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islas secas

The 18 Most Secluded Resorts in the World 1024 677 Madison Silvers

The 18 Most Secluded Resorts in the World

From a stunning resort 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile to beautifully designed lodging in a Rwandan forest, these are the locales to visit if you need to get away from it all

In a world of global connectivity, getting away from it all can seem like an impossibility. But for some travelers, there is a class of five-star resorts working to provide peaceful solitude without asking you to sacrifice luxury and comfort. Legendary hotel designer Bill Bensley has been at the forefront of this movement, creating award-winning remote getaways in Vietnam, Thailand, and Bali (and soon, North Congo). “The majority of projects I choose are places I’ve never been,” Bensley told AD. “You won’t find a lobby full of flowers, for example. Savvy travelers don’t care about those things anymore,” Bensley explains. “They want to discover new trails or the best place to catch a boat to see kingfishers. These life-changing experiences are a hell of a lot more important than what kind of flowers are in the lobby.” After all, what modern amenities can compete with an underwater suite in the Maldives or meditating in a 14th-century monastery? Below, AD has scoured the globe to bring you the world’s most beautiful secluded getaways.

aerial photo of a secluded pool on an island - nextled amongst thick forest greeneryPhoto: Courtesy of Islas Secas

10/18

Islas Secas (Chiriquí, Panama)

A privately owned archipelago 20 miles off the southern coast of Panama, this remote luxury eco-lodge is home to just seven thatched-roofed casitas that can accommodate up to 24 people. (Guests are flown in from Panama City aboard the resort’s private plane.) Sustainability is key for Islas Secas owner Louis Bacon, with the 14 islands that comprise the archipelago largely untouched by development. The resort itself runs on solar energy, and uses brown-water irrigation and composted waste. Guests can trek to thermal springs, kayak to mangrove forests, or, depending on the time of year, marvel at humpback whales surfacing in the ocean. After a day of adventure, tuck into locally sourced food prepared by chef Saul Umana in Terraza restaurant.

Read the full article at Architectural Digest.

Islas Secas is the Private Getaway of Your Dreams 967 645 Madison Silvers

Islas Secas is the Private Getaway of Your Dreams

private pool cabana with 180 degree views of the tuqruoise ocean and small, modern sun chaise
Hart Howerton turned Islas Secas into a luxurious, eco-friendly getaway. Courtesy of Islas Secas

Story at a glance:

  • The team at Hart Howerton turns an island into a luxurious, eco-friendly getaway.
  • Islas Secas is 100% solar-generated, and 100% of wastewater is reused for irrigation.
  • The resort also recycles all of its food waste, which is composted and used as fertilizer.

When Craig Roberts, partner at Hart Howerton, first visited Islas Secas, 20 miles off of Panama’s Pacific coast, he sat in a yurt under a mango tree with a beautiful view, trying to conceptualize what would soon be the ultimate sustainable, luxury escape.

The result was Islas Secas, which consists of 14 private islands, seven Casita sites, two villa luxury housing sites, and the Terraza—the heart of the resort that is solar-powered and built around a library, bar, and an open-air dining pavilion with unforgettable ocean views. The resort can host up to 24 guests and offers a number of family-friendly activities, including snorkeling, surfing, yoga, kayaking, and world-class fishing.

“First impressions are everything, and arriving at the Islas Secas jetty, jutting into the rippling bay surrounded by tropical forest and endless ocean is difficult to forget,” says Andrey Gomez, managing director at the resort.

Roberts says that the main inspiration behind the project was living in the tropics. The resort was designed in the Gamboan style, with traditional 5-foot overhangs that not only protect from rainstorms but also help with air circulation. The individual units also play tribute to Gamboan architecture with single-wall construction to prevent bugs or mold from getting inside.

Luxury aside, this resort checks all of the boxes on being eco-friendly. “Islas Secas is the ideal destination for the eco-conscious traveler,” Gomez says. The property’s energy is 100% solar-generated, and 100% of wastewater is reused for irrigation. The resort also recycles 100% of food waste, which is composted and used as fertilizer. “The resort itself has a policy where, upon arrival, you’re given a water bottle for your time on the island that you can refill, so there’s also no plastic waste,” Gomez says.

On top of that, 75% of the archipelago has been left to nature, undeveloped. From sourcing materials to construction, the team took care not to disturb the islands.

