The birthplace of mariachi bands, wide-brimmed sombreros, traditional Mexican rodeos and the famed architect Luis Barragán, Mexico’s second city gives DF a run for its money in the cultural stakes, even if it does struggle visibly with police corruption and gang violence.
Guadalajara’s cultural and culinary stars are rising, though, which in recent years has encouraged hoteliers to take the plunge. In 2015 Casa Fayette became the spot for visiting hipsters to lay their heads, and now the Marriott group’s design arm is taking its turn; providing for the business set with its first property to open in Mexico, taking route in Guadalajara’s Jalisco district.
The arresting mixed-use structure was designed by Mexico City-based Javier Sordo-Madaleno Architects, and consists of four stacked geometric volumes encased in a crisscross aluminum frame that includes an energy generating curtain wall. At the base is the 188-roomed hotel, crowned by a wraparound infinity pool and sky deck with views across the city.
Interiors are mostly monochrome but feature some interesting design quirks; poured concrete ceilings in the guest rooms, and an original printed crystal graffiti mural that stretches from the lobby to the mezzanine level.
ADDRESS
Avenida de Las Americas 1500
-
‘Just beneath the surface there’s another world’: How David Lynch used hair and make-up to create his singular universeFrom Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive to Twin Peaks, David Lynch used hair and make-up in his films as a narrative device, writes Laura Havlin
-
Burns Night 2025: where to celebrate in LondonIt is time to raise a wee dram to Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns on Burns Night (25 January). Here is our pick of places to enjoy an evening of generous speechmaking, toasting, and drinking around London
-
Tag Heuer unveils sporty new collections at LVMH Watch Week 2025Tag Heuer has announced a series of new watches at LVMH Watch Week, including Formula 1 and Carrera editions
-
Vipp Todos Santos wins Wallpaper* Design Award 2025A new guesthouse from the Danish design brand brings a Scandinavian aesthetic to a desert location in Mexico
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025: meet the travel winners transcending destinationsDiscover the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025 travel winners: the year’s places to stay, dine, drink and join
-
Take a trip to San Miguel de Allende, the Mexican City attracting a flourishing creative crowdSan Miguel de Allende is home to a bold young crowd of talent that’s thriving off the city’s brightly-hued heritage
-
Six brilliant bars for your 2025 celebrations, hot off the Wallpaper* travel deskWallpaper’s most-read bar reviews of the year can't be wrong: here’s inspiration for your festive and new year plans, from a swanky Las Vegas lounge to a minimalist London drinking den
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openingsExplore the best new hotels in the world, from luxe new suites at Badrutt’s Palace to the long-awaited Zaha Hadid-designed Romeo Roma
-
Ennea Hotel on Mexico’s Oaxaca coast pays homage to the region’s artisanal legacyEnnea Hotel’s warm interiors are dressed in authentic Mexican materials, thanks to architects at Jaque Studio alongside designers Comité de Proyectos
-
Alexander Hotel marries European hospitality with sleek Mexican designAlexander Hotel, located inside Mexico City’s Torre Virreyes, heralds 26 light-filled suites conceived by architect Daniel Álvarez
-
Simple pleasures are the order of the day at El Minutito café-bar in Mexico CityEl Minutito is a fast and friendly pit-stop for coffee, conviviality and more, designed by Lucas Cantú, of Mexican studio Tezontle
