Casona Sforza Puerto Escondido: The Definitive Review [2024]

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I may get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Are you planning a trip to Puerto Escondido and want to know if you should stay at Casona Sforza?

Finding a hotel in Puerto Escondido can be very difficult because there are literally hundreds to choose from.

While there are some great options out there, it’s important to choose the perfect hotel to ensure that your trip is everything that you want it to be.

The last thing that you want to do is choose a bad hotel and return home disappointed and frustrated.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, I’ve set out a comprehensive guide to the exclusive Casona Sforza so that you can find out everything that you need to know before making your decision.

Let’s dive right in.

*All images of Casona Sforza in this article are credited to Expedia.com*

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

Where is Casona Sforza?

Casona Sforza is a highly-rated adults-only 4-star luxury hotel situated a few miles south of Puerto Escondido in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Puerto Escondido is situated on the Pacific Ocean about 160 miles south of Oaxaca City and about 250 miles south-east of Acapulco.

If you aren’t familiar with Puerto Escondido, it’s a beach town in southern Mexico that is home to Playa Zicatela, known as the “Mexican pipeline”.

It’s a remarkably beautiful place that has kept its laid-back beach vibe despite an increase in popularity in recent times.

Let’s take a look now at how to get you to Casona Sforza.

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

How Do I Get To Casona Sforza?

Getting to Casona Sforza is a relatively simple process.

The first step is to fly into Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM). The second step is to book a private transfer, get a taxi or rent a car to drive to the hotel.

I’ve set out the steps you’ll need to take to get to Casona Sforza as simply and efficiently as possible.

Flying Into Puerto Escondido

To reach Casona Sforza, you’ll need to first fly into Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM), which is around 6 miles from the hotel.

You won’t be able to get a direct flight to Puerto Escondido International Airport from outside Mexico, so unless you are already in Mexico, you’ll need to take a connecting flight.

From within Mexico, there are regular flights to Puerto Escondido from Mexico City, Tijuana, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Oaxaca.

Flights from Mexico City are by far the most frequent. Unless you’re planning on stopping over in one of the other cities listed above for a few days, I recommend you fly via Mexico City.

Puerto Escondido Airport to the Hotel

Once you arrive in Puerto Escondido airport, you’ve got a few options to get to Casona Sforza. You can book a private transfer, take a taxi or rent a car.

I’ve gone through each of these below.

Book a Private Transfer

The simplest way to get to the hotel is by booking a private transfer on a platform like Viator. There are plenty of different providers for you to choose from, and prices start at around US$20 for a couple.

If you prefer to get a local recommendation, you can reach out to the helpful staff at Casona Sforza. Their contact details are below:

Take A Taxi

If you haven’t booked a private transfer, the simplest way to get from the airport to the hotel that requires absolutely no planning whatsoever is taking a taxi.

You’ll need to be able to tell the driver your destination and agree a price for the trip. The journey should cost you around US$15 – US$20 and you may need to haggle to get the driver down into that range.

You’ll also need to make sure that you have Mexican pesos with you, as the driver may not accept US dollars and won’t take credit cards.

Rent a Car

If you’re staying for more than a day or two, I recommend that you rent a car at the airport.

Casona Sforza is a few miles outside the Puerto Escondido town center, so having a rental car is the ideal way to get around. Casona Sforza also offers parking, so you can easily park the car at the hotel.

Getting a car at the airport is very easy. You can book ahead and pick up your car in the arrivals hall of the terminal of Puerto Escondido airport when you get off the plane.

I recommend using DiscoverCars to book the best deal available ahead of your arrival. You can expect to pay around US$30 per day plus gas for a basic rental car.

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

Review Of Casona Sforza

Now that you know where it is that you’re going and all of the options that you have for getting there, let’s get into the review itself.

I’ve set out below a summary of the hotel, the rooms, hotel facilities, dining options and nearby attractions.

After that, I’ve given you a list of pros and cons of the hotel and given my personal view on whether you should book Casona Sforza for your trip.

Let’s jump right in.

1. Location

The most remarkable thing about Casona Sforza is its unusual modern architecture.

It was designed by a well-known Mexican architect named Alberto Kalach, who is based in Mexico City. Kalach is also known for having designed nearby Hotel Escondido and Hotel Terrestre.

Since opening its doors to guests in December of 2020, the hotel has been featured in many major publications including Conde Nast Traveller and Marie Claire.

If you’re looking for a chic hotel in Puerto Escondido, Casona Sforza certainly fits the bill.

2. Price

The price per room at Casona Sforza starts at US$510 for a junior suite, US$610 for a senior suite, and US$710 for a master suite, which includes an in-room hot tub. Those amounts are before fees and taxes.

