La Valise Mazunte Review

Breakfast at La Valise Mazunte feels like eating in mid-air. The restaurant is perched on the edge of the cliff with nothing between your table and the Pacific, and for a moment it feels like you are floating above the ocean.

We spent two nights here in November, in Suite Guayacán, and never once left the property. This La Valise Mazunte review covers what it is really like: getting up the cliff, the suite, the food, the pools, the price and who should think twice before booking.

Getting to La Valise Mazunte

We flew into Oaxaca City and drove down to the coast, stopping first at Casa Yatí, La Valise’s sister hotel near Ventanilla, before continuing on to Mazunte. The drive to the front gate is easy. The last stretch is not, and that is half the fun.

The hotel is built into the cliff, so you park below and an ATV picks you and your bags up. Our driver asked us to lean into the curves with him on the way up. It feels less like checking in to a hotel and more like the opening scene of a James Bond film.

Like Casa Yatí, La Valise sits a little outside the main town and nothing is within walking distance, so you will want a car or a driver. If you would rather fly straight to the coast, Huatulco airport is about an hour away and Puerto Escondido around 75 minutes.

Our suite: Suite Guayacán

Suite Guayacán came with a private terrace, two chairs and a hammock, and it is where we kept ending up. You are perched above the treetops with a bird’s-eye view of the coastline, the kind of view you stop photographing after an hour because you would rather just look at it.

The views are absolutely killer from almost everywhere on the property, but having that terrace to ourselves was the real luxury.

The restaurant: an old kitchen with the best view

There is only one restaurant at La Valise Mazunte, and it comes with a story. The property used to be a private home, and the restaurant was its kitchen. Knowing that makes it even more impressive: someone once cooked dinner here every night with this view.

À la carte breakfast is included, and honestly it is necessary. This is not a hotel you pop out of for a coffee. We ordered fresh fruit, memelas with eggs and our morning cappuccinos, and none of it disappointed. The bread is baked in house every day. Get the banana bread.

Lunch deserves its own moment. Whatever else you do, order the octopus tacos poolside: charred octopus on corn tortillas with purple cabbage slaw, red onion and a squeeze of grilled lime. They are a must, and we would happily come back just for them.

Because the hotel is spread across the cliff, room service takes a while to reach the suites. Order a little before you are hungry, or walk up to the restaurant and eat with the view.

The pools

Instead of one big pool, La Valise has several small pools scattered across the property, each with its own vibe. They are small, and when another couple was already settled into one, it felt a little awkward to join them. So we went looking for a pool to ourselves, and we usually found one.

The hotel was not full when we stayed, and it was very quiet. The layout helps: with everything spread out across the cliff, you rarely run into other guests.

The beach

The hotel has its own beach below, reached by a steep staircase built into the cliff. Down there is another pool, carved into the rocks, and it ended up being one of our favorite spots on the property.

You do not have to carry everything down with you. Text the staff and they will bring water or drinks down to the beach. Just expect the service to be a little slower than usual, since everything has to make its way down the cliff. One more thing: the pools are not heated.

What to do near La Valise Mazunte

Honestly, we did not leave. We wanted to experience La Valise for what it is, and it is a hotel built for staying put. If you do want to explore, Mazunte, San Agustinillo and Zipolite are all a short drive away, and Punta Cometa is the famous local sunset spot.

But why leave for a sunset view when you already have the best seat in the house?

Heading west toward Puerto Escondido next? Our Casona Sforza day pass guide covers the best pool-and-lunch day on that stretch of coast.

Is La Valise Mazunte worth it?

Yes, for the right couple. You are paying for the setting: a clifftop hideaway with views few hotels on this coast can match, a calm that comes from its size and layout, and a breakfast good enough to make you glad you stayed in.

What we loved

• Unobstructed ocean views from the restaurant and the suites
• A private terrace with a hammock in Suite Guayacán
• A very good included breakfast, with bread baked in house
• The octopus tacos by the pool, a must
• Real quiet, with pools scattered across the property

What to know before you book

• You need to be in good physical shape: there is a lot of walking, plenty of steps and an ATV ride
• It is not wheelchair accessible or suitable for limited mobility
• The beach is down a steep staircase in the cliff
• Room service is slow because of the distances
• The pools are small and not heated, and nothing is within walking distance

Who La Valise Mazunte is for

It is perfect for couples who travel for the view: honeymooners, anniversary trips and anyone happy to spend two days between a hammock, a pool and the breakfast table. Skip it if you are afraid of heights, need step-free access or want to walk into town for dinner.

If hotels that are the whole trip are your thing, read our Rio Celeste Hideaway hotel review in Costa Rica and our Impression Isla Mujeres review next.

Tips for your stay

• 01Eat well, stay inIt is included and it is good. Order the memelas with eggs at breakfast, then head back to the pool for the octopus tacos at lunch.
• 02Order room service earlyThe suites are spread across the cliff, so food takes a while to reach you. Order before you are hungry.
• 03Find your own poolWalk the property on day one and pick a favorite. With several small pools, there is usually one with nobody in it.
• 04Wear shoes with gripStone paths and staircases connect everything, including the beach. Leave the flimsy sandals at home.
• 05Plan your transportNothing is within walking distance. Rent a car or arrange a driver before you arrive.
• 06Stay in for sunsetSkip the drive to Punta Cometa. Take a table at the restaurant and watch it from the best seat in the house.

Where to stay near Mazunte

La Valise is our pick for the views. Casa Yatí, its beachfront sister hotel in Ventanilla, pairs well with it, and Zoa is a small adults-only option on the hillside between Mazunte and San Agustinillo.

La Valise Mazunte FAQ