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If you’re planning a visit to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, this guide to the best hotels in Puerto Escondido will help you find the perfect place to stay.
Discover the top hotels on the beach, adults-only hotels, hotels for families, boutique hotels, luxury hotels, all-inclusive resorts and more!
Puerto Escondido is one of my favourite beach towns in Mexico! I’ve owned and rented vacation homes here since 2003.
Plus, I’ve personally stayed in many of these hotels in Puerto Escondido while doing reviews for Fodor’s Travel Guide and magazines such as Condé Nast, enRoute, WestJet Magazine, TravelAgeWest and many others.
This guide is packed with tips on what I’ve learned about finding the best Puerto Escondido accommodation.
For tips and resources on finding a place to stay for a month or longer, check out our Guide to Long Term Rentals in Puerto Escondido for a listing of apartments, condos, villas and other lodging.
Best Areas and Where to Stay in Puerto Escondido
Before you begin, be sure to read the Beginner’s Guide to Puerto Escondido Beaches to decide which beach fits your personality. This will help narrow down the neighbourhood to stay in.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the hotel zones and areas:
Bacocho, Carrizalillo and Rinconada: These are the quietest, most residential neighbourhoods in Puerto Escondido.
You’ll be close to Playa Carrizalillo (the best swimming beach) as well as under-the-radar Playa Coral and Bacocho Beach, good for long walks.
Centro: This area is good for budget hotels. It’s close to Benito Juarez Market, the OCC bus station and the commercial zone of Puerto Escondido.
While busy with traffic during the day it’s relatively quiet at night. It’s walking distance to Manzanillo and Angelito beaches.
Playa Principal and The Adoquin: This area is popular with tourists visiting the Catholic shrine of Juquila as most pilgrimage tours include time at a hotel in Puerto Escondido. Evenings can be noisy due to nightclubs.
Zicatela, Brisas de Zicatela and La Punta: These neighbourhoods are perfect for surfing, watching the waves, partying, nightlife and hanging out.
Famous for its Mexican pipeline wave break, Zicatela Beach is long, flat, wide and good for surfing. Nightclubs can make Calle del Morro (the main street) noisy at night.
Outside Puerto Escondido: Vivo Resorts, Hotel Escondido, Casona Sforza, Hotel Terrestre and Gecko Rock Resort are located outside of Puerto Escondido. You’ll need transportation to get back and forth to Puerto Escondido.
Check for the best car rental rates at Discovercars.com
Costs and Budget
Is Puerto Escondido cheap? Not necessarily.
Unlike Playa del Carmen or Puerto Vallarta where there’s a large supply of large multinational resorts, all-inclusive hotels, boutique hotels and other places to stay, Puerto Escondido has no multinational chain resorts, few all-inclusive resorts and no high rises.
Almost all hotels include free wi-fi and free private parking. None charge guests a daily resort fee for use of amenities, an increasingly popular practice in Orlando, Las Vegas and Hawaii.
However, there’s often a daily fee for air conditioning ($10 to 15 USD) so check when booking).
Adding to the demand for Puerto Escondido rentals, is the influx of vacationers fleeing the sargassum seaweed problem in Cancun, Tulum and Riviera Maya.
But there really is something for every budget from ultra-luxury boutique hotels to laid-back beach bungalows.
For the best choice in prime time (January-March and holidays), begin your search early.
Pro Tip: With all Puerto Escondido hotels there’s a surcharge during holiday periods.
1. Casa Joseph Zicatela
This new, adults-only boutique hotel is ideally located between the Zicatela strip and La Punta (Google Map). Its design is both exciting and welcoming.
An abundance of natural materials, creative landscaping and wooden walkways makes it feel as though you’re spending a weekend at a posh beach villa rather than a hotel.
Being set directly on Zicatela Beach adds to the vibe of barefoot luxury. Casa Joseph Zicatela is the only luxury hotel located ON the beach in Puerto Escondido. Its competition is either across the street from a beach, above a beach on a cliff or out of town.
Watch a spectacular Pacific Coast sunset from your balcony, lounge with a cocktail in a Bali bed at the Beach Club or float in the oceanfront pool.
This 5-star hotel offers room service, a 24-hour front desk, free WiFi, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite and more. There’s even a suite with a private pool.
