An architectural enclave between desert and pacific
An architectural enclave between desert and pacific
As you drive south of Todos Santos, the road turns to dust. Farm fields stretch out on either side. Cactus stand in the heat. Dogs sleep in the shade. Surfboards are strapped to passing cars. Every so often, the Pacific flashes into view. You are somewhere between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas, but it already feels like another world. This is El Pescadero: a slower, wilder version of Baja.
THE SURF HIDEAWAYS ADVANTAGE
Complimentary breakfast when you book with us
As you drive south of Todos Santos, the road turns to dust. Farm fields stretch out on either side. Cactus stand in the heat. Dogs sleep in the shade. Surfboards are strapped to passing cars. Every so often, the Pacific flashes into view. You are somewhere between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas, but it already feels like another world. This is El Pescadero: a slower, wilder version of Baja.
THE SURF HIDEAWAYS ADVANTAGE
Complimentary breakfast when you book with us
Salara is the reason to stop. Near the ocean, set across five acres of desert landscape and palm grove, it feels like entering a restrained architectural enclave. Volumes emerge from the sand: rammed-earth walls, low-slung sculptural forms, and raw, natural materials. Designed by Taller Héctor Barroso, one of Mexico’s most respected studios, the project is polished yet rough at the edges; luxurious yet rooted in the elemental textures of Baja.
Salara brings together ten private villas alongside a 17-room boutique hotel split between ocean and desert garden. They are connected by a shuttle and run as one operation, with a restaurant, a pool, a palm-shaded garden, and concierge service that can arrange everything from surf lessons to a private chef.
Salara is the reason to stop. Near the ocean, set across five acres of desert landscape and palm grove, it feels like entering a restrained architectural enclave. Volumes emerge from the sand: rammed-earth walls, low-slung sculptural forms, and raw, natural materials. Designed by Taller Héctor Barroso, one of Mexico’s most respected studios, the project is polished yet rough at the edges; luxurious yet rooted in the elemental textures of Baja.
Salara brings together ten private villas alongside a 17-room boutique hotel split between ocean and desert garden. They are connected by a shuttle and run as one operation, with a restaurant, a pool, a palm-shaded garden, and concierge service that can arrange everything from surf lessons to a private chef.
Rooms
The hotel is divided into two collections. Six Playa rooms face the Pacific: the Sand Nest (55m²) and Rooftop (75m²) both offer king beds and ocean views, with the Rooftop adding a private terrace that brings the horizon to eye level. Eleven Tierra rooms look onto the desert garden, ranging from the Tierra Sand Nest (62m²), available with or without a private plunge pool, to a 130m² Master Suite. All rooms have king beds and air conditioning.
The ten villas sit on plots between 1,420m² and 1,900m² and offer three or five bedrooms, each with a private plunge pool, a fully equipped kitchen, and indoor-outdoor living spaces. They sleep 6–8 or 10–12 guests respectively, making them ideal for groups or families who want more separation from the hotel operation.
Design is consistent throughout: rammed earth, timber, organic textures. Pared back and warm. Light moves through the rooms across the day, and cross-ventilation keeps them cool.
The hotel is divided into two collections. Six Playa rooms face the Pacific: the Sand Nest (55m²) and Rooftop (75m²) both offer king beds and ocean views, with the Rooftop adding a private terrace that brings the horizon to eye level. Eleven Tierra rooms look onto the desert garden, ranging from the Tierra Sand Nest (62m²), available with or without a private plunge pool, to a 130m² Master Suite. All rooms have king beds and air conditioning.
The ten villas sit on plots between 1,420m² and 1,900m² and offer three or five bedrooms, each with a private plunge pool, a fully equipped kitchen, and indoor-outdoor living spaces. They sleep 6–8 or 10–12 guests respectively, making them ideal for groups or families who want more separation from the hotel operation.
Design is consistent throughout: rammed earth, timber, organic textures. Pared back and warm. Light moves through the rooms across the day, and cross-ventilation keeps them cool.
Food & Drinks
Beneath the palms and guayaba trees, the restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 3pm for breakfast and lunch, welcoming all visitors. The kitchen works with local produce, fish from nearby boats, and seasonal ingredients from the Pescadero area. The approach is straightforward: Mexican food rooted in Baja California, simply cooked, with excellent ingredients.
For evenings, the property has already demonstrated the level it's aiming for. It has hosted pop-up dinners with Javier Plascencia, the acclaimed Michelin-starred chef, pioneer of modern Mexican cuisine, alongside other talented guest chefs.
Beyond the restaurant, the villas have full kitchens, a private chef can cook in-villa, and the concierge can arrange everything from grocery shopping, Mexican wine and mezcal tastings, and private mixology.
Beneath the palms and guayaba trees, the restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 3pm for breakfast and lunch, welcoming all visitors. The kitchen works with local produce, fish from nearby boats, and seasonal ingredients from the Pescadero area. The approach is straightforward: Mexican food rooted in Baja California, simply cooked, with excellent ingredients.
For evenings, the property has already demonstrated the level it's aiming for. It has hosted pop-up dinners with Javier Plascencia, the acclaimed Michelin-starred chef, pioneer of modern Mexican cuisine, alongside other talented guest chefs.
