Yucateco restaurant ranked most beautiful in the world

Among finalists from 32 countries, the Ixi’im restaurant, located in the state of Yucatán, received the Prix Versailles award for being “the most beautiful in the world,” thanks to its balance of architecture and decoration.

On May 15 last, the international Prix Versailles awards were held in Paris, given by UNESCO, in association with the International Union of Architects. Ixi’im is part of the Deluxe Chablé Resort & Spa project by interior designer Paulina Morán. Last year, the premises also received the Prix Versailles, but for the “Best hotel in the world” category.

This award seeks to recognize the best of interior design in commercial projects from six regions in the world: Africa, Western Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, North America, Central, North-East, and South Asia, the Pacific, and Europe. The categories are divided into three: stores, shopping malls, and hotels and restaurants. Only 12 projects in the world have won this award.



Ixi’im was built on the ruins of a string factory which was part of the Henequenera Hacienda in Chablé. The main salon used to be the machine room. The building’s design brings together the past and future of Yucatán, with the use of metal, crystal, cement tiles, wood, and some artifacts from the region. When fully opened, the gates to the terrace make the interiors seem like an extension of the vegetation surrounding the building. The sinks are based on an original design of quarry with a laser cut marble rosette.

There is a granite pond with an eternal flame in representation of the alchemy behind the kitchen. The place’s gastronomy was made by the chef Jorge Vallejo, whose restaurant, Quintonil, is 12th place on the San Pellegrino list.



On each of the walls, galarza and Chukúm quarry were used and colored with an ancient Mayan technique, causing the surface to seem velvety and bi-dimensional, tough at some places, the original walls were kept. The floors are covered with cement tiles, which were placed following a local technique and painted by hand in black and white, with occasional decks made of Cumaru wood.

Within the restaurant, the largest tequila bottle collection in the world is on display, which was certified by the Guinness World Records. Paulina Morán designed a floating metal and crystal structure for the collection.



The main bar is a unique piece made out of truck parts and an old mirror; local artist George Samuelson’s latest work.

In order to avoid affecting the nature and particularity of the historical building, fake wooden roofs were placed over the Ixi’im restaurant to reduce noise and cushion costumers.



“The Prix Versailles promotes successful interactions between culture and economy in real-life situations while taking into consideration the architectural relationship with a construction’s legacy and sustainable development objectives,” General Director and UNESCO assistant Ernesto Ottone Ramírez commented.

If you're in Mexico City, be sure to try Jorge Vallejo's restaurant Quintonil, in Polanco.



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