The onsite restaurant turns out creative cuisine inspired by local ingredients. Expect to see organic prawns, dorado, chile chilhuacle as well as elevated versions of traditional Oaxacan dishes such as sopa de guias and red moles.
All of this doesn’t come cheap. Casa Joesph Zicatela is one of the most expensive places to stay in Puerto Escondido.
It’s on par with other luxury properties in Mexico.
But for an unforgettable getaway it doesn’t get much better than this. If you’re on a honeymoon, have a special occasion or just deserve a memorable stay, then this is the place for you.
Pro Tip: Happy Hour features 2 X 1 cocktails 5 – 7 pm.
Check rates and availability of Casa Joseph Zicatela on Booking.com.
2. Santa Fe Hotel
The gracious, salmon-hued Santa Fe Hotel was the first major hotel in Puerto Escondido. It’s designed in a colonial style and features mature landscaping and views of the lush inner courtyard or Zicatela Beach.
The namesake restaurant of this mid-range hotel is a top restaurant in Puerto Escondido, serving seafood and vegetarian specialties. The pretty outdoor swimming pool, cobblestone pathways and soaring palm trees make this hotel a lovely choice for couples, families and solo travellers.
Check rates and availability of Hotel Santa Fe on Booking.com.
3. Villas Carrizalillo Hotel
Tucked at the end of a sandy path from the Rinconada (Google Map) overlooking stunning Carrizalillo Bay, the 12 bungalows and villas that make up Villas Carrizalillo combine rustic charm and luxury.
This hotel has some of the best sea views in Puerto Escondido.
Sway in a hammock, relax in your villa hideaway or descend the private stairway to Puerto Escondido’s best beach. This luxury hotel is good for couples and families (there are family rooms and some units have kitchens).
Check rates and availability at Villas Carrizalillo on Booking.com.
4. Quinta Lili Boutique Hotel
With only five guest rooms in this highly-rated boutique hotel, you’ll feel as though you’ve won the lottery if you score a reservation.
This welcoming Puerto Escondido hotel and guest house features a swimming pool and lounge area, a shared kitchen with BBQ, a full hot Mexican breakfast and its own brewery!
Not only is Quinta Lili located in the ultra-convenient, residential Carrizalillo neighbourhood but it’s steps to popular restaurants on the Rinconada as well as Carrizalillo, Manzanillo and Angelito Beaches. (Google Map)
5. Casona Sforza
One of the poshest hotels in Oaxaca, this luxury, adults-only boutique hotel is one of the newest and most stylish places to stay in Puerto Escondido. Choose from suites featuring private pools, sea views and hot tubs.
Designed by the acclaimed Mexico City-based architect Alberto Kalach, it’s one of a growing number of striking and innovative properties set on the Oaxacan Coast. Casona Sforza is environmentally sustainable with 100% of its profits invested in the Pueblo del Sol community projects.
Is Casona Sforza located near the city center? No. It’s located in the La Barra Santa Maria Colotepec area beyond La Punta, just outside Puerto Escondido (Google Map). But it’s still close enough to take a taxi into town.
Check rates and availability at Casona Sforza on Booking.com.
6. Casa TO
Architecture buffs will be fascinated by this new boutique hotel in La Punta Zicatela. Casa TO just opened in 2022 but is already blazing trails in terms of its innovative design and commitment to environmental sustainability.
Designed by Mexico City architect Ludwig Godefroy, Casa TO features nine guest suites, with six on the ground floor facing gardens and three on the upper outfitted with outdoor bathing tubs.
Bath amenities by Mexican company All Folks are vegan, paraben, mineral and cruelty-free.
While many other hotels in Puerto Escondido face outward to the Pacific for the sea views, Casa TO (Google Map) is unique in that its sight lines look inward toward its solarium and terraced infinity pool, prompting introspection, contemplation and harmony.
Set next to the verdant Zicatela Ecological Community, Casa TO’s abundant use of natural materials and landscaping adds to the sense of being enveloped by nature.
Casa TO’s design was inspired by influences such as the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, London’s subterranean Hornsey Wood Reservoir and a Zapotec temple
Breakfast is included in the room rate. A restaurant is under construction and expected to be completed by Spring 2023. For now, guests enjoy a continental breakfasts onsite and receive a voucher for dining at one of the local restaurants in La Punta, a four block walk away.
