Puerto Escondido is Mexico's picturesque coastal town with vibrant nightlife and pristine beaches with rocky cliffs, also known as the Emerald Coast.
Before the 1930s, there was nothing but wild nature here. Today, it's one of the biggest tourist attractions on the Oaxacan coast, with some of the best surfing spots in the world. For example, Zicatela Beach hosts famous surfing competitions.
Grupo Habita's newest creation, Hotel Terrestre, sits between Puerto Escondido's mountains and ocean in an intimate environment surrounded by nature.
The hotel's green credits are remarkable. The building's structure uses locally sourced materials, and 100% of the energy comes from solar power. Even the cooling system uses creative building techniques rather than air conditioners.
So what else is unique about Hotel Terrestre? Scroll down to find out.
Inspired by the ancient Mayan civilization
Hotel Terrestre's brutalist villas are inspired by ancient Mayan architecture. It's easy to spot the resemblance between the magnificent stone temples and pyramids of the Mayan civilization and the hotel's facade.
Mexico City-based architect Alberto Kalach was tasked to design Grupo Habita's newest building with a focus on connecting the natural environment with manmade elements, eliminating the line between inside and outside.
Terrestre has 14 villas, each of which is built with handcrafted and locally-made bricks.
The brutalist design blends in seamlessly with the Oaxacan Landscape.
The on-site restaurant blends into the surrounding nature with its sandy colors and offers guests freshly made cacao elixirs and ceviche.
The rooms are open-air and use natural air conditioning via well-designed spaces open to airflow on both sides. Even when the beautiful wooden window shutters are closed, air travels freely. Thanks to this, there is no need for air conditioning, and Hotel Terrestre can run on minimal energy - all of which solar panels produce.
You can look out to the blue sky while having a bath.
You will not find anything unnecessary, even around your private pool. Natural straw puffs, a comfy mattress, and towels.
A rather surreal view from the pool is of the brick towers and the Pacific Ocean.
One of those angles where you can easily spot the similarities between Mayan temples and Hotel Terrestre's architecture.
Concrete, bricks, and wood. These are the three simple building blocks of Hotel Terrestre.
The earthly color palette creates a harmonious atmosphere inside and outside.
The open-air dining area is kept natural as much as possible. There is a wooden roof with ceiling fans to keep you cool, and there is sand below your feet.
The contemporary oasis is furnished with intimate places where you can rest after a long day of surfing.
The hotel has two saltwater pools and a temple-like hammam to spoil you.
The poolside resting corners look like bird nests. It's one of the many examples of Terrestre's ambition to erase the distinct division between natural and manmade elements.
Carretera Salina Cruz- Pinotepa, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico
