NICO Sayulita: Luxury Stays in a Distinctive Mexican Design Retreat

Located on the jungle-lined coast of Sayulita, a bohemian surf town an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, NICO SAYULITA is a micro-hospitality concept that shifts between a full five-suite buyout and a small boutique hotel depending on demand.

Designed by Seattle-based firm HYBRID in collaboration with Mexico City–based firm Palma, NICO provides a distinctive setting where every space is crafted to encourage guests to connect with the surroundings and with each other. The design explores a range of privacy and openness, creating a sequence of spaces that frame the jungle and ocean in varied and thoughtful ways.

Opened to guests in late 2022, the property is an imaginative two-level structure set within native vegetation. After crossing a bridge above the main pool, visitors descend into the site as indoor and outdoor areas interlock within a concrete grid. The building’s layout takes full advantage of the local climate: an open main level welcomes cooling breezes and fosters a strong sense of immersion in nature.

Inside, guests find a mix of private retreats and social areas with unexpected vantage points that reveal ocean glimpses and lush surroundings. Circulation moves from the airy openness of the rooftop, through mid-level spaces entwined with treetops, down to the Jungle suite—a ground-level room surrounded by native foliage that includes a built-in tub for a spa-like experience.

NICO’s five suites are designed as serene, restorative spaces that embrace the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling windows, private terraces, and custom-designed furnishings. The main social level is anchored by a lap pool lined with artisanal turquoise tiles and encircled by greenery. A rooftop plunge pool provides sweeping views of the bay, sea, and sky, framed by concrete beams that recall tropical modernism.

The suites can be configured and rented in multiple ways, allowing the property to adapt to changing needs—whether an extended family or group of friends rents the entire complex or guests book individual rooms. This operational flexibility is reflected in the architecture, where structural solutions support varied modes of habitation.

The collaboration between HYBRID and Palma resulted not in imitation of local building traditions but in a reimagining of foundational architectural ideas. The outcome is a fresh, autonomous expression that mixes modern language with a playful approach to materials and color. Custom furniture by emerging Mexican designers further enhances the property’s character, adding inventive and artisanal touches throughout.

Overall, NICO SAYULITA offers a considered blend of indoor and outdoor living, flexible hospitality, and thoughtful design that celebrates its coastal jungle setting while providing intimate, contemporary accommodations.