No television, air conditioning, and oscillating cellphone service — an unusual recipe for relaxation at one of Mexico’s most luxurious lifestyle hotels, Terrestre. Low tech yes, but not lacking in comfort, Hotel Terrestre is an eco-friendly, solar-powered resort dedicated to sustainable luxury travel located near Puerto Escondido. Upon discovering its sustainability roots, I knew I had to witness the beauty and integrity of this gem firsthand.
In celebration of my recent birthday, my partner and I booked two nights at this outdoor oasis, not knowing entirely what to expect, solely basing our understanding of the hotel on its subliminal website and social media presence.
The thrilling ambiguity and mystery of Hotel Terrestre followed us up until the moment we checked in. Before we arrived at the reception, we drove on a winding, isolated dirt road for what felt like a millennium to my motion-sensitive stomach. We passed Casa Wabi, an artist residency we have always wanted to visit, and then shortly after, arrived at the entrance of Terrestre.
Covered by thick bush and trees, the hotel was still not in sight. As we stepped out of the vehicle, we quickly realized that this hotel was indeed entirely outdoors: there were no paved roads or sidewalks for as far as the eye could see. “This way,” we hear an attendant say in Spanish, popping the bubble of confusion both my partner and I shared.
We followed the gentleman wheelbarrowing our luggage through small and sandy passageways until we reached the reception desk. Still trying to grasp the reality of this truly multi-sensorial hotel, we take a few, long moments to look around before sharing “hello’s” with the barefooted receptionist.
We checked in and the wheelbarrowing continued up until the entrance of our villa. This was the moment I had been waiting for. We twisted and wiggled the key a few times before the opened door revealed the most idyllic, contemporary, and minimal “room.”
Each of the 14 villas of Terrestre are designed with Earth at the forefront. From colors and textures to architectural design, the villas merge soft brutalism with nature seamlessly. We spent the next handful of hours admiring the concrete walls, wood furnishings, and private garden and terrace with mountain view.
Being inside a villa at Terrestre you lose awareness of your preceding life and worldly problems. You melt into your surroundings, disconnect from technology, and find yourself fully enthralled by the surrounding nature and its gentle, yet captivating aurora. Though quiet throughout the grounds, the sounds of the Pacific Ocean waves crashing became the soundtrack to our stay. You quickly find yourself not wanting to leave the sophisticated simplicity of the villa you have just inhabited. But just as the sun rises every morning, you must rise as well.
Before the sun ceased to cast its light on us, we hastily put on the lightweight kimonos provided by Terrestre and left behind our shoes. With sand between our toes and other unknown places, we explored every inch of the grounds, peeking our heads into every corner we could find, and dazed by all the beauty we were witnessing.
Night fell and we were seated at the restaurant within the property. Ice cold mezcal con jamaica served with the chef’s recommendations for the evening satisfied our hunger and pallet, while conversations of gratitude held us closely.
Mornings at Terrestre are simply exceptional and remind you of all the wonders that exist off of our screens. The Art of Hygge, a Danish book written about the joy and pleasure of the mundane really can be seen and felt here: from pushing open the handmade wooden shutters to listening to the birds and insects sing their morning melodies.
The next hours to follow would include a full body massage at the outdoor spa, a visit to the hammam, a sunset horse ride, dips into every visible pool, breezy naps in the hammock under the warm Oaxacan sun, and several delectable meals accompanied by two loving orange cats.
Our most dreaded day has unwelcomingly found us and it was sadly time for check-out. Though neither of us were ready to part from this element-rich hidden oasis, we were deeply thankful for the experience.
It is not every day that you are able to encounter and indulge in sheer luxury while also being in a harmonious and intimate juxtaposition with nature. Terrestre has mastered the way luxury travel should be, all the while, respecting its predescing landscape of water, light, air, and earth.
Terrestre feels intentional, yet organic. Modern, yet ancestral. And leaving you wanting more, while feeling eternally blessed.
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