ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Andrés is a civil engineer from Monterrey who arrived in this part of Mexico in 2004 and began working as a construction site supervisor. Over time, he built his own construction company, called Armasc, which specializes in high-end finishes. The Armasc team proudly created Villa Tayrona.

Elly is a Swiss-American who has been living in Bucerías since 2011. She is the founder of Human Connections, a nonprofit that connects travelers with local artisans through cultural tours.

Andrés and Elly got married in 2017 and created Villa Tayrona as their passion project.

WHAT DOES ‘TAYRONA’ MEAN?

We (Andrés and Elly) catch ourselves living in the future, thinking about the next big project. On this plot of land, for example, we had planned on building a four-story condo building. We hired the architects, applied for the construction permits, and moved forward fast while both harboring concerns about the enormity of resources we’d need to invest in this space, unsure of the way this project would influence our lifestyle, family, and values.

During this time, we went on a vacation to the Tayrona National Park in Colombia. Here, we spent nights in palapa-roofed bungalows and immediately experienced a shared sense of relief. This, not something loftier, is what felt like us. A place like this represented the things that inspire us most – nature, sustainable construction, responsible tourism, culture, and community. We decided to scrap our project and, scribbled onto paper napkins, began designs for Villa Tayrona.

For us, thinking about those nights in the Tayrona National Park is a reminder of what is important in our lives. It reminds us to slow down and make time for intention. We hope it will