Casona Sforza - 70934 Puerto Escondido

The hotel is very nice, the staff and the lady at the front desk as well, but ... we expected much more for an hotel that charge 600 usd per night. Few examples : the breakfast is included, but you better not be hungry, it is basically fruits, crunchy bread, tiny bit of honey, butter etc. If you want something salty you can order it but it is very expensive. When you charge such a crazy price per night it is tough to understand why being so stingy on the breakfast. Not even a glass of orange juice included ? Come on .. Also no welcome drink when you arrive, no flavored water at the front desk (which is very standard in nice hotels). Plus the wifi was very bad in the room, by the pool, at the restaurant and there is no signal, quite anoying if you need to have a call. Not to mention a seal that was broken in the room, and the road to get to hotel that is really, really bad. For these reasons we were a bit disappointed. Especially considering that the hotel is in the middle of nowhere, charging this price doesnot make sense.

As people with a house in the local area, we’re always curious to try out new places that have opened up in Puerto Escondido. During our morning / evening walks, we’ve often passed Casona Sforza from the beach and its architecture looks really stunning. A few months ago, my parents drove there unannounced to try and have lunch and were rudely turned away by the manager. ‘You shall not pass’ basically. They weren’t even allowed to go inside to take a look and then make a reservation. Completely absurd. If they think they’re Soho House, they have the wrong idea of hospitality. This time, we tried calling them and one ever picked up. In the end, a friend who was going for a walk ended up going there to make a booking for us. Given the weird vibes this place had been sending, we had mixed expectations. First, the road to the hotel is a dirt track at best. If you don’t have a car, good luck getting out of there. As we got out of the car, a porter came out of a side door and asked if we had a booking. No ‘Welcome or hello!’ After passing the test, we were allowed in and honestly the architecture is stunning. It offers elements of islamic architecture and very clever levels that create separate atmospheres. The round pool is pretty but not practical for swimming. As we arrived in the restaurant, we were first seated at a large table near the edge of some stairs. There was no barrier or anything to stop you from falling backwards if you accidentally pushed your chair back to far. Then, the waiter came and announced we had to move to a smaller table. No apologies, no nothing. Consequently, we were given some menus, which were either missing pages (like the main courses) or in short supply because after 5 minutes, my partner was asked to give his up for another table that had just arrived. The menu was a weird hodgepodge of Argentinean, Mexican and American food and it was hard to discern what was actually good. My parents really wanted the Mole and ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. After taking our orders, the waitress came back to tell us that neither were available that night. After eventually choosing other food and wine items, the drama continued unfolding. The smoked eggplant cream we were served for our bread rolls was awful. The tortillas cold. Since the sauvignon blanc was unavailable, he ordered a glass of chardonnay, which they told him was only sold by the bottle. In the end, they came with a small wine glass and gave him half the portion of the red wine they served to my mum and partner. This, as it turned out, was not the red wine they tasted and ordered and the waiter insisted that it was despite the bar keeper saying otherwise. The whole experience turned into such a mess that we called the chef who offered his apologies and tried to blame the shortcomings on the remoteness of the hotel and the busy holiday season. He was kind enough so we accepted his apology but the problem at this hotel is a systematic arrogance and complete lack of staff training and that is something that cannot be explained away. The main courses we got were ok. My tlayuda was dry and cold but my dad’s pulpo was very tasty and my partner enjoyed his risotto. As many other people have said, if this hotel wants to be a destination, it needs to make it worth our while. Start by toning down the attitude and treating everyone who makes the grueling trip with the necessary respect they deserve. Then, give your staff proper training on how to behave and respond when things are not available for whatever reason. They should also know that Ensenada is in Baja California and not California. Big difference. Finally, the menu is too all over the place and by offering a bit of everything, you’re actually not offering much of anything. If the chef is Argentinean, make it an elevated Argentinean experience. Sadly, so much went wrong last night that we won’t be coming back and certainly won’t be recommending our friends to go there beyond for looking at the architecture.

