THE INTERVIEW
Carlos Couturier is another bychance hotelier who approaches the business in a somewhat nontraditional manner , developing hotels far from the typical hot spots or “ A ” locations , preferring to believe he and his team can immerse themselves in neighborhoods and help less-defined markets emerge . He is finding Grupo Habita loyalists like that approach , and over some 16 years the philosophy has led to multiple successes . Now , in partnership with collaborator Moisés Micha , a 15th hotel has just opened a bit off the beaten path in Chicago .
The combination 4-star lifestyle hotel / trendy hostel is located in a triangular , prism-shaped landmark Chicago building at a key intersection , in what he calls the all-American city . For some , it would not appear to be a sure bet . But Couturier looks at the possibilities with a different eye : For one , the real estate is cheaper ; the way they connect with neighborhood gives it the character to create needed buzz ; and , so far , the group , with now more than 950 team members , has proven its formula successful .
The Mexico City-based real estate developer , who grows limes at his family ’ s ranch in Veracruz , Mexico , had no plans to become an operator , too , when he was developing his first hotel at the turn of the century . But three months out from the 2000 opening of the 40-room Habita Hotel in Mexico City , no manager was in place . So the partners decided to run it themselves – likely another move that endeared them with guests , as hands-on tends to resonate .
It ’ s not a business story that hasn ’ t been told before , but it turned out that Couturier and his partner liked management and eventually developed the expertise to grow outside of Mexico with the Americano in New York and now The Robey / Hollander combination in Chicago .
HOTELS met with Couturier to learn more about his strategies and philosophies while he was living in Chicago leading up to the December opening .
HOTELS : What does “ local ” mean to you ?
Carlos Couturier : It starts with the
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