Along the East Cape of the Baja Peninsula, Mexico, lies a hidden gem that redefines luxury living and adventure: Costa Palmas. 

Having recently visited Costa Palmas, I can attest to its unique blend of luxury, adventure, and exclusivity. The property’s vast stretch of swimmable beach is a rarity for the region; the integration of organic farms within the community adds a refreshing touch to the overall experience; a combination of leading hospitality brands delivers top-notch amenities; and with the recent addition of a marina, the development is now the exclusive harbor for superyachts in Los Cabos.

Redefining residential resort living

At the heart of Costa Palmas are the residences. The community boasts prestigious names such as the Four Seasons Resort & Residences Los Cabos and Amanvari Resort and Residences, along with the bespoke Costa Palmas–branded residential and hospitality offering Casa Blake, set in its Marina Village.

Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas offers an ultra-luxury experience in Baja’s undiscovered East Cape. Designed by Brooklyn-based Guerin Glass Architects, this resort features 118 guest rooms and 23 suites spread across a low-density layout, offering breathtaking views of the Sea of Cortez and the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains. Since its opening in October 2019, the resort has set a new standard for luxury with amenities like multiple pools, five unique dining outlets, a full-service spa, and a comprehensive fitness center. The residential offerings, ranging from turnkey residences to custom-designed villas, provide owners with unparalleled access to the resort’s services and amenities, encapsulating the essence of sophisticated comfort and elemental luxury.

Amanvari Resort and Residences is a serene escape between the mountains and the sea, offering a peaceful oasis. With 25 bi-level hotel pavilions, Amanvari blends space, luxury, and design seamlessly, surrounded by nature’s beauty. The resort’s main pavilion is the heart of Amanvari, housing three restaurants, a library, a lounge, and a striking infinity pool. The Aman Residences offer a permanent slice of this paradise, with options ranging from beachfront to golf lots, designed to meld into the landscape with expansive indoor-outdoor living spaces. 

Aman Residences epitomize an unmatched standard of architectural design, offering a complete immersion in the Aman lifestyle. Each residence serves as a gateway to exploring the world while providing a personal sanctuary for moments of tranquility.

These residences redefine luxury living, with from two to eight bedrooms and ranging from 13,000 to 20,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor living space. Currently undergoing construction, the resort and residences promise a haven of privacy and relaxation.

Casa Blake the latest addition to Costa Palmas, is a curated lifestyle destination inspired by the refined luxury synonymous with the community. This marina-side haven offers residential and hospitality options, from water-view studios to three-bedroom residences. Casa Blake is a vibrant spot within the Marina Village, featuring a lively pool and bar, a secluded garden oasis, and dining options that capture the essence of seaside living. Ownership at Casa Blake comes with the privilege of joining the exclusive Costa Palmas Club, enhancing the lifestyle with access to the East Beach Club and sports center.

World-class yachting destination

Inspired by the elegance of Europe’s most distinguished yachting destinations, the Costa Palmas Marina is the first private marina under the Four Seasons and Aman brands and the exclusive harbor for superyachts in Los Cabos. This 250-slip port will soon be able to accommodate yachts up to 300 feet, complemented by the vibrant Marina Village, a focal point of the locale and a standout feature among renowned marina destinations.

Strolling through the vibrant Marina Village, I was captivated by the elegance and sophistication reminiscent of Europe’s distinguished yachting destinations—from the Martin Brudnizki-designed nightclub Chiki to Michelin-starred Nancy Silverton’s Mozza Baja at Costa Palmas to the forthcoming French-themed bistro La Plage envisioned by Fabien Cerato. 

Adventure meets luxury

Costa Palmas perfectly blends adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion. Residents and guests enjoy a variety of excursions and experiences—from sunset cruises and snorkeling to pickleball and tennis. 

I opted for a tequila tasting session led by the in-house agave master, a guided hike to the nearby flat rocks with awe-inspiring views of the East Cape, and an exhilarating ATV ride through the property’s dunes. 

If golf is more your speed, the Costa Palmas Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones II, offers an 18-hole journey through diverse landscapes, from sea dunes to farmlands against the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains backdrop. It’s a golf experience that’s both scenic and challenging.

Resort living redefined

Costa Palmas is not just a destination: It’s a lifestyle, thoughtfully and sensitively designed to embrace the elemental beauty of its surroundings. Whether it’s the sophisticated residences, the allure of the marina, the tranquility of Amanvari, or the vibrant lifestyle at Casa Blake, Costa Palmas is not just setting a new standard for resort living: It’s redefining it.