Material-wise, bamboo played a large part in building the resort since it’s indigenous to neighboring Colombia. The team brought in Simon Velez, an expert in bamboo construction, to help them bring their vision to life for the Terraza—the focal point for the resort. All of the wood used at the was harvested sustainably. Wood and bamboo construction materials were chosen in lieu of masonry to alleviate the impact on the land.

Roberts says one of the biggest challenges was executing the project with a light footprint. The team solved this by creating and building as many big component pieces off-land and having a limited construction crew on the island to reassemble any final pieces.

Roberts says all the villa structures were also built on floating decks, a meter above the existing terrain. This allows wildlife and water flow to move freely beneath these without disrupting the local ecology.

Gomez hopes guests are not only struck by the experience they have at the hotel but also by its design. “Allowing others to experience, in a culturally enhancing, low-impact and highly immersive way, the incredible and unspoiled beauty of this unique place in Panama will hopefully inspire their passion for, and commitment to, the natural world.”

Project: Islas Secas
Location: Gulf of Chiriqui­, Panama
Completion: 2019
Architect: Hart Howertwon
Architect of Record: Juan Carlos Bosquez
MEP Engineer: Design Build
Structural Engineers: Jim Matlock
Interior Designers: Tom Scheerer, Maira Koutsoudakis of LIFE

Read the full article at GB&D Magazine.


























			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & PROPERTY AWARDS – 2020 HOTEL UNDER 50 ROOMS GLOBAL WINNER
			
			   
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THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & PROPERTY AWARDS – 2020 HOTEL UNDER 50 ROOMS GLOBAL WINNER
			

				
2020 HOTEL UNDER 50 ROOMS GLOBAL WINNER






ISLAS SECAS RESERVE AND LODGE BY HART HOWERTON




island retreat with a private swimming pool and ocean views. thatched roofs line the top of the image


Project Name: Islas Secas Reserve and Lodge


Location: Chiriqui, Panama


Date Completed: 2019


Interior Designer: Hart Howerton


Located off Panama’s Pacific coast, global design firm Hart Howerton worked closely with the Islas Secas ownership team as architects and planners to transform an existing resort facility into a World-class adventure outpost that would benefit both the environment and economy of the surrounding region.


The Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge is expected to raise the bar on sustainable, off-the-grid luxury in the region by offering exclusive access to no more than 18 guests to experience exhilarating recreation across 14 private islands in the Bay of Chiriqui. Having opened in January 2019, the project has four casita sites with plunge pools and decks overlooking the Pacific and the islands of the archipelago. The resort also features a sophisticated Panamanian restaurant as well as a lounge and bar.


The Terraza, the iconic shelter and gathering house floats on a sweeping, wooden deck above the beach edge at the heart of the resort. Hart Howerton conceived it, along with the waterside arrival pavilion, as a set of intriguing open-air gabled roof structures – ideal forms for Simon Valez, the bamboo master-builder, to lovingly bring to life. Together, they bridge between land and ocean and welcome visitors to this remarkable place.


Villa Residencia uses specialist artisan skills; the house on the peninsula perches on a cliff outcropping surrounded by breaking surf, an organic form gliding down the hillside above rich vegetation. Its roof undulates, held up by a sustainably harvested eucalyptus structure, tracing the topography and rooms below, creating calm shade and protection from the sun and rain.


The architectural goal was to be Eco-Sustainable; A holistic design with its roots in authentic Canal Gamboan Style. This organic design vernacular aims to live lightly on the land by incorporating environmentally friendly principles and deeply embracing natural resources. Using local and sustainable building materials the resort’s commitment to environmentally responsible design extends beyond the teak and stone structure to include a solar array that powers the whole island in addition to an organic farm that utilizes recycled water.




Read the full announcement and find out about other category winners here.

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			Islas Secas and Mauna Lani recognized for excellence by 2020 AHEAD Awards
			
			   
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Islas Secas and Mauna Lani recognized for excellence by 2020 AHEAD Awards
			

				
ahead awards and sleeper magazine awards logo - black type overlays a white backdropIslas Secas and Mauna Lani recognized for excellence in Hospitality Experience and Design by 2020 AHEAD Awards.  


AHEAD, the Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design, has revealed its winners for its Americas edition via a four-part webcast on the AHEAD website (www.aheadawards.com) and dezeen.com as part of Virtual Design Festival. The AHEAD Awards are dedicated to the relentless pursuit of the exceptional, recognizing design in all its forms, and the guest experiences created in hospitality projects worldwide.


