Stay Here: This Tranquil Escape in Oaxaca Combines Rich Culture and Minimalist Design

Anyone who's travelled to Oaxaca, Mexico's largest city, raves about how the people and the pastel-coloured land has changed them for good. One one side, there's an impossibly rugged mountainscape that makes for the most intense sunsets you'll ever experience. In stark contrast, the antique city also boasts a sandy coastline with beach towns dotted along the way where keen surfers try their luck at riding the perfect wave. There's a distinctive and energetic energy here, where locals revel in their centuries-old traditions and throw the most colourful and vibrant festivities to celebrate life itself. Combining Mexico's rich history while also embracing modern-day aesthetics, Hotel Escondido is the place to be to soak up as of this infectious much culture as possible.

Prolific local Mexican architect Albert Kalach is responsible for imaging this original 19th century house into the design haven it is today. As well as restoring the former home back to its former glory and injecting it with a timeless personality, a brand-new tower was built to work in harmony and provide a relaxing space for hotel guests to find some peace and quiet during their stay. It's a nod to brutalist architecture which contrasts beautifully with the traditional original building and cements Hotel Escondido as a must-see destination for discerning travellers from across the globe. The main part of the hotel houses twelve individual suites, along with a restaurant, pool. bar, and the Culture Room—perfect for a reading a book or catching up on some work. Directed by Chef Mario Petterino, the kitchen serves up fresh Italian food using classic recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. The grounds of the hotel are brimming with beautiful, tactile details that you'll want to run your hands over and secluded tropical courtyards that provide a burst of green energy.

With a fusion of architectural types, the hotel manages to remain authentic throughout, thanks to careful and clever design decisions. The spotless guest rooms are sleek—so sleek they wouldn't be out of place in a five-star hotel in Tokyo. That's not to say there's nothing to look at, though. Stunning custom timber furniture and joinery adds a sense of warmth, while grey stone walls are reminiscent of the abundance of brick used throughout the retreat. In the common rooms of Escondido, walls are clad in tactile ochre textures that draw your eye up to the soaring ceilings. Recessed stone shelving houses custom-made black pottery and artefacts, while eye-catching pendant lights have a medieval edge to them. For the most authentic Mexican experience, we suggest you book yourself into this tranquil escape to reap the rewards this magical city has for you in spades.

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