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Certified · Intimate scale · Americas

Hotel Terrestre

Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico14 villas · Grupo Habita

Imported from the 2026 assessment pass and not yet re-sourced by hand. Treat every row below as provisional.

The long brick hotel at dusk, its repeated villa openings stepping across a low ridge of coastal scrub with dry hills behind and the last light on the walls.The Sierra de Oaxaca seen across dense green scrub forest studded with cactus, ridgelines fading into cloud at the end of the day.A brick terrace beneath a curved concrete canopy, a dark green pool cut into the deck and the coastal scrub visible over a low brick parapet.A rooftop terrace walled in brick, a narrow lap pool and a low daybed on bare concrete, the parapet opening onto treetops and the sea beyond.A villa seen straight on from the garden, tall slatted timber doors folded open onto a brick-walled bedroom with two low chairs and a bed, plants growing to the threshold.A brick courtyard where a bed sits on a raised concrete plinth above a sunken green pool, the far wall cut away to frame the mountains.A bathroom of bare concrete and timber, a linen curtain drawn back from a doorway and low sunlight falling across the floor and a plain wooden bench.A dish seen from above in a dark speckled bowl, chopped raw fish dressed with green herb puree and whole nasturtium leaves on a pale timber table.Brick walls meeting a still bathing pool at sunset, the courtyard and the sky doubled exactly in the unbroken surface of the water.
Photographs from Hotel Terrestre's published media, shown from the publisher's own server. They show the property, not our assessment of it.
Photo tour
The settingThe villasThe restaurantThe hammam

The setting

The villas

The restaurant

The hammam

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The long brick hotel at dusk, its repeated villa openings stepping across a low ridge of coastal scrub with dry hills behind and the last light on the walls.

A building that cools itself

Terrestre sits on the scrub coast north of Puerto Escondido, fourteen villas laid out parallel to the sea by Alberto Kalach and Taller de Arquitectura X. It runs entirely on solar power, off the grid, after an energy load study set the number of panels and batteries. The part that matters biologically is quieter than the solar array. The villas are cooled by their own fabric rather than by air conditioning, and glazed openings are replaced by slatted timber doors and windows, so the outside air passes through the wall of a bedroom. A sealed, conditioned envelope is the default in hospitality and it is the reason most hotel rooms have air nobody can describe. This one does not have that problem to solve.

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Named to the brickyard

The materials are documented to a level almost no hotel reaches. Concrete and white mud bricks made by hand in Puebla. Maqui, an Oaxacan timber, on exterior finishes and the beach club pavilion. Pine inside. Furniture designed for the property by Oscar Hagerman. Clay and sand on the interior surfaces. Knowing the species and the source of what a guest touches and breathes near for a week is the whole point of Materials and Textiles, and it is usually the pathway where design press does the work the hotel never did. What is not published is the finish chemistry: no emissions class, no sealant, no paint.

The gap worth naming

Terrestre reads as an analogue building and it is not an unplugged one. Each villa carries a wireless speaker and free Wi-Fi, and nothing is published about where the access points sit or what a sleeping area actually reads. Interior lights run on motion sensors to save solar power, which is a smart energy decision and says nothing about colour temperature after dark. The hammam is described chamber by chamber, and the water in it has never been analysed in public. Every one of those is a measurement away, on a property that already made the hard decisions in the concrete.

What this place offers

Off grid on solar aloneA published load study sized the panels and batteries for the whole hotel.

Cooled by its fabricSlatted timber openings in place of glass, and no reliance on air conditioning.

Brick made by hand in PueblaWhite mud brick and concrete, with Oaxacan Maqui outside and pine within.

A seven-chamber hammamHot, tepid, cold and steam bathing in a single sculptural structure.

Built around the plants that were thereConstruction went only where nothing was growing; the rest was left standing.

Hotel Terrestre is a villa resort in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico. We read what it publishes about the eight things a building does to your biology and scored the evidence 9 of 24. Air Quality is its best-documented pathway; nothing is published on EMF Harmony.

