Villas Caletas

South of Punta Leona the road climbs steeply before dropping down to Playa Herradura. At the crest of the rise is the entrance to Villa Caletas, a fabulous resort hotel atop a 500-meter headland. You owe it to yourself to pay a visit to sip a cocktail, have lunch or dinner, and admire the staggering views. Centerpiece of this splendid oasis is the sensational horizon pool and wooden deck suspended miraculously as if in midair. A whimsical waterfall and patinated griffins and statues add fairy-tale notes, and an orchid garden is another treat. Two restaurants offer ambitious food. A boutique sells top-quality ceramics and gold jewelry. Aromatherapy, massage, and other treatments are offered in the hilltop Serenity Spa, and there’s a glass-walled a/c gym. The coup de grâce is a cliff-face Greek amphitheater–a setting for jazz and classical concerts. The 160-hectare property swoops down through deep green forest to Playa Caletas, with a beach bar. It’s a stiff hike, or you can take the six-times-daily beach shuttle.