Motel Mexicola's Biggest Outing Yet Is Bringing Baja to Bali

They say all good things come in threes. And if the Mexicola Group’s next move is any indication, that may well be true.

This July, the unstoppable crew behind the endlessly adored and eternally frenetic (in the best possible way) Motel Mexicola will open their third – and largest – outpost yet, perched atop the limestone cliffs of Uluwatu on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula.

Where the original Seminyak venue took its cues from Mexico City, and the Canggu sequel channelled the Yucatán, Motel Mexicola Uluwatu sets its sights on the infinite coastlines, rugged landscapes, surf towns and free spirits of Baja California, the peninsular region of north-western Mexico that borders the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez.

“This project was born from a strangely familiar connection between Baja California and Uluwatu,” says Mexicola founder and co-owner, Nicolaza Que Pasa. “For me, Baja has always represented a different side of Mexico – fresh, wild, unpretentious and deeply connected to the ocean. It’s a region where seafood is eaten straight from the water; where wines grow from unlikely desert soils; where meat charred over open flames is an event. Uluwatu carries that same laid-back energy, with afternoons revolving around the waves and epic sunsets leading into late nights filled with great food and music.”

Mexican Dishes at Motel Mexicola — Mexican Dishes

Mexicola’s bulletproof creative brain trust has pulled no punches with the design and build, which is by far the group’s most ambitious undertaking to date. Once again, architect Carlos Cole of Mexico City studio Sensibilidad Applicada has led the charge, drawing inspiration from Baja’s majestic Spanish missions to transform the 2,500-square-metre site into a transportive labyrinth of rough stone, endless archways, enclaves, fountains and shrines, with more than 65 custom tile designs scattered throughout. Longtime collaborator, Australian artist Brent Smith (@biffybrentano), has also returned with his paintbrushes, consecrating the walls with his unmistakable style: a little cantina, a little casita and a little discoteca all in one.

Set to open with a capacity of 215, the expansive indoor-outdoor venue – led by veteran General Manager Adam Polly and Experience Director (and Guadalajara native) Paulo Padilla – will eventually accommodate up to 350 guests across several distinct spaces, all fitted with custom furniture and equipales (traditional woven chairs) sourced directly from Mexico. Chief among these is a soaring 21-metre campanario (bell tower), which ushers guests straight into the action and houses two bars – one at ground level and another in the belfry. Even more bars await further inside, alongside an open taqueria and asador, as well as several dining areas, including the ‘kissing booths’ – a striking row of eight intimate two-person banquettes. Add a DJ booth, a separate stage and the occasional mariachi performance, and you’ve got all the ingredients for an unforgettable celebration.

the team Motel Mexicola's Biggest Outing Yet Is Bringing Baja to Bali This July — The Team

In the kitchen, Motel Mexicola’s newly appointed Culinary Director, Manuel ‘Manu’ Santos (formerly of Barrafina, London), and Head Chef Manuel Bernal, who hails from Veracruz, have created a sprawling menu that moves effortlessly from street food staples and snacks to larger shareable plates. Tacos, as always, remain a focal point, built on hand-pressed, house-made tortillas and filled with the likes of beer-battered mahi-mahi, lamb barbacoa, braised pork ribs and birria-style beef cheek. Enduring Mexicola clásicos also feature prominently, while a selection of new seafood dishes – think smoked tuna empanadas, prawn aguachile, and tuna and scallop tiradito – delivers a welcome dose of Baja-inspired freshness.

The menu’s standout attraction, however, may well be the section devoted to the asador, a custom-built three-metre grill fuelled by a blend of locally sourced rambutan and coffee wood. Here, the Pescado Los Cabos – a whole char-grilled snapper enveloped in salsa verde and smoked salsa roja – takes centre stage, while garlicky Tijuana-style lobster in earthy pipián rojo and prawns smothered in a creamy, chilli-fragrant zarandeado marinade follow close behind. Australian flank steak, meanwhile, receives the timeless carne asada treatment, with ancho-glazed pork ribs and achiote-marinated chicken rounding out the meat selection.

As for the drinks, Mexicola’s long-standing Group Beverage Director, Denny Bakiev, has gone a toda máquina with a list that explores the depth and diversity of Mexico’s thriving cocktail culture. Margaritas are an obvious starting point, whether classic, frozen or elevated with flavours such as mango and chamoy, grilled corn and burnt butter, or strawberry, guava and chilli liqueur, among many others. Contemporary classics such as the Paloma and the coffee-scented Carajillo also make an appearance, with the former spiked with mezcal and pomelo, and the latter sweetened with cajeta (goat’s milk caramel).

Baja’s influence runs throughout the drinks programme as well. The Padre Kino, for instance, pays homage to the region’s grape-growing tradition, combining red wine with pandan and blood orange soda, while tropical and desert fruits find their way into almost everything else, from the guava-laced Agua Loca to the non-alcoholic aguas frescas, including agua de jamaica and limonada. This is all supported, of course, by a comprehensively stocked back bar anchored by a collection of 45 Mexican spirits spanning tequila, mezcal and the lesser-known sotol from the country’s north.

By now, you know that the Mexicola crew do not do things by halves – and this latest undertaking is certainly no exception. Call it the white whale, call it the holy grail, call it whatever you like; just know that Motel Mexicola Uluwatu is the group’s most all-encompassing ode to Mexico yet.

“This project has been more than two years in the making,” says Que Pasa, “and we’ve looked well beyond the obvious references to introduce people to another side of Mexico they’ve never discovered before. We want to leave people in wonder.”