CondÉ Nast Traveler: Hot List Hotels 2010

A ten-minute speedboat ride drops you on the dock of this tranquil private island retreat in the Granada Isletas, the first luxury lodge in the area. There are just nine two-story lakefront casitas of spare, treehouse-chic design, which bring the outdoors in via huge windows, abundant use of (Rainforest Alliance-certified) hardwoods, and soft, earth-toned fabrics, most made from bamboo or organic cotton. The talented San Francisco-trained chef will customize menus of locally sourced ingredients according to your preferences; the service throughout the resort errs on the side of fawning. You might wish there were a larger beach than the postage stamp-size one at the landing, but compensation comes in the form of a lakeside yoga deck and a sunset-facing infinity pool—or the hammock on your casita's private balcony. Don't pass up the off-island excursions, which include kayaking trips through the surrounding islands or tours of the Spanish colonial town of Granada and the nearby Mombacho nature preserve.

Which room to book: All casitas are identical except for their views; from 9, you can see Volcano Mombacho through the trees.

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Jicaro Island Ecolodge and Nicaragua in Conde Nast Traveler.