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Vaulted brick villa feels like one big patio for $200 per night

Casa Volta is nestled between a jungle and the beach

By Liz Stinson
A vaulted brick house features three different arched roofs set inside a dense forest. In the distance you can see the ocean. Sergio López

Hugging the Pacific coast in Mexico’s Oaxaca region, Ambrosi Etchegaray’s Casa Volta is a vacation retreat designed to take advantage of the the area’s good weather. Visitors reach the house via a path that cuts through the dense forest towards the water. When they arrive, they’re greeted by three rectangular brick buildings clustered around a long, narrow pond.

A brick terrace features light blue lounge chairs and a moat. A bridge goes over the moat and connects with the other living quarters. Sergio López

The three rooftops of the villa pop out of the forest with arched vaulted ceilings that are clad in bricks and reed latticework. The designers explain that these two materials together simultaneously keep the house warm during cooler moments (thank you brick) and cool during the more common hot weather (looking at you reed latticework).

A beige bed sits in a vaulted brick room with reed latticework on the left side and stucco on the right wall. Sergio López

The main structures are split into two bedrooms—each bedroom gets its own vaulted box that’s encased in brick and reed lattice and they open out onto private patios. This being Mexico, the main living areas where people hang out are open-air. The kitchen is hidden under an open-air vault, while tables and lounge chairs get their own terrace areas, making the entire villa feel like one big patio.

As it happens, Casa Volta is available for rent on Airbnb, where you can book a stay for $200 a night.

Reed lattice doors open onto a brick patio from a bedroom. A green chair and foot stool sit on the patio, and trees and a moat are behind the chair. Sergio López
A vaulted, open-air kitchen on a brick terrace next to a moat. A wooden table sits on the brick patio. Sergio López
A closer look at the open-air kitchen with a large island and wooden barstools clustered underneath. The shelves on the left wall hold ceramic mugs. Sergio López

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