9 / 248 of 8 pathways assessed

Each pathway scores 0 to 3 on the quality of the evidence published, not on the quality of the property. Open a row for every claim and its source.

Air Quality

2

Specified2 of 3 · Filtration, ventilation and what the air is measured at.

  • Specified

    The building is published as cooled by its fabric rather than by mechanical air conditioning, a named ventilation strategy with a stated purpose, with no air change rate or reading published.

    The property features cooling methods achieved through innovative building techniques rather than through air conditioning.
    PublishedHotel Terrestre, Hotel Terrestre. Checked 2026-08-19.
  • Specified

    Glazed openings are replaced by slatted timber doors and windows, so bedrooms are ventilated by the outside air passing through the wall rather than by a sealed and conditioned envelope.

    The hotel has fourteen villas with various spaces that are open to the air, from wide-open terraces for lounging to living rooms and bedrooms with slatted walls that let the breeze pass straight through.
    PublishedMICHELIN Guide, Hotel Terrestre, Puerto Escondido. Checked 2026-08-19.

What is not published

  • What filter grade is fitted to guest room air handling, for example MERV 13 or HEPA H13?
  • What is the fresh air supply rate per person in a guest room?
  • Are carbon dioxide, particulate or volatile organic compound levels measured, and are the readings published?
  • Is there a mould inspection and remediation protocol, and when was it last run?
  • Are there gas cooktops, fireplaces or other combustion sources inside guest rooms?

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Water Integrity

1

Claimed1 of 3 · Source, treatment, tested panels and how drinking water arrives.

  • Claimed

    The hammam is published as seven chambers offering hot, tepid, cold and steam bathing, and a separate bathing pool and private villa pools are described. No source, treatment, disinfection method or test result is published for any of that water.

    In keeping with the ancient traditions of bathing, this sculptural structure features, seven chambers, four of which allow different ways to experience water: hot, tepid, cold, and steam baths.
    PublishedHotel Terrestre, Hotel Terrestre. Checked 2026-08-19.

What is not published

  • What is the water source, and what treatment is applied before it reaches a guest room?
  • Is there a published contaminant test panel, and which laboratory ran it?
  • Is shower and bath water filtered, and to what specification?
  • How are pools and spas sanitised, and is the chemistry published?
  • How is drinking water delivered, and is it treated on site?

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Light Rhythm

1

Claimed1 of 3 · Circadian lighting specification, flicker, blackout and daylight.

  • Claimed

    Interior lighting is published as running on motion sensors, described as a measure to reduce load on the solar system. No colour temperature, lux level, flicker figure or blackout provision is published.

    the hotel runs on a specific schedule for electronics such as pool equipment and relies on motion sensors for interior lights to help it consume less energy
    PublishedDezeen, Alberto Kalach designs monumental hotel entirely powered by solar energy. Checked 2026-08-19.
  • Claimed

    Villas are published as opening through slatted timber doors and windows onto private gardens and terraces, so daylight reaches each sleeping space directly. No daylight measurement or covering specification is published.

    The villas' interior spaces merge harmoniously with the outside areas through a series of slatted wooden doors and windows that open to lush private gardens and terraces, while framing the breathtaking mountain views.
    PublishedHotel Terrestre, Hotel Terrestre. Checked 2026-08-19.

What is not published

  • Is guest room lighting tunable or circadian, and what specification is published?
  • What colour temperatures are used in the evening, and are fixtures flicker free?
  • Do sleeping areas have full blackout, and is it specified?
  • What daylight access does a typical room have?
  • Is exterior lighting shielded or reduced overnight?

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EMF Harmony

0

Not published0 of 3 · Wired versus wireless topology, and what is measured where people sleep.

We looked for published information on EMF Harmony and found none. That is a gap in the public record, not a finding about the property.

What is not published

  • Are guest rooms wired for data, or is access wireless only?
  • Where are wireless access points and smart meters placed relative to the bed?
  • Have field levels been measured in sleeping areas, and by whom?
  • Can a guest have wireless disabled in their room on request?
  • Is any shielded cabling or shielding material specified in the build?

