Several property owners in Cuenca’s Barranco district are complaining about the new color of Hotel Crespo. The owners of the hotel, located on Calle Larga and the Juana de Oro escalinata, call the color “mora pink” but two critics say it’s “Pepto-Bismol,” after the popular diarrhea and upset stomach remedy.
The Hotel Crespo has a new paint job but does it meet historic district rules.
Director of the Historic Center Committee, Pablo Barzallo, says that the color was approved by his office based on a sample provided by hotel management. He added that he will compare the sample with the final result and If the two don’t match he could order a repaint.
“The color of buildings in the historic center must meet certain specifications,” Barzallo says. “They cannot be strong primary colors, such as blue, green, red and yellow. Pastel colors are allowed but they must meet the approval of our office.”
Barzallo said he would make a decision on the appropriateness of the color next week.
One nearby property owner said the paint job, no matter the opinion of the color choice, accomplished at least one objective: getting rid of the graffiti on the Juana de Oro escalinata. “The kids have already started tagging again but I assume the new owners will want to keep it clean this time.”
The Hotel Crespo changed ownership in August.