Beyond the restaurant, the villas have full kitchens, a private chef can cook in-villa, and the concierge can arrange everything from grocery shopping, Mexican wine and mezcal tastings, and private mixology.
Surfing
The Pacific side of southern Baja has a surf break for every level, and Salara sits in the middle of the best of them. Five minutes away, Los Cerritos is the one beginners and longboarders come for: a sandy beach break, one of the few swimmable beaches on this coast, with rolling, forgiving waves and surf schools lined up along the sand. Ten minutes north, San Pedrito is the serious one, a fast, hollow right-hander over a rocky reef that fires on winter north swells and is strictly for confident surfers. La Pastora, beyond Todos Santos, is a consistent point break for intermediates and up.
Salara's concierge arranges board storage, local transport to all three breaks, and surf lesson bookings.
November to April is the prime season, with consistent North Pacific swell and offshore winds bringing the most reliable surf. May to October is generally smaller and warmer overall, though still delivering fun, clean waves on exposed breaks. The water stays warm year-round, dropping to around 19–22°C at its coldest in early spring; a light wetsuit is useful on cooler mornings in that period.
The Pacific side of southern Baja has a surf break for every level, and Salara sits in the middle of the best of them. Five minutes away, Los Cerritos is the one beginners and longboarders come for: a sandy beach break, one of the few swimmable beaches on this coast, with rolling, forgiving waves and surf schools lined up along the sand. Ten minutes north, San Pedrito is the serious one, a fast, hollow right-hander over a rocky reef that fires on winter north swells and is strictly for confident surfers. La Pastora, beyond Todos Santos, is a consistent point break for intermediates and up.
Salara's concierge arranges board storage, local transport to all three breaks, and surf lesson bookings.
November to April is the prime season, with consistent North Pacific swell and offshore winds bringing the most reliable surf. May to October is generally smaller and warmer overall, though still delivering fun, clean waves on exposed breaks. The water stays warm year-round, dropping to around 19–22°C at its coldest in early spring; a light wetsuit is useful on cooler mornings in that period.
Activities
Most of what Salara offers is designed to slow you down. There is the central pool and private plunge pools, the palm-shaded El Palmar garden built around a still water mirror, and a sand pétanque court.
The concierge is central to how Salara works. The team can arrange everything from yoga classes, massages, HIIT sessions with a personal trainer, but the service extends well beyond: hidden beaches, local guides, and activity curation across the region.
The wider region rewards a car and a free day. Todos Santos, a designated pueblo mágico, is ten minutes away for art galleries, boutiques and an exceptional food scene. La Paz is about an hour north, the gateway to the Sea of Cortez for snorkelling, sailing and, in season, swimming with whale sharks. Los Cabos closes the loop to the south.
Most of what Salara offers is designed to slow you down. There is the central pool and private plunge pools, the palm-shaded El Palmar garden built around a still water mirror, and a sand pétanque court.
The concierge is central to how Salara works. The team can arrange everything from yoga classes, massages, HIIT sessions with a personal trainer, but the service extends well beyond: hidden beaches, local guides, and activity curation across the region.
The wider region rewards a car and a free day. Todos Santos, a designated pueblo mágico, is ten minutes away for art galleries, boutiques and an exceptional food scene. La Paz is about an hour north, the gateway to the Sea of Cortez for snorkelling, sailing and, in season, swimming with whale sharks. Los Cabos closes the loop to the south.
The People Behind
Cristina and many of the co-founders are surfers. They chose this stretch of Baja California Sur for the waves on its doorstep as much as the land it sits on.
Salara opened in 2025, the product of a collaboration with Taller Héctor Barroso, a Mexico City studio known for building in dialogue with landscape, materials, and climate. Here, the method is rammed earth: walls compressed from the desert’s own soil, using a construction technique that dates back millennia but is revived here as an active sustainability choice. Its natural thermal mass helps keep rooms cool without heavy reliance on air conditioning. The ten villas and 17 hotel rooms sit within five acres of palm grove, and the property has its own water circulation and treatment plant, uses biodegradable amenities throughout, and eliminates single-use plastics as a baseline.
Photos by Cesar Bejar, Convergence Studio, Marcella Bijou
Cristina and many of the co-founders are surfers. They chose this stretch of Baja California Sur for the waves on its doorstep as much as the land it sits on.
Salara opened in 2025, the product of a collaboration with Taller Héctor Barroso, a Mexico City studio known for building in dialogue with landscape, materials, and climate. Here, the method is rammed earth: walls compressed from the desert’s own soil, using a construction technique that dates back millennia but is revived here as an active sustainability choice. Its natural thermal mass helps keep rooms cool without heavy reliance on air conditioning. The ten villas and 17 hotel rooms sit within five acres of palm grove, and the property has its own water circulation and treatment plant, uses biodegradable amenities throughout, and eliminates single-use plastics as a baseline.
Photos by Cesar Bejar, Convergence Studio, Marcella Bijou
Booking
FROM
$279
USD
per night
THE SURF HIDEAWAYS ADVANTAGE
Complimentary breakfast when you book with the code HIDEAWAYS
FROM
$279
USD
per night
THE SURF HIDEAWAYS ADVANTAGE
Complimentary breakfast when you book with the code HIDEAWAYS