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Materials and Textiles

2

Specified2 of 3 · Named materials, finishes, bedding composition and cleaning chemistry.

  • Specified

    The building fabric is named to material and place of manufacture: concrete and white mud bricks made by hand in Puebla, with timber used to soften both.

    Made with concrete and white mud bricks made by hand in Puebla, Mexico, the hotel features 14 villas spread along the coast outside the beach city of Puerto Escondido.
    PublishedDezeen, Alberto Kalach designs monumental hotel entirely powered by solar energy. Checked 2026-08-19.
  • Specified

    Timber is named by species and by where it is used: Maqui, found locally in Oaxaca, for exterior finishes and the beach club, and pine for the interiors.

    Maqui wood – found locally in Oaxaca – was used for exterior finishes and for the beach club pavilion, while pine was used for the interiors.
    PublishedDezeen, Alberto Kalach designs monumental hotel entirely powered by solar energy. Checked 2026-08-19.
  • Specified

    The furniture in the villas is attributed to a named designer, Oscar Hagerman, and the interior surfaces are named as earth, wood, brick, concrete, clay and sand.

    The furniture, custom-designed by renowned Mexican architect and designer Oscar Hagerman, further enhances this one-of-a-kind sensorial atmosphere.
    PublishedHotel Terrestre, Hotel Terrestre. Checked 2026-08-19.
  • Claimed

    A third party publisher records the build as concrete and handmade white mud brick with furnishings by Oscar Hagerman and the villas finished in earth, wood and clay, with no emissions class or finish specification named.

    Alberto Kalach returns here, the same architect behind Casona Sforza, this time with a 100% solar-powered build made from concrete and handmade white mud brick, furnished with pieces by Mexican design legend Oscar Hagerman.
    PublishedGirls Who Eat, Non-Toxic Travel Made Simple, The Non-Toxic Design Hotels That Are Actually Worth the Price Tag. Checked 2026-08-19.

What is not published

  • What are the mattresses made of, and are they treated with flame retardants?
  • What is the fibre content of the linen, and is it certified, for example to GOTS or OEKO TEX?
  • Which paints, adhesives and sealants were specified, and are they low emission?
  • What cleaning and laundry products are used, and is the list published?
  • Are there named low emission certifications on the flooring or joinery?

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Food and Kitchen

1

Claimed1 of 3 · Sourcing, on site growing, cookware, kitchen water and additive discipline.

  • Claimed

    The restaurant is described as cooking Mexican and Mediterranean dishes from local produce, with no grower, supplier, cultivar or certification named and no share published.

    Terrestre's restaurant offers a selection of both Mexican and Mediterranean dishes made from local produce.
    PublishedHotel Terrestre, Hotel Terrestre. Checked 2026-08-19.

What is not published

  • What share of produce is grown on site or sourced locally, and is it verified?
  • Which cooking oils are used, and is the policy published?
  • What cookware is used in the kitchen?
  • Is kitchen and ice water filtered, and to what specification?
  • Is there a published position on additives, preservatives or allergens?

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Biophilic and Healing Design

2

Specified2 of 3 · Nature access, views, volume and natural material contact, designed with intent.

  • Specified

    The studio publishes the siting method: buildings were placed only where there were no existing trees or plants, and planting was added in the areas that were naturally bare.

    It was built in areas where there were no trees or plants. What already existed was respected 100 per cent, and planting work was done in the areas that were most naturally empty.
    PublishedDezeen, Alberto Kalach designs monumental hotel entirely powered by solar energy. Checked 2026-08-19.
  • Specified

    The scheme is attributed to a named studio, Taller de Arquitectura X under Alberto Kalach, with a published design method: seven buildings distributed through the landscape rather than one mass, and villas whose interiors open through slatted timber onto gardens and terraces.

    Architect Alberto Kalach and his team at Taller de Arquitectura X (TAX) took this vision and translated it into an idyllic contemporary oasis constructed entirely of locally sourced materials.
    PublishedHotel Terrestre, Hotel Terrestre. Checked 2026-08-19.

