May 27, 2017

The Great Escape:
Exploring Coqui Coqui

Written by Chelsea Zalopany
Photographed by Hanna Tveite and Jonathan Hökklo

How is a memory, in its purest form, made, captured, and safeguarded deep within one's soul? To feel life; to live life; and to experience life—the taste of sea water against your skin; the dewy earth sinking beneath your feet as the sun rises; the restorative allure of a jasmine-filled breeze—one must embody an openness and willingness to connect and to create deep and meaningful attachments. Only then is one fully free to live; free to experience; free to explore both the physical and the spiritual realms of possibilities. The art of being present is the fundamental philosophy behind the magic that is Coqui Coqui.

At Coqui Coqui Coba Residence & Spa, the boutique offerings include leather and suede bags that are hand-sewn replicas of those collected by co-founder Nicolas Malleville's grandparents.

Coiled on an antique table discovered at a local market, a sisal braid takes on a sculptural quality. The fiber, harvested from the agave plant, was a lucrative export during the late 19th and early 20th centuries; locals once referred to it as “green gold.”

Romantic vistas and rich native cultures are at the heart of the beloved perfumery and luxuriously rustic retreats. Since first opening the Tulum, Mexico fragrance house in 2003, husband-and-wife Coqui Coqui co-founders and forever wayfaring wanderers Francesca Bonato and Nicolas Malleville have gone on to open outposts across Mexico’s Yucatan, in Coba, Valladolid, Merida, and Izamal.

"We are in a moment where Coqui Coqui is ready to explore,” says the Italian-born resident-of-the-world, Francesca Bonato, who creatively conjures each destination’s unique personality and charm. “We’re still young and full of energy. We're adventurers, we’re explorers, we’re people who love exotic escapes, and we love to fall in love.” Like Bonato’s and Malleville’s love-at-first-sight storybook beginning, each newfound Coqui Coqui home is born from a sudden and all-encompassing infatuation.

Located among Mayan ruins, the two-tower hideaway of Coqui Coqui Coba offers stunning views of the Mayan pyramids and unique sunsets on the green lagoon.

The Coba property sits on a beautiful lake, which is especially popular with local alligators. Humans tend to prefer the two outdoor pools and expansive outdoor bathing area.

From mixing to packaging, all steps of the Coqui Coqui fragrance production process take place at the laboratory. The building also houses Malleville’s collection of hotel amenities from around the world.

It always begins with the landscape. And the land. One must become the land to truly understand Coqui Coqui. Tumaceous tabaquero leaves stretching as far as the eye can see; lush gardens blanketed in a mist of lime and mint Menli plants; the dry aroma of wet woodlands and freshly chopped roots; a palm tree’s fresh coconuts dotting warm white beaches; the coastline’s dazzling turquoise waters. “We understand the land. I believe that’s why people trust us and stay with us. They say that you feel at home when at Coqui Coqui, and I hope they do, because each Coqui Coqui residence has been home to our family.”

A trained “nose” mixes Coco Coco: a dewy coconut scent inspired by the palm trees scattered along Tulum’s white sand beaches.

Made with organic oils, the natural tropical scents of the region inspire every Coqui Coqui fragrance. Other key influences are the landscape, people, and culture, as well as the state’s centuries-old history of perfume production.

The Coqui Coqui perfumeria has developed 13 fragrances to date, produced as individual scents and available as other products, including bath oils, room scents, and beeswax candles.

It’s about taking local elements, and, with the eye of a foreigner, coming up with something new.Nicolas Malleville

The newest addition to Coqui Coqui Residences & Spas, Casa de Los Santos, is in the heart of Izamal, located between Valladolid and Merida. In honor of Pope John Paul II's 1993 visit, the exteriors of the small colonial town’s buildings were painted a striking marigold hue.

It was the flowers, herbs, and woods that ultimately led the two to grow their botanical gardens on the Polynesian islands. Next month, Coqui Coqui will leave its native Mexico and travel across the South Pacific to welcome guests to discover their newest enchanting outpost: Coqui Coqui Bora Bora. The French Polynesian manifestation will offer the same majestic qualities as Mexico–except there will be an even more welcoming tropical paradise due to their island affinities of barrier reefs and lagoons..

Izmal is among Mexico's *Pueblos Mágicos* (a small group of villages honored for their “natural beauty, cultural riches, and historical relevance”). Bonato and Malleville preserved the original frescoed walls in this space. All of the glass vessels are made in the Yucatán.

“It’s more the feeling of something private and residential, but with the amenities of a hotel,” says Malleville. All of the tableware at Coqui Coqui is sourced from local artisans.

Located in a building that dates to the 16th century, Coqui Coqui Valladolid Residence & Spa is a secluded one-room retreat set atop Coqui Coqui's flagship perfumery. The suite is furnished with antiques that belonged to Bonato’s grandmother.

The rich simplicity that can be experienced and extracted from the five senses are the transportive powers behind each enigmatic ingredient and idea that novice perfumer Malleville dreams up and shares with the world. Take Coqui Coqui’s Maderas collection, the coconut oil-meets-sandalwood essential blend draws upon Valladolid, Mexico’s native Mayans and Franciscan monks. Or the Coco Coco collection’s “…simple, naïve, stripped back…” smells of raw coconut evoke the land, sea, and skies.

Also in the colonial town of Valladolid, Mesón de Malleville is a four-room sanctuary across from the historical Convent of San Bernardino de Siena. The 16th century building is the former home of Malleville and Bonato, who renovated the house yet maintained the original Moorish tile floors, walls, and high ceilings.

Each room at Mesón de Malleville has its own personality, showcasing family heirlooms and artifacts gathered from around the world.

“When you have an explorer’s heart, an adventurer’s heart, you’re never done,” enthuses Bonato, who divulges that there are two additional hideaways in the works: one in the quiet Italian seaside village of Grimaldi, where Bonato spent many a childhood holiday, and the other, nestled in the Providence of Córdoba, is an homage to Malleville's homestead of Argentina. “It’s true that everything started in Mexico, and that our first little house was in Tulum, and then Coba just two years thereafter,” says Bonato. “Mexico is in our hearts. Mexico is still part of our life, and we adore it. Mexico, is everywhere and in everything we do.”

Because you never know. Life must be a beautiful surprise. There always is another beautiful terra firma to discover. There always is another beautiful adventure. And, there always is another experience to be had. As Bonato and Malleville always say, why not?

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Explore another chapter in The Stories:
Spa Day: On Stillness and Swimsuits