Mauna Lani was awarded best Hotel Renovation and Restoration and Islas Secas was awarded best Reserve & Lodge for  Lodges, Cabins & \Tented Camps. Hart Howerton had the honor of having two additional projects, Miraval Austin and Yellowstone Club,  make the shortlist this year.  


Awards Director Matt Turner commented: “In these challenging times for the travel sector, we were delighted to have this opportunity to recognize the best in hospitality experience and design. The awards provided a timely reminder of all that is great about our industry. We built on the success of our earlier AHEAD Asia webcast by pivoting to digital with an extended program, incorporating


conversations with our judges, acceptance speeches from our winners filmed across the continent, and video content from our sponsors. We were also thrilled to bring this online event to a wider audience thanks to our partnerships with Tophotelprojects and Dezeen’s Virtual Design Festival.”AHEAD Americas celebrates the most ambitious, innovative and bold hotels across the region. See the


full list of winners and online awards ceremony here: https://www.aheadawards.com/americas/2020

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			Hart Howerton shortlisted for AHEAD Awards
			
			   
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Hart Howerton shortlisted for AHEAD Awards
			

				
Ahead awards program logo with rainbow lighting effect over the image


The following Hart Howerton projects have been shortlisted for the AHEAD Awards:  Mauna Lani, Miraval Austin, Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge, and the Yellowstone Club.


AHEAD is the new global celebration of hospitality experience and design. Their awards are dedicated to the relentless pursuit of the exceptional, recognizing design in all its forms, and the guest experiences created in hospitality projects worldwide.


Visit the Ahead awards online here.

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			8 Stunning Boutique Hotels Built by Billionaires
			
			   
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8 Stunning Boutique Hotels Built by Billionaires
			

				
From exclusive retreats that lie deep in the mountains to untouched islands and up-and-coming art meccas


There are 2,153 billionaires worldwide (11% fewer big ones than last year) and, although it’s easy enough to spot mega-yachts and MLB teams among their collective assets, some of their expenditures are a bit more under-the-radar: A handful are behind one-of-a-kind boutique hotels.


If many hoteliers focus on the bottom line, billionaires provide nearly bottomless budgets (price tags upward of $100 million—no, $350 million) in pursuit of hospitality that lives beyond the margins. Ranging from remote destinations previously out of reach to daunting renovation projects with stratospheric costs (to say the least), they’re not all purely capitalist ventures; quite a few of these properties are passion projects, philanthropic ventures, or annexes to extensive private collections. But without question, they are all exceptional.


Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge, Panama


aerial image of a private island with small, hatched roofs nestled amongst lush jungle greenery and surrounded by blue ocean water


Conservation is the province of many billionaires, especially Louis Bacon, whose projects—from Alaska’s Tordrillo Mountain Lodge to New Mexico’s Taos Ski Valley—have long stressed preservation. Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge isn’t virgin terrain per se; it was formerly the site of a different hedge funder’s resort. Even so, it’s Panama’s first private archipelago hotel, and privacy is just another way of protecting the fragile marine ecosystem.


Read the full article at Architectural Digest.

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			Your Next Jungle Island Escape Should Be in Panama
			
			   
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Your Next Jungle Island Escape Should Be in Panama
			

				
Two big deal launches are opening up this part of the Central American Pacific


aerial view of part of an island with thick greenery and small huts / cottages nested in and backing up to turquoise blue waters


The Gulf of Chiriqui, off of Panama’s Pacific coast, has always been a draw for hard-core divers and sport fishermen. It’s one of the few places on earth that still feel “unexpected” in the truest sense, with dense rain forests and deep blue waters filled with wildlife. In the past year, two sustainably-minded micro-resorts have brought serious luxury to the area, all while trying to leave as few footprints as possible on the surrounding environment. Isla Palenque sits at the tip of an island just off the mainland town of Boca Chica, where guests have their run of a 400-acre untamed jungle and seven beaches. The entire hotel is made up of eight casitas and a villa that sleeps 14, with rooms opening up onto their own private stretch of sand. It’s the launch point for spending an afternoon casting for red snapper on tricked-out fishing boats and cruising over to Coiba National Park to dive with sharks at one of the biggest coral reefs in the eastern Pacific. Fifteen miles farther offshore, there’s the even more ambitious Islas Secas, an entire archipelago owned by conservationist Louis Bacon. One main pavilion is for drinks and dinner, with a constellation of one-, two-, and three-bedroom setups scattered around a peninsula. There are 14 uninhabited islets, where you can be left for a few hours with a well-stocked picnic, paddleboards, and snorkeling gear laid out by the hotel’s intuitive staff. The untouched part does require a trek, though: From Panama City, it’s a short flight to the regional hub of David, then about two hours of combined car and boat transit before you actually arrive. But it’s worth it. There won’t be a condo (or, frankly, another person) insight.


