How do you feel about the color white?

If you’ve spent wonderful vacations on a Greek island or the coast of Turkey, you probably have fond memories of a whitewashed hotel with arches, the blue sea beyond. That’s the look and feel of SUU Hotel Manuel Antonio, a hotel designed to bring a bit of the Turkish owner’s homeland to the tropics of Costa Rica.

It’s a bit strange in this context, especially when you first arrive, but apart from continuing to feel sorry for the maids who have to keep the place spotless, I got used to it and started to like it. I’m sure photographers are going to go ga-ga over the place, so watch for it in future “Hot List” issues and magazine fashion spreads.

Read the full review to see more photos and get a feel for this small luxury hotel, then see if this nice addition to the Manuel Antonio hotel scene is right for you. It’s near Arenas del Mar, on a peninsula removed from the main beach and national park, but it’s a great setting with a view. Add in an excellent restaurant and a nice big pool for lounging and this is a great place to hang and feel fashionable. If you need some help in that respect, don’t worry, the butler will take care of you.

See our full review of SUU Hotel Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica.

It’s been a while since a notable new luxury hotel opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but now we have one to talk about: Algodon Mansion.

Apparently the Recoleta neighborhood is still the place to be if you want to attract guests with money as this one is set up there as well. This converted 1912 mansion is more of a boutique hotel than its competitors though, with only 10 rooms. Our reviewer, Nicholas Gill, says these are 10 rooms worth getting excited about though, especially at the high end:

The top level Royal Suites rival any other top suite in Buenos Aires and will certainly see their share of rock stars and celebs. They add private chef service, a baby grand piano, a fireplace, a wine-themed wet bar, adjoining den, and roll-down projection screens.

Although this building doesn’t have a big footprint, the architects managed to squeeze in plenty of facilities. There’s a restaurant, bar, spa, and rooftop pool. With butler service for all guests and a high level of service in the bar and restaurant, this new hotel already ranks highly compared to the competition. See our full detailed review of Algodon Mansion.

More info on luxury travel in Argentina.

Less than an hour from the Puerto Vallarta airport is a new and unbelievable luxury resort that is sure to become a preferred new hideout for celebrities trying to escape the gossip rags – Imanta.

The more years I work as a travel writer and editor, the harder it is for me to be truly surprised by a hotel or resort. Imanta left me with my mouth agape though, mostly because it seems impossible that the place is even there. Is it really a viable business to have a seven-unit resort with rates that start at $1,000 per night, on 250 tough-to-develop jungle acres, launched during a recession?

I hope that what seems like a madman’s dream to me really catches on with the travelers who are willing and able to pay to experience this fantastic and unbelievable hideaway. Especially since the owners did it right: they made a minimal impact on the surroundings and recycled nearly all the wood and stone unearthed during the process. Imanta really looks like it belongs and it’s clear the development is bowing to nature, not making nature bow to concrete.

See more photos and our full review of Imanta Resort in Mexico.

We like to circle back through hotels we’ve reviews in Luxury Latin America every couple of years to make sure they’re still pleasing picky guests and keeping things looking great. Sometimes we’re disappointed, but in some cases I know that I don’t have to worry—as with Villa Ganz in Guadalajara.

Despite having only 10 rooms, this fine inn frequently comes out on top in guidebooks and magazine articles as “the best hotel in Guadalajara” and you won’t get any argument from me on that point. In a city dominated by boxy chain hotels with little charm and historic buildings that have only half-heartedly been restored, Villa Ganz is a standout for its close attention to detail on the aesthetics and its excellent personal service.

It all depends on how you define luxury, of course, but to me—and I hope many of our readers—it goes well beyond chain hotel loyalty point upgrades and who has the biggest presidential suite. When you’re treated like a VIP no matter which room you are in and no matter how many nights you’ve racked up on someone’s computer readout, that’s a mark of a hotel that really gets it.

Villa Ganz gets it, and you’ll feel that as soon as you walk in the door. Book here with confidence when you’ll be in Guadalajara, next week or three more years from now.

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.