Casa Cascada — Hotel in Oaxaca

Sort of enjoyed my stay here - probably wouldn’t return or recommend. I definitely had a better time because I read the reviews and knew what I was getting into (re: bugs).

tl;dr: cost vs experience is the main issue. You’re basically paying for the common area - view, pool, sofas which are all amazing.

The room I stayed in was very underwhelming. I felt like it was priced ~$400MXN too high per night.

I think it fell into a classic Airbnb trap: it’s consistently booked, so they aren’t incentivized to make upgrades or fix things that aren’t new anymore.

Long observations: Highlights: -Staff was so so nice. They really made this stay special. -View from the common area and infinity pool. -Filtered water. -Aesthetically, it seems to be the nicest hotel in the area. There didn’t seem to be any other modern accommodations available.

Things to note: -My room had a meh bed and sheets, plastic Walmart-type trash can and deck chair, the towels had permanent stains on them, and the pool chair covers have seen better days.

-Bugs: other reviews mention bugs. I’ve been to a significant number of places more remote than this. I found the amount of ants in the room to be too much. Tiny ants that bite were all over the bed and bathroom. I ended up spraying with bug spray which helped, but did not keep them away the entire stay. I woke up to ants crawling on the bed. Additionally larger bugs (red ants among others) were also in the room.

-Lack of AC: I was fine with this but FYI it’s probably hot in other months. It was November and I was a little sticky in the morning.

-Location: far from things, but I didn’t mind at all. I liked the walk.

-Security: the safes aren’t a code you generate. The person who checked me in gave me the code. Kind of defeats the purpose of a safe.

One wall of my room was just a screen with a little latch lock. If someone wanted to come in, all they’d have to do is just rip the screen and walk in. I didn’t feel unsafe, but my room essentially didn’t close at all.

Hot water: they give detailed instructions on how the water can get scalding hot. My shower did not work as their instructions detailed the first night and stayed scalding to the point where I had to hop in and out. The onus is on the guest, but I’m sure this can be fixed so the water runs normally.

Noise elements that are out of their control but still noteworthy: -The beach nearby has a DJ/MC that you can hear loud and clear from the house -Bring ear plugs. Since there’s no way to close the room, you hear all birds,...

I highly recommend you exercise caution when booking this property and consider other options for your stay in Puerto Escondido. We ran into a myriad of issues during our stay and while the staff was friendly up front, did little to accommodate our concerns aside from switching us to a different room once we surfaced an infestation issue.

There was a complete lack of privacy with our room due to the lack of ceilings/internal infrastructure— leading you to invade others’ conversations and activities and have the same done to you. The rooms are sparse, with uncomfortable beds fitted with rough 1-ply sheets. Outlets have been abused and therefore do not work. The property shows its wear. Additionally, it is located at least 20 minutes by foot down dark unlit streets from anything— food, nightlife, activities or otherwise. Getting to the beach closest to the property is treacherous and requires wading through waist-high thicket and barbed wire. There is a lovely pool that overlooks the sea which is its one positive factor. While I suppose many of the above factors can be lived with, the point here is that this property is not worth nearly as much money as the Casa Cascada team is charging for it. We stayed at three other AirBnBs while in Puerto, each considerably cheaper and much more enjoyable and...

Words won't do justice just how nice my stay and experience at Casa Cascada was I was warmly received by the nicest host and housemaid you'll likely ever meet. The breakfast she makes each morning is out of this world.

The house itself is stunning, an architectural marvel, intentionally combining an open industrial design with nature in this subtropical climate. The pictures do it justice, as it comes exactly as advertised. It is actually situated quite central in a quiet place (close to Zicatela) and very close to the ocean on a spot where you can catch a great sunset every day overlooking a stunning bay. Cascada is very easily accessible by car, cab, scooter or on foot.

The manager of the property, Stas, is very well connected in Puerto, a very knowledgeable and friendly host who can practically help you with everything you might need during your stay. Think of transport, restaurants, places to go, scooters, fishing and all. Definitely ask him for tips as it made my trip unforgetable.

Special thanks to all the people there who made it memorable!

Coming back next year 100%. (Btw; Also suitable for remote working, but I would recommend to chill there because Puerto Escondido is made for...