Playa Viva

This isn’t your typical Mexican beach resort. For one thing, it’s tiny: just five rooms (30 more are planned) in thatched casitas designed to maximize sea breezes from the 1.2-km beach. The ethos of this all-inclusive green hotel won’t allow AC to spoil the Pacific mood (beds are draped in mosquito netting). Homey touches like health-conscious meals served family-style are mixed with amenities including yoga, spa massages, Wi-Fi, Jacuzzi, and pool. Committed to sustainability, the resort is 100 percent solar, recycles gray water for landscaping, and has restored its 200 acres to promote local biodiversity.