Read the full article at Conde Nast Traveler.

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			National Geographic’s The Big Sleep Awards 2019
			
			   
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National Geographic’s The Big Sleep Awards 2019
			

				
– Travel –


Exceptional service? Menus to die for? Whatever it is that truly makes a hotel special, we’re celebrating it in our annual awards, where we reward the best new tastemakers, trendsetters and game-changers in the business.


Tuesday, 30 July 2019


island hut with luxury chaise lounge below it. white upholstered cushions and grey throw pillows. small jacuzzi in the foreground with a thatched roof and the ocean in the background
Castaway —
From barefoot, beachfront villas to stilted cabins on a private island, we’d happily be stranded on these desert island retreats, where you can truly get away from it all


Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge, Panama 

OUR PANEL SAID: Escapes don’t get much more castaway than this. Opened earlier in the year, amid the jade-green, tropical waters and rocky islands of Panama’s Gulf of Chiriquí, this retreat has a colourful, Neverland-esque history of shipwrecks and buccaneers. Nine ocean-view casitas make up this desert island dream, each clustered around a private pool, and days can be spent doing yoga, fishing, or heading off in search of the archipelago’s abundant wildlife, including manta rays, sea turtles and frigate birds.


Read the full article at National Geographic.

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			The Castaways – Travel + Leisure explores Islas Secas, Panama
			
			   
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The Castaways – Travel + Leisure explores Islas Secas, Panama
			

				
“A trip to Islas Secas, an exclusive new lodge on a jungle-covered  archipelago off the coast of Panama, offers one family the chance to reconnect with its wild side.”


By Flora Stubbs for Travel + Leisure


 




Find out more about Hart Howerton’s work in the archipelago and beyond here.

			

					

			

	


	
	

						

						
					
			The Best Places to Travel in 2019
			
			   
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The Best Places to Travel in 2019
			

				
PANAMA


BECAUSE YOU’LL FIND A JACQUES COUSTEAU FANTASY AT YOUR FEET









large polynesian inspired wooden structure 
THE TERRAZA RESTAURANT-CUM-LOUNGE AT PANAMA’S SUSTAINABLE NEW ISLAS SECAS RESERVE & LODGE. MICHAEL TUREK











“The islands in the Gulf of Chiriquí, 20 miles off Panama’s Pacific coast, have always been a bit of a secret, sparsely inhabited for centuries, if at all. The difference now? Brand new, high-end lodges committed to preserving the area’s unspoiled environment. Isla Palenque (of the Cayuga Collection brand) opened last July with eight casitas and a beachfront villa estate on 400 acres of protected jungle. Its organic garden dictates the restaurant’s menu, lunch is sustainably caught by fishermen in nearby Boca Chica,and the island’s seven beaches mean you never have to share a patch of sand. In January the sustainable luxury bar gets raised further still with the opening of Islas Secas Reserve & Lodge, on the archipelago’s Jurassic-esque Isla Cavada. The property sleeps just 18 in nine tucked-away wooden villas, and everything has been engineered to leave as small an environmental footprint as possible: Ocean breezes do the cooling, water is treated, the sun powers everything. Divers and snorkelers can explore a wonderland of some 750 species of fish in the surrounding sea, and there are private marine safaris and deserted island excursions—with picnics—at their beck and call. Coming in 2020: a field station for the study of the humpback whales that migrate here each summer; guests will be able to geek out and partake in research.”


Read all 25 Best Places to Travel in 2019 at Town & Country.

			

					

			

	

									

									
								

								
							

							

						

						

					


				


			

		

		
					



			
			

			
						

			
					
				

			
						

						

				

					

						

							
    
						

					

				

			

						

				

					

						

							

															

						

					

				

			


			

				

					

						

							

															

						

					

				

			


			

				

					

						

							

								



 
    

    

    







    

    
	
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