THE PEACEFUL CASONA SFORZA
Think about the moment when you first experienced the deepest peace you've ever felt...that's what it's like to stay at Casona Sforza.
Casona Sforza. Photograph by Amanda Saviñón
Casona Sfroza is an adult-only boutique hotel located in Puerto Escondido, a coastal town in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico.
Originally, Ezequiel Ayarza Sforza from Argentina, commissioned Mexican architect Alberto Kalach to design a private beach home. Halfway through the project, Ezquiel changed his mind and had Alberto design a hotel instead because “It’s such a special place—I realized it should be shared with others.” said Ezequiel to Interior Design. Thank god he changed his mind! Casona Sforza is really something to share with the world.
The eco-friendly hotel consists of 11-guest suites, a bar, and a restaurant under arched vault ceilings along with a very cool circular pool all facing the ocean. The suites are individual arch-shaped, brick houses all next to one another and five of the suites are located on the bottom of each house which includes a small pool and a terrace. The other six suites sit at the top of each house and have a balcony with a gorgeous pool and ocean view. My room was at the top.
When I arrived at the hotel I was welcomed by a doorman who grabbed my bags as I went to check-in. After check-in, I was guided to Casona Sfroza Restaurant where I waited for my room to be ready. The first thing I noticed was the playlist which featured music by Bonobo, Frank Ocean, and Steve Lacey. I instantly felt at home.
View from my balcony on the 2nd floor. Photograph by Amanda Saviñón
I enjoyed a Mezcal con Tamarindo and a Tiradito de Pulpo en salsa Yakisoba (grilled octopus) and admired the interior design while I waited. According to Dezeen, a lot of the hotel's furniture and decor were made in Mexico. Rugs were woven in the small village of Teotitlán del Valle, and palm-leaf lamps came from the port city of Veracruz. Curtains, chairs, and hammocks were fabricated in the Yucatán Peninsula.
When I got to my room, the first thing I noticed was the attention to detail. The room was equipped with all of the little things that usually make me feel relaxed at home like incense, candles, bathrobes, a Bluetooth speaker, and a beach bag for the beach days. The bed was in the middle of the room and I am pretty sure it's what clouds feel like if one were to lay on them. I knew I'd fall asleep if I laid down so I swung on the hammock of my balcony for a bit before changing into my swimsuit and hitting the beach. To get to the beach I walked through an arched corridor with a water stream that runs down the center of the floor and ends at the pool. Past the pool are some beautiful trees that divide the pool area from the beach area, and then there are beds and hammocks for the beachgoers. I ordered a lemonade and watched the orange and pink sunset before getting ready for dinner and yes, it was as dreamy as it sounds.
Photograph by Amanda Saviñón
Photograph by Amanda Saviñón
My most favorite thing at this hotel so far you ask? The honey body soap that was in the bathroom, which by the way is hands down the most gorgeous bathroom I've ever had the pleasure of showering in. The soap is made of 60% honey, so you can imagine the smell and the feel of that dang soap. The way it felt, the way it smelled... every time I showered or washed my hands, I didn't want to stop. Inspired, I researched the soap almost immediately and found it was made by artisans who are part of a community project in Oaxaca focused on sustainability and indigenous culture called Pueblo del Sol. Pueblo del Sol was also founded by Ezequiel Ayarza Sforza, the hotel owner. Actually, Casona Sforza is Pueblo del Sol's biggest client as they house a lot of their products like the coffee, ceramicware, and wood furniture. Departures' Sophie Mancini said it best, "In that way, Casona Sforza is not so much a hotel as it is a vehicle for preserving Indigenous land, community, and craft." So you know it's real, the hotel tagline speaks to exactly that: A planet-conscious casa boutique.
Even the beige bricks that make up the arched vaults at Cason Sfroza are locally sourced. The bricks help keep the rooms cool without having to use an air conditioner and I think it was a combination of the incense and the cooling bricks that convinced me that this place was made for me, for real. When I take tropical vacations there is nothing I dislike more than air conditioning running in the hotel room.
For dinner, I went back to the restaurant where everything is farm-to-table and also locally sourced. I ordered the chicken mole dish with a glass of red wine. One aspect that adds to the laid-back vibe of the hotel is that guests don't have to pay for things as they go, instead, guests are shown a receipt at the end of each day and pay for all they consumed at the end of their stay. When the concierge explained this during check-in she said, "Feel free to leave your money and your wallet in the room as you explore the property during your stay.", I thought, "Oh, I am going to relax, relax."
In the mornings, be prepared to be awakened by the sweet roosters, I surely was and it was a delight! The sun was out but it had yet to peek over the horizon so I jumped out of bed, put on my bikini, layered it with a short and loose-fitting white dress, skipped the shoes, and grabbed my journal. I headed to the bar for an iced Americano and hit the beach beds for the sunrise and some writing. At this time, all of the guests were still in their rooms and even though there was staff around doing morning maintenance work, I felt as if I were the only guest on the whole property. It was truly magical and deeply peaceful.
Included breakfast by the pool. Photograph by Amanda Saviñón
Afterward, I went for a swim in the super-cool circular pool and had breakfast (which is included) and it was so yummy. I was very hungry though, so I also the Huevos a la Oaxaqueña which was like an omelet but drowned in delicious red sauce. Breakfast was its own event, to say the least.
About the peacefulness that overtakes the hotel, the architect Alberto Kalach told Interior Design that the curves on vaulted ceilings "allow positive energy to flow better. Vibrations bounce around and create a sense of peacefulness.” In various articles, Alberto and Ezequiel have both said that the design's main purpose is to prioritize reflection, awareness, and beauty. To enhance and bring to the main stage the surrounding natural elements like ocean sounds, the breeze, the sun, and the stars.
Oddly enough it feels good to know that the connection to nature, and the serenity and wonder that I encountered at Casona Sfroza, both internally and externally, were all intentional. This peaceful experience comes second only to the profound peace I found during an ayahuasca ceremony which:
is a story for another time and
doesn't compare at all, but it does say a lot.
Oh, and I definitely purchased that honey body soap before checking out with the intent to bring that same energy all the way back to little ol' Brooklyn, NY.
Pathway to the bar, restaurant, pool, and beach. Photograph by Amanda Saviñón
HOW TO GET THERE
I had already been hanging out in Puerto Escondido for over a week by the time I decided to visit Casona Sforza, but the way to get there is to fly to Mexico City, take a 1-hour flight on a small plane to Puerto Escondido, and then a 25-minute cab ride to the hotel.
For more information visit: casonasforza.com
For suggestions or tips or if you're curious about solo travel, hit me up: loyalnana@gmail.com