Casa Marena

Elevated Oceanfront Palapas: A Pacific Coast Pair

Completed in summer 2020, this pair of designer palapas floats just above ground, and features contemporary, open-air styling, a food and service team, and room for a small crowd. The house’s two bungalows each feature two bedrooms with full baths, one a king room, the other a double bunk set up for four, making it ideal for two families traveling together. The bungalows are connected by private boardwalks, feature raw concrete and warm wood partitions and a generous, independent living/dining and kitchen palapa open to the elements and flanked by an oceanfront lap pool. The rolling Pacific is visible from the sofas, dining table, hammocks and the bars/kitchen islands. Dolphins and whales pass along the shore, and spectacular sunsets and sunrises can be enjoyed from cushy poolside sunbeds and bedroom terrace seating.

Around

The property is located on the shore at Puerto Escondido, walking distance from one of Boutique's favorite places, the international artist residency Casa Wabi. Envisioned by contemporary artist Bosco Sodi and designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, it is open for visits twice weekly. Architect Alberto Kallach’s design work is on prominent display in the area, too, including Punta Pajaros with its by-reservation restaurant, and the Casitas by the Sea development, along with the clay oven at Casa Wabi and the not-to-be-missed Kakurega-Omakase Restaurant, helmed by Chef Keisuke Harada. The Laguna de Manialtepec is close to Punta Pajaros, a must-see lagoon that's a great place to organize a boat trip, kayaking or paddleboard adventure. From October to March, the lagoon has bioluminescence. Just opposite the lagoon is the Chacahua National Park.

Puerto Escondido is a port town that lies at the end of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range about 100 miles from the region’s inland capital city, Oaxaca. Arranged around a picturesque bay dotted with gigantic rock formations, the area is divided between Bacocho Beach on the north end, the Playa Principal resort area in the middle, and the famous surfing beach of Zicatela on the south end. One of the world’s top 10 surfing destinations, the town is also the site of rich wildlife, mangrove forests, and turtle sanctuaries at Ventanilla.

Location

Nearest airport: Puerto Escondido (25 minutes); Zicatela (1 hour)

Best time to visit

October to March