Twelve miles south of Puerto Escondido, on a stretch of Oaxaca’s untamed Pacific coast, Kymaia rises from dunes and hibiscus fields as a boutique hotel where past and present converge.
The 3.7-acre property—once dedicated to the cultivation of red hibiscus—retains the flower’s vivid hue as a symbolic and chromatic thread that runs through its architecture and interiors.
A triad of inspiration
Interiors, landscaping, and visual identity by the Book of Wa, paired with architecture from PRODUCTORA, draw on three conceptual axes: pre-Hispanic ceremonial vestiges, the flora of the Oaxacan Pacific, and solar iconography. These influences create an environment that feels ancient and culturally ambiguous, as if organically accumulated over time.
In the guestrooms and public spaces, tactile elements—like charred and repurposed wood, volcanic stone, pigmented resins, hammered copper platters recalling the solar disc, and palm-fiber tapestries—convey the narrative.
Kymaia’s 22 suites are strategically placed to frame either the Pacific horizon or arid, desert-like gardens. Each is partially enclosed by compacted earth berms built onsite that feature stepped or pyramidal geometries to offer shade and thermal insulation.
Service areas such as bathrooms, showers, closets, bathtubs are embedded within these forms, with rigid lines that serves as counterpoint to the organic sprawl of native vegetation.
The culinary journey at Kymaia
Septimus, led by chefs Lalo García and Gaby López, stands atop the dunes beneath a monumental 33-foot-tall palapa. Guests ascend along a pyramidal path from relaxed outdoor lounges to a formal dining room, where light, fire, and local ingredients converge in a ceremonial homage to land and sea.
The F&B program extends to La Cueva, a fine dining wine cellar embedded in the main complex’s lower level, and to the Huauchinango oasis bar, where a pool nestles into a grove of Mexican fan palms.
Spaces for stillness
Wellness offerings include Azumi, a dry garden for yoga and meditation surrounded by desert species, and an upper observatory terrace for sunset and stargazing.
The Shala, characterized by a square plan and circular roof supported directly on the sand, creates shaded areas for contemplative practice.
Kymaia’s commitment to restoration includes mangrove expansion, resilient native gardens, and a green concrete pool that meanders through the landscape. Solar panels, constructed wetlands, and evapotranspiration filters further reduce the overall environmental footprint, ensuring that the coastal sanctuary remains gentle on the land.
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