La Purificadora

La Purificadora is a member of Design Hotels. Innovative Mexican hotelier Carlos Couturier?s latest project is an inland wonder, a former 19th-century water-purifying centre next to the Iglesia de San Francisco in the colonial city of Puebla. Purity is the guiding principle of the hotel?s design as executed by renowned architect Ricardo Legorreta: black and white are the only colours, bringing out the subtleties of the materials used ? stone from the original building, old wood, onyx and custom floor tile, as well as found materials such as bottles and glass fragments, which are also integrated in the hotel?s graphic design. But this minimalism shouldn?t be confused with lack of luxury: a roof terrace and 30-metre pool provide ample recreational opportunity, and the 26 guestrooms offer spectacular views of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A ground-floor restaurant, patio, library and extensive wine cellar offer civilized diversions, but the hotel?s real achievement is in its mix of tradition and contemporary flavour, giving Puebla a hotel to savour on the road from Mexico City to Oaxaca.