A harmonic clash of modernity and tradition

In 2020, Círculo Mexicano also joined this congregation of buildings. Situated right next to the Cathedral, this hotel is the reimagination of a 19th century residential building, maintaining certain accents and aspects of the antique facade and characteristic appearance, but contrastingly combining them with a sophisticated interior filled with shaker-style accessories and handcrafted traditional textiles.

The architecture and the interior design have both run in charge of the architecture and art studio Ambrosi | Etchegaray (Jorge Ambrosi and Gabriela Etchegaray), the inside details were designed in collaboration with La Metropolitana and Carlos Couturier. The latter, co-founder of Grupo Habita (owner of Hotel Terrestre and Círculo Mexicano among others) aims to recover all the crafts and traditions of Mexican culture, and break down the boundaries between design and hospitality. 

Grupo Habita was born in 2000, when three brothers -Jaime, Moises and Rafael Micha-, together with their partner Carlos Couturier, decided to dive into the world of hospitality. Many years of evolving and fifteen hotels later, the company has established itself as the leading boutique hotel developer in the country, which harbors some of the most popular luxurious boutique hotels in Mexico, always with that trademark presence of the rooted culture. These roots are evident in the personality of this hotel situated in the heart of the city. Its design and architecture gracefully combine artisan and traditional touches with a minimalist elegance and a sophisticated glamour. Maintaining certain aspects of the original building, the ground floor acts as a modern market and the boutique hotel occupies the second and the third floors, with a total of 25 rooms.

Círculo Mexicano could not miss -what has become- the essential Grupo Habita characteristic: a terrace. The sophisticated boutique hotel offers the guests a pool and a restaurant, both located in the top terrace of the building with exceptional views to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace, the Tempo Mayor and the Latin American Tower.

This newly incorporated restaurant, called Comedor Mexicano, was inspired by the aim of wanting to make the guests feel at home, providing them with a menu of local and seasonal food, made of ingredients from different states of the republic. The Comedor Mexicano runs behind the hands of the chef Enid Vélez who, being born in Tamaulipas and growing up between Coatzacoalcos and Villahermosa, has managed to successfully incorporate the local produce and home cooking she has always been surrounded by.

The rooms, the restaurant and the hotel in its entirety, stand out for their creative and soothing architecture, which not only offers a place to sleep, but more like a unique experience where the guests and the residents have the chance to eat, have fun and fuse with the local culture. This privileged location sparkles with the natural light of the sun, and sets the visitor free into the special views of the Metropolitan Cathedral. 

Círculo Mexicano exemplifies the importance of respecting a place’s original structure, which adds a value of history, reminiscence and personality. Not only is this stay an example of a respectful architectural transformation, but also it demonstrates that maintaining and boosting the national culture is key nowadays, in a society constantly ruled by modernity, technology and renovation.

The hotel is very much in touch with its Mexican side, whether because it incorporates traditional textiles or because the food the restaurant offers is cooked with local produce. Moreover, it collects some of the most relevant voices in gastronomy, fashion and design, creating a cultural experience that combines minimalism and sophistication, with handcrafted tradition and artisanry that warmly welcome the guests.