Habita MTY - Monterrey

We have played a little with light”, is how Rafael Micha, a founding partner of Mexican design hotel group Habita, describes the monochrome precision of its latest property in the industrial hub of Monterrey, and his degree of understatement becomes clear as soon as I walk into my room at Habita MTY and reach for my sunglasses.
With floor-to-ceiling windows framing the ‘Sultan of the North’, or Cero de la Silla, the most potent symbol of this high-altitude ‘City of Mountains’, there is nowhere to hide from the full force of early afternoon sunshine in the room’s uncompromisingly minimalist black-and-white interior. The startling effect of the black walls, white-washed wood floors and white duvet-covered central futon-like bed on its raised black wood base, is emphasised by the internal corridor from which the room opens – with contrasting black walls and carpet.

Both inside and out, from marketing literature to door keys, Habita MTY pays homage to the cement, glass and steel industries to which Monterrey owes its prosperity. Housed within a curvilinear tower forming part of a new commercial centre with an array of sophisticated shopping options from Nokia to Mercedes Benz, the hotel is the first design option in a city dominated by the big-name hospitality brands one expects to see in such business driven city. The hotel’s architect is Monterrey-based Agustin Landa and its interiors are the creation of Philippe Starck protegée Joseph Dirand, who clearly references Monterrey’s unique topology and climatic extremes but introduces a little Parisian chic to soften the edges in the form of classic Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs and sofas, and sensuous, organic Serge Mouille lighting throughout.

Once over the snow blindness, the 39 guest rooms and suites at Habita MTY are sleekly satisfying and clearly designed with the needs of the business traveller in mind. In-room amenities include a well-proportioned desk-with-a-view and a luxurious stone and onyx bathroom, divided from the bedroom by a clever glass screen through which you can keep an eye on ‘the Sultan’, or the plasma screen TV, complete with iPod docking station. The bed platform provides a useful little shelf for bedside essentials, one of which is provided in the shape of a cute Rodolfo Boneto Sfericlock alarm clock.

As always, I completely forgot the instructions I was given upon being shown to my room about how to control not only the television but the air-conditioning and lighting and so the one little hiccough in an otherwise intuitive design were the frustrating few minutes it took to locate the controls for the washbasin taps. Thankfully the delicious Austrialian-import Aesop toilietries made the search worthwhile. Another welcome surprise is the touch of humour implicit in the ‘So Vain’ logo on the full-length mirror, which reminds guests not to take themselves too seriously.

Lest they be tempted to do just that, Habita MTY’s rooftop bar with dual infinity pools offers 360-degree views and a sophisticated distraction. Rooftop bars and terraces have become a Habita trademark, and nowhere has this found more glamorous expression than in Monterrey. The city’s affluent young business people take time out to play and pose on the roof of Habita MTY and, in a climate which has a tendency to be capricious, shelter is provided in the form of a cool, concrete canopy.
The hotel’s other public areas also bear the needs of business travellers in mind. Habita hotels always include a well-stocked library and Monterrey is no exception, with photogaphic and architectural tomes underlining the hotel’s design credentials.

Although there is a more formal restaurant presided over by Habita executive chef Enruqie Olvera, the sunny terrace restaurant must surely be the most popular place in town for lunch.

In Mexico this typically starts at 3pm and ends at dusk, so the terrace is positioned to capture the afternoon sun. But come evening time there is only one place to be at Habita MTY, and that’s up on the roof, enjoying a cocktail.

HABITA MTY
Vasconcelos No 150, San Pedro, Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon, CP 66220 Monterrey
www.hotelhabitamty.com

Rooms    39 guestrooms

Dining    Restaurant
Drinking    Bar, pool bar
Leisure    Gym / spa, two infinity pools
Facilities    Library, Lounge, Business Centre & Terrace