1. Florblanca, Costa Rica
A touch of Bali has come to this stretch of Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Florblanca's 11 villas are set in lush tropical gardens and have an understated glamour about them, with plenty of tropical hardwood and crisp, creamy linens. The common areas and baths are open to the elements, which means pleasant sea breezes, starry skies and the sound of the surf, which is only steps away. The deluxe villa, a favourite with honeymooners, opens directly on to the beach, and the Owner's House, which has a private stretch of sand, promises even more privacy when it opens in October.
Florblanca, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica (00 506 640 0232; www.flor blanca.com). Villas start at US$407 (£214), room-only, but including airport transfers and yoga lessons
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2. Shutters on the Beach, US
Although it’s a modern building, Shutters’ 1920s style evokes the effortless elegance of that period. All the 186 rooms and 12 suites have balconies overlooking the Pacific and bathrooms with shutters that fling open to let in the sea breeze; you can’t help but feel that you’re in your own private beach cottage – albeit one with modern amenities (home entertainment system, Wi-Fi). When you’re not admiring the paintings by Hockney and Lichtenstein in the lobby, you can soak up the sun in the enormous outdoor pool area.
Shutters on the Beach, 1 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, California, US (001 310 458 0030; www.shuttersonthebeach.com). Doubles start at $593 (£312), room only
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3. Las Alamandas, Mexico
A maximum of 30 guests are welcomed into the six villas at Isabel Goldsmith-Patiño’s exclusive beach hideaway south of Puerto Vallarta. As an antidote to many of Mexico’s crowded resorts, Las Alamandas provides space and privacy on a grand scale within a private palm grove. Capacious interiors are in vivid colours that take their cue from the surroundings – pink hibiscus, green agave, blue ocean and orange earth – while the terraces are furnished with outdoor Jacuzzis, hammocks and inviting sofas, making for a sublimely relaxing stay.
Las Alamandas, Km 83, Carretera Federal 200, Quemaro, Costalegre, Jalisco, Mexico (00 52 322 285 5500; www.lasalamandas.com). Doubles start at US$490 (£258), room only
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4. Morgan’s Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge, Nicaragua
The owners take conservation seriously at Morgan’s Rock, where 1.5 million trees have been planted in the resort’s 5,000 acres and where the fawn sandy beach is used by sea turtles to lay their eggs. Its 15 bungalows were built with sustainable wood, and the British architect has left every tree on the site intact, building around them to the point where some grow through the rooms. The guest bungalows are defined by warm wood and feature solar-heated showers in outdoor bathrooms. As the rooms are spread out on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, the sense of tranquillity is powerful – provided you don’t mind crossing a 110-yard suspension bridge over a forested canyon to reach your room.
Morgan’s Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge, near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (00 506 232 6449; www.morgansrock.com). Double rooms start at US$414 (£218), full board and including tours
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5. King Pacific Lodge, Canada
From May to September, this luxurious floating lodge is moored in its summer home off the otherwise uninhabited Princess Royal Island. Closer to Alaska than Vancouver, this British Columbian island promises an extraordinary wilderness experience in one of theworld’s largest tracts of temperate rainforest. When you’re not out spotting white Kermode bears and whales or fishing for salmon, you can take in the Pacific inlet views from one of the lodge’s 17 exquisitely comfortable rooms and suites, have a spa treatment or stargaze with the high-powered telescope on the wraparound deck.
King Pacific Lodge, Princess Royal Island, British Columbia, Canada (001 604 987 5452; www.kingpacificlodge.com). Three nights in a double room start at C$10,150 (£5,202) full board, including flight transfers from Vancouver, activities and conservation fees
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16 February 2008, Chosen by Mary Novakovich
