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Oaxaca, Mexico's Pacific Coast Just Got a New Hotel With Only 6 Suites, a Pentagon Villa, and Stunning Ocean Views
The views from every corner of the resort—whether poolside, in the restaurant, or from the room—are stunning.
The sound of the ocean, while perhaps an acquired taste for some, is instantly calming.
The restaurant offers a menu that strikes the perfect balance of enough variety without being overwhelming.
The minimalist design is effortlessly chic, blending so well into the natural surroundings that I had to search for my villa from the restaurant, which has a direct view of it. It's that well integrated.
As a child, I'd fall sleep to the sound of waves—pre-recorded ocean tracks, that is. There was something deeply soothing about the rhythmic crashes, even if they were coming from a speaker. And when the sound alone wasn't enough, I'd imagine where those waves might be landing: distant shores, quiet beaches, somewhere far from the noise of everyday life. That imaginary place, it turns out, exists—and I found it on Mexico's Pacific Coast.
Perched on a cliffside within the protected El Torón Reserve in Oaxaca, La Valise Mazunte feels like the destination my imagination once conjured. With just six suites and a pentagon-shaped villa, this boutique retreat is tucked into the jungle in the small beach town of Mazunte, famous for its untamed beauty and the endless soundtrack of waves echoing against its jagged shore.
"La Valise Mazunte is not only a place to stay. It is an invitation to become part of the landscape," Yves Namron, the founder of Namron Hospitality, La Valise Hotels' parent company, told Travel + Leisure. "Every detail reflects the beauty of this protected paradise. It is a complete immersion in the grandeur of Oaxaca's coast."
That immersion begins with the design. Conceived by Mexican architect Alberto Kalach, the hotel exists seamlessly, as if it's an extension of the land. Built directly into the cliffs, it feels more like a natural formation than a human-made retreat. "Kalach is a master of creating architecture that does not impose, but belongs. His works are celebrated across the world for their ability to merge with nature, to honor the land rather than conquer it," Namron said. "Together with architect Ignacio Urquiza, they imagined a design that feels as though the cliffs and the ocean themselves had shaped it."
The five-year process was as intentional as the design. "No machinery touched this place, only the hands of true craftsmen," he added. "Every stone, every beam of wood, was placed with purpose and respect."
La Valise Mazunte is the fourth addition to Namron Hospitality's La Valise collection, joining properties in Tulum, Mexico City, and San Miguel de Allende. But for Namron, this project feels especially personal. "The first time I set foot in Mazunte, I felt an energy unlike anything I had known before," he told T+L. "There was a magnetic pull that came not only from the vast Pacific stretching endlessly before me, but from the land itself, ancient and unspoiled. This was not a place to change or reinvent, but a place to honor."
Mazunte is blissfully free of big-name resorts and commercial sprawl. Staying here feels like discovering an untouched paradise—one that forces you to slow down and listen. I was among the first to stay at this hidden gem. Here's what it's like to experience La Valise Mazunte for yourself.
The Rooms
The hotel has six suites and a villa. Nestled in the forest and just a short buggy ride from the main grounds, the one-bedroom Villa Pentágonos is the hotel's crown jewel—a retreat where nature and creature comforts coexist.
I arrived at the lush, secluded entrance and followed discrete stone steps down to what would be my private oasis. A minimalist lounge area and an pentagon-shaped infinity pool that appeared to spill into the sea were the first things to greet me.
Sliding doors open to the villa's namesake pentagon-shaped bedroom, outfitted with modern comforts: air conditioning, a ceiling fan, and integrated charging ports. The room has two additional sliding doors that open directly to ocean views. If you're counting, the fourth side of the pentagon-shaped room is yet another sliding door that opens onto an outdoor terrace with even broader ocean views and access to the villa's open-air bathroom. Just behind a sleek partition lies cleverly hidden storage for luggage, towels, robes, and a safe.
Villa Pentágonos is ideal for those seeking solitude, serenity, and a deep connection to nature. The immersion, of course, comes with the occasional visit from the local ecosystem (think bugs, birds, and critters)—but during my stay, it remained a peaceful, undisturbed retreat.