Check rates and availability of Casa TO on Booking.com.
7. Casamar Suites Hotel
This boutique property in the Brisas de Zicatela area felt like an outpost when it was first constructed. But the growing population in Puerto Escondido now places it in the heart of the action near La Punta (Google Map).
While it can’t be considered a Puerto Escondido beach hotel as it’s not directly on the beach, it’s a short 3 minute walk to a quiet stretch of Zicatela Beach.
Hang out in La Punta, go surfing or enjoy a fabulous breakfast at the new Zicatela Market. Then retreat to the tropical gardens set around the free-form swimming pool inside the gated complex.
The family-friendly, well-maintained suites in this apartment hotel range in size from studios to two bedrooms.
The traditional Mexican decor at Casamar features an exceptional collection of hand-painted Talavera tiles in the bathrooms, kitchens and throughout the property.
Most suites have terraces while many rooms have AC (extra-charge) and well-equipped kitchens. The penthouse has exceptional sea views. Yoga classes and other activities are complimentary for guests.
This Puerto Escondido hotel is also popular for long term stays. Private parking is available next door.
Check rates and availability at Hotel Casamar Suites on Booking.com.
8. Beach Hotel Ines
This sprawling beach hotel is set around a garden courtyard with a swimming pool directly across from Zicatela Beach. It’s in the heart of the Zicatela strip so is close to restaurants, yoga classes and nightlife (Google Map).
It’s also home to Deep Blue Dive, the PADI dive shop and excursion provider for whale and dolphin tours, two bucket list things to do in Puerto Escondido.
Choose from a cabana, a bungalow, double room or suites with a jacuzzi. Some of the spacious suites have capacity for six people which makes it especially popular with families. A children’s playground is across the street.
9. Hotel Rockaway
Well-located Hotel Rockaway is situated on Calle del Morro in the heart of the lively Zicatela strip (Google Map).
Sharing space with some shops (including the chill Kuhl Frozen Yogurt), it’s directly across from Playa Zicatela where you can find surfing, restaurants and beach clubs.
Many of the 32 modern rooms feature terraces with sea views plus there’s air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, toiletries, a large swimming pool and free parking.
Check rates and availability at Hotel Rockaway on Booking.com.
10. Hotel Escondido by Grupo Habita
Couples, single and friends seeking seclusion, adventure and artistic flair will love adults-only Hotel Escondido, an eco-chic retreat created by style-maker Grupo Habita, known for its hip hotels in Mexico City.
Luxurious comforts such as private plunge pools, in-room spa treatments and handcrafted décor create an indulgent yet laid back vibe.
Situated on a pristine stretch of beach 45 minutes northwest of Puerto Escondido (Google Map) the resort’s palapa-topped bungalows are surrounded by dramatic tropical desert vegetation including rock gardens, towering organ pipe cactus and spiky agave.
Each bungalow hideaway is situated to enjoy ocean views and catch evening breezes from the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains. You’ll also be close to Roca Blanca Beach, a top day trips from Puerto Escondido.
You’ll be rubbing shoulders with the glitterati here as this hideaway attracts a mix of telenovela stars, fashion models and artists such as abstract painter Bosco Sodi.
His nearby studio retreat Casa Wabi was designed by Japanese celebrity architect Tadao Ando.
Check rates and availability of Hotel Escondido on Booking.com
11. Blater Hotel
Set across the street from Zicatela Beach (Google Map), 3-story Blater Hotel was one of the first hotels to establish itself on Calle del Morro beyond the main Zicatela strip. It’s easy walking distance to restaurants, shops and nightlife.
It features a contemporary design with sleek lines and a roof top pool offering panoramic ocean views. A rustic Beach Club is across the street and is a prime spot to enjoy the Pacific Coast sunset.
Check rates and availability of Blater Hotel on Booking.com.
12. Vivo Resorts & Residences
These self-contained condo apartments feature all the amenities of a 4-star hotel.
To start, there’s a large free-form swimming pool, onsite restaurant and bar, a spa with a temazcal, a fitness centre and several sizes of suites to choose from. Many of the suites have ocean views.
If you’re interested in booking Vivo Resorts on Playa Palmarito Beach (Google Map), note that it’s a 45 minute drive from Puerto Escondido.
