An Authentic Trek: Azul Oaxaca Hotel

Luxury is no longer enough for the modern traveler. Instead, the sophisticated globe trotters of today are in search of true authenticity. Mexico, is a historically enriched region that is flourishing with a new generation of boutique hotels that provide a genuine, culturally relevant experience needed to ignite the ultimate travelers high. Mexican Destinations such as Tulum, Veracruz and Puebla are staying true to their roots, by shutting out some of the big name hotels in order to keep smaller, local hoteliers in business. Among the bona fide boutique Hotel's is Azul Oaxaca, a tiny new establishment in central Oaxaca.

Celebrated Mexican architect Hector Esrawe, founder of Mexico City based design studio Esrawe, transformed a crumbling building into a contemporary space that still preserves the warmth of Oaxaca by providing an atmosphere created in careful detail by local artisans.

The attention given to working with local artists means more than simply that Hotel Casa Azul de Oaxaca is just a well-designed hotel; it is a statement about the importance of Mexican design in the international landscape.

From the design of the lobby, to the rooms, to the menu with Oaxacan specialties like shrimp in yellow mole, and the films that play in the hotel’s screening room, the Casa Azul radiates the unabashed cool that comes from embracing an ancient culture and re-envisioning its place within the current aesthetic landscape.

Cool shadowed walkways leading to patios, cactus, and hidden retreats within the walls of Hotel Casa Azul de Oaxaca make for an environment open to the interpretation of each guest’s personal experience. Once hidden, the dominance of Oaxacan design is only a stay away.

Photography Courtesy of Azul Oaxaca