Discounted offers are available from time to time, so it is worth checking prices in advance of your travel dates to see if you can get yourself a deal.

Check out Booking.com for prices and availability on your travel dates, or use the search box below:

3. Rooms

There are 11 suites available at Casona Sforza and they are divided into three grades. You can choose from a Junior Suite, Senior Suite and a Hot Tub Master Suite.

Within the Junior Suite and Senior Suite grades, you can also choose between a suite with a seafront or a suite with a private pool.

You can read all about the different suites below.

Hot Tub Master Suite

The Hot Tub Master Suite is the crème de la crème of Casona Sforza.

The suite is on the upper floor and, as its name suggests, it features an in-room hot tub from which you can stare out over the Pacific Ocean.

The room is generous at 54 m² and has a king-sized bed, bathtub and rainfall shower. You’ll find bathrobes, complimentary locally-made toiletries and a hairdryer in the bathroom.

You’ll also have access to a minibar, room safe, sofa, wardrobe, desk, WiFi, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and tea & coffee facilities.

Seafront Senior Suite

The Seafront Senior Suite is also on the upper floor of the building.

It offers a wonderful unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean that you can enjoy from the sofa bed or from the handmade hammock stretched across the balcony.

Like the Hot Tub Master Suite, the Seafront Senior Suite is a very comfortable 54 m² and has a king-sized bed, bathtub and rainfall shower. You’ll also have access to bathrobes, complimentary toiletries and a hairdryer in the bathroom.

The Seafront Senior Suite also comes with a minibar, room safe, sofa, wardrobe, desk, WiFi, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and tea & coffee facilities.

Private Pool Senior Suite

The Private Pool Senior Suite is on the lower floor of the building.

Instead of having a sea view, as its name suggests, the Private Pool Senior Suite has its own private pool on the terrace. You can also directly access the beach just a few hundred meters away.

The Private Pool Senior Suite is also 54 m² with a king-sized bed, bathtub and a rainfall shower. You’ll also find bathrobes, complimentary toiletries and a hairdryer in the bathroom.

The Private Pool Senior Suite comes with a minibar, room safe, sofa, wardrobe, desk, WiFi, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and tea & coffee facilities.

Seafront Junior Suite

The Seafront Junior Suite is the junior version of the Seafront Senior Suite.

The main difference is that the size of the Seafront Junior Suite is a little smaller at 45 m², meaning that you lose a little of the extra space.

Despite its smaller size, it is also on the upper floor and still has a beautiful view of the ocean that you can enjoy from the sofa bed or from the handmade hammock.

It also still comes with a king-sized bed, bathtub and rainfall shower, and you’ll still have access to bathrobes, complimentary toiletries and a hairdryer in the bathroom.

The Seafront Junior Suite also comes with a minibar, room safe, sofa, wardrobe, desk, WiFi, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and tea & coffee facilities.

Private Pool Junior Suite

The Private Pool Junior Suite is the junior version of the Private Pool Senior Suite.

Similarly, the main difference here is that the size of the Private Pool Junior Suite is only 45 m², meaning that you lose a little extra leisure space.

The Private Pool Junior Suite also has a private pool on the terrace with direct beach access.

It also still comes with a king-sized bed, bathtub and rainfall shower, and you’ll find bathrobes, complimentary toiletries and a hairdryer in the bathroom.

The Private Pool Junior Suite also comes with a minibar, room safe, sofa, wardrobe, desk, WiFi, air-conditioning, ceiling fan and tea & coffee facilities.

4. Hotel Facilities

Casona Sforza has a great selection of facilities.

Pool Area

The hotel has a gorgeous round outdoor pool area with sun lounges, sun umbrellas and hammocks.

You can very comfortably spend the day relaxing in the sun with a cocktail from the poolside bar between dips in the pool.

Wellness

Casona Sforza offers reiki, deep tissue and sports massages. You can choose to have your massage in your room or down on the beach.

You can book for an hour or for 90 minutes, and you only need to give the hotel staff 2 hours notice. A one-hour massage will cost US$105 and a 90-minute massage will cost US$155.

Beach Access

Casona Sforza also has direct private access to Playa La Barra, one of Puerto Escondido’s beautiful and unspoiled beaches.

You’ll mostly have the beach to yourself, and the hotel sets up sun loungers with sun umbrellas on the beach for you to use, as well as hammocks strung up in the shade.

Tours

The hotel also has lots of great tours that they can arrange for you for an additional fee. They include dolphin watching, horseback riding, releasing baby turtles into the sea, and learning to surf.

