Hacienda Los Olivos

How would you describe Hacienda Los Olivos in a nutshell?

Hacienda Los Olivos is a luxury 4-bedroom villa rental in Todos los Santos, Baja California, Mexico. A hacienda on five acres of land, it is comprised of five buildings and a 50 feet heated saltwater pool. We love the built-in furniture, made of cement and brought to perfection with custom-made pillows and mattresses. The beach is only a 10-minute walk from the villa, it’s great for surfing.

What was your inspiration to build Hacienda Los Olivos in Todos los Santos?

I kept hearing about this village Todos los Santos in Mexico in many conversations, so I checked it out to see what it was like. I don’t know why I bought land there because I didn’t know anybody, but it has a really special feeling. It’s right under the Tropic of Cancer, so it has a strong energy about it. I stayed three days and left having bought this piece of land.

It’s an hour away from Cabo San Lucas, which can be really hot. But here it’s like a micro climate. It’s never too hot or too cold, it’s the perfect temperature.

When you bought the land, did you already know what you wanted to do with it?

Actually, I started building on it two years after I had bought the land because I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I was considering doing more of a Greek style house, but then it started to become more like a hacienda with some Moroccan styling.

I liked all those different styles, but decided to do the main room and bedroom only first, adding other rooms later. And I can still add rooms because there’s plenty of space, but four bedrooms is enough for now.

The size and layout of the villa are nice for groups or families renting out the place. They all have their own privacy but are also able to hang out in the main room together.

Tell us a bit about the interior design of your vacation villa.

When I was building the villa, I was tearing pages from decoration magazines like Marie Claire House and Architectural Digest, and putting them all together, getting ideas here and there. The house has a lot of Mexican details, but also Balinese, Moroccan, and even Greek and Spanish. It’s a mixture with a very casual, laid-back feeling, but it’s also very personal. The house was not designed as a vacation rental, but for me personally.

The ‘style’ is just a reflection of my personality. It’s just things I like. I would call it Bohemian chic, if you like. The house was published in a German decoration magazine called Living just last year.

Most of the furniture is built-in. There’s a couch in the living room, the kitchen counter, the beds, all of which are made of cement with custom-made pillows and mattresses on them.

What would a perfect vacation day look like for your guests?

Start with yoga in the morning, and then go to the beach to surf or swim, have lunch on the beach, then come back to Hacienda Los Olivos to take a nap in a hammock or read a book, and then start getting ready for dinner at home or going out to one of the restaurants.

I could stay here a month and not get bored, and that’s even too short.

What has been the biggest reward to you renting out Hacienda Los Olivos to vacation guests?

I didn’t build the villa to rent it to vacation guests, but after a couple of years, I realised renting it could help pay for expenses. I was bit reluctant because I was afraid people wouldn’t be respectful of my things in the house, personal items I don’t put away, like collector’s items that add to the atmosphere. But people have been very respectful and I’ve never had any problems.

So far every guest has been very appreciative and happy, sending emails to thank me, stating what a wonderful time they had. They mention how the house is better in real life than in the pictures. I keep those emails for my own pleasure.