Aruba + Bonaire + Curaçao

From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

Tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood, this intimate beachfront property (whose name mixes the owners' first initials with the Dutch word for oasis) uses dense, vibrant landscaping and high stone walls between guest rooms to create a cocooning feeling of privacy. Baoase is also transporting, as any memorable hotel should be, with a strong Asian-esque design that includes ubiquitous Balinese Hindu statues, idols, and sculptures, and a reliance on simplicity over dazzle. The eight villas and three suites are arranged in a loose horseshoe around a private beach; a giant Buddha stands sentry at the resort's man-made private islet 100 feet offshore. High-ceilinged suites mix dark-wood furnishings with whimsical touches like silver crocodile-print wallpaper and knobby chenille rugs that look like mats of pebbles; villas come with full stainless steel kitchens. The sole bar and restaurant produces fine Continental cuisine considering its limited beachfront facilities—two cooker burners, an induction heater, and a convection oven (a kitchen was being built at the time of our visit). Although service is not quite polished, the happy-go-lucky Dutch staff are refreshingly devoid of attitude. —2010 Hot List

Which room to book: Bunga Sepenuh, a two-bedroom villa, has a private pool and a gorgeous outdoor stone bath.

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