I’ve set out a few of these activities out below, and you can arrange them through the hotel, through a platform like Viator, or in some cases you can reach out directly to the providers and arrange it yourself.

5. Restaurants & Bars

Casona Sforza has a restaurant called Restaurante Sforza, which has also has a fantastic poolside bar.

Restaurante Sforza

Restaurante Sforza serves international cuisine using locally sourced ingredients from in and around Puerto Escondido. The restaurant’s new menu includes keto and vegan options if you want them.

The chef of the restaurant is Andrés Trujillo, who originally hails from Caracas in Venezuela and has experience working in London, Venezuela and Mexico.

Pastry chef Vanessa Franco is originally from Maracaibo in Venezuela and has worked in restaurants in Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico.

Bar Area

Casona Sforza also has a beautiful poolside bar with an impressive range of beverages.

If you enjoy your liquor, you can do your best to work through a list of over 20 cocktails, a dozen varieties of mezcal and a half dozen varieties of tequila during your stay.

The bar also has a range of classic beer and craft beer bottled in Mexico.

6. Reviews

Casona Sforza has a rating of 9 out of 10 from over 200 reviews. The story that the reviews tell is that people love this hotel.

The unique architecture of the hotel, the great food and the attentive service all receive glowing reviews from guests.

There is no doubt that the hotel is a class act.

7. Check-In and Check-Out

Check-in at the hotel is from 3:00pm to 9:00pm, and check-out is before 11:00am.

Late check-in may be available, but you should contact the hotel to confirm if you think you will arrive outside the ordinary check-in hours.

8. Pet-Friendly

Casona Sforza is not pet-friendly. Unfortunately, if you want to visit this hotel, you’ll need to find a pet-sitter.

9. Family-Friendly

Casona Sforza is also an adults-only hotel, so you won’t be able to stay at Casona Sforza if your children are younger than 18 years old.

10. Nearby Attractions

Puerto Escondido is full of interesting things to do and beautiful beaches to explore, and you can easily reach them with your rental car or by taxi from Casona Sforza.

I’ve set out a few below that I recommend you put on your shortlist. Don’t forget your sunhat, suncream, and a bottle of water, particularly if you’re exploring in the summer sun.

Playa Carrizalillo

Unless you are a pro-surfer, Playa Carrizalillo is hands-down the best beach in Puerto Escondido. It’s just outside the Puerto Escondido town center, about 5 miles from Casona Sforza.

Although it’s only about 300ft long, it’s a picturesque swimmable beach with gentle waves, turquoise waters, and a sheltered shoreline.

If you swim out just a little way offshore, you’ll also discover a live coral reef full of marine life, making it the perfect place for snorkelling.

And when you’re done for the day, there are some great places to eat nearby if you want to grab a bite before heading back to the hotel.

Baby Turtle Release

If you haven’t experienced a sea turtle release, I recommend doing one while you’re staying at Casona Sforza.

The Oaxaca coastline is a breeding ground for four of the seven varieties of sea turtles that exist on planet Earth. Some of those turtles species are endangered, and in and around Puerto Escondido there are non-profit organisations that try to support them.

Part of that work is incubating the eggs laid by the adult female turtles and helping the babies into the ocean after they hatch.

For a fee of around US$10, you can participate in a sea turtle release and watch them flapping their cute leathery little way down the beach and into the ocean.

The closest place to do a sea turtle release is at nearby Playa La Barra. It’s operated by run by a non-profit organisation called Boca Barra Campamento. You can also join a tour to a different beach if you’d prefer to venture out.

Casa Wabi

If you like art installations, you will love Casa Wabi.

Casa Wabi is an artistic space that houses several resident artists and has 460 m² of contemporary art exhibits.

It was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando under the initiative of the Mexican artist Bosco Sodi.

It’s open Mondays to Fridays at 10:00am, noon, and 4:00pm, and on the weekends at 10:00am, noon and 2:00pm.

You will need to make a reservation on their website and entrance will cost you US$30 (MX$600) per person.

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

Casona Sforza: Pros and Cons

To pull all of the information above together for you, I’ve set out below the pros and cons of Casona Sforza as I see them.

Pros

Pros are easy here, because there are some genuinely unique aspects of Casona Sforza.

Unique Architecture

One of the most important aspects of a hotel is its appearance, and Casona Sforza’s unique design and architecture is striking to say the least.

The buildings have been designed not only to be beautiful and comfortable, but also to create an open atmosphere where light, air and energy can flow throughout the hotel with minimal restriction.

The hotel’s design has a real effect on how you feel while you are there and will help you to relax during your stay.

