Design Drool: A Return to Don Draper

Filed under: Design, etc, Architecture

A mid-century Mexican retreat is brought back to life in Acapulco -- by going back in time.

Back in its heyday, Acapulco was a glamorous vacation destination, and the Hotel Boca Chica was at the center of the city's resort scene. The mid-century hotel even served as a backdrop for the 1963 musical comedy Fun in Acapulco starring none other than Elvis Presley himself. (And even though Mad Men's Don Draper never made it to Acapulco in a recent episode, it's clear that it was the destination of the period.)

Today, it's hard to imagine that this picture-perfect hotel overlooking a pristine Acapulco Bay (above) was ever anything but chic, but in the intervening decades, the Hotel Boca Chica fell into disrepair as Acapulco also declined. However, the 1950s relic has recently re-opened under the new ownership of Fernando Romero and Grupo Habita, a boutique hotel group with several other properties in Mexico. Frida Exobedo and José Rojas oversaw the hotel's architectural and interior renovations.

The task of renovating the rundown hotel was no small feat, José Rojas told Interior Design magazine. "The kitchen was full of cats, and the rooms were dark and creepy," he says. But as his partner Frida Escobedo notes, "The building itself was amazing." All the work of opening up the rooms and reclaiming balconies and outdoor spaces has paid off, considering Travel + Leisure named the Hotel Boca Chica one of the "45 Best New Hotels of 2010."

The new Hotel Boca Chica is every bit as glamorous as its 1950s predecessor, and many of the hotel's original design elements remain intact, from the amoeba-shaped pool to the retro steel sign out front. While the exterior retains much of its vintage charm, the interiors are a sly mix of contemporary furnishings that allude to the hotel's past without seeming like a set piece from another era. The balance between old and new is so well done that Wallpaper magazine described the new look as one that "marries the old world charm of the original hotel with a sharpened sense of contemporary style."

Situated on Acapulco Bay, the hotel has a decidedly tropical feeling, which is reinforced by details like potted palms and other tropical plants, the open concrete lattice work and a traditional thatched roof palapa covering the hotel's restaurant.

The traditional-style Mexican palapa with a high, thatched roof looks out at both the hotel's pool and the cove beyond. Pops of red and black give the outdoor furnishings a bit of an edge without breaking from the mellow tropical vibe.

The Terrace Bar features custom-made sun shades in both concrete and wood with a decidedly mid-century look. All these details and the designers careful mix of old and new add up to a hotel that Don Draper would surely have been glad to pay a visit to.

Daydreaming of tropical escapes? Read on for more warm-weather interiors:
- Betsey Johnson's Mexican Casitas
- Trend Spotting: Tropical Decor

 

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