An architect’s own house. A living collection of Mexican art. A private coastal world designed for exceptional stays.
An architectural landmark, created to be lived in
Designed and built by Mexican architect Carlos Herrera as his own Pacific retreat, La Picuda is something far rarer than a luxury rental: the home an architect made for himself. Its monumental ochre walls, shaded courtyards, stone passages and garden-filled thresholds turn arrival into a sensory experience. Instead of revealing everything at once, the house draws guests through a sequence of intimate, contemplative spaces before opening dramatically towards the blue of the Pacific.
The architectural pedigree is exceptional. Richard Rogers, the 2007 Pritzker Prize laureate, knew La Picuda intimately and wrote about it in his foreword to Carlos Herrera: The Architecture of Lines, Light, and Luxury (Rizzoli). He celebrated the two coastal houses he knew in Oaxaca as buildings that “truly stun you with their beauty and their appropriateness.” His account follows La Picuda’s journey from a geometrically raked, palm-filled courtyard through an almost-hidden entrance to an astonishing encounter with the Pacific.
Rogers placed Herrera in the living tradition of Luis Barragán and Ricardo Legorreta: architecture made of light and shadow, grounded in Mexican craft and climate rather than borrowed international formulas. He admired how these buildings dissolve the boundary between inside and outside, architecture and landscape. La Picuda delivers that idea not as theory but as an exhilarating everyday experience—followed by the ease of a fully staffed private coastal estate.
“A poet, a humanist, an extraordinary architect.” — Richard Rogers on Carlos Herrera, Rizzoli foreword
The entrance reveals a carefully composed view through architecture towards the sea
Light and structure give the circulation spaces their own character
A house of revelation: light, shadow, water and sea
To enter La Picuda is to experience an architectural reveal. Broad stone stairs, patterned screens, sculptural walls and carefully framed openings move from intimacy to spectacle. The raked-sand courtyard, with its palms and water, establishes an almost monastic stillness; moments later, the open living pavilion announces the full brilliance of the ocean. Rogers considered the floating white canopy above a glittering pool among the most beautiful of its kind he had seen.
The palette is elemental: terracotta and ochre, pale stone, dark timber, lush green planting and the deep blue Pacific. Light is never incidental; it travels across stone latticework and monumental walls, making the house change character hour by hour. The result is simultaneously bold and serene, dramatic and entirely liveable.
Rather than one monumental block, the residence is experienced as connected destinations with individual places to pause, entertain, dine or simply appreciate the setting.
A monumental sequence of stone, water and steps
Geometry, warm walls and tropical light
A private garden estate
Approximately 6,000 square metres of grounds create unusual breadth and privacy. Tropical gardens frame lawns, discreet paths and richly planted outdoor rooms, softening the architectural geometry without obscuring it.
Guests can be together for long meals and celebrations, or easily find their own quiet corner. The estate’s scale is felt in the many transitions between greenery, architecture and coast. It's more like wandering through a private compound than crossing a conventional holiday home.
At different times of day the same terrace or garden changes character, from luminous morning stillness to the warmth of a Pacific sunset.
Garden rooms form a verdant transition between house and coast
Deep tropical planting and expansive lawns
Three pools, three perspectives
La Picuda offers three unheated infinity-edge swimming pools, each positioned to capture a distinct angle of the dramatic Pacific coastline, as well as a separate cold plunge pool.
The pools are not merely recreational conveniences: they are part of the experience of the estate. Each has its own terraces, shaded seating and perspective on the water, allowing guests to choose between social afternoon gatherings and quiet retreat.
After sunset the pools and terraces take on an entirely different atmosphere, enhanced by the considered lighting of the gardens and architectural forms.
One of three infinity-edge pools overlooking the Pacific
The pools and entertaining areas take on a different mood after dark
The Pacific at your feet
The residence occupies a remarkable coastal position, overlooking rugged headlands, small offshore rock formations and the changing colours of the Pacific. Its beachfront combines sandy and rocky stretches, reached directly from the property.