Great restaurant and Bar

The hotel has an onsite restaurant that serves international cuisine and that receives very high reviews from guests.

It has two dedicated chefs with years of experience working in London, Mexico and South America.

The hotel also has a beautiful open poolside bar area with an impressive list of cocktails, mezcal, tequila, and craft beer for you to choose from.

Pool Area & Beach Access

Casona Sforza also has a beautiful outdoor pool area with lots of sun lounges, sun umbrellas and hammocks.

It’s the perfect place to relax with a cocktail, which you can get from the nearby poolside bar.

The hotel also has private access to the beach and has an exclusive area with sun loungers, sun umbrellas and hammocks where you can relax and work on your tan.

Cons

There are a few cons to Casona Sforza, although some of these are inevitable given the quality and location of the hotel.

Price

Casona Sforza is expensive. At prices starting at US$510 excluding taxes, the price that you pay will be comparable to the price of a high-end hotel in any major US city.

But you know as well as I do that you get what you pay for. And there is no doubt that Casona Sforza is a high-end luxury hotel.

So yes, it’s expensive, but definitely worth it if you’re looking for a unique luxury hotel and you can afford it.

Remote Location

Casona Sforza is located a few miles outside of Puerto Escondido. That’s great for relaxing outside of the hub-bub of the city and is the best way to disconnect and wind down.

The downside is that if you want to go out to dinner in Puerto Escondido or just walk along Playa Zicatela, you’ll need to take a taxi or drive your rental car into Puerto Escondido first.

The drive itself is only about 10 – 15 minutes, so it’s definitely not the end of the world. The hotel can call you a taxi any time you need one, and if you have a rental car, you can drive into town whenever you feel like it.

It’s just something to bear in mind, and might be a disadvantage, depending on what you’re planning for your trip.

Not Family-Friendly or Pet-Friendly

Casona Sforza isn’t family-friendly or pet-friendly.

I can understand that the hotel is trying to create a relaxing environment for everyone, and that some people may not be able to relax if there are children running around or barking dogs nearby. In fact, if you’re not a fan of children or animals, this may actually be a major perk!

If you’re travelling with children, though, or a pet that you can’t leave unattended, then unfortunately you won’t be able to visit Casona Sforza.

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

My Personal Views

Personally, I think Casona Sforza is a great option if you’re looking for a unique, exclusive hotel and you’re willing to pay for it.

I’d especially recommend it if you’re travelling as a couple and you’re looking for a romantic trip away. You’ll have access to incredible suites, a beautiful pool and bar area, private access to the ocean, and a great restaurant for evening meals.

It goes without saying that you’ll need a large budget to visit Casona Sforza. Personally, I think it’s only worth doing if you’re planning on spending a lot of time in the hotel.

If you’re planning on exploring all day and going out until late at night each night, I’d recommend choosing a cheaper option. Hotels like Vivo Resorts are similarly located and still of very high quality, without causing so much pain to your wallet.

All in all, if you can afford it, I think Casona Sforza is one of the best luxury hotels in Puerto Escondido. If you’re looking for the perfect romantic getaway or just looking for somewhere authentic and stylish, you should stay at Casona Sforza.

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Just in case you still have a few questions that I haven’t covered, I’ve set out some responses to a few frequently asked questions about Casona Sforza below.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Casona Sforza?

The best time to visit is during the high season (December to April) because the weather is cooler and there is little or no rain.

However, it’s also likely to be more expensive during the high season, so if you’re on a budget and can put up with a little rain, the low season is also a good option.

Is It Safe To Visit Casona Sforza?

Absolutely. Puerto Escondido is safer than many major US cities. You’ll have no troubles when you explore Puerto Escondido provided you take basic precautions.

You’ll have access to a room safe so that you can store your belongings when you’re not in the room.

Read more about how to stay safe in Puerto Escondido here.

What’s The Closest Airport To Casona Sforza?

Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM) is the closest airport, and is about 6 miles away.

You can reach the hotel by booking a private transfer, taking a taxi or renting a car.

Why Is Casona Sforza Special?

Casona Sforza is special because it is a highly-rated exclusive luxury hotel with a relaxing atmosphere created by its unique design and architecture.

With the possible exceptions of Hotel Escondido and Hotel Terrestre, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more exclusive luxury hotel in Puerto Escondido than Casona Sforza.

Casona Sforza: The Definitive Review

Final Thoughts

Hopefully you now have all the information that you need to decide whether Casona Sforza is the hotel for you.

If you want to book, you can get the latest current prices and availability on your dates at Booking.com.

If you want to check prices of car rentals at Puerto Escondido airport, you can check out DiscoverCars.com.

Enjoy your stay!