Casa Las Magdalenas

Two blocks from Santo Domingo, behind a street-facing wall in Oaxaca’s Historic Center, the house opens onto a tree, a reflecting pool and two terraces. It was built around the idea of living with art. Contemporary architecture frames a collection of sculpture and carefully chosen pieces, and the house takes its name from one of them.

Inside, the rhythm is unhurried. The pool holds the light through the afternoon, the tree shades the courtyard, and the terraces give the group somewhere to gather before dinner or linger after it. Five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and air conditioning, are arranged so that a family or a group of friends can share the house without anyone giving up privacy. Three have king-size beds on the ground floor. Two have queen-size beds, one of them on the upper floor.

The city is the other half of the stay. Galleries, museums, cafés, mezcalerías and some of Oaxaca’s best kitchens are a short walk away, and most days the car can stay parked. That same position means downtown is never fully quiet. On certain nights, sound from the streets and bars carries in, which is the tradeoff for being in the middle of everything. Earplugs are left in each room.

Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out at 11 am. Early arrival and late departure can be arranged at an additional cost when the calendar allows. The team is on hand with recommendations for the city, from tables worth booking to galleries worth the detour.