From its stone-walled exteriors and rustic façade, you would have guessed that this boutique hotel in the Mexican city of Puebla is a modern re-interpretation of a historical building. What you might not have expected is that instead of a centuries-old monastery or farmstead, this was formerly an ice factory dating back to 1884. Here, water was once treated and bottled for ice. 

Until renowned Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta and leading Mexican design hoteliers Grupo Habita successfully gave this water purification plant a new lease of life, and La Purificadora was born. This explains the water-theme features that are prevalent throughout the hotel’s interiors, for example, an aquarium-style rooftop glass-walled pool and lobby water mirror that surrounds the chef’s table. The signage of the original factory's name "Casa Latisnere" has also been retained, and is prominently displayed at the hotel's entrance.

www.lapurificadora.com