Mexico’s best-kept secret is a bit less confidential these days, since quite a few notables flocked to its flamboyant villas during COVID-19. Still, the paparazzi-free enclave known for unorthodox architecture and design—curvaceous and bold, the palapa-roofed villas include collaborations between Italian and Mexican creatives—is decidedly boho in spirit. Artistic festivals and installations are just some of the draws of the 20,000-acre destination founded in the late ’60s; naturalists thrive off the unspoiled wilderness, tiny islands, and miles of virginal beach that are home to nesting sea turtles. Beach clubs, locally sourced restaurants, and wellness exploits are a few other elements lending to Careyes’s idyllic energy.

And while the brick-clad El Careyes Club & Residences is a flawless place to stay—see spacious suites with ocean-view balconies—it’s Careyes’s legendary fully staffed private villas that are where the magic lies. The newest is the flamingo-pink Casa Mirador, designed by husband-and-wife architects Alex Possenbacher and Lorena Contreras and designer Veronica Peyrelongue, and featuring work by local artisans alongside a curvilinear infinity pool and signature stark white interiors.