and offers a rotating six-course tasting menu which fuses French cuisine with Mexican flavours. Perched on the roof, right next to the swimming pool, sits a terrace with sweeping city views. The bar serves a selection of organic wines, traditional mezcal and fresh fruit waters, as well as snacks and a range of bites prepared on the grill.
Círculo Mexicano
Calle República de Guatemala 20 (Centro Histórico)
06000 Mexico City
Telephone: +52 1 55 96890543
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
