Casa Fayette, Guadalajara, Mexico

Carlos Couturier and Moisés Micha, the creative minds behind “Grupo HABITA”, have opened Guadalajara’s first boutique hotel – the Casa Fayette – in the city’s trendy Lafayette district. The duo joined forces with the architects’ firm Estudio5 to convert a villa dating from the 1940s, using fine marble, local wood, selected furnishings, and bathroom design from Duravit. Duravit’s classic “1930 Series” is the perfect choice for the Jugendstil building.

Nestling among small cafés, 1920s period buildings, restaurants, and art galleries, the Casa Fayette sits at the heart of the aspiring Lafayette quarter in Guadalajara, the capital of the western Mexican state of Jalisco. Couturier and Micha select the locations of their hotels with great care. By employing local architects who tailor design and furnishings to the regional tradition and culture, the group ensures that each of its buildings is designed differently. And this is precisely what makes each of the hotels unique. The Casa Fayette is no exception: a nine-story modernist extension was added to a mansion built in 1940 as a private residence. The two zones blend into one another and convey the feeling of a uniform space, yet each retains its own identity. The lobby, bar, restaurant, pool, and terrace are located in the original part of the building.
The 37 rooms located in the new extension were designed by the renowned Milan design firm Dimorestudio, which selects all furnishings by hand. Most of the furniture was sourced from renowned design manufacturers such as Pierre Frey and Thonet or was specially designed and manufactured for Casa Fayette. The bathroom furniture was chosen as a perfect complement to the vintage style of the overall furnishing concept: the geometric design language of Duravit’s 1930 Series combines nostalgia with timeless modernity, and was offset with stylish marble in this project. A particular highlight is the wellness area on the top floor of the high-rise section of the hotel, affording a spectacular view of the city.