For more information, visit costapalmas.com

A new home in Los Cabos by Brandon Architects blends an Old World feel with a modern aesthetic. It’s in the community of Maraville Los Cabos on the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Better yet, it’s adjacent to Montage Los Cabos, with access to all its amenities. And it has views to die for.

Out front and to the south, the Pacific Ocean stretches endlessly. Behind it, to the north-northwest, lies the tranquility of Santa Maria Bay. The architects smartly elevated, rotated, and curated the home to take advantage of it all.

“It’s not on the water, but a row behind, on the second tier up,” says Ryan McDaniel, partner and principal architect at the Costa Mesa, California–based firm.

Chris Brandon, who opened the office that bears his name in 2009, was savvy enough to check into the Montage Los Cabos so he could watch ongoing construction details for his clients. “They were private and had concerns about views from the Montage,” he says. “That’s one reason we did the architecture the way we did.”

An entry archway provides privacy from the street, while a central courtyard opens up views above. “Neighbors or friends come through that archway,” McDaniel says. “We used pocket doors and window walls to maximize views and connect the indoor and outdoor living and entertaining areas. 

The home is 12,600 square feet of air-conditioned space three stories with garage, plus two levels above and a roof deck. There are eight bedrooms and 13 baths. The clients, a family from Dallas, have five grown children, plus grandchildren. It’s a vacation retreat and a legacy property they use for family gatherings.

“There are different wings so the kids can bring their kids,” McDaniel says. “There are three bunkrooms, five junior suites, and an adjacent kids’ room, for a multigenerational home, and shared central living spaces with private wings for children and grandchildren.”

Brandon and McDaniel worked closely with Cabo Development Group’s Darin Antin, who served as architect of record and builder for the project. His firm ranges from 125 to 175 employees at any given time, including six full-time architects and four engineers.

“I know what to look for in terms of topography and geometry,” Antin says. “I do my own foundations, structural work, and masonry, and have my own heavy equipment—we’ve got evidence here that we can do any level of work.”

Antin’s a California native who’s been coming to Cabo since his parents, avid sport-fishers and divers, started bringing him here as a child. He’s lived in Cabo now for 30 years as a full-time resident, and working as designer, general contractor, and custom builder. His staff is 100 percent local, including artisans like stonemasons and joiners.

“I have a miller and a finish carpenter,” he says. “All the millwork—every cabinet, all the built-ins, interior doors and woodwork—it’s all done by one guy.”

For this project, Antin’s firm served not only as builder and supplier of Italian windows and Portuguese doors, but also as translators for English into Spanish, plus feet and inches into metrics—and as the go-to source for working through local rules and regulations.

“They dovetailed with us for codes, permitting, and construction documents,” Brandon says. “They were a great team of engineers and architects who picked up the ball where we left off.”

Inside, interior designer and Dream Home Makeover star Shea McGee of Salt Lake City’s Studio McGee wanted to create an atmosphere of luxurious beachfront living with indoor/outdoor elements. She took note of the windows and their stunning views throughout the house.

“Showcasing them was an integral part of the design process in every room,” she says. “We wanted as many windows as possible, as well as carving out areas where the indoors could meld with the outdoors.”

She saw the architects’ nods to the local vernacular, like arched doors in primary bedrooms and hand-painted tiles. “The traditional Spanish design influenced the furnishings we brought in, as well as the color palette,” she says. “We used local plaster artisans for the walls and sourced local wood for a few handmade pieces.”

And she added elements of a luxury hotel to the home as well. The clients wanted a house they could entertain in, for hosting friends and family in Mexico for their beach vacations. “One of their requests was to make the bedrooms color-coded so guests could easily find their way around,” she says. “We used the materials and the color palette to make it feel homey and inviting.”

Wood, linen, stone, and leather all meld seamlessly into their surroundings. The home may be coastal, McGee says, but she focused on timeless materials that are of the earth.

And that’s exactly what the architects wanted: a home in the Mexican tradition, but expressed in a contemporary language.

As my husband and I made our way along the wide stone path lined with lush ferns and approached the grand wooden doors that marked the stately entrance to Impression Moxché by Secrets, I knew we were in for a treat.

Indeed, as soon as we crossed the threshold into the modern and airy lobby with its marbled floor, natural stone accents, cozy seating area, full bar, and an array of beautifully presented snacks, sandwiches, and desserts available to guests all day long and into the evening, I turned to my husband and said, “We need to extend our stay by another night.”

Thankfully, the adults-only all-inclusive resort just a few miles north of downtown Playa del Carmen, Mexico, had room for us, and we had the flexibility to tack on one more night at this secluded beachfront haven that caters to couples.

