The setting is spectacular, indeed breathtaking, if you look in either direction down the beach, you will see nothing but the Pacific Ocean, and the apparently endless beach.



The Hotelito Desconocido is in the middle of an ecological reserve, and this fact controls much of the hotel I am a creature of comforts, a 21st Century person, if I travel, then I must have a laptop, my hotel must have all the mod cons sort of person, but the Hotelito is the very opposite of what I normally crave.

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If someone had said to me a couple of years ago that I'd happily pay US$500 for hotel accommodation that didn't have satelliteTV, never mind a TV at all or a telephone for that matter, then I would have laughed.

If they'd added there was no Internet or even electric lights, then I'd have become hysterical.

As a last straw to be told there would be no minibar, never mind air conditioning, is just beyond a joke.

Then to be told I couldn't drink water from the taps would not have surprised me, but I definitely wouldn't have expected to need a rowing boat to get me to a beach, where as the final insult you can't swim because it is far too dangerous. Having said that it is a most beautiful beach, ranked I believe amongst the top 20 in the world. As a compensation there is a superb swimming pool.

I loved the Hotelito Desconocido because that was exactly the way it was.

Just imagine a beach situation as described, but add to that a veritable aviary of exotic birds, where you can see dolphins and whales from the beach, due to the extremely deep water a few yards from the shore.

I just love the sea turtle research station, how many people get the chance to help baby turtles return to the ocean.

To hear the floor boards creak, and to hear the water splashing around beneath you, intermingled with the sounds of the birds, and behind it all, the roar of waves breaking, is to me the noise of long forgotten childhood, and is so utterly relaxing, you can't even if you wanted to think about the stresses you left behind.

Running up a flag each morning for coffee and biscuits just adds to the atmosphere, as does the locally sourced, and quite ethnic hand painted furniture. You really do feel immersed in proper Mexican culture.

If we add the stables and horse back riding on the beach, and night time when there are literally thousands of candles, both inside and outside, and torches giving the kind of light you can't explain or photograph, with a background of millions of stars in the huge sky.

Somehow the Hotelito Desconocido manages to just about get the balance right between being eco friendly and the extreme comfort demanded for the price tag. It is not luxurious, even Spartan, and there are the mosquitos, so take repellent.

The food is perhaps not all it might be, though very much locally sourced, but all in all the Hotelito Desconocido is a must for all lovers of Hideaway Hotels.