The Best Places to Go in Central & South America in 2024

On Costa Rica’s Papagayo Peninsula, the preexisting situation of symbiotic luxury has just gotten richer with the arrival of Nekajui, which sits like a bird of paradise brooding atop its nest on the hill. From this vantage point, you’ve got a clean view of the densely wooded, monkey-populated hillside that slopes straight down to the beach and Pacific Ocean beyond (we recommend taking the funicular to and from). The moment you pass through the heavy wood doors of the entry casita and stand in the gaslit courtyard’s center beneath the ceiba tree (the branches of which are thought to reach heaven), you’ll feel like you’ve made it there yourself or, at least, to the cultivated estate of a particularly prosperous friend. The highlight to end all highlights every day is the sunset, which can be enjoyed from just about any spot in this western-facing enclave: the suspension bridge, the terrace with a cocktail, your balcony. Stay long enough to see it from at least a few different angles. From $2,390. —Charlie Hobbs