Studio Name: HKS
Project Name: Esperanza resort
Area: 17acres
Year of completion: 2015
Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Design Philosophy | Esperanza
Esperanza, is a romantic hideaway with interknitted beauty of colour and culture, combining a natural Cliffside setting and Mexico’s rich artisanal culture. Mexico’s Baja California after being hit by Hurricane Odile in 2014, suffered from serious damages. The HKS group with its team of the best interior and landscape designers revived the place with an elegant and romantic touch.
“We are excited to welcome our guests back to Esperanza with a contemporary redesign that provides a fresh take on coastal living in Cabo,” said Marc Rodriguez, GM of Esperanza.
“Set on a backdrop of vivid sunsets and turquoise blue waters, Esperanza is truly a magical place,” said Palmer. “Our intention with the redesign was to take a contemporary approach and create sophisticated intimate spaces that complement the innate beauty of the surrounding landscape and captivating oceanfront setting.”
Concept
Esperanza is a Spanish word meaning ‘hope’ which one feels with the stay in this calm and welcoming space covered in shades of natural grey, soft blue and white gradually melting into the infinite deep sapphire view of the sea of Cortex. The retreat has been designed in a very sophisticated manner respecting and complementing the neighbourhood landscape. A crucial romantic element was introduced into the design – candles. As the sun sets hundreds of candles light up the property. Candles accentuate the restaurant tables and walls, and a fire pit in the lounge set up the mood.
Planning | Esperanza
The resort includes 57 guest rooms & suites with ocean views and authentic Mexican artwork, private terraces with a sunset backdrop and overlooking the sea, private infinity hot tubs, an oceanfront bar lounge, an infinity pool, a curated boutique and a spa.
The Guest Rooms
Layers of texture are added to the rooms with woven lines, coloured woodwork, and leather, bronze & silver tile finishes. A drama has been introduced into the rooms with embellished beds, falling drapes, hand-blown glass, ceramic lighting, hand-embroidered pillows and accessories by local artisans from Guadalajara and Oaxaca.
Antique mirrors and artifacts from across Mexico accentuate the spaces in a traditional yet modern way. The bathrooms have a refreshing feature of floating double vanities and spacious showers with access to the terrace beyond.
The Restaurant & The Lounge Bar
The soft woven palapa roof placed on dark beams in the restaurant allows the guests to enjoy the rainy sunshine in the daytime & the starry sky at the night. The lounge bar is filled with radiance and styled with handcrafted lanterns hanging from the palapa ceiling with a backdrop of a firepit covered under the shadow of trellises and dark curved columns.
The Spa
The Spa at Esperanza is escalated with an open lounge set under a single-run palapa roof with calming natural colors. It also has a unique collection of artwork and a retail boutique with highly curated articles including craft, houseware, textiles, and various unique artifacts from all over Mexico.
With the intention of focusing on the health of the guests, a wellness programme has been integrated with 35 different yoga’s and exercises, guidance from nutritionist experts, acupuncture therapy and healthy cooking classes.
The Pools | Esperanza
The pools and poolside terraces are a romantic hideaway for the guests. New palapa-styled cabanas have been placed at the resort’s private beach with day beds for a peaceful and surreal experience. The pool is cladded with shiny teal tiles reflecting the sea’s blue colours. Resort terraces have cozy hammocks strung for a completely relaxing experience.
Style & Material
The combination of softwoods, flowy fabric and linen against the white walls with the Mexican designs blissful and relaxed feel. Esperanza greets its guest with a sun-kissed palette of beachy tones and neutral greys, with the coziness of light wood and hand-woven palapas. The Mexican-styled exclusive furniture has been custom designed and handcrafted by the local craftsman paying respect to the traditions of Mexico.
The palapas are made of thatched palms placed on ebony–stained eucalyptus columns, while the pools are tiled with Cantera stones and the lobby and terraces are floored with poured concrete with inlaid pebble design. The pathways have large stone pavers in accordance with the hotel’s rough stone walls echoing the rocky surroundings of the site.
Studio Profile | Esperanza
The HKS is an interdisciplinary global design firm with headquarters located in Dallas, Texas and offices spread across the globe. The team includes Architects, interior designers, researchers, urban designers, nurses, anthropologists, and graphic designers. They thrive to work on designs that inspire, connect and perform. They focus on respecting nature and designing in a way that the building lives in harmony with the surroundings.
In the project – Esperanza Resort, the interior designer Mary Alice Palmer of HKS Architects with the landscape architect George Girvin did the miraculous job of transforming this space into heaven.
“Design is a way of thinking. It can uncover hidden opportunities and create meaningful change. Design done right delivers the extraordinary.” Says Dan Noble the President & CEO of HKS.
References:
- HKS (2022). Esperanza – an auberge resort. [online]
Available at: https://www.hksinc.com/what-we-do/case-studies/esperanza-an-auberge-resort/
- Mr and Mrs Smith (2022). Esperanza. [online]
Available at: https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-hotels/esperanza
- PRNewswire (2015). Esperanza an auberge resort ushers in a new era of luxury with the contemporary re-design. [online]
Available at: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/esperanza-an-auberge-resort-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-luxury-with-contemporary-re-design-300068938.html
- Contract design (2017). Esperanza. [online]
Available at: https://contractdesign.com/projects/hospitality/esperanza/
- HKS. Esperanza Resort. [Photograph]
- Auberge Resorts. Beach resort – Esperanza. [Photograph]
