nytimes.com
06.02.2025 / 20:05
In a Mexican Town Known for Big Waves, a Stylish New Hotel
Once a bohemian enclave popular among surfers and backpackers, the Oaxacan town of Brisas de Zicatela (or “La Punta,” as locals call it), just south of Puerto Escondido, has evolved into a buzzing tourist spot, its big waves and boisterous mezcal bars now attracting a still young but decidedly less countercultural crowd. Hotel Humano, the latest offering from Mexico City-based Grupo Habita, both embraces the area’s lively ambience and offers a refined respite from it. The 39-room, three-level property opened in late December on a busy street that becomes a party strip every evening, but its striking design creates an elegant barrier between the action outside and the considered details within (while an enforced municipal ordinance also requires loud music to stop at 11 p.m.). The building, designed by Jorge Hernández de la Garza, follows the current fad, in local architecture, of disguising heavy concrete structures with earthy textures meant to evoke vernacular constructions; here, breeze walls made of pale clay bricks provide privacy and shade, allowing air to sweep through. Linen lampshades, toffee-hued glazed tiles and big stainless steel sinks by Madrid-based Plantea Estudio add a lighter, contemporary touch, most effectively in eight suites featuring terraces with soaking pools. Guests and visitors alike can enjoy Humano’s casual cafe and juice bar in the double-height lobby, French fare by the self-taught chef Marion Chateau served in the palapa-covered poolside restaurant and the rooftop bar’s concrete bleachers — La Punta’s best spot to take in the sky at dusk.