Beach Front Gem

3 Bedroom 2.5 Bath – Sleeps 6
7 -30 nights – 15% discount
31 nights or more – 30% discount

Do you want to escape from it all and be in a spectacular oceanfront location, then Casa el Refugio is the getaway spot for you. Only a short 7-mile oceanside drive north from the services and amenities of Los Barriles, Casa el Refugio in a very unique setting all by itself right on the Sea of Cortez. This a great spot for snorkeling, SUP, kayaking, fishing, and even whale spotting all from the front porch. In spite of Casa el Refugio’s isolated feel, you can still be as connected to modern technology as you want to be. High-speed Wi-Fi, great cellular reception, and HD television programming all at your disposal.

Casa el Refugio is a new construction completed in 2013. It was developed around the concept of using as many sustainable and locally produced building materials as possible. The primary building material is COB. COB is a mix of clay, sand, straw, and water. COB is very much like adobe but instead of forming the clay mixture into bricks, the mixture is shaped and compacted on site to directly form the walls. This creates a large monolithic structure that has incredible strength and insulation characteristics. All exterior walls are at least 2 feet thick of solid material. The COB is protected from the elements by the application of a special waterproof limestone plaster called CAL. The final house is not painted. The colors are achieved by adding tints to the CAL mixture prior to application. The COB and CAL combination is very labor intensive and time -consuming but this style of construction allowed for the use of locally obtainable, environmentally friendly materials. Other local materials of note include the gorgeous solid rock foundation and bricks which were individually hand shaped and fired. All doors, cabinets, and drawers are made from a beautiful local mountain hardwood called Palo Chino. The beams in the fully enclosed courtyard are another type of local mountain hardwood.

The house design developed from the concept of the Hacienda. It has a fortress type appearance from the exterior but when the threshold is passed, the feeling becomes warm and inviting. All rooms are accessed from the central, fully enclosed courtyard. The courtyard has beautiful ironwork trellace and columns that support a shade covering of wooden beams. A wall fountain adds a feeling of vitality to the courtyard. When passing from the courtyard into the main part of the house a panorama of the Sea of Cortez takes over. The large central room contains the entertainment area, dining area, and kitchen. The ocean side is constructed using Nana Walls which are glass wall panels that fold out so the entire front of the house is open for inside/outside living. The master suite is to the right of the main room and fronts the Sea of Cortez as well.

The kitchen is very large and done with rustic brickwork and red granite counters. A large pantry is attached to the kitchen. It is a function first kitchen that is very easy to work in.

The entertainment area has a 60-inch flat screen HD plasma TV, a BlueRay DVD player, surround sound home theater system, and Dish Network HD programming packages. The sound system also has remote speakers and controls located in each room, the courtyard, and the front patio.

The dining area has a 9′ solid mesquite dining table with 8 matching chairs

The front patio overlooking the Sea of Cortez has ample seating, a propane BBQ, and a hot tub/spa capable of holding up to 6 people

The master suite with King size bed has a large walk-in closet and shower with two onyx sinks set in the granite counter.

The two guest bedrooms (1 with King size bed and the other with Queen size bed) share a Jack and Jill bathroom with a large shower and a travertine sink set in a granite counter. Solid mesquite armoires are in each of the guest bedrooms.

The house is air-conditioned throughout.

There is a 10KW solar panel array on the roof that is connected to the local power grid. Using this grid tie back system means virtually all the electricity used is generated on-site using solar technology.

• High-Speed Wi-Fi internet and excellent cellular phone service are also present.
• Washer with line drying
• TV w/ satellite service
• DVD player and Home Theatre Surround Sound system
• Hot Tub
• 2 SUP boards