Pristine oceanfront views lure adventure seekers to Panama’s Isla Palenque. By Melissa Gillespie
With 400 acres of wild, natural beauty in Panama, Isla Palenque will bring you privacy and pampering amidst volcanic beaches, dramatic bluffs, and rolling hills. Lush tropical forests, exotic coconut groves, and breathtaking coastal views make this the perfect island resort retreat, second-home getaway, or permanent retirement residence.
The Resort at Isla Palenque is slated to deliver an immersion-in-nature experience that brings modern luxury, sumptuous comfort, and superlative service to the wild tropical jungle. Phase One of The Resort at Isla Palenque, scheduled to break ground this year, includes a boutique hotel consisting of a small number of select, semi-detached cabanas. The hotel will be designed as a true jungle hotel, where the walls of each dwelling will be capable of fading away to an open-air experience. Decks stretch out over bluffs to provide an unencumbered view of the ocean. Hallways donÂ’t exist; instead youÂ’ll walk along wood and stone pathways through tropical gardens and over gently sloped bridges to reach your room. The Resort at Isla Palenque will remain small, however, preserving over 95 percent of the island as natural space.
Phase One will include three main home types: “Casitas,” one- and two- bedroom homes integrated with the hotel and its amenities; “Canopy Homes,” two- and three- bedroom freestanding homes perched above jungle hillsides; and the “Villas,” 2,000-square-foot to 4,000-square-foot semi-custom single-family homes along the coast and beaches. All of the homes will benefit from the hotel amenities, including dedicated butlers and cooks, laundry and garden services, and more. 877-212-6253, islapalenque.com.
Here are other recent developments featured in the January/February issue of Ocean Home magazine:
Honduran Tropic
The tropical island of Roatan will soon welcome residents and guests to the Pristine Bay Resort, home of the Black Pearl Golf Course designed by Perry and Pete Dye. Located 35 miles off the coast of Honduras, Pristine Bay Resort is situated on 400 acres adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. The azure waters off the coast of the island provide a stunning backdrop and unique setting for golf in Central America. Ownership opportunities are available now for condominiums, luxury villas, and custom home lots, as the first phase of development is well underway.
Pristine Bay Resort features a wide variety of residential offerings including: bay view and golf course condominiums; two-, three-, and four-bedroom villa units; and quarter-acre custom home lots, many with unobstructed views of the ocean. Villas start at $600,000 and range up to $1 million; lots range from $230,000 to $700,000; and condominiums range from $348,000 to $700,000. 323-203-0623, pristinebayresort.com.
Aloha, Mickey Mouse
Construction is underway on a new Disney resort that will open on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in 2011. The 21-acre oceanfront resort will be located at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on the islandÂ’s western side. Water will be an integral part of the resort, which will feature 1,066 guest rooms, suites, and villas, along with a full-service spa and extensive recreation amenities. The resort will also feature 63,000 square feet of ballroom/meeting space and event lawns, including a state-of-the-art conference center. The lagoon setting and white-sand beach will provide the backdrop as guests discover other delights, like ornate water gardens and a signature pool complex. Booking is available now. 321-939-7129, disneymeetings.com.