Conceived as a display of vernacular architecture, Casa Hoyos reborns in an eclectic atmosphere to offer a genuine hospitality experience.
Located in downtown San Miguel de Allende, the iconic property has belonged to the Hoyos family for four generations. Today, it boasts its distinctive colonial features while incorporating avant-garde elements developed through regional artisanal techniques.
The re-imagining of the interior architecture was commissioned to AG Interior Studio, led by designer Andrés Gutiérrez. The starting point was the style of an old Spanish manor, where tradition and different metaphors speak to one another and, through color and geometric patterns, evoke the different businesses housed within the property.
The history of the colonial building that houses Casa Hoyos is the crucial pillar that gives sustenance to the identity of this new boutique hotel.
The property was originally acquired by Julián Hoyos at the beginning of the 20th century to make it the first currency exchange bureau in town. Later, Julián and his family decided to start a grain and seed store that would later be known colloquially as “El Banco del Frijol” or “Bean Bank” due to the singular mix of commercial activities.
The sequence of the different generations of the Hoyos family allowed this project to be converted into a hotel rich in details. Today, the iconic building belongs to the fourth generation, who, together with A-G Studio, pay tribute to the family legacy through the conception of this unique accommodation.
Following the guidelines of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) to conserve the nation's heritage, the challenge was to restore the main courtyard and build from scratch, on the back, a contemporary space that would strengthen and preserve the original identity of the edifice, giving it the genuine bohemian style that characterizes the essence of San Miguel de Allende.
Being a protected property, every detail of the remodeling had to be submitted to the approval of the institution.
The source of inspiration for the architectural project derives from the encounter between the three key moments in the history of the property: the arrival of Julián Hoyos from Spain and his family life, the opening of the first currency exchange office, and its conversion into a store of grains and seeds.
Each of these moments influenced the selection of materials and decorative elements that converge in the same space, giving life to the hotel.
Team:
Project: Casa Hoyos
Designer: Andrés Gutiérrez (AG–Studio)
Other Participants: Paloma Layseca and Melissa Ávila
Photographer: Diego Padilla
Materials used:
Yellow predominates in the palette; this main color is seen in glazed clay tiles that, placed in a certain way, symbolize a corn cob. A range of ocher and red tones is present on different floors as well as in some wool textiles, which were handmade in the state of Guanajuato.
While salmon-colored clay tiles are found in the inner part of the arches that surround the courtyard representing the belly of the snakes that make up the Hoyos family heraldic shield, black pieces of this same material are on the floors of the hallways that lead into the rooms.
The interior design highlights plaster pots with embedded fragments of mirror, a contemporary reinterpretation of those that originally decorated the house. These authentically Mexican pieces -designed by Paloma Layseca, have a Moorish tint that subtly harmonizes with the project's eclectic aesthetic.
All the materials and finishes selected for Casa Hoyos are typical of different regions of Mexico.
