Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review [2024]

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Are you planning a trip and want to know if you should stay at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca?

Finding a hotel in Oaxaca is 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 fabulous Hotel Escondido Oaxaca so that you can find out everything that you need to know before making your decision.

Let’s dive right in.

*All images of Hotel Escondido Oaxaca in this article are credited to Expedia.com and Hotel Escondido Oaxaca*

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Where is Hotel Escondido Oaxaca?

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is a highly-rated exclusive luxury hotel situated in the historic center of Oaxaca City in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

If you aren’t familiar with Oaxaca, it’s a vibrant city in southern Mexico that is known for its rich cultural heritage and colorful traditions.

Probably the most famous of these is the Day of the Dead festival, which is held in Oaxaca each year from 31 October to 2 November.

Other attractions of the city include its countless beautiful colonial-era buildings that date back to the time of Spanish rule in Mexico during the 16th century.

And if that isn’t impressive enough, just a short drive outside the city you’ll find Zapotec ruins that are literally thousands of years old.

Let’s take a look now at how to get you to the Hotel Escondido Oaxaca.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

How Do I Get To Hotel Escondido Oaxaca?

Getting to Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is a simple two step process. The first step is to fly into Oaxaca International Airport (OAX). 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 Hotel Escondido Oaxaca as simply and efficiently as possible.

Flying Into Oaxaca

To reach Hotel Escondido Oaxaca, you’ll need to first fly into Oaxaca International Airport (OAX), which is around 5 miles from the hotel.

In North America, you can get a direct international flight from Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston or Los Angeles.

From elsewhere in the world, you’ll need to fly into Mexico and take a connecting flight. There are regular flights to Oaxaca from Mexico City, Tijuana, Cancún, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexicali.

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.

Oaxaca Airport to the Hotel

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

I’ve gone through each of these below.

Rent a Car

If you’re staying for more than a day or two, you can consider renting a car at the airport. Oaxaca does have public transportation, but a lot of the attractions are outside the city so having a rental car is the ideal way to get around.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca offers free valet parking onsite at the hotel, so you won’t need to worry about where to park the car when you’re not using it.

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 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.

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$25 for a couple.

If you prefer to get a local recommendation, you can reach out to the staff at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca. Their contact details are below:

Take A Taxi

If you haven’t booked a car with the hotel, 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.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Review Of Hotel Escondido Oaxaca

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 Hotel Escondido Oaxaca for your trip.

Let’s jump right in.

1. Location

The most remarkable thing about Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is that the hotel is set in a restored 19th-building on the western side of the historic center of Oaxaca. It also has a new building with striking modern architectural features set just behind the original part of the hotel.

The new building was designed by a well-known Mexican architect named Alberto Kalach, who is based in Mexico City. Kalach is also known for having designed the hotel’s sister hotel in Puerto Escondido, also named Hotel Escondido, as well as Hotel Terrestre and Casona Sforza.

The interior design and decoration of both buildings has a traditional Mexican style while adopting a minimalist and artistic approach, which embodies the hotel’s philosophy.

Hotel Escondido has a great central location in Oaxaca City. From the hotel, you’re just a few minutes away from the Templo de Santo Domingo and a few blocks to the north-west of the Zócalo.

It’s the perfect base for you to explore the city.

2. Price

The price per room at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca starts at about US$410 per night for a couple. That includes a continental breakfast and one tasting meal.

Discounted offers may be 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 12 rooms at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca. Four of these are in the main 19th century building, and there are eight further rooms in the new modern building behind the main hotel.

When you choose your room, you’ll have the option of a deluxe room, patio room, balcony room, and a top suite.

The deluxe rooms are in the original main building. The patio rooms are on the ground floor of the new building, and the balcony rooms and top suites are on the upper floors of the new building.

Deluxe Room

The deluxe rooms are 248 sq. ft. and are housed within the original 19th century building.

The rooms feature furnishings that were handmade by local Oaxacan craftsmen and artists. They are designed with sky-lights to increase natural light, and also feature high ceilings in the older architectural style.

Each room comes with a king-sized bed, air-conditioning, WiFi, a flat screen TV, room safe, and private shower-only bathroom with a hair dryer, towels and luxury toiletries. Room service is also available.

Patio Room

The patio rooms are 205 sq. ft. and are on the ground floor of the new building.

The room features a large shared patio with beautiful gardens, as well as furnishings that were handmade by local Oaxacan craftsmen and artists.

Each room comes with a king-sized bed, air-conditioning, WiFi, a flat screen TV, room safe, and private shower-only bathroom with a hair dryer, towels and luxury toiletries.

Room service is also available.

Balcony Room

The balcony rooms are 205 sq. ft. and are on the upper floors of the new building.

The room features a balcony great views of the internal patio area or the beautiful buildings of Oaxaca’s historic center.

Each room comes with a king-sized bed, air-conditioning, WiFi, a flat screen TV, room safe, and private shower-only bathroom with a hair dryer, towels and luxury toiletries.

