Hotel Habita Monterrey

Grupo Habita, already responsible for more than a few of Mexico’s most stylish boutique hotels, is at it again, this time in Monterrey. And while other hotels in town play to Monterrey’s colonial heritage, the Habita MTY, as they’re calling it, opts for contemporary lines and a striking and utterly modern black-and-white color scheme, courtesy of the Mexican architect Agustín Landa and the Parisian interior designer Joseph Dirand.

With thirty-nine rooms it keeps to the intimate scale that the Habita group does best. The rooms stake out that middle ground between design-hotel chic and high-end luxe, all of them equipped with iPod docking stations and Nokia tablet PCs (a decided step up from the standard hotel phone) as well as low-tech luxuries like spacious bathrooms, complete with tubs and Aesop bath products.

At least as much attention is paid to the public spaces. Most notable here is the rooftop terrace, complete with swimming pool and poolside bar, where panoramic views of the Monterrey cityscape serve as a backdrop to the Habita’s social life, which is no afterthought: as talented as they are at putting together a hotel, they’re equally good at attracting just the right crowd.

How to get there:
Hotel Habita Monterrey is 35 km (35 min) from Monterrey International Airport. Transfers are available for USD30 for up to 2 guests, each way and USD78 for 3-11 guests, each way.