The Encanto Hotel, Mexico

January 15th, 2013 - In the Encanto Hotel, the potential for amazement is constant. Architect Miguel Angel Aragonés designed the hotel, which is settled on the cliff side of Acapulco, with complete concentration and relaxation in mind. Aragonés took every little detail into thought while he designed the stunning 44 suite hotel, specifically the spiritual details, physical details, and economic needs of the establishment.

This specific region of Mexico, at the Bay of Puerto Marqués, has a jungle that goes all the way to the shoreline, causing the hotel to light up in the midst of the natural greenery. The crisp white architecture feels like a freshly cleaned sheet blowing from the line as it dries in the sun. Aragonés says that the architecture of the Encanto is a sort of like a labyrinth, a method some use for meditation purposes, where all exits lead to the ocean.

The architect candidly explained that he intentionally designed very private spaces throughout the “labyrinth”, narrow at times, with corners where only two people will fit.

“Everything was playfully created to generate continual momentum from the sea” Aragonés explained “to compel those staying there to seek and find a way out.”

Encanto is home to three eateries including Flor de Mar 360°, the hotel’s signature restaurant, lead by Mexican Celebrity Chef Monica Patiño, who conceived a menu of local cuisine with intricate Asian flavors.

One wouldn’t expect that the The Encanto Hotel was actually built with few resources, economic materials, and local labor. Under these conditions, Aragonés took a less is more approach to the interior design, allowing much of the existing resources to funnel into the architecture. The approach complements the architects goal of having very little distractions in the design of the hotel, allowing guests to take in more of the natural surroundings.

Aragones Labyrinth consists of long exterior hallways covered in marble and teak wrap around the hotel and lead to ethereal vistas of the horizon.

A black bottom pool with infinity ledge on one side and teak deck on the other is outfitted in Balinese loungers, oversize sofas, and surrounded in palms.

In 20 suites, Aragones integrated nature into the architecture by creating very little visual and structural barriers between the interior of the room and the terrace. A nearly frame-less sliding glass door is all that separates the room from the terrace, where a maturing trees springs out from the concrete flooring.

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