Hotel Hopping
I usually do a lot of research before I travel, especially regarding my hotel stay. Its important for me to stay somewhere with appealing design, decent amenities and heart expansion. Interestingly enough the two places I chose to stay in Isla Holbox, had great background stories of how they came to be. They also have two completely different styles which was great design inspo.
In the first, Punta Coliza, the front desk manager told me the story of how the hotel was built. 28 years ago, a man planted red cedar trees the year his son was born, dreaming of using them one day for a project. Not knowing what. 24 years later, he built an entire hotel out of it them. It’s a rich red wood that gives off a feeling of aged cognac and woody scents. The hotel is minimal, allowing the wood to shine. The son now runs the hotel. It has a feeling of being serene and simple, but rich at the same time. The layout is also super clever with all the rooms having pool access. I appreciated the genius of the layout very much.
The second place, Casa Cat Ba, is owned by a French couple. They had come to the island 4 years ago and fell in love with it. Someone told them about this house, right on the beach, for sale. And on a whim, they decided to purchase the home, move from France and open a boutique hotel. It took 3 months to convert the house into a hotel. They added 3 rooms for a total of 5 rooms. And they have an attached space where they live and run the hotel from.
The design of Casa Cat Ba has more of the traditional Mexican elements- natural colored plaster walls, exposed beams and palapa roofs. But its not overly decorated which is nice. The art is tastefully chosen, collected from places around the world including Morocco, Africa and France. And the usage of soft colors and interesting accessories makes it inviting and relaxing but also a feast for the eye. The lobby feels like a living room where I spent a few hours Friday night reading through their book collection.
The message that I took from both these stories is manifesting ones dreams. In the first one, a man had a dream that he stuck to for many years of his life. He waited patiently for those trees to grow and didn’t lose sight of his plan to use them for something. That took years to make happen. In the second, a couple went on vacation and ended up with a dream they didn’t even know they had. But they bravely went after an opportunity that literally fell into their laps by chance.
Both of these stories show braveness, will, passion and action. To build the impossible, to make something out of nothing. What an inspiring message to bring back home!
Tips when using these design elements:
Use texture
Balance simple lines with details
Textile art is huge- use tapestries, a vintage blanket or rug as wall art
Muted colors
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