La Valise: Chic in Mexico City
Set in a 1920s townhouse in Roma Norte–currently Mexico City’s most culturally vibrant and cutting-edge neighborhood–is La Valise, from expat French designer Emmanuel Picault.
While technically a hotel, La Valise consists of three apartment-sized luxury suites, all of which sit above an incredibly-curated shop filled with local artwork, jewelry from local designers, and anything else Picault decides to stock (also local). The name is based on the fact that the treasures from this amazing boutique will fit into your suitcase, or valise.
Picault is known for his incredible work spanning the globe, often in tandem with architect Ludwig Godfrey. From trendsetting modern nightclub M.N. Roy in Mexico City (set in the house of—and named after—the former Mexican communist party founder), to Paris mainstay Nüba, to the latest beautiful Christian Louboutin boutiques in France and beyond, Picault’s work is unmistakable. The rooms at La Valise comfortably fit into this array of incredible spaces. Picault’s strong connection with avant-garde 20th century Mexican modernism is clear when entering the beautiful spaces.
I stayed in the “El Patio” suite, which I chose in part for the chic black and white color palette and the amazing bathroom (this lady likes a good bubble bath). What made this different from a “design” or “luxury” hotel, though, is that it feels the way I imagine it would feel to sleep in an art gallery. Picault’s nod to Mexican style is evident here with the suite’s crocodile-skin-covered coffee table, the black velvet sofa, beautiful geometric tile work both on the patio—where there’s a Yucatecan hammock and a leather swing(!)—and in the huge bathroom—where there’s a clawfoot tub whose claws have been reimagined as stacked cubes), original artwork, including a terra-cotta dog by Carlos Ranc, among many, many other pieces.
Still, with all these creative touches, the huge space manages to feel cozy, warm and welcoming. The above photo was taken one evening on the back patio while enjoying a glass of Mescal, a bottle of which I was given upon arrival. No detail at all is overlooked here.
The other two suites are just as incredible (“La Terraza,” located on the top floor, for example, features a bed that rolls on tracks to a huge outdoor terrace, through a wall of folding doors), and the staff’s expert recommendations help in conquering the vast amount of design- and fashion-centric shops in Roma Norte and Condesa, as well as the huge number of cafes, lounges, bars, and restaurants dotting the area. Picault himself if often on the first floor, and you can’t help but think the curated recommendations from his staff are sending you to the most interesting spots in this huge and amazing city.