While I’d highly recommend a week’s stay at the 198-suite property to fully decompress — not to mention sample all of the incredible restaurants available to Impression Moxché guests — my husband and I made the most of a three-night visit that featured plenty of relaxation, romance, and, atypical for us, late-night revelry.

Impression Moxché by Secrets opened in December 2022 as the sister property to the next-door 485-room Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen, both part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection. Guests who upgrade to the smaller, quieter Impression Moxché building not only have access to exclusive restaurants and pools, but they can also dine and play anywhere on the collective Riviera Maya property.

The added services that come with a stay at Impression Moxché elevate the guest experience. We felt pampered by our assigned butlers, who kept us apprised of daily activities via WhatsApp messages every morning. Since we’d already been traveling for several nights before our arrival, we gladly handed over a bag of dirty laundry that was returned to us 24 hours later, clean and folded in a neatly wrapped package.

Our attentive butlers also made our spa reservations: Every Impression Moxché guest receives a complimentary 20-minute wellness experience. I opted for a quick foot massage and lamented not having paid for a longer treatment to make full use of the spa’s comprehensive outdoor hydrotherapy facilities and relaxation areas. (Next time!)

Our favorite place to spend the day was the Impression Moxché rooftop pool deck. Comfy cabanas with flowy drapes and plush lounge chairs under broad umbrellas flanked a long rectangular pool, while another infinity pool overlooked the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Accommodating staff served us gourmet burgers and tacos poolside, while other friendly folks stopped by to spritz us with cooling facial mist, clean our sunglasses, and whip up custom cocktails served in hollowed-out pineapples. The acoustic duo playing music at adjacent Cielo restaurant set a tranquil tone in this serene setting.

Another afternoon we lounged at the ground-level Impression Moxché main pool with its huge deck and still more spots for kicking back in cabanas and chaise lounges. Nearby Seaside Beach Club — with a small beach area and yet another pool — is one of the two restaurants exclusively available to Impression Moxché guests. A la carte breakfast here was stellar, with healthy options like açai bowls and veggie omelets. The roving pastry and doughnut cart was a huge hit, too. All food and drink are included here, so why not sample it all?

Impression Moxché guests would be remiss if they didn’t venture over to the Secrets Moxché property to experience its plethora of fine-dining restaurants, serving everything from French and Japanese to Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine. The core group of indoor-outdoor eateries are set next to each other facing a manmade swimming lagoon. At night, just off the sandy beach, food carts serving tacos al pastor and pop-up bars with aqua del dia (and cocktails) are set up for a street scene reminiscent of a traditional Mexican town plaza for grab-and-go quick fixes before or after dinner.

While all of the food we experienced at the two resorts was excellent, the most memorable was a small-group, 7-course tasting menu at Dos Almas, the Mexican restaurant. At bar seating, just five of us watched as our personal chef prepared three-bite tacos in homemade tortillas. Each was filled with delicious items like lobster, pork belly, and short ribs accompanied by traditional ingredients such as squash carpaccio, tamarind adobo, and pumpkin seeds. Each taco was paired with a sample of a beer, wine, cocktail, or non-alcoholic beverage. This premium experience is an additional cost outside of the food and drinks that come with the all-inclusive package.

Returning to our suite each night — slightly sun-kissed and with full bellies — was always a pleasure, as accommodations feature modern decor in beiges and browns, with plenty of earthy textures like rattan, jute, and natural wood. Though all suites are spacious, starting at 947 square feet, we felt especially spoiled in our Oceanfront Panoramic Suite with its corner location on the sixth floor. The wrap-around balcony offered expansive views of the ocean and the next-door resort grounds, as well as the Impression Moxché pool deck below.

It’s typical for all-inclusive resorts to have drinks and snacks available in each room’s minibar. But here, those in-room offerings are taken up a notch. In our full-sized fridge were natural fruit juices, still water, Coke, Diet Coke, and Dos Equis. Our wine fridge housed full bottles of red and white as well as a half-bottle of Moët & Chandon. When we got peckish, we nibbled on gourmet peanuts, crunchy corn, and gummy candy. A bottle of aged rum, sparkling water, and Nespresso coffee rounded out everything we could eat and drink in our room. While we naturally didn’t finish it all, it sure was nice to choose from all the options.

That’s the beauty of an all-inclusive vacation, especially one as comprehensive as the dual-property offerings here: Options abound. We chose to kick back by the exclusive Impression Moxché pools and generally keep to ourselves, but we could have sought more activity next door with Spanish classes, pool biking, and beach volleyball. Other lounging spots we might have checked out were sheltered swimming nooks designed to look like freeform cenotes.

