Puerto Escondido Boasts An Effortlessly Cool Hotel Blending Surf Culture With Boutique Style In Mexico

For years, Zicatela was seen as just for surfers. Located just outside Puerto Escondido on Mexico's Pacific coast, it is widely known as one of (if not the best) surfing beaches in Mexico, thanks to the pounding waves of the wild Pacific Ocean and the fantastic breaks of the Mexican Pipeline. The water is tempestuous and getting in is not for the unwary, and while La Punta at the southern end is a little more relaxed, the northern end of the beach is really for experienced surfers only. 

As a result, Zicatela has held on to its laid-back, surfer-and-backpacker vibes, a casual place for non-surfing shoestring travelers to chill out on one of the best beaches in Mexico and for serious wave riders to take on the Pipeline. In recent years, the serene, stress-free joys of Zicatela have started to attract a larger, more international crowd, and the accommodation on offer has shifted from just surf hostels and budget guesthouses to a more boutique selection of places to stay. One of the best is Hotel Humano, an effortlessly cool design hotel that remains true to Zicatela's surfing traditions, blending beach and board culture with stunning style to create an exquisite and luxurious place to stay. 

Hotel Humano is located to the south of Zicatela near Punta Zicatela, about a block from the beach. It's a 10-minute drive from the center of Puerto Escondido and is easily reached from Puerto Escondido airport, which is about 5 miles away and served by routes from Houston and Dallas as well as several Mexican hubs. It is around 120 miles from the vibrant city of Oaxaca, the state capital.

Hotel Humano describes itself as "a sanctuary where the spirit of humanity thrives," and it is a gloriously detailed environment that offers far more than just a place to rest your head. The lobby and hotel coffee bar is a triumph of elegant simplicity and barefoot luxury, fitted out in classic Oaxacan polished concrete with latticed brickwork accents and effortlessly stylish rustic furniture. The design style is all earth tones and sophisticated minimalism, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces and echoing the landscapes and scenery of the coastline. 

The lobby slips into the central courtyard, where loungers surround a plunge pool and jacuzzi. A rooftop bar serves up exceptional cocktails and jaw-dropping panoramic views of the coast, the mountains, and the ocean, and is a magnificent spot to watch the sunset. A small spa — complete with massage rooms, a sauna, and two cold plunges — offers a wonderfully relaxing welcome after your day's activities. When it comes to dining, Hotel Humano pulls out all the stops, bringing chef Marion Chateau from Marseille's La Relève to the Mexican Pacific. The Bistro offers a fantastic, locally sourced, fish-forward menu that is an absolute treat. 

There are only 39 rooms in Hotel Humano, and the attention to detail in each one is exceptional. Each one has a view of the pool and the courtyard, and while the eight suites are undoubtedly the standout options, the standard rooms are pretty special as well. The style is something like rustic minimalism, with occasional modern touches and a few dashes of decadent luxury. The idea was to hold on to the charming, casual chic of the surf culture of the area while adding elegance and sophistication.

In early 2025, it was announced that Puerto Escondido was to be named the 14th World Surfing Reserve (per Save the Waves) in recognition of its natural beauty, environmental significance, and stunning waves. This is yet another reason why no traveler worth their salt should visit Puerto Escondido and not at least try the thing that makes it a world-famous destination: Mexico's most powerful wave. While the breaks to the north of Zicatela Beach are extremely challenging, there are more manageable areas to the south, conveniently located near Hotel Humano. The hotel has a great relationship with the surf school The Art of Surfing, which offers lessons for beginners. Yoga on the beach at sunrise is another unmissable experience organized by Hotel Humano for its guests.

While it is easy to just relax and enjoy the sumptuous surroundings of the hotel, Puerto Escondido and the Oaxaca coast are full of wonderful things to see and do, particularly for nature lovers, and it is well worth exploring a little further afield. The vacant beaches and jungle beauty of the Lagunas de Chacahua to the south are a wonderful spot to see bioluminescence, the magical natural phenomenon that lights up the sea in a vivid, electric light show. Whales are regular visitors to the waters just offshore, and a boat tour to get up close with these amazing mammals is not to be missed. If you're lucky, you will also get the chance to see dolphins, turtles, and even jumping manta rays! Canoe tours in the mangrove swamps bring you face-to-face with crocs in the water, monkeys in the trees, and a huge array of brightly-colored birds.