“Grupo Habita was founded out of passion,” says cofounder and partner Carlos Couturier. “ Moisés [Micha] and I were passionate about architecture, design, and contemporary art.” While doing real estate development in the 1990s, they dreamed of creating “an intimate hotel in a city not considered to be a happening place to visit,” he says. Joined by Moisés’ brothers, Rafael and Jamie, they opened the 36-room Hotel Habita, the country’s first boutique hotel.
Their prescience paid off; not only was Habita a huge aesthetic success, but it set the template for the other hotels in their portfolio (with 12 open and another dozen in the works throughout Mexico and the U.S.), acting as a magnet for young travelers and a cultural hub for their respective neighborhoods. “We have kept the same formula throughout our 20 years,” says Couturier, “to do something that feels innovative, inviting, authentic, grounded in the community, and like it’s been there forever.”
The partners’ dedication to striking modern design has been unwavering. They seek architects and designers of notable vision and originality, often at the early stages of their careers, including India Mahdavi, Joseph Dirand, Legoretta + Legoretta, and Javier Sanchez. “We like our designers to come without preconceived ideas of what a hotel should be,” says Couturier. “[They should be] fresh, without formulas.” In their pursuit of these youthful artists, he says, “we knock on a lot of doors.”
Becoming a hotelier at almost 40, Couturier thought, at first, that it “was all about putting bricks together—construction and space,” he says. But after opening Habita, the partners realized the reality was the exact opposite. “That was the hardware,” he says, “but the software were the guests. They become loyal to a vision, and that’s the most rewarding thing about hospitality.”
Hotel Escondido in Oaxaca, Mexico, with architecture by Federico Rivera Rio
Downtown in Mexico City, with architecture by Cherem Arquitectos
Maison Couturier in Veracruz, Mexico, with interiors by Carlos Couturier
Casa Habita in Guadalajara, Mexico, with architecture by Estudio 5 and interiors by Dimorestudio
The Robey in Chicago, with architecture and interiors by Nicolas Schuybroek Architects and Marc Merckx Interiors
Habita MTY in Mexico City, with architecture by Landa + Martínez Arquitectos and interiors by Joseph Dirand
