The new hotel is five years in the making.
The new hotel which took five years in the making.
Coming off its successful outposts in Mexico City and Tulum, La Valise Hotels chose UNESCO World Heritage City — and a favorite destination among Travel + Leisure readers — San Miguel de Allende for its newest hotel, which just opened on Sept. 1st, 2022. The historic, multi-century-old property, with existing artwork by Pedro Friedeberg adorning the walls, is set to become one of the city’s standout hotels. Its six suites each feature a feeling of history, ancestral magic, and artisanal Mexican design.
A perfect setting for a company whose mantra is “as unique as our guests,” Yves Naman, founder of the La Valise brand, says, “La Valise San Miguel is like Friedeberg’s art: surreal.
“Located in the very heart of the colonial city, on a pedestrian-only cobblestone street, La Valise San Miguel hides an oasis of tranquility behind its vermillion façade. As you step inside the courtyard, the eye goes directly to the double staircase. Beyond the courtyard is a lush garden outfitted with a lemon tree and an array of leisurely spaces for sauntering in the shade, including a plunge pool and a fountain. Suddenly, the vibrant action of the streets of San Miguel dissipates and an air of peace reigns.
La Valise is largely known for its Tulum property with an al fresco rolling bed, perfect for stargaz-ing (the Mexico City property features one as well). “When we started in Mexico in 2014, La Valise was the first really small hotel, probably in the world, with just three rooms,” Naman says.
By 2016, he was searching for a property in San Miguel, a city he fell in love with. “When the estate was first presented to us, what struck us most was the surrealist art embedded in many of the walls by Pedro Friedeberg,” Naman ex-plains. “We could not believe the scale of the art and uniqueness of the property and instant-ly knew this property was the right one for La Valise.
”The project took more than five years while Naman established his company, Namron Hos-pitality, and opened five hotels in Tulum and one in Mexico City. Naman’s entire hospitality approach is quite unorthodox. Not only does he create hotels with fewer than 20 rooms, but he also breaks traditional hospitality rules at every juncture. For example, the Mexico City property doesn’t have a lobby, saving the space for more extravagant suites. “We also usually don’t work with interior designers, but with people with genuine taste that will put their full love into it,” he adds.
Each space feels like a cabinet of curiosities or as though you’re stepping into Wes Anderson’s wildest dreams. As valise means “suitcase” in French, each space unveils an array of design decisions and objets d’art as if one would bring them in their suitcase from all the corners of the world. Thus each room creates the artful, cozy ambiance of a meticulously designed home.
La Valise San Miguel has been thoughtfully designed by Naman and decorated by Roberto Ayala, who is neither architect nor interior designer, but boasts eclectic taste that resonates with the brand.