A stone staircase leads towards the beach and a rocky swimming platform, offering an unusually intimate connection with the ocean. Sea conditions and suitability for swimming naturally vary and should be assessed on the day.
On the elevated terraces and coastal paths, the ocean is not a distant backdrop but a constant presence from the first light of day through to the evening.
A coastal setting of rock, dense vegetation and open water
A dining deck placed over the cliff above the ocean
A home filled with Mexican art
La Picuda is also a living home to a significant collection of Mexican art, including works by Sergio Hernández, Francisco Toledo, Cuevas and Urbieta. Paintings, sculpture and ceramics appear throughout bedrooms, corridors and communal spaces.
The collection anchors the property firmly in its Mexican cultural roots. It gives the interiors character and individuality, avoiding the polished anonymity of many contemporary luxury rentals.
Rather than being confined to a gallery, art is encountered naturally: above a bed, beside a stairway, across a room or within a planted courtyard.
Art inhabits the residence as part of daily life
Sculpture and painting animate the architectural passages
Six generous private suites
Up to fourteen guests are accommodated in six spacious, air-conditioned bedrooms, each approximately 70 square metres and each with its own en-suite bathroom. Five suites contain king-size beds; the sixth offers two queen-size beds.
The rooms are large enough for unhurried living, with substantial seating and carefully selected artwork. Natural materials, timber ceilings and generous glazing give them a distinctly residential rather than hotel-like feeling.
Suites vary in their outlooks and furnishings, reinforcing the sense of a personal estate rather than a series of standardised rooms.
The two-queen suite offers flexibility for families and groups
A spacious king bedroom with a private residential character
Space to unwind in private
The generous suites invite guests to settle in rather than simply sleep. Individual reading and sitting areas, carefully considered finishes and access to garden views allow each guest to find privacy within a larger gathering.
En-suite bathrooms provide the convenience expected of a property of this calibre; the illustrated bathroom includes a freestanding soaking tub and double vanity.
For families, friends or a leadership group travelling together, this combination of shared spaces and genuine privacy is one of La Picuda’s greatest practical strengths.
Thoughtfully finished private bathroom
Bedroom interiors combine scale, warmth and art
A house designed for hospitality
La Picuda is served by a dedicated chef, housekeepers, butler and security team, providing the ease and discretion of a fully staffed private home.
All food and meal preparation are included in the rental, with particular emphasis on authentic Oaxacan cooking and fresh ingredients. Red and white wines are included with meals, while additional alcoholic drinks and spirits are charged separately. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated.
Private cooking classes are included, giving guests an opportunity to engage more directly with regional cuisine and the traditions of Oaxaca.
An open-air dining area prepared for private entertaining
The architecture naturally accommodates sociable gatherings
The art of dining beautifully
Across the grounds are approximately eight to ten possible locations for breakfast, lunch or dinner, each with its own atmosphere and view. Some are sheltered by greenery, others open directly towards the water; intimate tables and larger private arrangements can both be accommodated.
The year-round cliff dining deck is perhaps the most memorable. Suspended above the coast, it is particularly suited to dinner as the light moves across the bay and the Pacific becomes the evening’s backdrop.
There is no prescribed routine: the setting, menu and rhythm of the day can reflect the guests’ wishes. That freedom is precisely what makes La Picuda different from even a great resort.
A private sunset dinner perched above the Pacific
Different terraces support different moments of the day
Wellness, without leaving home
The dedicated, air-conditioned spa provides a private setting for massage and physiotherapy treatments, both included as part of the stay. Treatments are supported by the property’s professional equipment.
The modern Technogym fitness room includes two treadmills, two elliptical machines, two stationary bicycles and equipment for weight training. The gym opens towards garden greenery and is air-conditioned.
Guests may begin the day with an individual workout, follow it with a massage and spend the rest of the afternoon outdoors. Wellness is integrated naturally into the stay rather than treated as a separate excursion.
The private spa treatment room
A dedicated Technogym fitness room with garden views
Play, explore, discover
A private tennis court, illuminated for evening play, expands the possibilities of days spent entirely on the estate. The grounds also invite walks, reading, relaxation beside one of the pools and open-air gatherings.
