Casa TO Is A Brutalist Temple Meets Boutique Hotel On The Beach

It’s 9:32 a.m. as the wheels of my car collect dust along a nondescript road in Puerto Escondido. On this balmy morning on the Oaxacan coast, surfers have been out since before sunrise and nightlife revelers are still sprawled out on the beach. My hand combs through a thick breeze outside of my window, and I wonder which crowd I might fall into during my trip.

Tucked away a few sinuous streets inland, sheltered by lush greenery on an inconspicuous corner, I pulled up to my destination. Casa TO, a newly opened hotel in La Punta, wasn’t what I expected to encounter in an otherwise barefoot beach town. The architectural project—carved out of concrete—introduced itself as a brutalist temple.

Imagined by Ludwig Godefroy, Casa TO was quite literally designed with temples in mind—a place to immerse yourself in a state of contemplation. And after snapping the hundreds of obligatory photos the design begs for you to take, I did just that. I sat in contemplation. I took in the ethereal nature of the structure, which Ludwig told me was “inspired by Muslim architecture, namely the Yerebatan Sarayı in Istanbul.”

The design is undoubtedly Instagram-friendly, but apparently, Instagram had no part in forming the hotel’s design. According to Ludwig, “Architecture has to awaken your emotions. I create introverted architecture to ensure that the atmosphere of each project stands the test of time and isn’t affected by what’s happening next door.”

As the architect intended, I would spend much of my time at the focal point of Casa TO—a covered infinity pool and solarium. Here, the interplay of privacy and exposure is evident. Floating face-up between circular openings, I could peer past rows of sunbathers into an oasis enclosed by the sky. In this central area, measuring 600 square meters, glimmers of sunshine expose raw materials such as concrete, steel, clay, and wood.

From the fixtures to the finishings, luxury and simplicity seem synonymous at Casa TO. It’s not trying too hard. And while each element feels reduced to its essence, it feels equally considered. The interior design by Daniel Cinta, co-founder of Casa TO, isn’t necessarily minimal, but rather appears succinctly edited. I was told this sober simplicity was actually inspired by the original state of the land. Before a brutalist temple was built, a green blacksmith door and Madagascar Blue Bismarck palm tree stood in its place. Today, the hues of yellow, green, and blue, as well as the patterns found in these original elements, are echoed throughout each sight seen and texture felt.

It may take a village to build a hotel, but it takes more than one to make it look this easy. Even with just nine suites, a roster of artisans and Mexican design studios were called upon to bring Casa TO to life. There’s furniture built by carpenters from Puebla, Guadalajara, and Oaxaca. There are bamboo pieces designed by Tiago Solís Van Beuren. There are lamps by Natural Urbano Studio. There are fruit trees and other lush plants from nurseries in the area. And yes, there are vegan and cruelty-free bath amenities by For All Folks.

Within the hotel’s walls, I saw a glimpse of each community. The artisans, the surfers, the nightlife revelers. The people that make Puerto Escondido the place it is. So while I may not have surfed before sunrise or stayed out far beyond sunset as I’d originally intended, I saw a new side of this bustling beach town. A place that has long felt on the cusp of reinvention. And with the opening of Casa TO, seems that it certainly is. I turned on my engine once more, and this time wondered what similar secrets in La Punta I had yet to uncover.