All-inclusive resorts are also opportunities to try new things without dishing out extra money. One night after sunset, we slipped on silent-disco headphones dancing with other guests on the sand, grooving to our own beats and giggling a lot.

The live music offerings are great: Each night, a series of singers and bands performed chill background music at one of the centrally located outdoor restaurant venues, and one evening we listened to a moving candlelight string quartet concert at the spacious indoor theatre

Perhaps most entertaining was the on-property speakeasy. A working pharmacy by day and a hidden dance club by late night, Gypsy was packed with not only couples but also wedding parties, extended families, and multiple generations tearing it up on the dance floor that pulsed with loud music and never-ending light shows. In the upbeat atmosphere where drinks flowed, everyone seemed to have such fun — including me, who’s typically in bed by 9 p.m.

Unsurprisingly, we saw three wedding celebrations during our short stay at this luxe resort that’s popular among engaged couples who don’t mind excluding children from their guest list (recall, all Secrets properties are adults only). Similarly, Impression Moxché would make a splurge-worthy honeymoon, anniversary, or milestone birthday celebration destination.

Indeed, this secluded haven for grownups does not come with a low price tag. But for an ultra-indulgent getaway at a remarkable adults-only, all-inclusive resort on the Riviera Maya, Impression Moxché by Secrets is a stellar choice.

For more information visit Impression Moxché by Secrets.

Halfway between Los Cabos and Cabos San Lucas, atop a four-story residential building peering out to Santa Maria Cove, lies a portable jewel-box paradise.

Not that the penthouse itself can be moved, of course. No this is a 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom idyll that heartily embraces the Italian concept of mobili. That is, its walls stand still, but its high-style furnishings are flexible. They’re ready to move at the drop of a hat.

“It cultivates a sense of looseness and ease, but it’s still elegant,” says architect Abigail Turin, cofounder of the international firm of Kallos Turin. “It fits with coastal living because it gives you the feeling of being easy and relaxed, not formal.”

Turin and her cofounder Stephania Kallos met while working in the London office of rockstar architect David Chipperfield. From him, they learned how to collaborate with architects around the globe. “His model was to work all over the world, but without offices all over the world,” she says. “That became our model. We’ve worked in Austria, France, and South America with architects of record who’ve become our collaborators.”

After a year with Chipperfield, Turin moved to New York and remodeled four floors of Gordon Bunshaft’s groundbreaking 1952 Lever House, while Kallos remained in London. They formed their own firm in 2003; Turin is now based in San Francisco, and Kallos remains in England.

“We started out by faxing sketches back and forth, when that wasn’t being done much—it was before the pandemic,” Turin says. “Today, Stephania is still in London, and we work remotely.”

The firm’s Cabo penthouse is the product of a wide and deep understanding of the minimalism the firm embraces. Here, Turin worked overtime to blend modern and local languages in a way that’s fresh, elegant, and spirited. It is at once of its place, and new in its presentation.

She started with her own take on what it really means to have a vacation house at the tip of the Baja peninsula. Her first statement came from Le Corbusier’s Tabouret Wood Boxes from the 1940s, the Swiss architect’s definition of flexibility itself. “There are little handles on two sides so you can pick them up and move them,” she says. “They can be used as side tables or benches or stools and can be easily reassembled.”

In pursuit of chic and simple versatility, Turin then took aim at other furnishings that could be easily moved and realigned, for the feeling of freedom that’s inherent with travel and a laid-back sentiment. The best case in point might be a bar in the living area that’s actually a Poltrona Frau steamer trunk in disguise. “It’s an elegant but informal reconfiguration,” she says.

Her eclectic material palette reflects a near-genius sense of possibilities, with help from artisans who ply the craftsmanship of the region. A low table in the living area came from a slab of wood salvaged from a tree that fell nearby. Terracotta planters were traditional and locally sourced, handmade rugs were woven at a nearby mill, and handcrafted furnishings were created by local makers.

A mosaic of handmade tiles on the wall of the dining area came from Fireclay Tile in California. Floors are all travertine marble, and the woods for the living area are a mix of raw, natural, and ebonized oak, along with walnut. “The entry hall wall is terracotta-colored, with hat hooks that are all different kinds of woods,” she says.

Besides breathtaking views of Santa Maria Cove above unseen single family homes below, the penthouse looks out also to the desert and hills of Baja’s wilderness. Other developments there—erected behind gates and walls—seek to create a lush, non-native tropical environment that’s essentially a wannabe reality.

But here, the developers and their architects wanted to preserve, protect and promote the existing landscape, like cacti and succulents, rather than look to foreign plant materials that gobble up precious water. So the color palette at Maraville Resort is olive green and terracotta from the nearby flora, with pops of red from cactus flowers.