Airport pick-up and daily shuttles into Puerto Escondido mean you may not need to rent a car. There’s free parking.
Check rates and availability at Vivo Resorts on Booking.com
13. Hotel Terrestre
This luxury hotel comprised of 11 villas was also designed by Mexico City-based architect Alberto Kalach.
Remarkable for its Brutalist-inspired, solar-powered innovative use of space and form, Hotel Terrestre has been featured in Architectural Digest and many other design publications.
It is intended to blend seamlessly with the environment so its architecture features star-gazing platforms, open-air showers, salt water pools and views of mountain, sea and sky.
The remote location (40 minutes northwest of Puerto Escondido) near Roca Blanca Beach (Google Map) adds to the sense of being far from civilization.
It’s also one of the most expensive hotels in the Puerto Escondido area. But this design-driven hotel offers an immersive hospitality experience that’s unique and memorable.
Check rates and availability at Hotel Terrestre on Booking.com.
Check for the best car rental rates at Discovercars.com
14. Hotel Posada Real: All-Inclusive Hotel
If you need a hotel near Puerto Escondido airport for an early morning flight when it can sometimes be difficult to hail a taxi, the Hotel Posada Real Puerto Escondido offers 24 hour front desk service.
One of the few all-inclusive hotels outside of the glossy resorts of the Bahias de Huatulco development, Hotel Posada Real’s all-inclusive meal plan includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as alcoholic drinks.
Hotel Posada Real is set on a cliff overlooking Bacocho Beach (premium rooms offer sea views) and is more upscale than Hotel & Suites Villasol (listed below) and Hotel Aldea del Bazar, other popular hotels near Puerto Escondido International Airport. It also has the Cocos Beach Club on Bacocho Beach.
Check rates and availability at Hotel Posada Real Puerto Escondido on Booking.com.
15. Hotel & Suites Villasol
Located in the Bacocho neighbourhood, Hotel & Suites Villasol is a budget hotel that’s also close to Puerto Escondido International Airport.
It offers a nice Beach Club with a freeform swimming pool and swim up bar overlooking Bacocho Beach. Pez Gallo, its beach restaurant serves healthy breakfasts and elevated Mexican dishes. A Day Pass to the Beach Club costs 600 MXN pesos for non-guests.
Guests can hop on the complimentary shuttle to get to and from the beach. It’s a steep walk back.
The Villasol Beach Club has several tennis, racquetball and pickleball courts, including a night court.
Check rates and availability at Hotel & Suites Villasol on Booking.com
16. Hidden Paradise Beachfront Resort
For a spectacular stay near Agua Blanca (30 minutes from Puerto Escondido – see Google Map), check out the Hidden Paradise Beachfront Resort. It features an entire villa and private guest suites, some with kitchenettes and air conditioning. It’s equipped with Starlink high-speed satellite internet with free wifi.
The white-washed walls of Hidden Paradise evoke the sunny Mediterranean. Plus there’s a sparkling swimming pool, beach club and a breezy palapa lounge with hammocks overlooking the powerful Pacific surf.
For foodies, there’s a special bonus with a stay at this upscale Oaxaca resort.
It happens to be near Agua Blanca’s top seafood restaurants! If you love fresh oysters, this is the place to be. Not a fan of oysters? The onsite restaurant turns out European specialties such as Hungarian goulash, perogies and borscht.
Looking for a vacation rental further afield? Consult our post on 7 Reasons to Love Mazunte for more about other beach destinations on the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico.
17. Punta Esmeralda Suites
Snag one of these 18 suites during high season and you’ll feel as though you’ve scored a real deal. And you have.
Punta Esmeralda Hotel Suites come with a large terrace, full kitchen, AC, swimming pool and jacuzzi and all the amenities of a full-service hotel (laundry, wi-fi, safety deposit box).
Suites on the upper level even have an ocean view.
All overlook a nicely landscaped pool area. Eight standard rooms are also available but it’s worth it to pay a premium and upgrade to a suite. Rates can be negotiated on long stays.
This hotel is just one block to the beach and One Love Restaurant & Hostal at the base of Tamaulipas.
Check rates and availability for Punta Esmeralda Hotel & Suites on Booking.com.
18. Barlovento Hotel
The Barlovento Hotel is located near the lighthouse (Google Map), a Puerto Escondido landmark and is moderately priced. It’s a short walk to the Adoquin (the evening pedestrian zone) with its shopping, restaurants and bars.
