Verana

Intimate boho-chic jungle retreat ensconced high on a hillside overlooking Mexico's beautiful Bay of Banderas

After a 50-minute taxi ride from Puerto Vallarta, a 30-minute sail on a panga (with nothing to hold onto!) and an energetic hike up a steep hill, your arrival at Verana may not be the most glamorous. But it's worth every ounce of effort. An enchanting collection of 8 hand-made houses awaits, embedded in the lush, terraced jungle landscape, and accompanied by stunning views of the Bay of Banderas and the small town of Yelapa below.

Created by Heinz Legler, a former film production designer, and his French wife Veronique Lievre, Verana started life as a truly offbeat boutique hotel. As Puerto Vallarta hit the map, it evolved into the type of place which attracts a faithful following of like-minded people: those with a love of beauty, intimacy and nature. You can book bird walks, whale watching and paradise picnics on a deserted beach - or just swing on a hillside hammock. But don't think you have to do without your creature comforts. With an open-air spa, a springwater pool, a candlelit restaurant and a yoga hut, this is a far cry from camping in the jungle.

Highs

• Location, location, location: it's totally secluded and surrounded by greenery, with a carpet of blue sea below
• The open-air construction means you can lap up the views from your bed, deck or lounger (as well as keeping it breezy)
• Staff are handpicked from the surrounding areas, and are welcoming to a fault
• You can enjoy a blissful massage in the open-air spa while the hummingbirds and butterflies fly above you
• It's a fantastic place for honeymooners and weddings (the houses are well screened by flowers and bushes!); the couples' starlit aromatherapy bath is sublime

Lows

• The steep hillsides and rough hike from the dock would be a problem for the less agile
• There are scorpions: I didn't see any, but was warned to keep my shoes on at all times and not to leave clothes lying around
• Getting to Verana from Puerto Vallarta can be problematic if your flight is delayed: land after 3pm and you won't make the boat crossing before dusk
• With few walls to shield you from the sunrise, chances are you'll awaken early (but you'll find fresh coffee and warm-baked biscuits waiting for you on your private patio)
• You're a captive audience for dinner, but the food is excellent (drinks are pricey, though)