Casa Silencio

Set not in historic Oaxaca City nor on the state’s Pacific coast, Casa Silencio finds itself in the rugged, mountainous mezcal-producing lands to the east of the capital. What was previously just a working distillery owned by the El Silencio mezcal brand is now one of the most extraordinary hotels in all of Mexico, a spectacular compound of modern buildings constructed from rustic rammed earth, timber, and tile.

Architect Alejandro D’Acosta is known for his facility with both contemporary design and sustainable building, and together with Silencio founders Vicente Cisneros and Fausto Zapata he’s created something like a monument to this place, the so-called Valle del Silencio. Agave plants still grow here, and the distillery is still active — the aromas of mezcal production are carried on the air.

If we’ve learned one thing over the years it’s that high-end comfort is perfectly compatible with sustainable hospitality (and the roughest of raw materials). El Silencio’s six suites may be austere in their beauty, but they’re luxurious in all the right places, and full of finely wrought details and eye-catching contemporary art.

The hotel’s cuisine resurrects the revered, traditional flavors of Oaxaca, using fresh ingredients grown on the property, courtesy of Chef Daniel Robles. Dishes are paired with an astonishing variety of mezcals, and it must be said that though the agave spirit may be the reason for El Silencio’s existence, it’s a hospitality experience that transcends its immediate inspiration.