{"key":"niku-house","blocks":[{"section":"intro","body":"Niku House is built into the hillside above Zicatela, which is the reason all five suites look at the Pacific instead of at each other. The Sierra Madre del Sur sits behind the house and the ocean sits in front of it, and the terraces are the connective tissue between the two. Five suites, five bathrooms, twelve guests. The daily team arrives in the morning and works through dinner, so the house is serviced rather than self-catered, and the cook and the bartender are already in the rate. Four nights is the shortest stay the house takes, which shapes who books it: this is a week, not a stopover."},{"section":"setting","heading":"Above Zicatela","body":"Puerto Escondido is a surf town first and a resort town a distant second, and Zicatela is the break that made its name. From the house it is a ten-minute walk downhill to the sand. The return climb is steep, which is a real consideration in afternoon heat, and the overnight watchman can call a taxi for the way back. The town center is five minutes by car and the Mercado Benito Juarez six. Playa Carrizalillo is eight minutes out by car. The airport sits ten minutes away, so arrivals and departures are quick at both ends of the week.","bullets":["Zicatela Beach 10 minutes downhill on foot, steep on the return","Puerto Escondido town center about 5 minutes by car","Playa Carrizalillo about 8 minutes by car","Mercado Benito Juarez about 6 minutes by car","Puerto Escondido airport (PXM) about 10 minutes by car","Private airport transfers available at extra cost"]},{"section":"interiors","heading":"Five Ocean Suites","body":"All five suites are ensuite and all five face the ocean, which is not the usual arrangement in a house this size. Suites 1, 2, 3 and 5 each hold two Queen beds. Suite 4 holds a King and has both a private terrace and a plunge pool of its own. Every suite has its own terrace. On paper the beds could sleep more than twelve, but the house is capped at twelve overnight and the house rules hold that line, so plan the rooming against the cap rather than the bed count. Toiletries are provided and housekeeping resets the rooms daily.","bullets":["Five suites, five bathrooms, all ensuite","Every suite is ocean facing with a private terrace","Suites 1, 2, 3 and 5 hold two Queen beds each","Suite 4 holds a King with a private plunge pool","Overnight capacity is capped at twelve guests","Toiletries provided, housekeeping daily"]},{"section":"outdoors","heading":"Pools and Fire Pit","body":"The infinity pool is the centerpiece and it reads straight out to the Pacific. Two plunge pools sit apart from it, one of them attached privately to Suite 4, which gives the guests in that room their own water without walking anywhere. A fire pit anchors the outdoor lounge for the hours after dinner, and the terrace runs the full width of the house with both Pacific and mountain views. Pool rules apply and quiet hours run from 10 PM to 8 AM, with music required to end at 10 PM on any approved event night.","bullets":["Oceanfront infinity pool","Two plunge pools, one of them private to Suite 4","Fire pit lounge","Full-width terrace with Pacific and mountain views","Quiet hours 10 PM to 8 AM"]},{"section":"activities","heading":"Surf, Table, Retreat","body":"Surfing is the reason most groups come, and the break is a walk away rather than a drive. Playa Carrizalillo is eight minutes out by car when the group wants a different stretch of sand for the afternoon. Back at the house the cook works Oaxacan food and accommodates dietary requirements with notice, so dinners tend to stay in. In-villa massage, yoga, horseback riding and surf lessons are arranged at extra cost. The house takes approved events up to twenty guests, with birthdays, reunions and yoga retreats specifically allowed and music ending at 10 PM.","bullets":["Zicatela surf break, 10 minutes on foot","Playa Carrizalillo, about 8 minutes by car","Oaxacan cooking from the house cook","Massage, yoga, horseback riding and surf lessons at extra cost","Approved events up to 20 guests, music ends at 10 PM","Birthdays, reunions and yoga retreats explicitly allowed"]},{"section":"staff-service","heading":"The Daily Team","body":"The staffing is the part of this house that changes how a week actually runs. A cook, a bartender and a housekeeper work the property daily, and a watchman stays overnight. Breakfast and dinner are prepared on site and included in the rate, and lunch is available on request. Dietary restrictions are handled with advance notice. Wi-Fi runs throughout and holds up for general use and streaming, though speeds can vary for heavy video calls or large uploads, so treat it as good rather than guaranteed. Check-in and checkout both flex on request.","bullets":["Daily cook, with breakfast and dinner included","Daily bartender","Daily housekeeping","Overnight watchman on site","Lunch on request, dietary needs with notice","Wi-Fi throughout, variable for heavy video calls"]},{"section":"ideal-for","heading":"Best For","body":null,"bullets":["Surf groups basing a week above the break","Family reunions of up to twelve","Yoga and creative retreats","Milestone birthdays with approval","Groups who want meals handled rather than cooked","Travelers who want staff without a hotel"]}]}