“The color palette works well there; it plays around with vibrant jolts,” Turin says. “It’s the same as the artisanal work, with hot shots of color.”

It’s a motif and a melody that extend even to the open-air deck that overlooks the cove, where sea and sky merge into shades of blue. “It’s a stone’s throw from the water, but way above it,” Turin says.

Inside, it may be portable, but outside this penthouse is at one with nature.

kallosturin.com

As someone who has traveled the world visiting coastal resorts and residences, I am often asked how I define luxury. To me, luxury is time spent in a setting that fosters a sense of connection and tranquility. It embodies a meticulously crafted experience where every detail is thoughtfully considered and executed.

Recently, I spent a few days immersed in luxury at Mayakoba, a resort enclave located just north of the seaside village of Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Imagine a sprawling 600-acre paradise where lagoons, lush jungles, and pristine beaches combine in a symphony of natural beauty. At the heart of this exclusive, gated oasis are its four award-winning hotels: Andaz, Banyan Tree, Fairmont, and Rosewood, each offering a distinct combination of carefully curated experiences and amenities.

But Mayakoba is more than just a temporary vacation retreat. It invites you to make it your home with its array of branded private residences, including the elegant Rosewood Residences Mayakoba, the serene Fairmont Residences Mayakoba, and the exclusive Fairmont Heritage Place Mayakoba.

Fairmont Residences: A Rare Real Estate Opportunity

Fairmont Residences Mayakoba represents a pinnacle of design in this exclusive community—and the last opportunity to own a piece of this paradise. With three newly constructed buildings, the final phase of homes offers a range of private residences and signature penthouses.

The thoughtful design and architecture of the homes at Fairmont Residences Mayakoba honor the natural environment surrounding them, with ample outdoor space and private plunge pools that perfect the indoor-outdoor lifestyle. The new interior design package, courtesy of Room 1804, infuses contemporary aesthetics into these homes. Each home features upgraded, fresh designs, with three- to four-bedroom homes ranging from 2,559 interior and 1,292 exterior square feet. Only two three-bedroom full-ownership residences remain, starting at US $2.19 million.

“When you purchase a home at Mayakoba, whether full or co-ownership, you buy a piece of an extraordinary resort destination. Buyers fall in love with Mayakoba the minute they step foot onto the property and are drawn to the exclusive luxury lifestyle the destination provides, from the homes’ impressive design and architecture to the world-class amenities, making it the perfect place for a vacation home,” says Tomas Capella, sales manager at Mayakoba.

Living the Mayakoba Dream: More Than a Home

Over the last three years, Mayakoba has been transformed through a significant $120 million refurbishment, enhancing the resort’s offerings and amenities. This upgrade by owners RLH Properties is a major event in the development’s history.

“Mayakoba is a destination where you can always find something new and exciting. We recently unveiled a fresh and contemporary redesign of the interiors at Fairmont Residences Mayakoba,” says Kappner Clark, chief marketing officer of RLH Properties. “The renovations and upgrades we make throughout the property allow Mayakoba to stand out among other resort destinations, continuously providing an experience like no other. In addition to the physical improvements to our properties,” Clark says, “we also always strive to innovate our programming offerings in order to explore new ways to engage guests and residents of all ages, such as the recent concert series with A-list Latin artists like Ricky Martin and Luis Miguel.”

Mayakoba offers an array of amenities like world-class restaurants, a LIV golf course, high-design spas, and multiple pools. And while I thoroughly enjoy the indulgences of spas, beach clubs, and lounging on daybeds, my Mayakoba favorites are centered around the natural beauty of the property’s many outdoor amenities.

I love the simple joy of grabbing one of the many beach cruisers available and pedaling around the resort, kayaking through the lagoons nestled in the mangroves, or whizzing around the shores on a sea scooter. The experience is almost dreamlike—one moment you’re enveloped in the lushness of the jungle, and the next, you’re feeling the sand between your toes.

Owning a residence in Mayakoba is not just about the property; it’s also about embracing a lifestyle. Wake up to birdsong, wander on sandy beaches, and immerse yourself in a community that values luxury and nature.

A Final Chance at Paradise

The last few residences at Fairmont Mayakoba represent more than just real estate; they are the final gems in this crown of luxury. For those seeking an exclusive, nature-intertwined sanctuary, Mayakoba awaits.

mayakoba.com, rlhproperties.com

During his travels in Mexico, Los Angeles architect Steve Straughan couldn’t help but fall in love with the sleepy little surfing village of Troncones, which is some 20 miles north of the resort city of Zihuatanejo. He doesn’t have a surfboard, mind you, but he figured “this little piece of heaven,” which has a population that barely tops 500, would be a good place to entertain family and friends who do like to ride the waves.