For those wishing to venture beyond the property, boating, deep-sea fishing and golf can be arranged at additional cost. Other coastal excursions can be tailored to guests’ interests and local operating conditions.
The defining luxury is choice: activity and complete stillness are equally available, without compromising privacy.
The private tennis court allows for day and evening play
The beauty of Huatulco’s coastline lies moments away
An exceptional setting for offsites
La Picuda is particularly well suited to discreet executive offsites, board-level retreats and leadership gatherings. A large air-conditioned meeting room seats fourteen and is equipped for audiovisual presentations and conferencing.
Redundant Starlink connectivity provides internet service for work sessions. The six suites, varied private dining venues, wellness facilities and wide range of common spaces allow an entire programme to unfold on site.
Unlike a conventional conference hotel, meetings take place within an inspiring private residence. Conversations can continue during meals or walks, while the group enjoys the freedom and confidentiality of an exclusive estate.
The private conference room accommodates fourteen guests
Outdoor hospitality spaces make informal gatherings effortless
Huatulco, the quieter Pacific
On the southern coast of Oaxaca, Huatulco is renowned for its series of bays, rugged promontories and striking meeting of coastal forest and Pacific water. The region encompasses nine bays and dozens of beaches, with a landscape still characterised by substantial natural beauty.
Its appeal is different from that of Mexico’s more heavily developed beach destinations: there is a sense of space, intimate coves, a strong regional identity and easy access to the traditions of Oaxacan cuisine.
Guests can explore the bays by boat, arrange fishing excursions or simply appreciate the extraordinary geography from La Picuda’s terraces. The property is approximately twenty minutes by car from Huatulco International Airport (HUX), with airport transfers included.
Huatulco’s Pacific geography is central to the La Picuda experience
Bays and rocky headlands define the coastline
An entirely personal rhythm
One day might begin with coffee overlooking the gardens, a private exercise session and a leisurely Oaxacan breakfast. Afternoon could be spent by a different pool, on the tennis court, or with a massage and a book.
Another day might centre on a boating excursion, a cooking class with the chef, or simply a long lunch in one of the many garden and sea-facing settings.
The evening brings its own rituals: drinks on a shaded terrace, dinner above the cliff or an intimate gathering beside an illuminated pool. La Picuda invites guests to inhabit the architecture as freely as the landscape.
A different pool or terrace can shape each afternoon
Evenings give the estate another personality
At a glance
Location: Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico; approximately 20 minutes from HUX airport.
Estate: Approximately 6,000 m² of private coastal grounds; direct access to sandy and rocky beach areas and a rocky ocean swimming platform via stone steps.
Accommodation: Six air-conditioned bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, approximately 70 m² each; five king rooms and one with two queens; maximum fourteen guests.
Outdoors: Three unheated infinity-edge swimming pools with distinct coastal aspects; one cold plunge; landscaped gardens; multiple terraces; approximately eight to ten dining settings; cliffside dining deck.
Leisure & wellness: Night-lit tennis court; air-conditioned Technogym fitness room; dedicated spa; massages and physiotherapy included.
Work: Air-conditioned meeting room for fourteen, audiovisual and conferencing equipment, redundant Starlink connectivity.
Service included: Chef and food preparation, all meals and food, red/white wine with meals, cooking classes, staff service, massages and physiotherapy, airport transfers and taxes.
Extra charges: Other alcoholic beverages and spirits; arranged boating, fishing and golf.
Families: Children and pets welcome; specific arrangements for pets to be confirmed.
Staff gratuities: Discretionary; approximately 8% of the rental amount suggested.
A home of architectural distinction and extraordinary privacy
Rates & reservations
View the full listing here for the latest rates.
A four-night minimum stay applies year-round, including Christmas and New Year. Taxes are included in the stated nightly prices.
The estate is offered as an exclusive private residence for up to fourteen guests. Availability, exact festive-season date boundaries and any individual requests can be confirmed at the time of enquiry.
Private dining above the Pacific