Room service is also available.

Top Suite

The top suites are a spacious 431 sq. ft. and are housed at the top of the new building.

The top suites are essentially two room apartments. The first room has the king-sized bed and the second houses the bathroom and a lounge area.

In addition to the king-sized bed, each room comes with air-conditioning, WiFi, a flat screen TV, room safe, and private shower-only bathroom with a hair dryer, towels and luxury toiletries.

Room service is also available.

4. Hotel Facilities

The hotel facilities at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca include an outdoor pool area, a large covered outdoor patio area, and a culture room.

Pool Area

The hotel has a gorgeous outdoor roof-top pool area with a large pool, sun lounges and hammocks.

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

Patio Area

The main 19th century building has a covered lovely patio area with beautiful timber finishings.

The area is perfect for events with large groups, and the hotel staff can help you plan a tailor-made event to be held in that space.

Culture Room

The culture room is a quiet space designed to help you disconnect.

There is a small library upstairs, and you can read on the comfortable downstairs couches, or just sit and be alone with your thoughts for a time.

5. Restaurant

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca has an on-site restaurant that serves international cuisine with a distinct Mexican leaning. You can get a burger and also order Oaxacan classics like Mole Almendrado and Mole Manchamanteles.

The restaurant also has a bar with an extensive wine and mezcal list that you try to work your way through during your stay.

The restaurant seats up to 22 and you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a drink from the bar between 7:00am until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

6. Reviews

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca has a rating of 8.8 out of 10 from over 125 reviews, which is impressive enough. However, if you just look at the reviews given by couples, the rating jumps to 9.2 out of 10.

The story that the reviews tell is that people love this hotel. There are lots of reasons for this.

The beautiful architecture of the hotel, together with the amazing pool area, beautiful gardens, great food and the attentive service all receive glowing reviews from guests.

7. Check-In and Check-Out

Check-in at the hotel is from 3:00pm, and check-out is before noon.

Late check-in and check-out can be provided subject to room availability.

8. Pet-Friendly

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is pet-friendly.

You should confirm with the hotel before bringing your pet, just to ensure that there are no issues when you arrive.

9. Family-Friendly

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is also an adults-only hotel, so you won’t be able to stay there if your children are younger than 18 years old.

10. Nearby Attractions

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is very close to all of the attractions in Oaxaca City, and you’ll be able to reach everything within the city limits on foot.

If you have time to do a day-trip out of the city, there are also some fantastic places to visit that are quite close by.

Don’t forget your sunhat, suncream, and the bottles of water from the room in your hotel.

Monte Albán

The closest attraction outside the city limits is the ruined Zapotec city of Monte Albán. It’s only three miles away from Oaxaca City, so you can reach it easily and can even fit something else in after you’re done exploring.

Monte Albán is built on the top of a hill overlooking Oaxaca. It’s quite large at about four square miles and there’s lots to see. Among other buildings, there are two pyramids, a ball court, and around 170 tombs.

The simplest way to reach Monte Albán is by taxi. It will cost around US$5 – US$10. Make sure you bring Mexican pesos and agree the price before you depart. 

There are also lots of Monte Albán tours available if you’d rather have the trip planned for you. Viator offers lots of different options, and you can often combine it with other attractions.

Hierve El Agua

Hierve El Agua is a unique geological marvel created from two petrified waterfalls about 40 miles to the south-east of Oaxaca.  

The smaller waterfall is called “la cascada chica” and the bigger one is called “la cascada grande”. The waterfalls were formed over thousands of years as mineral-rich waters ran over the edge of the cliff and down the escarpment.  

The plateau above the falls is covered in large shallow pools separated by beautiful mineral formations that look like atolls in an ocean. It makes you think that you are walking on a shallow reef in the Caribbean.

You can also hike to the bottom of the waterfalls, where there some more pools that you can sit in. There are change-rooms and toilets nearby.

The best way to visit Hierve El Agua is with a tour. There are some great tours from Oaxaca that combine Hierve El Agua with a visit to local mezcal producers or other attractions.

The hotel can recommend a tour operator, and Viator also has lots of them to choose from if you’d prefer to arrange a tour yourself.

Mitla

The ancient ruins of the Zapotec city of Mitla is about 30 miles to the south-east of Oaxaca, on the way to Hierve El Agua.  The name is derived from the Nahuatl word “Mictlán”, meaning “place of the dead”.

The ruins are situated in a valley nearly a mile above sea level and the site is thought to have been inhabited as far back as about 500 BC.  The city was a center of religious power in the region and was destroyed by the Spanish shortly after their arrival in the 16th century.

Mitla is perhaps best known for its intricate stone mosaics, which are sometimes called “Zapotec Greco”. You’ll recognize the striking pattern in lots of ancient friezes adorning walls and floors at the site, and it is often used in clothing and other artwork produced in Oaxaca.

