CAAM + Arquitectos brings the beach into Suuel hotel in Mexico

This boutique hotel in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, by CAAM + Arquitectos revolves around a sandy inner courtyard and is intended to be "discovered through the feet".

The adults-only Suuel hotel in the Oaxacan seaside town is clad in dark grey chukum, a common local construction material, and surrounded by nim trees that shade and disguise parts of the building.

Suuel hotel viewed from the street — Suuel hotel welcomes guests and passersby into open street-facing bar and restaurant spaces

"The design concept and location of Suuel are based on the strength of Puerto Escondido's beach culture and its profound influence on the way of life of Suuel's creators," said CAAM + Arquitectos.

"The vernacular is not necessarily derived from the vestigial, and so the local, traditional essence of Puerto Escondido is deeply felt in the design and programming decisions of Suuel."

Sandy courtyard with dining tables and chairs — A sandy courtyard brings the nearby beach inside

The Mexico City-based studio designed the building to be as inviting for passersby as it is for guests, and incorporated a "sand garden" that extends the beach culture into the property.

"The venue's exceptional kitchen opens to the public, connecting with the bar and the outdoors, allowing barefoot curious wanderers to peek inside and decide to enter," the team said.

Large wood-wrapped louvres above a sunken lounge — Large wood-wrapped louvres separate the outdoor area from a sunken lounge

Along the street, a porous partition of angled bricks allows views and breezes into the open-air bar and lounge.

Wood-wrapped columns divide this space from a sunken lounge decorated with cushioned seating, small tables and tropical plants.

Breezeway along a dark grey chukum building — Breezeways provide access to the guest rooms

A central staircase of half flights forms a focal point for the interior and connects the staggered levels of the building on either side.

The nine spacious guest bedrooms are accessed from this main axis along landings and semi-enclosed breezeways.

Guest room minimally furnished with characterful objects and textiles — The rooms are minimally furnished with characterful objects and textiles

"As one ascends to the rooms, the architecture is continuously recognised and discovered through the feet," said CAAM + Arquitectos.

The stepped motif recurs throughout the building, both as functional and decorative elements – such as the tops of shower partitions and headboards.

Bedroom with a stepped motif along the tops of walls — A stepped motif appears throughout the property

The lower rooms enjoy covered terraces, which are minimally furnished with stone tables, built-in seats and large terracotta plant pots.

Rooftop suites open via sliding and folding doors to spacious wraparound balconies with private outdoor plunge pools and comfy loungers.

Covered balcony featuring built-in seating, stone tables and terracotta plant pots — Covered balconies for the lower rooms feature built-in seating, stone tables and terracotta plant pots

Characterful furniture and textiles are used sparingly in the guest rooms, highlighting local craft while retaining a minimalist aesthetic.

The textured plasterwork, wooden louvred shutters and natural palette all add to the locally influenced charm.

"Suuel is the result of decades of loving Puerto Escondido," said CAAM + Arquitectos.

"It is a grand dream with a human scale, reflecting the belief that it can grow differently, with special spaces that preserve one of the most powerful beach cultures in Mexico, thus ensuring its longevity."

Guest room looking out to a wraparound terrace and plunge pool — Upper-floor room benefit from wraparound terraces and plunge pools

Puerto Escondido’s swift ascension from sleepy port town to hot tourist destination is partly due to the variety of unique accommodation offerings that have opened over the past decade.

These include the Casa Yuma hotel built from "vegetal concrete", Casa TO designed to reinterpret local historic temples, and Hotel Terrestre comprising a series of villas powered entirely by solar energy.

Comfy loungers set against dark grey chukum walls — Comfy loungers are set against the building's dark grey chukum walls

The region also has a rich craft tradition, and arts programming spearheaded by institutions like Casa Wabi, Meridiano and more.

Founded by architect Camilo Moreno, CAAM + Arquitectos also recently completed a Japanese restaurant featuring a vaulted metal roof in Querétaro.

The photography is by Fernando Farfán.

Project credits:

Architects: CAAM (Camilo Moreno Oliveros and Daniel Moreno Ahuja)
Interior design: Squadra Studio (Sofía Díaz Barriga Ochoa and María Carbajal), Krim (Karen Rauch and Isabella Medrano)
Construction: Cimera (Héctor Anselmo and María Anselmo)
Client: Circle Development

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