Grupo Habita has unveiled its latest opening. Otro Oaxaca, a member of Design Hotels, invites guests to explore Oaxaca from the inside out through locally-inspired design.
Located directly across from the Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, the property’s historic façade conceals a contemporary compound of picturesque courtyards, a lively roof terrace, and cultural spaces.
Otro Oaxaca’s building has been designed by local architects at RootStudio, led by João Boto Caeiro, a key figure in the city’s creative community. The hotel’s floor plan takes inspiration from the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mitla, with a cross-shaped walkway at its heart. Materials used throughout reference those of Santo Domingo, with brick walls and a limestone rooftop terrace complemented by raw concrete and reclaimed wood that reflect the textured surfaces typical of Oaxacan architecture.
Interior design – helmed by Carlos Couturier – showcases the craftmanship of the region, with furniture and linens created bespoke for Otro Oaxaca and handcrafted by local artisans. 16 guestrooms have been designed to maximise a sense of serenity, with wooden tables crafted by local carpenters alongside leather curtains and textured clay pieces handmade in Oaxacan ateliers. A series of multi-storey suites are available, privately accessed via a courtyard, and with their own dip-pools and terraces.
For further tranquility beyond the guestroom, the hotel’s spa Otro Mundo – accessed by a series of laddered steps – comprises an underground pool reminiscent of a cenote, alongside a steam room, ice bath and two treatment rooms.
Other publicly accessible spaces include a roof terrace, ground-floor restaurant, and a gathering space deemed The Búnker.
“Oaxaca is a city we know really well, and it’s very close to our hearts,” say Carlos Couturier and Moisés Micha, co-founders of Grupo Habita. “Otro Oaxaca embodies the spirit of an authentic local friend. It sets the tone for discovering the city slowly and through chance encounters, just as we like to. Everything about the hotel is 100% local—the team, the materials, the entire production. It’s meant to be a place that travellers and locals can enjoy equally.”
