DOING BUSINESS IN
PUEBLA,
MEXICO
Where work and culture make the perfect combination
by Mark Chesnut
Up until 2003, a
large part of Puebla’s livelihood could be described
as, well, a bug’s life. For decades, this business
hub in central Mexico was a major producer of the classic
Volkswagen Beetle, sending thousands of the rotund vehicles
scurrying across Mexico and abroad. In spite of the Volkswagen
Beetle being discontinued four years ago, VW remains one
of the city’s biggest employers with its newer models.
Of course, Puebla would be a significant business destination
even without the German carmaker’s production facility.
Conveniently located less than two hours by car from Mexico
City, metropolitan Puebla (the capital of the state of
Puebla) is Mexico’s fourth-largest city with some
5.1 million residents. While it may not be on the radar
with some vacationers yet, it’s home to many big
businesses. Most people, actually, are more familiar with
Puebla than they realize. The city and state, after all,
are famous for a variety of things that are well known
north of the border. These include the Cinco de Mayo celebration,
decorative Talavera pottery and tiles, and the chocolate-based
dish called molé poblano.
In addition to Volkswagen, other major
businesses with a large presence in Puebla include Grupo
Bimbo (the bakery conglomerate), Cadbury Adams (which
produces Chiclets, Dr. Pepper, and Halls cough drops),
Cemex (the cement giant), and Johnson Controls (famous
for its thermostats and climate control products).
The city is also well equipped for meetings and conventions.
Its largest facilities include the Centro de Convenciones
de Puebla (Puebla Convention Center) and Expo Puebla,
both of which offer meeting and exposition space close
to the historic center.
I’m ruining the meal, I’m sure of it. I’m
bending over a hot stove, pushing a variety of ingredients
into a pot. The signs of my cooking skills are smeared
all over my white apron, and I’m sweating as the
others in the kitchen chat amiably. “How’s
everything going?” the head chef, Alonso Hernandez,
smiles, coming to my rescue with his far superior culinary
skills. Maybe lunch won’t be a disaster after all.
No, I’m not being forced into labor because I tried
to leave without paying my hotel bill. I’m enrolled
in a three-hour cooking class at Mesón Sacristía
de Capuchinas, one of several beautiful boutique hotels
in Puebla’s historic center. For $65, Hernandez
will teach you the secrets behind molé poblano,
that tasty local dish that involves a chocolate-based
sauce and tender chicken. (With class sizes limited
to less than ten participants, this type
of experience can also work as an enjoyable team-building
exercise.) Afterwards, the class gets to taste the results
in the hotel’s small, stylish dining room, and
I’m proud to say that it actually tastes good.
In the past couple of years, the number of stylish small
hotels in the city of Puebla has surged, making it easier
than ever to savor a bit of luxury, conveniently close
to business activities and the convention center and
just steps from historic attractions, shopping, dining,
and nightlife. While these small hotels may not be good
for large business groups, several offer meeting spaces
and elegant restaurants that are good for group gatherings
as well as wining and dining.
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One of the city’s newest hotspots
is La Purificadora, part of a trendy family of style-conscious
hotels that includes both Habita and Condesa DF in Mexico
City. Housed in a former water purifying plant (and still
bearing the facility’s name), La Purificadora opened
this year and features a rooftop terrace with swimming
pool, Jacuzzi, gym, and bar.
Also worth checking out are the many hotels that belong
to Hoteles Con Angel, a marketing consortium formed in
2006 that represents several independently owned boutique
properties in the state
of Puebla. Mesón Sacristía de Capuchinas,
the place where I wrought havoc during the cooking class,
is a member of this group, as is its sister property,
Mesón Sacristía de la Compañía,
an elegantly traditional retreat set in a 250-year-old
building, where the lobby doubles as an antiques store.
Among the most impressive properties in the Hoteles con
Angel group is the Casona de la China Poblana, a 10-room
hotel that opened in 2006 in a 16th-century mansion where
a legendary Asian woman (referred to in Spanish as “la
China Poblana”) once worked as a servant. Each of
the hotel’s rooms has high ceilings, and several
have raised sitting areas and Jacuzzis. The hotel also
has four small meeting rooms.
The trendiest of the properties in the Hoteles Con Angel
group is El Sueño Hotel + Spa, where chilled lounge
music exudes a hip vibe in the restaurant, La Tentazione,
and every guestroom is named after a female artist, writer,
or photographer from Mexico, including Frida Kahlo and
Tina Modotti. There is also a spa (open to the public),
and a rooftop deck with Jacuzzi.
A few large chains are present in the historic city center
as well, offering more services for business travelers,
yet still convenient to the city’s main attractions.
The Camino Real Puebla is housed in a carefully restored
former convent dating to the 17th century, and has a business
center and meeting rooms. The value-priced NH Puebla’s
sleek glass façade contrasts dramatically with
the more traditional architecture of neighboring buildings
in the historic center; its amenities include a gym, business
center, and heated rooftop pool.
After business is done, if you’d like to spend time
exploring the massive pyramid in Cholula, consider checking
in at La Quinta Luna, a delightful hotel (also a member
of Hoteles Con Angel) set in a former private residence
that dates to 1680. The seven-room property, owned by
two professors and their adult children, opens onto a
peaceful private courtyard that on the first Sunday of
every month is the setting for a free live concert. The
owners’ academic interests are apparent in the large
library, which has some 3,000 volumes and also serves
as the venue for a monthly wine tasting session (it’s
available for small group meetings as well).
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