Since the beginning of their business, as creators of small Design Hotels in Playa del Carmine in Mexico in 2001 and in the capital, many years have passed, but Carlos Couturier and Moisés Micha – once in citrus farming and in the world of investments – have not lost their passion for this activity. On the contrary they have developed it by creating the Habita group, which in the meantime has increasingly widespread both in Mexico but also in New York and Chicago.
They set out having a great passion for architecture, design and lifestyle, with the intention of building something unique and recognizable, risking destinations that no one would have visited: a fishing town like Playa Carmen and a chaotic metropolis like Città del Mexico. But their Design Hotels have created new experiences and thus they have become different ‘destinations’, suitable for a tourist who loves to discover authentic places and meanwhile feel at ease.
“We like to take risks, and I think that shows also in the sort of people that follow our projects”.
The positive reaction of their Guests encouraged them to move on: their formula was ‘disruptive’ and it worked. Hence the Habita Group was born and there has been a progressive increase in Design Hotels using the same ‘formula’.
They work with local team, putting all local traditions into the projects: food, nature, artifacts and typical places. The local culture must be breathed in, because the tourist loves authenticity. No room for fiction but only to live an experience of real knowledge.
Originality is the ‘must’, knowing how to highlight even one single peculiarity of the Hotel or a distinctive aspect of the local culture worth to be remembered.
Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is an example, an old building, with an absolutely brand-new concrete tower built by a great Mexican architect, Alberto Kalach. This creates a contrast between the classic Mexican front patio and the modern element at the back, culminating in a rooftop swimming pool. Today Ooxaca has become a tourist destination thanks to hotels like this one and here you can breathe an entirely Mexican air thanks to the amazing food, great weather and the underlying pre-Hispanic culture.
Sustainability is a reality, because everything is handmade with local raw materials. There is no artificiality but a studied simplicity. For Carlos Couturier and Moisés Micha it was worth investing in this land to make it better known beyond the usual destinations.
The approach they used is very ‘human’: they consider the hotel as a place where the traveller can feel good, comfortable and welcomed by a community he can easily meet in various spots to fit in and interact. As Hotels are not so big, Guests can approach their managers: a warm and genuine Hospitality is the new trend. The human and social aspect of Hospitality becomes increasingly important and giving this imprint is easier for independent Hotels based on cutting-edge design. The interiors are always very accurate and the materials or the arrangement of the furnishings can be very evocative and arouse a certain mood. Even the architecture speaks.
This concept adapts very well to the needs of the new generation of travellers, who are also interested in experiencing an inner transformation during their travels. They value structures with an inner project and investments producing a positive influence on our planet, be it social, environmental or intellectual. What is most appreciated are new technologies and innovation, to enhance culture and territoriality. They themselves want – with a spirit that is more entrepreneurial than touristic – to be part of this change.
A more aware traveller for sure.
This one is the ideal Guest for Carlos Couturier. To approach him – he says – you have to be authentic and honest and having a ‘great passion’ within you and something ‘special and unique’ to tell, which cannot be simulated if you don’t have it.
Even in this type of attitude to design, we of Vegan Suite, see The Luxury of Simplicity.
Vegan Suite for Carlos Couturier e Moisés Micha
