Casa de Zorros, a vacation home rental in Baja California, Mexico

Secluded Brutalist-Inspired Retreat in Baja California

An estate of three independent buildings, each formed of sleek modern concrete and glass, this grey-scale architectural retreat for nine by hotelier Ben Pundole offers a cool, contemporary haven secluded in the scenic desert wilds of Baja California Sur. Glass and blonde wood brighten the buildings, with high ceilings for style and ventilation, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows offering views of the mountains encircling the rugged desert landscape.

The minimalist smart villa is equipped with a five-step water filtration system. Three king-sized bedrooms come with en-suite bathrooms featuring double sinks, showers and sustainable eco-products, as well as walk-in closets and private terraces. All have an additional couch/daybed for a third guest. The common kitchen/living room building is anchored by a floating, poured concrete fireplace and flanked by a sprawling, covered dining terrace. A fully equipped kitchen opens to the living room that it turn opens to the outdoor terraces and pool.

A second building hosts the Sunrise and Sunset rooms, a pair of king bedrooms with en-suite baths and private terraces, and the third structure at the back of the property houses Casa Palapa, an elegant, one-bedroom retreat with ultra-high palapa ceilings, a king-sized bed and bathroom, an outdoor garden tub, reading nook, furnished terrace and a kitchen of its own. A hammock hangs under the trees outside.

The property’s solar-heated heated pool is watched over by a sizable saguaro cactus, and the enclosed garden includes outdoor showers, several lounging areas, and a fire pit and bell tent among cacti, desert scrub, saguaros and shrub.

Layout

There is a total of three king-sized beds, one in each bedroom. Each bedroom also has a sofa which can be made into a single bed for one child.

Kitchen & living room building: Kitchen with prep island with stools plus a half-bathroom, living room with sofa and lounge chairs, leading to an outdoor living area with a communal table, rooftop terrace

Sunrise Room & Sunset Room building: Two king bedrooms with en-suite baths, daybeds and terraces

Casa Palapa: Open-plan kitchen with prep island and stools, living room, king bedroom with en-suite bathroom, outdoor garden tub, terrace

Outdoors: Outdoor living area with a low communal table surrounded by oversized cushions, layered textures and lush potted plants creating a relaxed shaded oasis. Solar-heated pool, outdoor showers and tub terraces, gardens, fire pit, bell tent.

Around

Located between the Pacific and the wild Sierra La Laguna mountain range in an area known for its striking mix of cultivated farmland, mango groves and arid plots dotted with majestic saguaro cacti and desert scrub, the property is in El Pescadero, a five-minute drive to the nearest beach and a short walking distance to some of the area’s top restaurants, spas and wellness facilities. Bordered by farmland, the property offers beautiful mountain and countryside views, the latter over fields of fragrant poblano pepper and basil.

Situated equidistant between the cities of La Paz and San Jose del Cabo, the famed surf break at San Pedrito can be reached on foot in less than a half hour, and the family-friendly beach at Los Cerritos is about a 10-minute drive. The surfers-and-artists’ haven of Todos Santos, with its shops, galleries, restaurants and cafes is a 12-minute drive, and La Paz is about an hour away. Head there to kayak in the Sea of Cortez, swim with the whale sharks or wander the waterfront. La Ventana is about 1.5 hours away, a world class destination for kite surfers. For an urban coastal getaway with all the resort-styled bells and whistles, head to San Jose del Cabo, a scenic hour’s drive away.

Surfers come to the area for its uncrowded beaches and big swells. During summer, swells range from the south to southwest and bring warm water and air with head- to overhead-high waves all around the peninsula, including the Sea of Cortez. Winter finds west/northwest swells on the Pacific with consistent, double overhead waves.