Casa Yuma hotel, Puerto Escondido: a peaceful oceanfront oasis

A white building by the beach with a staircase by each side

(Image credit: Courtesy of Casa Yuma)

published 5 June 2024

Time stands still at Casa Yuma, a new boutique hotel in the Mexican municipality of Puerto Escondido. Minutes away from the beach of Los Naranjos and the lively village of La Punta, the oceanfront retreat is as peaceful as the sea breeze and gentle waves of its surroundings. To access it, co-founders Sara Skalli, Camille Lambert and Tim de Belloy note that ‘one must cross peaceful fields populated by cows and horses.’ All things considered, Casa Yuma is a wild escape offering the best of both; invigorating seaside life and countryside privacy.

Retreat to Casa Yuma

Designed to blend into its surroundings, architect Ricardo de La Concha with studio TAAC incorporated the Mexican native material of Chukum, a vegetal concrete crafted from tree resin and limestone, at the very heart of the construction, boosting the project's eco-friendly credentials. Wood, Oaxacan brick and cement further added to the organic aesthetic that Casa Yuma presents. ‘Casa Yuma aspires to offer much more than just a simple stay; it aims for a total immersion in nature without compromising on comfort,’ all three co-founders tell Wallpaper*.

Inside, the serenity and authenticity of the exterior continue. Each of the 25 available rooms, all located on one level, offer breathtaking views of the ocean and mountains. The rooms incorporate clean, natural colour palettes and fixtures made in collaboration with local artisans, such as selected ceramic lamps signed by ceramicist, Amande Haeghen. Other furniture and decoration touches, hand-picked by Sara Skalli, who also acted as the interior designer, strive to reflect Mexican culture to its best, ‘offering visitors an atmosphere as authentic as it is warm.’

Accessible to all, the restaurant faces the Pacific and has been designed in the same architectural style as the hotel, welcoming up to 50 guests for lunch and dinner. The menu presents traditional, family cuisine from the Oaxaca region, such as tamales, a regional favourite made from corn dough and a spicy filling, the day’s fresh catch accompanied by an authentic mole sauce or an all-time favourite, shrimp tacos. The open kitchen also boasts a tortilla oven, a cornerstone of Mexican gastronomy.

All guests gain access to a swimming pool overlooking the ocean, alongside dedicated wellness activities such as yoga, meditation and traditional massages. ‘The motto of this project is simply: to offer a memorable experience to those who enter the doors of Casa Yuma,’ affirms Skalli.

Casa Yuma is located at Ventanilla KM 153, Lote 10 Los Naranjos, casayuma.net

Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.