The rich and famous head to Las Alamandas for its seclusion and privacy - with a maximum capacity of 42 guests in a paradise of 1,500 acres, you may never even see any other visitors. For the ultimate indulgence it is possible to rent a whole villa, or even the entire resort, though a suite for two will provide an intimate hideaway on a more affordable scale.

Las Alamandas is the creation of Isabelle Goldsmith, granddaughter of the Bolivian 'Tin King' Don Antenor Patino and daughter of the British financier Sir James Goldsmith. On inheriting from her grandfather the ecologically rich reserves where Don Patino had planned a mega-resort, Miss Goldsmith visualized a discrete hideaway of exquisite taste.

The results are quite extraordinary. With vast financial resources and a distinguished background, Miss Goldsmith might have created the type of resort where jewels and couture were flaunted by day and night, and where guests were insulated from any kind of local culture. Instead, with a skilful eye for color and an instinctive appreciation of Mexico's indigenous crafts, Las Alamandas was conceived as a very relaxed, very Mexican retreat.

Vivid hues of pink and green or primary yellows and reds enliven the sumptuous villas. Bathrooms are lined with handpainted tiles in blue and yellow Talavera style and plump cushions are embroidered with traditional motifs. Hand-woven hammocks swing from comfortable verandas, their colors blending with the tropical skies. The effect is instantly relaxing and welcoming.

Appropriately, the dress code for evening is 'casual and colorful'. No jacket or tie is required for the convivial Oasis restaurant, and the wearing of long trousers for dinner is merely a polite suggestion. But that doesn't mean that it can't be outrageously romantic - you can, if you wish, dine alone on the beach, with candlelight, table linen, champagne...and bare feet.

Las Alamandas is heavenly for honeymoons and idyllic for pure relaxation. The degree of pampering is unsurpassable; fresh flowers on your pillow every night, mariachis to serenade you over dinner, lunching on lobster on a deserted beach. This is perhaps the ultimate tropical hideaway.