As well, it’s walking distance to Manzanillo Beach.
One of the advantages of this well-maintained Puerto Escondido hotel is that the guest rooms have AC. Refrigerators are sometimes available upon request.
Check rates and availability of the Barlovento Hotel on Booking.com.
19. Gecko Rock Resort
If you’re looking for an adults-only, all-inclusive boutique hotel in Oaxaca, you’ll be thrilled with Gecko Rock Resort, located in Santa Elena (Google Map) just 45 minutes south of Puerto Escondido.
This beach resort is the ultimate eco-chic hideaway. It features just four casitas! You’ll enjoy expansive views of sky and sea and never have to race to the pool to reserve a lounge chair.
Read our full Review of Gecko Rock Resort for more details on amenities, food and things to do. There’s a 3-night minimum stay.
This secluded Pacific Coast beach is ideal for long walks and for communing with sea turtles. It’s actually located near La Escobilla, a protected zone as its one of the world’s top nesting beaches for olive ridley turtles.
Check for the best car rental rates at Discovercars.com
20. Cielito Lindo Suites
Located within the quiet Rinconada neighbourhood near many popular Puerto Escondido restaurants, Cielito Lindo Suites is a colonial style apartment building.
It features a small swimming pool, air conditioning (extra charge) and simply furnished but clean guest rooms with kitchenettes and balconies or terraces.
An advantage of this good-value Puerto Escondido Hotel is that it’s easy walking distance to Carrizalillo, Manzanillo and Angelito Beaches (Google Map).
Check rates and availability of Cielito Lindo Suites on Booking.com.
21. One Love Hostal
Generally, an upscale hostel is a good option when looking for a budget place to stay in Puerto Escondido.
Their convenient locations, efficient co-working spaces, opportunities for partying and amenities such as communal kitchens, private bathrooms and yoga classes make hostels attractive to a growing number of digital nomads and travellers.
One Love Hostal is an eco-chic hostel just steps to the beach. It’s architecturally stunning and has a rooftop deck where you can swing in a hammock and listen to the waves.
Located in Las Brisas de Zicatela near La Punta, the architecture at One Love Hostal and restaurant is the creation of a recognized architect from Veracruz.
She’s combined her keen eye for design with inspiration drawn from music icons of the 1960s and 70s. The result is a rustic yet modern space.
One Love Hostal is best known for its yoga classes and restaurant, one of the most popular places to eat in Puerto Escondido.
Check rates and availability for One Love Hostal on Booking.com
22. Selina Hostel
Conveniently located on the Zicatela strip across from Zicatela Beach, home of the Mexican Pipeline surf break, Selina Hostel is known for its comfortable coworking space, sparkling swimming pool and excellent wifi.
It’s widely considered the best hostel for digital nomads in Puerto Escondido.
Check rates and availability at Selina Hostel on Booking.com.
23. Casa Losodeli & Coworking Space
Situated on Highway 200 within walking distance to Puerto Angelito beach, Manzanillo beach and Carrizalillo beach, this family-run, adults-only hostel offers excellent wifi.
Another advantage of Casa Losodeli & Coworking Space is its convenient location near Benito Juarez market, shopping and budget restaurants.
Check rates and availability at Casa Losodeli & Coworking Space on Booking.com
FAQs
Hotel Santa Fe, the Rockaway, Villas Carrizalillo, Posada Real and Barlovento are hotels that have rooms with nice views in Puerto Escondido. Outside of Puerto Escondido, Vivo Resorts, Hotel Escondido and Casona Sforza are known for their sea views.
Casa Joseph Zicatela is the best hotel on the beach in Puerto Escondido. Nearby, Beach Hotel Ines and Hotel Rockaway are located across the street from Zicatela Beach. Villas Carrizalillo is located on a cliff above Carrizalillo Beach which is accessible via steep steps.
Casa Joseph Zicatela, Beach Hotel Ines, the Santa Fe, Hotel Aqua Luna, Casamar Suites and Hotel Rockaway are popular hotels near Playa Zicatela.
Other Hotels in Mexico You’ll Love
Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.
Read more about Michele Peterson.
Tortitas de Ejotes (Guatemalan Green Bean Fritters)