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"Tropical Getaways\nWith winter in full swing, AD visits exotic resorts around the globe\nAn undulating shell-shaped restaurant, which appears to float on the water, is one of the crowning glories of La Concha Resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Built in 1958, the hotel was recently updated by architect Jos\u00E9 R. Marchand and interior designer Jorge Rossell\u00F3 into a hipper and more contemporary version of its past self. (August 2009)\nThe 128-suite Rosewood Mayakob\u00E1 is built over a stretch of coastal lagoons between Canc\u00FAn and Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Architect Gonzalo Mart\u00EDnez-Pita Copello gave the resort a streamlined, modernist look, including the main reception and pool area, shown. (November 2010)\nThe villagelike St. Regis Bora Bora Resort is set on an islet overlooking the breathtaking South Pacific. Architect Pierre Lacombe's ultimate goal was \"to convey to the visitor a sense of the actual culture and life of Polynesia.\" Pictured: The sleek Lagoon restaurant, opened by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, features views of Mount Otemanu. (April 2008)\n\"We created a calm and holistic environment,\" designer Chandu Chhada says of Shanti Maurice, a beachfront hotel and spa on the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. Bill Bensley's romantic landscape includes a lakelike swimming pool. (December 2008)\nThe Ritz-Carlton's first Reserve property, an extension of the brand devoted to intimately scaled resorts, is Phulay Bay in Krabi, on the southwest coast of Thailand. Designed by Bangkok-based architect Lek Bunnag, each of the 54 villas has an outdoor bath and a private pool on the veranda, along with incredible views. Pictured: A private dining pavilion overlooks the bay and a cluster of coral-fringed islands on the horizon. (December 2010)\nMauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, a 3,200-acre resort on Hawaii's Big Island, has two championship golf courses, world-class spa facilities, and boasts a rich landscape of tropical flora. \"Each bungalow has a unique decorating scheme,\" says designer Jan Yamamoto. \"The interiors are a balance of contemporary comfort and casual elegance with a Hawaiian sense of place.\" (March 2004)\nThe 12-suite Melenos-Lindos hotel on the Greek island of Rhodes is an elegant complex of terraced buildings and tented patios. \"I wanted a place that reflected the traditions of Lindos while offering all the modern comforts,\" says owner Michalis Melenos. Guests can spend their days swimming at the beach, exploring ruins, or sunning on private terraces. In the evening, the hotel's upper terrace is a prime spot for experiencing the sunset, which is, according to the owner, \"the most magical time\" there. (November 2006)\nEsperanza, an Auberge resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is \"reminiscent of a Mexican seaside estate, while embracing the natural surroundings,\" says architect and designer Jim Rimelspach, who renovated the hotel. \"We wanted to create something comfortable but not intimidating\u2014like a home.\" Well, a home with its own yoga studio, infinity pool, highly personalized spa facilities, and the Sea of Cort\u00E9s out back. (March 2009)\nMontpelier Plantation once grew acres of sugar cane, but it's now a singular retreat on the jewel-like island of Nevis in the West Indies. With just 19 rooms, one feels more like a cherished guest in a quiet country house than a visitor at a heavily trafficked hotel. The centuries-old sugar mill, now a romantic gourmet restaurant, is the backdrop for the 1,800-square-foot mosaic-tiled pool. (October 2004)\nThe Maia Luxury Resort &amp;amp; Spa is an environmentally conscious resort on the island of Mah\u00E9 in the Indian Ocean nation of Seychelles. Every aspect of its design was dictated by its lush and tropical surroundings. \"We didn't want to have anything Western in any way, so we used local materials,\" says landscape architect Bill Bensley, who designed the resort with Bangkok-based architect Lek Bunnag and RSL Architects. (November 2007)"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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