Boca Chica, Acapulco, Mexico
If you were a movie star in the 1950s, Acapulco, Mexico, was the place to go for fun and frolic by the beach. You might have stayed in a hotel owned by actors Johnny Weismuller and John Wayne on the northern end of Acapulco Bay, drinking fruity cocktails with Brigitte Bardot during the day and dancing under the stars with Sinatra in the evenings.
Though Acapulco's reputation as a hot-spot for beautiful people has dimmed in recent years, the Hotel Boca Chica is bringing back some of that hip, 50s-style glamour through curated design and a sensitively executed renovation. Re-opened in January of 2010, the result is sure to please modern movie stars, honeymooners, families, and retronauts alike.
Grupo Habita found inspiration for the new Hotel Boca Chica in Acapulco's glitzy past as a chic resort town.They preserved the exterior of the hotel, including the lattice brickwork, for an authentic 50s look.
Design team Frida Escobedo and José Rojas, along with Mexican artist Claudia Fernández, were hired to revamp the interiors with a carefully selected array of midcentury design and modern touches.
The team wisely abandoned traditional 50s bright colors for a white palette that feels fresh and contemporary when juxtaposed against the vintage architecture. A few mint green accents are a wink to the favored colors of mid century designers.
Hotel Boca Chica contains 30 rooms and six suites. Each suite is kitted out with a tropical combination of hammocks and outdoor spaces; suites on the ground floor are treated to private gardens and those on the upper floors have full-service cocktail bars at the ready.
Arriving by boat? No problem: there's a check-in facility at the marina.
What really impresses us about the new Hotel Boca Chica is this floating island with interior pool and geometric windows, designed by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes.
The island was modeled on doughnut-shaped rafts used by tourists to soak up sunshine while floating along the oceanfront. Modern guests can still experience the feeling of being set adrift at sea the without worrying about harmful UV rays.
It's in progress at the moment (these are Photoshop mock-ups), but will hopefully be a permanent fixture in front of the hotel soon. We can't wait to see it once it's been completed. MT
2011 Oct 7
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