{hotel azucar}

It's beautiful and balmy here, reminding me of tropical places like the Hotel Azucar in Veracruz, Mexico, a beach eco-resort and Veracruz's first environmentally-friendly hotel.

Named for the sugar cane grown in Veracruz, the Azucar was dreamed up by hotelier Carlos Couturier, founder of some of Mexico’s hippest resorts. For the Acuzar he decided on an almost anti-design back-to-basics theme: “I wanted to recuperate a lifestyle gone by…and give guests the pleasures of simple things."

Azucar is comprised of twenty bungalows with a white-on-white colour scheme and thatched roofs, and includes private terraces with organically produced hammocks that overlook the Gulf of Mexico. The decor is an intriguing mix of bohemian-chic and seaside appeal with individually selected driftwood and 1930's furnishings from Couturier's grandparents' farm. The public spaces are mainly open-air, including a library with wicker seating and a thatched ceiling, as well as a spa area with a yoga space and a full range of spa services. Also included is a pool area with brightly colored beanbag loungers with silky-pillows and a swim-up bar.

Thirty miles to the north of the hotel are the ninth-century ruins of El Tajín.

For more information, go to www.hotelazucar.com