Food and Drink
With just one restaurant on-site, the hotel doesn't overcomplicate its food and beverage offering. Serving breakfast, an all-day menu, and dinner, everything can also be ordered directly to your room or enjoyed in the communal terrace dining space. The menu strikes the perfect balance—not too extensive, not too sparse.
Breakfast brings a rich selection of local flavors, including memelas with eggs, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and chicken itacates. Fresh juices, smoothies, seasonal fruit, coffee, tea, and a daily pastry round out the morning spread.
The all-day menu is equally abundant, offering snacks like guacamole, beet hummus, fries, and baba ghanoush; salads including a house version with pineapple and cucumber, and a Thai quinoa salad; a raw bar featuring shrimp aguachile, fish ceviche in hibiscus marinade, and tuna tostadas; and tacos with octopus, shrimp, or chicken. Desserts range from chocolate tomal and cheesecake to buñuelos and creme brulée.
Dinner expands on the all-day offerings with entrées like the local catch of the day, pescado a la talla, shrimp-stuffed eggplant, and sweet potato enmoladas. As for beverages, it includes a curated selection of wines (with both white and red options from Mexico), beers, and a cocktail list that naturally highlights mezcal, a nod to Oaxaca.
Activities and Experiences
At La Valise Mazunte, the views alone feel like an experience—and worth taking time to absorb. But beyond the visuals, the hotel offers an array of activities designed to help you explore the land and sea. Guests can dabble in sunset yoga, book a mezcal tasting, witness sea turtles hatching, go to a temazcal ceremony, or even horseback ride along the shoreline. Depending on the tides, guest can also access a secluded beach with palapas. (During my stay, a strong flood current had pushed the ocean up toward the cliffs, temporarily reclaiming part of the beach.)
For those eager to explore beyond the property, Namron suggests heading over to Punta Cometa. "At sunset, it's a wonder few discover," he said. "The sky burns gold, the sea stretches forever, and time seems to stop." He also recommends early morning hikes for the views and symphony of bird songs. "These are not attractions," he added. "These are moments that touch the soul."
I enjoyed a tasting from Ruu Piiil Mezcal that taught me the past and present of mezcal production in Oaxaca. I also took part in a calming sunset meditation session and witnessed the release of baby sea turtles—an unforgettable experience organized with local eco-tourism center La Ventanilla.
The Spa
The spa menu offers a curated selection of treatments from reflexology to stone massages, plus a facial option—all available en suite. With the natural rhythm of the ocean as your soundtrack, there's no need for artificial ambiance. What sets this experience apart is its seamlessness: no changing rooms, no transitions—just roll off the massage table and straight into a blissful nap, if you wish. (Yes, I'm projecting and telling you exactly what I did.)
Family-friendly Offerings
The hotel welcomes guests aged 12 and older, which is a conscious decision, according to Namron, to "preserve the tranquility of this sanctuary." While there are no amenities designed specifically for teens, all offerings are available to guests across the board, including those in the 12 to 18 age range.
Accessibility and Sustainability
Aerial view of the resort on the coast.
La Valise Mazunte
Sustainability is at the core of many operations elements of the hotel, from sourcing ingredients from local farms and fisherman to recycling waste and reducing environmental impact. "Our buildings were made with local stone and wood, using low impact methods that leave the land as undisturbed as possible," Namron said. "Our low-impact construction methods ensure minimal environmental disruption."
Located within El Torón, a 30-hectare nature reserve dedicated to wildlife protection and ecological restoration, the property was designed to blend in and leave only a small footprint. "We're not just operating sustainably, we are actively contributing to the preservation of this extraordinary ecosystem," Namron added.
In terms of accessibility, Namron said that guests with mobility issues should do a little extra outreach before their stay. "The cliffs that make this place so breathtaking also bring challenges," he said. "We invite guests with mobility needs to contact our concierge so we can provide the best guidance and support for their stay." (While a golf cart is available to assist guests with navigating the steep terrain, some areas may still be difficult to access for those with mobility concerns.)
Location
La Valise Mazunte sits quietly within the protected El Torón Reserve, a secluded pocket in Mazunte. The journey here is part of the escape: it's about 1 hour and 15 minutes by car from Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) and just under four hours from Oaxaca de Juárez. The town of Mazunte itself is a short 15-min drive from the hotel and the nearby village of San Agustinillo is just under 20 minutes by car.
