"Word may now be out about this tiny isle off the Yucatán Peninsula, but that has not compromised Holbox’s subtle charms. Along its northern edge, a string of taco shacks and palapa-style hotels with thatched roofs and adobe walls stretches across the uninterrupted sands. One block inland, this phenomenally well-designed hideaway stands out from the rest. Guadalajara-based Estudio Macías Peredo kept the thatch but placed it on top of 12 slick villas of red bark and limestone stucco, inspired by a Mayan building technique known as chukum, arranged in the shape of a triangle. The knockout element is what fills the open space between them. Instead of a traditional courtyard or terrace, Peredo created a swimming pool where the water, the same milky green as the Caribbean, laps right up against the villas’ cedarwood doors. Yet for all its style, Punta Caliza retains the island’s relaxed, flip-flops-at-dinner ease. The friendly owner, Cuauhtémoc Muñoz, is quick to share an icy Corona and a chat with guests after mornings spent on the hotel’s private beach. Breakfasts of fresh orange juice, chilaquiles, and tropical fruit are set up poolside, and insanely fresh octopus ceviche is served in coconut husks. FLASH POINT Head to the bar inside the adjacent tower at sunset for incredible views over the colorful sea. +52 99-8800-0119; puntacaliza.com. Doubles from about $210." - CNT Editors