Paradero Todos Santos by Yektajo Valdez Architects
Paradero Todos Santos is a 35-suite hotel located in Todos Santos, Mexico, designed in 2021 by Yektajo Valdez Architects.
Description
Paradero Todos Santos, a 35-suite property, opened on February 1, 2021. Todos Santos’ debut marks the beginning of Paradero Hotel’s long-term plan to expand its experience-inclusive brand throughout additional unspoiled destinations in Mexico. Less than 50 miles from San Jose del Cabo Airport, Todos Santos has 355 days of sunshine per year and has become increasingly popular as a relaxed surf town and a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Paradero is spread across five acres of untouched land that is situated within the last unspoiled Mesa farming community – an agricultural area comprising 160 acres of family-owned farms. Due to its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, the immediate landscape offers five distinct ecosystems: the desert with 200-year-old Cardon Cacti, the Sierra La Laguna Mountain range, miles of virgin beaches along the Pacific coast, an oasis with 5,000 palm trees, and farmland as far as the eye can see. Because of this diversity, UNESCO has designated Todos Santos as a Biosphere Reserve – one of only two such sites in Baja.
Experiences are at the heart of Paradero Todos Santos. Surfing for different levels at Cerritos or San Pedrito beach, guided hiking and mountain biking along the bluffs of the Pacific coast, beach set up on unspoiled locations, hands-on farming tutorials, and Baja taco tours are all included in the nightly rate. Trails throughout the property will also be marked for self-guided running and biking around the farms and gardens. A sample of other activities include ocean safaris and fishing expeditions, cooking classes, cliffside champagne and burrito tastings.
Rates start at $550 per night, inclusive of experiences. For more information, visit www.paraderohotels.com.
Experiences
“Paradero” loosely translates to “stop on the road.” It harks back to the days when their ancestors first arrived in Baja, harnessing its bounty to cultivate a sense of home and community. At Paradero Hotels, the fundamental belief is that extraordinary outdoor experiences go hand-in-hand with sustainability, community development, and conservation. By immersing guests in nature, Paradero instills reverence towards the land. By employing local hands, there is generations worth of knowledge and storytelling. With these values and culture, the goal is to put outdoor experiences first in high-design landscape spaces surrounded by multiverse ecosystems.
To arrive in Todos Santos is to be thrust into the elements—the warm sun, the dusty trails, the sea breeze, and the starry skies. And the immersion only continues the moment guests arrive through the doors. Activities have been designed to re-center guests in nature, rekindling their childlike sense of adventure, while serving as a gateway to the Paradero lifestyle.
Local guides are passionate about delivering outdoor experiences that combine physical challenge and intellectual stimulation with a heavy dose of “wow” factor. Guides quickly assess skill and comfort level, customizing each adventure to keep guests safe, smiling, and eager for more. In order to have an authentic Todos Santos experience, guests are encouraged to try myriad experiences that are available in a small group setting (maximum of four- to six-guests) during morning and afternoon sessions. Activities are also available for private reservations, for an additional cost.
Paradero Hotels has tapped the global expertise of others who have successfully operated similar soft adventure products elsewhere, including Jesus Parrilla, Principal of Luxury Frontiers and ex-CEO of Explora, who serves as Strategic Advisor at Paradero Hotels.
Wellness
Shaded by almost 100 locally grown palm trees and other endemic species, the Ojo de Agua Spa is a wellness oasis and a healing space that is inspired by secret watering holes that coexist between Sierra La Laguna and the Pacific. The focus is on ancient Mexican healing traditions starting with sound healing and ending with Temazcal ceremonies. Hot and cold plunge pools, as well as a relaxation area round out the offerings.
Landscaping
Embracing the wild terrain, Paradero is an 80 percent landscape project, 20 percent development project. The 100,000-square-foot botanical garden is the heart of the property. Mexico City-based landscape architecture firm, Polen, whose past projects include Google’s and Twitter’s offices, selected 80 endemic species (from red sand verbena and Mojave yucca to Shaw’s agave) for the grounds. More than 20,000 plants, including those found on the land prior to building, are oriented in a way that promotes maximum growth and vitality. More than 30 percent of the flora was grown from seed in the on-site greenhouse, while the remainder was purchased from local greenhouses.
Architecture
Mexico-born Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo of Yektajo Valdez Architects were charged with blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living. The sanctuary-like interiors flow into contemplative outdoor seating areas and cactus-studded desert and farmland. The property was designed in a trapezoid shape, with each suite offering views of the wild terrain. Beige-colored concrete is peppered with materials including tornillo timber and custom-made metal. Triangle patterns, a sacred symbol of the Mayan culture, are incorporated throughout.
Public spaces on the property include the ‘Living Room,’ a multi-purpose hub for gathering and activity planning with an opportunity to meet with guides and learn about experiences. The roof doubles as a yoga deck. Along the perimeter of the property is a 130-foot-long infinity pool, hot tub, and half-moon lounge deck that looks out onto a horizon of cacti – specifically designed to push guests towards the landscape.
Interior Design
B Huber, the interior design firm behind the Four Seasons Tamarindo, was tapped to create a new brand of hotel experience, offering a sense of community and representative of Mexico. The color scheme focuses on monochromatic tones and incorporates a predominantly sand and natural color palette. All furnishings were custom-crafted and locally-sourced from cities such as Guadalajara and Oaxaca – largely considered the design capitals of Mexico. No detail was overlooked. For each piece of furniture selected for the property – more than 10 suppliers were reviewed before deciding. Key furnishings will also be available for purchase.
Suites
The 35 suites range from 780- to 2,674-square-feet of indoor and outdoor space. Windows are strategically positioned to allow for cross ventilation, minimizing the need for air conditioning. The 16 Garden Suites extend into the landscape with outdoor living areas that will either offer views of the farming fields that encircle the property or look out to the forest of cacti. All Garden Suites feature a hammock, and some offer an outdoor circular soaking tub. The 18 Rooftop Suites are distinguished by their panoramic rooftops, all of which have built-in suspended ‘star nets,’ offering high-altitude expansive views of the surrounding farmlands, mountains, oasis, and ocean. The corner Master Casita spreads over three floors and has been designed to feel like a luxury residence, with a kitchenette, spacious dining area and a plunge pool. In all suites – bathrooms feature a rain shower and organic bath amenities made in Mexico.
Culinary
The restaurant, is open to the public and offers a theatrical experience with an elevated, open-fire kitchen that features a Josper wood-fired oven and a traditional Oaxacan clay tortilla oven. The menu incorporates ingredients from the surrounding farms as well as fish and seafood from the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez. Bounty from the on-property chili garden, with 12 different types of peppers, spice up dishes. Cocktails are just as inventive, made from fresh-pressed juices and elixirs from local shrubs. Guests are also be encouraged to visit nearby restaurants, with the property serving as an insider guide to the best of Todos Santos.
Rates
Nightly rates start from $550 per night for Garden Suites, $650 for Rooftop Suites, and $1,395 for the master suite, plus tax and service; inclusive of experiences.
Photography courtesy of Yektajo Valdez Architects
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- by Matt Watts
