This is Mexico's most exclusive resort. It is the creation of Isabel Goldsmith, granddaughter of Antenor Patino, the Bolivian tin king who developed Las Hadas in Manzanillo.
This villa resort is thoroughly Mexican-rustic in character, alive with color, full of regional arts and crafts, and brimming with outdoor living space.
Guests driving here dodge feral dogs and chickens on a long dirt road before confronting a zealously manned security gate where the guard speaks no English. The location is as remote as it gets, and some of the hotel's more notable guests arrive by private jet or charter plane from Puerto Vallarta, landing on the hotel's private paved landing strip.
Most of the grounds overlook a long, romantic but dangerous seascape of riptides and bone-bashing waves—heaven for boogie boarders and surfers but not the place for a casual swim. Calmer beaches are close by, however, and the staff can arrange to block off access to one of the four other beaches for the day at no charge after taking guests to the site—allowing a couple or family complete privacy. Hammocks and terry-cushioned chaise longues dot 30 hectares of lawns and gardens full of jasmine, bougainvillea and palms.
Booking a room without the meal plan here doesn't make sense, considering the location and that what's on offer is impressive. Meals spotlight fresh seafood caught that day, free-range chicken and eggs from the resort's own farm, and produce and herbs grown on-site. Most guests take breakfast on a six-table terrace facing the ocean or on the private terrace of their accommodations. The more standard Oasis dining room and bar are in the main building, with service that is attentive without being hovering.
Staffers are glad to deliver a cocktail most anywhere on the grounds, and the colorful rooftop bar, Estrella Azul, serves as outdoor function or party space.
Croquet, table tennis, lighted tennis courts, basketball, mountain biking and horseback riding are recreational options, but facilities are limited, and most guests are content to just loll around 
the rectangular pool on one of the cushioned lounge platforms, shaded by a palm-thatched palapa. The gym has equipment chosen by the hotel's first registered guest—Robert De Niro. A dramatic media room showcases movies and TV shows on a flat wide-screen TV.
Other facilities include a Kids Club with organized children's activities and an art gallery displaying the works of local artists that also serves as a meeting room, library and TV lounge.
Workaholics had better learn to unwind: Phone calls from the rooms here are expensive, and only dial-up Internet access is available in the office. Airport transfers via private car can cost as much as the flight from the U.S. The alternative is to rent a car for the pleasant drive (a working knowledge of Spanish is recommended for asking directions in the likely event that one gets lost).
Six villas cluster around a small plaza, and the five categories of accommodations range from overly generous rooms to large villa suites. Decor is thoroughly Latin American, with bright tangerine, melon, yellow and pink predominating in open-air designs that showcase Guatemalan huipiles, Pueblan tile, Oaxacan black pottery and vases from Guanajuato. Rustic pine bedsteads and brilliantly embroidered fabrics accent bright walls, and tubs in the baths are custom-made, with talavera tile in different colors for each suite.
The costliest villas face the beach and have fully equipped kitchens or wet bars, TVs with DVD players (upon request only) and wandering layouts that open to the outdoors at every opportunity. Of these, Casa del Sol faces the ocean and contains three of the resort's accommodations. It has just been remodeled in 2009. Enhancements include luxuriously upgraded bedrooms and baths, TV dens and outdoor Jacuzzis. The new two-bedroom Presidential Suite now boasts its own infinity lap pool; private spa with massage area; and Jacuzzi. The Presidential Suite has a spacious entry with guest powder room that leads to a large living room with full bar and table game area; an outdoor veranda with a large terrace and corner sofa; and an area for alfresco dining.
Two deluxe suites have also been renovated. 
One of those suites, Sol Alberca, has a bedroom with a king-size bed; a large bath with an oversize tub and a separate double shower; and a walk-in closet. Adjacent to the bedroom is a large TV room with a sofa bed and an outdoor terrace for dining complete with a private Jacuzzi.
The other deluxe suite, Sol Playa, offers a deluxe bedroom with a king-size bed; a large bath with an oversize tub and separate double shower; and a walk-in closet. It also has a terrace with a private Jacuzzi and a sofa for open-air relaxation and afternoon siestas.
Casa del Domo, named after the big dome in its living room, is also on the beach and consists of two suites. One has a king bed and a private terrace, and the other air-conditioned unit features a fully equipped kitchen, bedroom and veranda. The beachside Casa Isabel houses two large king suites and a master suite with two master bedrooms; its major feature is a rooftop terrace, which overlooks the beach and gardens. Casa San Antonio contains two honeymoon suites: the lower with an outdoor whirlpool tub and the upper one with a private roof terrace.
On the other side of the small plaza are less expensive villas. Although some of these do not have a view of the water, they offer more privacy, including a rooftop terrace that can't be viewed by other eyes. All rooms come with the expected amenities, including safes, robes and minibars, although the open closets are tight on shelf space and come with plastic hangers.
Just 30 guests make for full occupancy, along with the staffers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and army of gardeners that keep everything working in this remote location. Despite the magical appearance and romantic setting, this resort is not meant to offer luxury perfection: Those who want everything just so would be better off at the even pricier Four Seasons north of Puerto Vallarta. The steep rates here instead ensure a haven of excellent service and the strictest privacy, in the pursuit of enjoying simple pleasures stylishly. When occupancy is low—which is usually the case outside the busy winter months—it's easy to feel like the duke or duchess of a huge estate.
Latest Revision: October 2009