Book Now
La Valise Mazunte is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), a global collection of boutique stays. Guests who join SLH's complimentary membership program can enjoy exclusive perks, including early check-in and late check-out, special discounted rates, and access to the members-only Club rate. Additional perks include complimentary WiFi, bottled water, and breakfast for two. Singing up is free at slh.com.
Nightly rates at La Valise Mazunte start from $400, and you can book your stay at lavalisemazunte.com.
Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
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Carnival talks cruise loyalty; Royal Caribbean secures Costa Maya
Carnival talks cruise loyalty; Royal Caribbean secures Costa Maya originally appeared on TravelHost. During a Q&A session for the first cruise passengers sailing to Carnival's Celebration Key, Carnival President Christine Duffy didn't shy away from addressing the elephant in the room. Duffy is on board Carnival Vista this week as the cruise ship makes the inaugural call to Celebration Key, the cruise line's new resort destination on Grand Bahama. As she geared up to participate in events and festivities during the special sailing, Duffy obviously prepared herself to take some heat from passengers who have concerns about the cruise line's upcoming loyalty program this summer, the new Carnival Rewards loyalty program rolls out in June 2026 and is a complete departure from the way cruise line loyalty programs have traditionally worked. Instead of earning status solely based on their days spent at sea, Carnival passengers will rack up points for their spending under Carnival Rewards. The program also eliminates lifetime loyalty status benefits — a move that's upset many cruise passengers. Why is the cruise line making these controversial changes? Carnival Vista passengers got to hear Duffy's answer on that and more during the onboard Q&A presentation. Doug Parker shared details on what Duffy said about Carnival's loyalty program changes, as well as a key move Royal Caribbean just made in Mexico, on the July 17 edition of Cruise News Cruise Line President speaks on loyalty program change Transcript: This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker. Good morning, here's your cruise news for Thursday, July 17th. The lifetime status benefits just can't be delivered. Carnival's top brass is now speaking publicly about the cruise line's sweeping overhaul of its VIFP program. This week aboard Carnival Vista, President Christine Duffy and Brand Ambassador John Heald addressed guests directly in the ship's main starting next June, Carnival Rewards will replace the current VIFP program, which shifts to a spending-based model instead. Everyday spending will get you points on the card as well as what you purchase for Carnival. Duffy said that the cruise line's explosive growth — 65 million guests since 2012 — has made lifetime status unsustainable. She also clarified that kids under 18 will not earn rewards, but they'll sail under their parents' status and can opt in at 18. This is because there's a lot of legalities around minors and reward programs. Duffy is on board this week for the company's inaugural call to Celebration Key on Cruise Line adds mobile ordering option for coffee And Carnival is rolling out mobile coffee ordering on select ships to cut down on morning lines at the Java Blue Cafe. Yeah, through the Carnival Hub app, guests can now pre-order select espresso, iced coffee, and other drinks for pickup at designated venues. Now, the feature runs daily from 7 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., though it should be noted that if you have the Cheers drink package or the Drinks on Us beverage package, mobile app ordering is not included in that, meaning you'll have to pay out-of-pocket if you use the app to order. However, in-person ordering is still included in those packages. Carnival says the move is about convenience, and rolling it out to more ships soon. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Royal Caribbean now owns Costa Maya port for Perfect Day Mexico And Royal Caribbean now officially owns the future site of Perfect Day Mexico. Yeah, the cruise line has completed its $292 million purchase of Costa Maya's port and 34 nearby properties. Construction is now set to ramp up on the new private destination, which is expected to open in the fall of 2027. The port will stay open during development and continue hosting other cruise lines, but only Royal Caribbean and Celebrity guests will have access to Perfect Day Mexico once it's cruise line stocks were mixed on Wednesday. Carnival Corporation: up 0.2%, 29.04. Royal Caribbean: down 0.5%, 339.23. Norwegian: up 1.3%, 23.05. And Viking: down 0.5%, 56.87. If you have a lead on a story, let us know: tips@ Home from my around-the-world trip, and little cat's being bad and wanting attention, I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Thursday. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
