Xinalani

Xinalani, whose name means 'seeds' in Nahuatl, sits on a steep jungle hillside above Banderas Bay near the fishing village of Quimixto, some 12 miles down the coast from Puerto Vallarta. There is no road. Guests arrive by boat and step onto a private beach 250 yards wide. Conceived as an eco-resort for personal change, it was built with organic local materials and efficient alternatives to air conditioning, and it shares its grounds with iguanas, parrots and macaws, while humpback whales and dolphins pass offshore. The 33 rooms and casitas sit mostly high on the hill under palm-thatched roofs, each with an ocean view; 16 are open-air, with three walls and a curtain onto the jungle. Six yoga spaces, among them a Sand Terrace and a treehouse-like Jungle Studio, anchor a calendar of week-long retreats led by visiting teachers. A temazcal sweat lodge is built into the cliffs by the beach, the spa faces the ocean, and the beachfront restaurant cooks healthy Mexican dishes from local produce and fresh fish, with no red meat or pork. There are 176 steps from the beach to the highest studio, and children are welcome from 12. The resort holds three MICHELIN Keys.