Legend has it that a luxury hotel in Mexico was once owned by international drug lord Pablo Escobar, who used it for meetings with Mexican drug traffickers.
Casa Malca, located in the Riviera Maya, was an old mansion on a huge plot of land that has become accommodation for many visitors who choose the place as a destination for their trips.
Without exact confirmation, the property is said to have belonged to Escobar.
“On the streets, people assure you that the house is still part of Escobar's family,” says Ana Prado Contti, a Brazilian luxury real estate broker who once had the chance to stay at the hotel, now owned by Colombian art dealer Lio Malca.
The mansion was discovered in 2003, a decade after Escobar’s death, and then purchased by the Colombian negotiator in 2012. It took two years of work to preserve the original aspects of the construction and become a space for tourists and lovers of art. The opening took place in 2014.
“Malca has preserved the bucolic charms of the place and included several works of art signed by renowned artists such as Jeff Koons, Basquiat, and Keith Haring, and a rare sculpture by artist KAWS. Several celebrities have been there, such as actress Cara Delevingne and model Elle Macpherson”, Prado Contti says.
The works of art are scattered in the internal and external areas, among Persian rugs, paintings, sculptures, books, and furniture.
“The few rooms were transformed into 41 suites. There is a concierge area made with tree trunks, framed by two swings hanging from the beams next to white curtains made with vintage wedding dresses. Guests and hotel staff also communicate via WhatsApp at any time of the day.”
What once had reinforced walls to withstand gunfire – and a tunnel to hide and escape, now has indigenous buildings for meditation, as well as a private cenote in the pool area and a spa.
IOL BUSINESS