My recommendation is to combine Mitla and Hierve El Agua together as a tour. They start at about US$50 per person on Viator, and you can speak to the concierge at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca if you’d prefer to organise it through the hotel.

If you prefer to guide yourself, you can reach Mitla with a taxi or the bus, and its about a 90 minute trip each way.

Entrance to Mitla costs US$5 so bring your Mexican pesos with you.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: Pros and Cons

To try to pull all of the information above together for you, I’ve set out below the pros and cons of Hotel Escondido Oaxaca as I see them.

Pros

Pros are easy here, because there are some genuinely top-notch aspects of Hotel Escondido Oaxaca.

Architectural Design

The biggest selling point of Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is its architectural design.

The main building is a beautifully restored 19th century building with exquisite interior design features. Wood, brick and stone have been employed throughout and earthy colours have been used to give the whole hotel a very wholesome and natural feel.

The new contemporary tower has a modern design that also uses wood and natural colours to blend in with the theme of the main building.

If you are a fan of modern architecture, you’ll love the design of Hotel Escondido Oaxaca.

Pool Area & Gardens

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca also has a fantastic roof-top pool area with sun lounges and hammocks where you can relax with a book or a cocktail, as you prefer.

The gardens of the hotel are also extensive. The hotel integrates the natural plant-life of Oaxaca into the theme of the hotel, and the abundance of green creates a relaxing atmosphere.

If you have a patio room, you will also have direct access to the beautiful shared patio gardens.

Great Location

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is on the edge of the historic center of Oaxaca.

That means that it is close enough for you to use as a base to explore the city, but far enough away to escape a lot of the noise from traffic and tourists.

It’s great because it gives you best of both worlds.

Cons

There are a few cons to Hotel Escondido Oaxaca, although some of these are inevitable given the quality and location of the hotel.

Price

Although it is by no means the most expensive hotel in Oaxaca, prices for a couple still start at US$410 per night for a couple. That’s quite a lot to spend on a hotel in Mexico.

While the price does cover a daily continental breakfast and one tasting meal, it isn’t an all-inclusive resort, so you’ll need to pay for most of your meals and all of your drinks.

However, as I’m sure you know, if you want top quality, then you have to pay for it. As long as you can afford it, you’ll definitely get the quality that you are looking for here.

Limited Dining Options

What the restaurant offers is great, and the bar has an impressive range of wine, mezcal and cocktails.

The options for food are a little limited, though, and if you stay for longer than a few days, I think you’ll want to go out to try something else.

Given the hotel’s great location in Oaxaca City, there are some great restaurants nearby like Humar, Boulenc and Tlayudas El Negro.

So it’s not the end of the world, but just be aware that you won’t have extensive dining options like you would at a larger hotel such as the Quinta Real Oaxaca.

Not Family-Friendly

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca isn’t family-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 nearby. In fact, if you’re not a fan of small children, this may actually be a major perk!

If you’re travelling with children, though, then unfortunately you won’t be able to visit Hotel Escondido Oaxaca.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

My Personal Views

Personally, I think Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is a great boutique luxury hotel. The restoration of the 19th century building beautiful and the modern architectural design of the new building is striking.

I’d especially recommend it if you’re travelling as a couple and you’re looking for a romantic trip away. You can easily spend hours in the hotel relaxing by the pool or wandering through its beautiful gardens.

You’ll need a decent budget to visit Hotel Escondido Oaxaca, there’s no denying that. 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, there are cheaper options available to you. Hotels like the NaNa Vida are just as centrally located and still of very high quality, without causing so much pain to your wallet.

But if you’re looking for the perfect romantic getaway or just looking for somewhere modern and exclusive, you’ll love staying at Hotel Escondido Oaxaca.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: 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 Hotel Escondido Oaxaca below.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Hotel Escondido Oaxaca?

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 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 Hotel Escondido Oaxaca?

Absolutely. Hotel Escondido Oaxaca has a 24-hour front desk service so you will be perfectly safe. You’ll have access to a room safe so that you can store your belongings when you’re not in the room.

You’ll also have no troubles when you explore Oaxaca provided you take basic precautions. You can read more about safety in Oaxaca here.

What’s The Closest Airport To Hotel Escondido Oaxaca?

Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) is the closest airport, and is about 5 miles away.

You can reach the hotel by booking a private transfer, taking a taxi or renting a car. The simplest way is to contact the hotel and they’ll arrange to have a car waiting for you at the airport.

Why Is Hotel Escondido Oaxaca Special?

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is a beautifully restored 19th century building with unique architecture and design right in the historic center of Oaxaca City.

If you’re looking for an exclusive boutique hotel where you can relax and disconnect from the world for a time, you’ll love Hotel Escondido Oaxaca.

Hotel Escondido Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Final Thoughts

Hopefully you now have all the information that you need to decide whether Hotel Escondido Oaxaca is the hotel for you.

If you’re interested in booking, 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 Oaxaca airport, you can find out at DiscoverCars.com.

Enjoy your stay!