An early 20th-century mansion in the centre of Querétaro, Mexico, has been turned into a boutique hotel by architecture studios Anonimous and JAHS.

The Tá Hotel de Diseño, or Tá Design Hotel, encompasses 11 rooms within a neocolonial villa that formerly belonged to Doña Carmen Septien de Soto – a local philanthropist and creative figure.

"In honour of her memory, in 2015 the idea was born to turn the Casona de Doña Carmen into a place where architecture, hospitality, gastronomy and art could coexist," said the team, which completed the project in 2021.

Querétaro, also known as Santiago de Querétaro, is famed for its well-preserved classical architecture, which draws from Spanish and other European influences. Local firm Gestalt Arquitectos recently completed a minimalist, concrete home that draws cues from the city's neocolonial heritage.

The Tá Hotel de Diseño site is located beside the Jardín Guerrero, recognised as part of UNESCO's Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in the heart of the city.

The building is organised around two courtyards, which were stripped back to their original masonry as part of the renovation.

Each of these courtyards provides a tranquil place for hotel guests to relax: one contains a pool, and the other encloses a tall tree.

"The courtyard and passage walls have a strong constructive character," said the architects, whose intent was "to reveal their processes, textures and colours."

On the ground floor, six guest suites are laid out along a central corridor, while another five were built within an additional second storey.

The upstairs rooms are slightly larger and each has a private outdoor space.

The terraces serve as a buffer between the historical architecture and the more recent intervention, according to the architects.

"A decision was made to separate the pavilions from the new rooms in order to respect the original facade," the team explained.

"Throughout the project, the facade of the house and the existing structure were respected at all times," they continued.

"We worked in close collaboration with the National Institute of Anthropology and History to preserve the historic quality of the facade and not alter its identity."

The interiors, designed collaboratively with Jesús Andrés Herrera Soto, also contrast the historical surrounds of the villa.

Each of the rooms features a unique design, which includes bright patterned tiles, colourful accent pieces, and historical elements reinterpreted in a contemporary setting.

"The interior design of the hotel is characterised by an eclectic mix of materials, colours and styles that interact with the neutrality of the architecture," said the architects.

Anonimous has also designed a home topped by an oversized thatched roof in Puerto Escondido, on Mexico's west coast.

The photography is by Rafael Gamo.