His beachside vacation condo, one of 35 in the Pacific Coast development Punta Majahua, was still under construction when he acquired it, which allowed him to customize the interior to suit his lifestyle and his sizable collection of contemporary Mexican artworks. “I wanted to make it mine,” he says. “I wanted the interiors to look different from those of the other units.”

The half-dozen low-rise buildings in the development, which includes a communal swimming/lap pool and a paddleboard court, attracted his attention because they are chic beach creatures—undulating, organic sculptures whose gentle curves mimic the waves of the water they front.

With the help of Los Angeles interior designer Jen Dallas, Straughan created a more contemporary space by reconfiguring the condo’s layout, enlarging the kitchen and opening up the rooms to create a central living and dining area that melds into the outdoor living room, which is appointed with a plunge pool and a shower. “The three spaces feel good as one space, but each is comfortable and unique,” Straughan says. “The art and furniture connect them, and a large sliding-door system brings the outdoors in. In Mexico, the weather’s beautiful, so I want to spend as much time outside as possible.”

To merge the indoor and outdoor spaces, Dallas says, “we played off the Mexican seaside, which is grey and rustic, and brought in the idea of grasses, pebbles, rocks, bamboo, blue skies, and sunsets through textures and colors.”

They began with the interior finishes, selecting troweled-smooth white plaster for the main walls and grey plaster in the two bedrooms to create a rich yet neutral background for Straughan’s art, much of which is displayed on the curved wall of the entry hall. The floors, Mexican limestone, “have the look and gritty feel of Troncones beach sand,” Straughan says. Instead of built-in furniture, which the other units have, Straughan and Dallas created custom designs that were executed by Mexican artisans. “There’s not a lot of furniture, but each piece is significant and adds value to what we were creating,” Dallas says.

The interior design scheme was inspired by a whimsical floor lamp whose base is the three-pronged branch of an olive tree and whose top is crowned by a skirt of raffia. The bamboo pendant that hangs over the dining table, which Straughan says is “magical” when illuminated, complements the lamp. Their forms echo those of the vine-entwined metal and bamboo trellises at the community’s swimming pool and are a nod to the bamboo overhang of the condo’s outdoor room.

The round dining table, which like many of the furnishings is made of local parota wood, is a foil for the ceiling fan in the adjoining guest bedroom, which is separated from the main spaces by elegantly casual sliding shutter-like slatted doors made of parota wood. Its chairs are upholstered in an orange-hued performance fabric that adds a casual air to their formality. “They are made,” Straughan says, “for sitting in your bathing suit.”

In the primary bedroom suite, a vintage French-style chair and a colorful portrait, taken from Straughan’s Los Angeles house, set the stage for the voluminous linen-cotton draperies, in a terra-cotta color, that partition the bed from the bath. The primary shower picks up on the home’s artistic theme: It features a black-and-white abstract mural, envisioned by Straughan and painted by a local artist.

The kitchen, which is where Straughan’s friends and family hang out when he cooks, is defined by the central island, which, like the counters, is topped by white Caesarstone, a treatment that Straughan says was selected to create a “light, bright, airy, and fresh look.”

Dallas and Straughan had so much fun working together that they were almost sorry when the project was completed. They are kicking around the idea of doing another project together soon. “I have enough art for three homes, but I only own two,” Straughan says. “I’ll just have to find a second home in Mexico.”

“Let’s do it,” Dallas replies.

Address: Los Cabos, Mexico
Price: $45,000,000
Area: 26,204 square feet
Acres: 0.59
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 8 full, 3 partial
Sales contact: Michael Radovan, managing director Costa Palmas and Four Seasons Residences Los Cabos, mradovan@costapalmas.com

The highest-priced property ever to come on the market on the East Cape of Baja California, this sprawling waterfront villa is a study in luxury and harmonious design. Part of the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costas Palmas, the villa sits at the juncture of untouched wild shoreline and rugged desert, creating a dramatic, fluid energy that is channeled in the home design by the internationally celebrated Bryan O’Sullivan Studio.

Indoor and outdoor spaces connect and intertwine, creating a home that seamlessly integrates natural beauty and manmade comfort. Spacious lounging areas – complete with built-in firepit – surround the expansive pool and offer sweeping views of sand, rugged mountains and the crystal-blue water of the Sea of Cortez. Inside, enjoy a high-ceilinged living area, media room, and welcoming main kitchen and adjacent prep kitchen. Together, the spaces create a home perfect for entertaining.

