Manzanillo Resorts: Las Hadas Golf Resort & Marina

Conceived by a Bolivian tin magnate in the 1960s and opened in 1974, the resort was named after the phosphorescence of ocean creatures at night, which early sailors mistook as the twinkling of fairies. That magic is translated into the architecture here, where minarets and domes look over marbled arcades of cobblestone paths interspersed with piazzas, fountains, and tropical flowers. The international social set, as well as sail-fishing aficionados, are frequent visitors.

The four-story Las Hadas offers two huge swimming pools with waterfalls and tropical islands, eight lighted tennis courts, a 70-yacht private marina, a championship golf course, and the other usuals—scuba, snorkeling, pedal boats, waterskiing, and a tour of the local volcano.