I’ve been spending time in the Puerto Vallarta region of Mexico this past week, checking out some new luxury hotels (more on that later) and checking in on some old favorites—like the stellar Four Seasons Punta Mita.

This iconic Four Seasons functioned as a world on its own at the end of the Punta de Mita peninsula before the St. Regis opened up nearby last year. It’s still clearly the best hotel in the Puerto Vallarta region, however, and though the St. Regis has a great beach and access to the same two stunning golf courses, it can’t quite match the service level and the dramatic location you see in that photo at the top.

Once you get past the prices, it’s hard to find fault with any aspect of this operation: great facilities for kids (including a lazy river pool), a revered spa and adults-only pool to escape the kids, consistently excellent food in three restaurants, and plenty of organized and free activities each day. One family we met there had been staying for two weeks—and they were nowhere close to getting bored of the place yet. Management is continually tweaking, adding, and improving the facilities.

I’ll be updating our Four Seasons Punta Mita review soon to reflect additions and changes, but meanwhile here’s another photo to enjoy, putting you on the beach:

One thing magazine editors love to do is highlight some concept that’s been around for years and act like it’s a new trend they just discovered. Thus this May article in National Geographic Traveler about wine lodges in Mendoza, Argentina: Bodegas Open Their Doors.

After years of studying Spanish, I have found this word “bodega” to mean a lot of different things. When I lived in New York City, it meant a little corner food store run by Cubans or Puerto Ricans. In Colombia it’s a pantry. In other countries it’s a bar. The original meaning has something to do with storing barrels in a cellar though, so in Argentina this has led to the word being applied to most any winery. (Not a “guesthouse” as that article says.)

So this article is about places around Mendoza’s wine region where you can stay at the winery itself, or at least among the vines growing outside. Readers of Luxury Latin America know this is nothing new as we’ve featured detailed reviews of the two best wine lodges for years: Cavas Wine Lodge and Club Tapiz (the latter pictured here). Both can give you the opportunity to be smack up against the grape vines and you can set up tasting tours, pruning workshops, winery tours, or grape picking depending on the time of year.

We also have details on another one with only two rooms in this Boutique Hotels of Argentina story.

Whichever place you choose, you will have great views of the Andes range, you’ll eat well, and you’ll drink well. In the ones we highlight, you’ll get plenty of pampering as well and at Cavas Wine Lodge you can get all kinds of vinotherapy treatments—if soaking in wine and getting scrubbed with grape seeds is your kind of thing…

Sir James Goldsmith still looms large in the Costalegre region of Mexico, between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. His legacy touches all the high-end resorts in the area and some are connected to his different offspring, including Las Alamandas and Hacienda San Antonio in Colima.

Cuixmala was a great Goldsmith mansion in a nature reserve that was once only available as a private rental. Now it is an intimate retreat open to individual guests—but still requires some deep pockets for the air of exclusivity.

Cuixmala’s magic lies in its pristine natural setting. On an early morning lagoon tour in an electric boat you can spot Roseate spoonbills, blue herons and dozens of other birds and butterflies. Coatimundi, wild boars and endangered jaguars are said to roam the land far from Goldsmith’s luxurious tile-domed palace. The beach is somewhat secondary, given the attractions on land. Caleta Blanca, Cuixmala’s secluded beach club with palm-shaded hammocks, cushioned lounges, and clear, calm water is a 15-minute drive north, and there’s a smaller beach on the property. But the most enjoyable activity (other than hours of blissful relaxation) is a horseback ride or Jeep tour through the property.

Lodging choices range from casitas with a view to the main house with private pool and butlers, at the tune of 10 grand a night. Naturally, you can fly in with your own plane and land on a private airstrip.

See our full detailed review of Cuixmala in Mexico.

Where are the world’s most expensive hotel suites? On this luxury travel blog I’m usually discussing the scene in Latin America, but since that whole region is a great value, the prices there don’t make the cut.

The Wall Street Journal recently did a big feature story on the Ty Warner Penthouse at the Four Seasons New York City. If you want to book this lavish suite with panoramic Manhattan views, you’d better be loaded. It’ll cost you $35,000 a night. Don’t even think about asking for a discount and forget any party plans: because of all the expensive furnishings, no more than 10 people are allowed in at one time. Read the whole article to see all the expensive features that go into this price. But for a start, there’s a $120,000 chandelier, Thai silk with gold threads on the canopy bed, and an energy-hogging 850 light bulbs.

This is the most expensive suite in the Americas outside Las Vegas. Some there go for an even higher rate, but are frequently given away free to high-rolling whales with an account of half a million or more. Here are some of the other expensive suites from around the world listed in the article:

Hugh Hefner Sky Villa/Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas – Price per night: $40,000

Bridge Suite/Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas – Price per night: $25,000

Royal Auite/Burj Al Arab in Dubai – Price per night: $19,000

The Ritz-Carlton Suite/Ritz-Carlton, Moscow – Price per night: $13,900

How does Latin America compare? Well the only suite I can find in our reviews that tops $10,000 per  night is really a house: the four-bedroom Villa Cortez at the One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico. It has a top rack rate of $12,000, but that includes a private staff of 12 (with two chefs), the huge private infinity pool pictured below, a big cinema room, a full office, and a prime spot on the beach.

The best suite at the Four Seasons Costa Rica goes for close to $10,000 in high season, but is also a villa with multiple bedrooms.

The top suite is under 5 grand at Capella Pedregal in Los Cabos, Mandarin Oriental Riviera Maya, Ritz-Carlton Santiago, and the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.

For more information on luxury travel and hotels outside of Latin America, see JustLuxe.com

We’ve had our eye on Pelican Eyes in Nicaragua for a while, but felt like some improvements needed to come into play to make this a true upscale travel lodging option. Also known as Piedras y Olas (Rocks and Waves), this is a San Juan del Sur institution that started out modestly and grew along with the destination.

With an expanding number of villas in the mix as nightly room choices, Pelican Eyes now offers reason enough to stay in San Juan del Sur rather than venturing on to Morgan’s Rock. There are still some obvious rough spots, especially when it comes to service and shuttles, but there are enough other positives to make up for it.

All of the two-floor, two-bedroom casas (houses) and smaller casitas (townhouses) are constructed with the same smooth, whitewashed style as the original hotel. They are airy and expansive, luxuriously outfitted with hand-carved furnishings, locally sewn linens, salto ceramic tiles, skylights, and delightful bedrooms overarched with adobe brick ceilings reminiscent of a Spanish wine cellar. All the units open onto marvelous private patios and porches; the casas have two.

Full gourmet kitchens, with hand-painted tiles, professional cookware, and an assortment of appliances (mixers, blenders, and more) are complimented with tasteful dining areas. Enormous, modern marble and glazed-cement bathrooms have rainforest showerheads and thoughtful amenities.

With two restaurants with a view, pools, and a great panorama of the bay throughout, this is the best place in town to kick back and take it all in.

See our detailed review of Pelican Eyes in San Juan del Sur.

See more luxury hotels in Nicaragua.