The home was also designed with wellness in mind, including a sauna, gym, and a dedicated massage room. The Costas Palmas property includes an 18-hole golf course meticulously carved into the landscape, offering a gorgeous playing experience for players of all levels.

Punta Mita, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Punta Mita, located on Riviera Nayarit’s private peninsula, is a luxurious 1,500-acre resort with 9.5 miles of beaches. It boasts 23 residential communities, five beach clubs, and three top hotels: The St. Regis, Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, and Four Seasons Resort Naviva. Just 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, it offers two Jack Nicklaus golf courses, world-class dining, and water activities like kayaking and whale watching.

In 2026, two new resorts, Montage Punta Mita and Pendry Punta Mita, will open. Montage, on 63 acres, will have 140 guest rooms, a spa, fitness center, and 91 private residences. Pendry will feature 115 guestrooms on 30 acres, multiple dining options, and 30 private residences.

puntamita.com

Forté Luxe, Jupiter, Florida

Situated on a peninsula opposite Jupiter Island, Forté Luxe is a waterfront community with 15 multilevel residences boasting Intracoastal and some Atlantic Ocean views. Designed by Alfonso Jurado with interiors by The Decorators Unlimited, homes range from 3,550 to over 5,000 square feet.

Features include modern architecture, private elevators, floor-to-ceiling windows, and designer kitchens. The pet-friendly enclave offers 13 private boat docks for 60-foot vessels and a resort-style pool. Completion is set for March 2025, with prices from $4.35 million to over $8 million.

forte-luxe.com

ORA by Casa Tua, Miami, Florida 

ORA by Casa Tua is a 77-story development with 533 fully furnished residences in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood developed by Fortune International Group in partnership with Casa Tua. The development will offer workspace amenities and resort-style offerings, including a pool on the 9th floor and a second pool on the roof with a sun shelf, loungers, cabanas, and jacuzzi. Other amenities will include an entertainment lounge, a two-floor fitness and wellness center, and a three-story open sky garden. Prices start at $875,000, and residences will range from 500-square-foot studios to 2,400-squarefoot four-bedroom units.

orabycasatua.com

One&Only Mandarina Private Homes, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

RLH Properties, the developer of Mandarina, a 636-acre residential and resort community located in Mexico’s Pacific Coast in Riviera Nayarit, has launched sales for Phase 2 of One&Only Mandarina Private Homes. Starting at $5.27 million, the three- to six-bedroom homes are designed to seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living. Residents at One&Only Mandarina Private Homes enjoy an array of amenities, including the Mandarina Polo & Equestrian Club, exceptional dining, beach clubs, water activities, and a spa.

discovermandarina.com

Gale Miami Hotel & Residences, Miami, Florida 

Gale Miami Hotel & Residences, developed by Keith Menin and Marisa Galbut, offers a blend of hospitality and residential living in Downtown Miami. Slated for completion in spring 2024, it features studios to two-bedroom units, ranging from 410 to 910 square feet.

Shared amenities with Natiivo Miami include a resort pool, cabanas, kids’ playroom, and vast event spaces. A dedicated business floor offers advanced tech conference rooms, ballrooms, and private meeting areas. Wellness amenities include a fitness center, yoga lounge, steam room, sauna, hammam spa, and juice bar. The development has smart building features, 24-hour lobby, and valet parking. Units are priced from mid $400,000s to over $1 million.

galemiami.com

Mexico’s esteemed Velas Resorts proudly announces the opening of its newest luxury destination, the Grand Velas Boutique Hotel Los Cabos. This all-inclusive resort, built with an investment of $50 million, joins the prestigious lineage of Velas Resorts, renowned for their exceptional service and facilities. The boutique hotel is the third Velas property in Los Cabos, joining the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star-rated Grand Velas Los Cabos and the adults-only Mar del Cabo by Velas Resorts.

An exclusive adults-only haven

Grand Velas Boutique is designed as a sanctuary of style and comfort. The resort offers 79 opulent suites, each over 900 square feet, featuring a living area, walk-in shower, and a choice of two queen or one king size bed. The suites boast either garden or ocean views, and each comes with a large private terrace, complete with outdoor seating, a Jacuzzi or plunge pool, and a firepit. The contemporary Mexican design is enhanced with a neutral color palette, textural elements, Mexican art, and metal accents.

Culinary delights and signature dining experiences

Grand Velas Boutique elevates the all-inclusive dining experience with its two-star Michelin consulting chef. Guests can indulge in a variety of gourmet dining options, including Loto, which offers a blend of Japanese cuisine and robata grill techniques, and Del Mar restaurant, featuring a fusion of flavors and a seaside setting. Roca Bar and 51 Bar provide unique environments for enjoying craft cocktails and Mexican spirits, while Agave tasting room celebrates Mexico’s authentic distillates.

