Anyplace that bills itself as a “handmade boutique hotel” gets our attention, so we hop on a small boat in the village of  Boca de Tomatlan, 15 miles south of Puerta Vallarta, for the 30 minute ride to Yelapa where our luggage  gets strapped onto mules and we hike up a trail to the hillside retreat that is Verana .

It is an oasis with an infiity edge pool and nine private architecturally unique casitas carved into and around the trees and desert on a hillside overlooking Banderas Bay. It really does have a handmade feel–handmade by experts at melding luxury and style with nature and privacy.

Our room, Palapa, was just that: an enormous open-air, two-level two bedroom spread with no walls at all, just a huge palapa (thatched palm) roof.

The pool was designed to blend perfectly with Bandereas Bay, below.

Lounging by the pool (those are Eric's feet not Karen's, btw).

Yummy ceviche served at lunch.

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