The hotel is located on a small property in front of a main road to the beach of Guiones, a small but popular surf destiny. The owners wanted to create a space to gather young surfer travellers, where guests would seat together, share their experiences and enjoy of each others company, but would offer enough privacy in the bedrooms. It needed to combine sleeping options for different budgets. The project would need to feel welcoming and familiar, but once you are inside, you’d have privacy and distance from what happens on the road.
The property has its narrow side to the road where three different entrances where designed, the main and attractive entrance is elevated about half level, this entrance leads to reception and living areas that are located on the second floor, the areas have the best views and catch more wind, as all this spaces are open to natural air. From the social area, people have a more open view to the back of the neighbor property that is a natural reserve, the canopy and a higher view over the road. Being half level over the road and with solid railings, people from the hotel can look down to the road but people standing on the road can’t look in the privacy of the hotel.
This same concept was used for the bedrooms that where not located on the ground floor. A secondary entrance is some steps lower than the road, it is a lot more discreet and is used for clients coming from beach to rinse, storage their boards and jump straight in the pool or go directly to their bedrooms located along the pool. And the service entrance is the less visible entrance to the building, located on an alley that was kept to give access to service and private apartment.
The floor plan has an U shape open to the back and forest, and having the pool in the center, the central patio created with beautiful plants and a big pool is the lung and main view of every public space.
It was build in masonry that is the most common construction method in the area, all corners and every edge was rounded and the contrast material is wood managed on a very natural and simple way, the wood adds also a soft color and a natural texture, most of the wood work was done by the local artesans. Some other materials such as cane, tiles and stone where used for accents.
The design is a simple composition of solid geometric forms with small and attractive openings or wood windows, in contrast with wide open spaces that create circulations and living areas over and around the solid forms, its beauty and attractive is in the art of putting the forms in balance, the simplicity of the architectonic elements, and the handcrafted wood work.