Wellness and relaxation at SE Spa

Slated to open in February 2024, SE Spa at Grand Velas Boutique is a sanctuary of wellness. The spa will feature ocean-view treatment rooms, including couple’s treatment areas. Signature therapies include the “Sounds of the Ocean” massage and “Ice and Fire Therapy.” The spa journey is enhanced with a series of restorative environments, including a sauna, steam room, ice room, jacuzzi, and a magnesium pool.

Ideal for meetings and special events

The resort offers versatile venues for meetings and events, including the 2,745 sq ft Tamayo Ballroom and the panoramic Terraza del Sol. Equipped with cutting-edge technology and support services, these spaces cater to both corporate and social gatherings.

Architectural elegance and artistic flair

Designed by Ricardo Elias of Elias and Elias Architects, the resort’s architecture reflects a contemporary Mexican style, harmoniously integrated with the natural landscape. The interior spaces, designed by Ernesto Vela and Melin Castro, feature natural materials and a calming palette, complemented by striking art pieces, including works by Adrián Guerrero.

An inclusive experience

Starting at US$600 per person per night in double occupancy, the rate includes gourmet meals, premium beverages, 24-hour in-suite service, entertainment, taxes, and gratuities.

loscabosboutique.grandvelas.com

The latest in oceanfront real estate and resorts

Cove Club at Cabo Del Sol recently unveiled its newest collection of residences, the Reef Beachfront Villas. Each of the eight villas includes an infinity pool, a spacious outdoor living area, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The five- and six-bedroom villas start around 4,800 to more than 6,000 square feet of interior space and range in price from $12 to over $19 million.  Cove Club at Cabo Del Sol will ultimately have 375 homesites and residences. It is home to the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol (opening late 2023) and features Jack Nicklaus’s famed Cove Club Course. coveclubcabodelsol.com

Jack’s Bay, Eleuthera, the Bahamas

Jack’s Bay, an exclusive club and residential community in the Bahamas that already is home to a 10-hole short course by Tiger Woods, broke ground in April on a first-of-its-kind offering: a Nicklaus Heritage® course design. It will be the first property in the world to have a Nicklaus Heritage and Tiger Woods golf course. Real estate offerings at Jack’s Bay are available through its Founder’s Program and include a total of 24 beachfront and ocean view homesites ranging in price from $1 to nearly $3 million. Other amenities planned for Jack’s Bay include a beach club, spa village, fitness and wellness program, and sports pavilion complex. jacksbayclub.com

Casa Chablé, Tulum, Mexico 

Casa Chablé is the first eco-resort in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With remoteness central to its charm, Casa Chablé is an intimate retreat with just five standalone beachfront bungalows and a main villa housing five guest rooms, each with its own private terrace or balcony. The property also includes a lobby bar, thatched-roof gourmet restaurant, swimming pool off the main house, oceanfront wellness cabana, gym, rooftop lounge and bar with a plunge pool, and private beach dotted with canopy daybeds and hammocks. chablehotels.com

El Mangroove, Autograph Collection Residences, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Set for completion in December 2023, El Mangroove, Autograph Collection® Residences, include 13 eco-conscious homes adjacent to the El Mangroove resort. Costa Rican architects Garnier Arquitectos and Ronald Zürcher designed the three- and four-bedroom, single-family, villa-style residence features to reflect a contemporary aesthetic inspired by the surrounding flora, fauna, and ocean views. The 4,106- square-foot four-bedroom, two-story villas offer a pool, terrace, upper deck, and BBQ area. Turnkey four-bedroom residences start at $1.95 million. elmangrooveresidences.com

Waterfront Villas, Dominica, the Caribbean 

The Residences at Secret Bay has unveiled a limited collection of sustainable residences, the Waterfront Villas. Located within Secret Bay—Dominica’s all-villa rainforest resort—the 10 new jungle-meets-the-sea villas are expected to be completed in 2025. Comprising 1,378 square feet of indoor-outdoor living space, the Waterfront Villas feature an open-air covered gourmet kitchen, private plunge pool with covered outdoor living spaces, and outdoor rain shower. The villas are available for purchase starting at US $1.39 million or fractional ownership with the option to include Citizenship by Investment (CBI) starting at $212,000. secretbay.dm/residences

Photographs courtesy of the resorts and residences, by Joshua Cripps (Jack’s Bay, Eleuthera, the Bahamas), by Edgardo Contreras (Casa Chablé, Tulum, Mexico)