Oxygen Jungle Villas

"The final part of your journey to Oxygen Jungle Villas—on two miles of bone-jarring gravel marked "4x4 only"—resembles a rite of passage, but initiation brings profound rewards: 12 teak-and-glass villas overlooking the Pacific from a private mountaintop jungle preserve. The glass-walled accommodations use a clever interplay of jungle, bamboo screens, and curtains to allow guests to withdraw from the world in airy privacy. In fact, although nothing at this couples-only resort enforces retreat—there are no silence gardens or scheduled meditations—stepping out of the everyday world is the clear goal here. The hotel’s lack of telephones, room service, and many classic amenities enhances its secluded setting—although the five-course work of art served as dinner may well define a new type of amenity. You will likely see only the same two staffers during your stay, but their deft and relaxed expertise need no improving on. Balinese design elements—a finely carved couch by the pool, elegant bangles on the sun umbrellas—are wrapped in a sleek shell almost spartan in its refinement, with few fussy details to divert from the pursuit of inner peace. A dip in the green stone-lined infinity pool, bordered by statues of the Buddha, is an act of meditation in itself."