Casona Sforza boutique hotel in Puerto E|Hotel

Located in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico, Casona Sforza is a boutique hotel that embraces a hospitality concept of comfort and elegance combined with a setting where nature and design stimulate the senses.

The project reflects the commitment to environmental care, reevaluation of roots and the development of the local community. Conceived and designed by the entrepreneur Ezequiel Ayarza Sforza and renowned Mexican architect Alberto Kalach, the initial process took years of inspiration, planning, sketches and successive modifications. The vernacular inspiration for the final design was based on ancient techniques for creating arched vaults.

image © Alex Krotkov

These arches offer specific benefits to the house: they are earthquake-proof, improve air circulation, and their curves help positive energy to flow to the suites. Brick was used for the vaults, helping with good ventilation that keeps the rooms cool without wasting energy on air conditioning.

The project comprises volumes and asymmetries with clean lines that are harmoniously integrated into the landscape to establish a connection with the essential beauty of the natural surroundings. Another notable feature is the long corridor leading to the impressive terrace and pool with its concentric circles.

Plan

Materials and finishes

The property was built with locally produced sand-yellow bricks that receive and reflect the sun’s rays. Other natural materials used include macuili and parota wood, palm leaves, traditional regional cotton textiles, and raw linen details.

Composition and distribution

Casona Sforza comprises a number of different areas, including: 11 rooms and suites, reception, bar-restaurant, lounge area, pool and beach.

A long corridor with a linear water pool down its center leads to the social areas and the bar-restaurant, and runs from the rooms to the circular pool. Its purpose is to channel energies and imbue guests with a sense of peace and tranquility. In the final vault we find the kitchen, wine cellar, and chef’s table.

image © Alex Krotkov

Rooms

The hotel comprises 11 suites: five on the ground floor – each with a terrace and private pool – and six more on the upper floor, with balconies and an indoor tub. The master suite includes a large balcony, jacuzzi, and sea views.

All rooms have vaulted ceilings and sea views and present a cozy ambiance with a bohemian style, thanks to neutral colors, tropical wood and natural textures. There are three categories of rooms: junior, senior, and master.

Interior design

For the interior design MOB Studio created a contemporary concept with a significant aesthetic preference for artisan processes that enhance the natural beauty of the space. The solid identity incorporates elements that highlight the attributes of the site and the surroundings—such as the sunset, the sound of the ocean, and the movement of the breeze—and that combine with the textures and colors of the architecture. The studio intended for the vaults designed by Kalach to stand out as the lead element.

The interior spaces house unique items of furniture from regions well-known for their craft traditions, such as rugs from Teotitlán del Valle, textiles from the Valley of Oaxaca, hammocks, chairs and curtains from Yucatán, and palm-leaf lamps from Veracruz. These combine with decorative elements from the Oaxacan sierra such as cushions and glassware manufactured by potters, ceramists, cabinetmakers, farmers and beekeepers from the Pueblo del Sol workshops, a sustainable production project, whose continuity is possible thanks to the support of the hotel.

image © Alex Krotkov

Sustainability

- The construction employed above all local, natural materials, avoiding synthetic materials.

- All cleaning products are biodegradable.

- The water in the pool is salt water.

- The hotel has a wastewater treatment plant.

- Casona Sforza offers organic handmade products made locally, such as honey, coffee, shampoo and soap.

image © Alex Krotkov

Social commitment

Financed and supported by Casona Sforza, Pueblo del Sol is a social project aimed at building a community of indigenous artisans in Oaxaca, and improving the strength and visibility of their work, recovering their native roots.

Pueblo del Sol is located in the Oaxacan sierra, an hour from Casona Sforza, and guests can visit the project to learn about where the products consumed in the hotel come from, experience the forest, and learn about building such a community from the ground up.

Nestled on the serene landscape of La Barra de Colotepec, facing the golden sands of the Pacific Coast, Casona Sforza presents a unique architecture inspired by the vernacular tradition and an experience of sustainable luxury, offering personal attention, exclusivity and privacy. Its concept places center-stage the value of being aware, contemplating and understanding the beauty of an environment in balance.

Casona Sforza stands out for its unusual structure, a reflection of its ecological commitment, revaluation of roots and development of the local community. The property comprises asymmetric volumes with clean lines that are harmoniously integrated into the landscape, and make use of the ancient techniques of arches and vaults.

In this spot on the coast of Oaxaca, where the delta of the Colotopec river flows into the ocean, the cypresses, mangroves, and oaks embrace this exuberant refuge and offer visitors the chance to reencounter the essence of a natural beauty that is stripped of artifice. Casona Sforza irradiates a constant luminosity thanks to the sandy hues of its sun-caressed walls, while the movement of the sea breeze is an invitation to discover the grand corridor leading to the stunning terrace and pool with its concentric forms.

In this peaceful haven, time passes at a pace that favors harmonious reflection amid all the comforts of home. Its eleven vaulted suites come in three categories—Junior, Senior and Master—and offer a cozy ambiance with a bohemian aesthetic of neutral colors, tropical woods and natural textures, and panoramic views of the sea.

The interior spaces comprise furnishings from regions well known for the quality of their crafts, such as rugs from Teotitlán del Valle, textiles from the Oaxaca Valley, hammocks, chairs and curtains from Yucatán and palm lamps from Veracruz. These are combined with decorative elements and amenities from the Oaxacan highlands, where they are made by potters, cabinetmakers, farmers and beekeepers in the workshops of Pueblo del Sol, a sustainable production project whose ongoing work is supported by Casona Sforza.

Cuisine at Casona Sforza will also reflect the importance of ecological and social responsibility. The culinary vision will be based on the farm-to-table principle, ensuring the freshness of the ingredients in every dish, which come from local producers who make use of non-intensive, seasonal farming processes.

The Casona Sforza experience is complemented by services that cater for the hedonistic pleasures, such as private yoga sessions, holistic massages and private surfing lessons. In addition, visitors can get to know the destination and its natural treasures better with a range of activities including dolphin and whale watching, release of sea turtles, and a number of different walks and expeditions.