From the moment my parter and i arrived at Casaona Sforza near Porto Escondido for our 3 night stay in a we were made to feel welcome by all the staff at the breathtaking hotel. We are from Australia It was our first time in Porto Escondido which we chose over more touristy designations such as Holbox and we were looking for a boutique 5 star hotel experience with the the possibility of exploring neighbouring towns. We were staying in an upstairs seafront junior suite, which was HUGE, well appointed with incredible view of the pool and ocean, which you could hear the waves all night. Everything was well thought out right down to the details like handcrafted coffee cups and in room bathroom products both from Puebla de sol. (Would of good if the staff were more knowledgable on the sustainability relationships of their hotel with the town, the WIFI was incredibly slow (which is common in Porto Escondito suggest having an international roaming sim card or mexican simcard for data) There was a choice of a full American or Mexican breakfast every morning was delicious and included in the room rate. We also enjoyed everything we ate at the restaurant throughout our stay 2 dinners, and snacks by the pool (definite improvements based on previous reviewers) and the cocktails were some of the best we had in mexico, also tried the Baja Californian, MEX - Organic wine was surprisingly good. Location was well off the main road however only 10-15 minutes drive to Punta Zicatela if you want a surf or some nightlife / other restaurant options. Vibe and service is attentive and relaxed with only 11 rooms there was ample space and fast personalised service through the day, great things like being brought iced water as soon as you sit down by the pool … the little things!! during our trip the reception organised with a local tour company trips we had researched to releasing baby turtles, markets and Casa Wabi all highly recommended. Would of been good if the front desk was able to suggest other good options such as yoga and food tours or cooking classes in the nearby town or at the hotel, we had asked about these but didn’t get responses. Despite language barriers we got to know the staff, including Adelena, Alexis, Julieta, Louisa, Victor and the food and beverage manager - thank you everyone for making us feel so welcome during out stay. In summary exceeded expectations, based on the past reviews from google - Truly would recommend this hotel for those looking for a unique, beautiful, personalised 5 star experience and place to unwind. 5/5

**Not sponsored! Authentic review. We (2 people) stayed at Casona Sforza for 4 nights and we had such a lovely stay - this was my 2nd time in Puerto Escondido and I love that it is a beautiful, less touristy vacation spot. Casona Sforza creates a wonderfully memorable experience and treats their guest with the utmost warmth, respect, and care. The entire place is impeccably designed - beautiful and effortless at the same time. Our room was gorgeous with beautiful amenities and a very functional layout. All staff members are so friendly, helpful, and kind hearted. Food and drinks are delicious and made to order with care. Given there are a small number of rooms at the hotel, spaces never felt crowded. Also, it was very nice that it is adults only. Overall, we loved our stay and highly recommend staying at Casona Sforza. Casona Sforza is located conveniently 20 min from the Puerto Escondido (PXM) airport and they arranged for a taxi to pick us up. The hotel is located right on the beach, and we pretty much had the beach to ourselves as it's not crowded at all. If you walk 20 min along the beach, you find beautiful rock formations and a more swimmable beach (with a tradeoff of being more crowded). We ate primarily at the hotel and the food/drinks/snacks are all delicious. We also took taxis (10-15 min) to the Zicatela and Carrizalillo areas when we wanted to have a change of scenery. As you can tell, we truly enjoyed ourselves and would love to come back!

This not a paid review. If past reviews complaining about service and food are true, let me assure you they have fixed the problem. We stayed two nights and had the most amazing stay at Casona Sforza. The reception team was amazing. We had so many issues with our rental car and they helped me resolve them all. They were kind gracious and readily available anytime we needed anything. Lupe aka Lady Gaga is now a friend and we are happy to be her little Monsters. When the front desk was closed at night the security team and restaurant staff took amazing care of us. This place is beautiful and the restaurant team was so great. They were calling me by name before they had even met me. Neat trick :) They took care of our every request and were so friendly. It was truly the boutique high touch experience we love. Make plenty of time for lounging pool side. It is a unique piece of art all unto itself. Take in its beauty and enjoy finding the perfect little spot to lounge and sip a perfect mezcal cocktail. The food is great. The coffee is so good. The complimentary fruit and bread for breakfast was perfect. We did not want to leave and will return for sure. Thank you to everyone at Casa Sforza for making Oaxaca and it’s beautiful city of Puerto Escondido one of our new favorite places!!!

One of the best places we have ever stayed. The design and attention to detail blew us away. The beach and pool are tranquil paradise and the staff made everything feel like home. I would recommend this to anyone!

Casona Sforza was everything we hoped it would be and more. The grounds are every bit as breathtaking as the pictures, the service is impeccable, the staff is warm, the food is delicious and the surrounding Puerto Escondido area was a blast. This place is worth every penny. Also, we are a lesbian couple and we felt completely safe and welcome.

Amazing for a weekend getaway, such a unique design. Loved how close it is from the airport, the food and drinks are great and the staff is lovely. While you shouldn’t go into the ocean because the waves are insane, the beach area is gorgeous. The plunge pool in the room is nice to have too! Can’t wait to be back