We had the beach to ourselves. No one else on the sugar sand and no one in the ocean. The Pacific was as crystal blue as lapis lazuli, and the waves beckoned us to ‘come play’ – which we did, just the two of us, our friend and ourselves. And as we laughed and romped in the water, we sensed that this beach, Playa Las Rosadas, was quite possibly the most beautiful one we’d ever enjoyed. It was a thought we didn’t wish to voice, fearing we might break the spell… But then our friend said something similar and both of us agreed: this stretch of sand right here, at Las Rosadas, was the ‘best beach ever’.
This is not something we say lightly, given summers spent on Cape Cod and our time at university in the South of France. We even once had a beach house in South Beach, but still, there was something truly magical about Playa Las Rosadas. After all, this was the beach where the American owners of the hotel had lived in a bungalow when they first fell in love with Costalegre. That bungalow is still there, albeit renovated into a barefoot luxury abode known as Casita Las Palmas. It’s the sort of place you dream about when you yearn for a tropical getaway, the ocean right outside your door, waves lapping the shore as you sleep.
Romance is pervasive at Las Rosadas. You feel it as soon as you pull into the lushly landscaped stone entryway that bursts with a profusion of fuchsia bougainvillaea. It’s the equivalent of a scenic overlook: the estate known as Paloma Blanca at your feet and the Pacific Ocean sparkling in the distance. Nearly every vantage point at Las Rosadas is a photo op.
Comprised of 387 acres, the majority of which are undeveloped jungle and nature reserve, the low-density resort comprises the one-bedroom beachfront Casita Las Palmas, as well as four Ocean Club Casitas, each situated on their own one-acre cliffside lot, and the six-bedroom villa Paloma Blanca. Regardless of which villa you claim, all rooms offer panoramic ocean views with veritably no other structure in sight, thereby ensuring complete and total privacy.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Escapist | ZLO | GMT -6 |
| While you’re Out There |
| Jump on a boat and explore the islands of Chamela Bay, one of the most picturesque bays along the Costalegre coastline. You can fish, snorkel, or simply sip agave spirits and take a siesta in the sun. |
At Paloma Blanca, our one-bedroom suite opened onto a landscaped veranda with unobstructed ocean and beach views. White bougainvillaea blossoms dotted the terracotta tiles as birdsong filled the air. Inside our suite, a bird-of-paradise bouquet nested on the mantelpiece. The ensuite bathroom featured a walk-in rainforest shower large enough for a yoga practice, as well as a massive soaking tub overlooking the gardens.
As lovely as the rooms are at Las Rosadas, you might want to wander the footpaths that wind through the property down to the ocean in search of the pink shells that give the resort its name. As fragile as eggshells, the pink seashells dot the beach after a rain – and then disappear in the sun. In this case, you might wish to drive a Polaris to the various undeveloped beaches on the property. Don’t be surprised if you encounter the chef at Las Rosadas who rides his Polaris while transporting the daily bounty from the sea and the gardens.
The Michelin-starred chef Laurent Manrique has been on staff at the resort since 2019 and his objective is to ‘keep the soul’ of Mexican cuisine by working with local fishermen and farmers. At the palm-thatched Bar Mono on the beach, the ceviche and the aguachile are as fresh as the air, which is equally true at La Terraza, the enchanting patio garden where dinner is served by candlelight under the stars. Fresh fish and vegetables are cooked over a wood-fired grill and oven, and the cocktails are as enticing as the setting.
For us, it took approximately twenty minutes at Las Rosadas to feel as if we had wandered into our home away from home. There is something supremely seductive about the simplicity of the setting, the natural beauty combined with casual elegance (what Italians refer to as sprezzatura) – and much of that atmosphere is a consequence of the staff at Las Rosadas, including Maria Rodriguez de Campos and her husband, Efren Campos. Together with a crackerjack staff of kitchen professionals, they create a kind of gracious hospitality that exemplifies the best of Costalegre. Be forewarned: you may wish to remain indefinitely.
Photography courtesy of Las Rosadas