What is not published

  • Does every guest room have direct outdoor access or an operable opening?
  • What is the published design intent behind the natural materials used?
  • What are the typical ceiling heights and room volumes?
  • Was the landscape designed with native planting, and is the palette published?

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Sound and Sensory Ecology

0

Not published0 of 3 · Measured background noise, separation between keys, and scent load.

We looked for published information on Sound and Sensory Ecology and found none. That is a gap in the public record, not a finding about the property.

What is not published

  • What is the measured background noise level in a guest room at night?
  • What acoustic separation is specified between adjoining keys?
  • How loud is the guest room air conditioning at its lowest setting?
  • Is fragrance diffused into guest rooms or public areas, and can it be declined?

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38 open questions could be answered with information this property already holds. Answer these for this property

What is not publishedthe gaps we looked for and did not find

Terrestre reads as the most analogue building in this batch and it is not unplugged. The property's own room description states that each villa carries a wireless speaker and free Wi-Fi, and nothing is published on network topology, access point placement or field levels in a sleeping area, so EMF Harmony is empty. Interior lighting is published as running on motion sensors to conserve solar power, which is an energy measure rather than a circadian one, and no colour temperature, dimming schedule or blackout provision is published anywhere. Nothing is published on background noise levels, separation between villas or plant noise, so Sound and Sensory Ecology is empty. The hammam is described chamber by chamber and no treatment train, disinfection method or test result is published for the water in it, in the private pools, or at a tap. The kitchen is described as cooking local produce with no grower, cultivar or certification named.

Other standards held

Useful context. A held standard does not move a pathway score on its own. It moves a score only through the evidence that standard publishes.

  • MICHELIN Key, One MICHELIN Key, a very special stay Awarded by MICHELIN Guide. Source
  • Girls Who Eat Conscious rating, Meets 3+ of our standards or still has synthetic fragrance in its main spaces or beauty products. Shows a clear commitment to non-toxic travel, such as local sourcing or wellness offerings Awarded by Girls Who Eat, Non-Toxic Travel Made Simple. Source
Verification recordwho checked this, how, and when
Method
Imported assessment; source transcription in progress
Reviewed by
Certified Spaces Standards Inc.
Last verified
Not yet hand-verified
Not published is not unsafehow to read these scores, and what this index does not promise

A low score means a property has not published information. It does not mean the property is unsafe, unhealthy or poorly run.

These scores measure disclosure. These scores describe disclosure, not property quality. This index has no commercial relationship with the properties listed unless a badge on the listing says otherwise.

Conditions change, and we will not always know. Every record is a snapshot of what a property had published when we read it, and that date is on the page. Conditions change: a property can refit, change suppliers or replace a system at any time, and nothing requires it to tell us. We re-read records and ask properties directly for updates, but there will always be a gap between what is true today and what was published when we looked. Use this as a frame of reference for what to ask, not as a substitute for asking. Take your own questions to the property before you book, and tell us if you find something we have wrong.

We report what properties publish. We do not inspect, certify or vouch for any property on this index unless a listing says we assessed it on site, and we accept no responsibility for decisions made or outcomes experienced on the basis of what you read here.

Questions travelers askwater, air, EMF, and whether it is worth it

Does Hotel Terrestre publish water quality testing?

It is claimed but not specified: the property asserts it without naming a system, supplier or measurement. Scored 1 of 3.

What is the air quality like in the rooms?

We can only report what is published about the rooms themselves. Yes, at specification level: a named system, supplier or standard is on the record, without a published measurement. Scored 2 of 3.

Is Hotel Terrestre low-EMF?

No measurement is published. Only 15 of the 92 properties we have researched publish any bedroom EMF information at all, so this is the industry norm, not an outlier.

Is Hotel Terrestre worth it?

We score evidence, not experience. Its sources are still being transcribed, so it is not yet ranked. The strongest documented pathways are Air Quality and Materials and Textiles; nothing is published on EMF Harmony or Sound and Sensory Ecology.

9 / 24

Evidence score · 8 of 8 pathways

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