Hacienda Petac, Yucatan

Once the site of a Mayan settlement, later home to a sprawling cattle ranch and then a henequen plantation, the land occupied by Hacienda Petac is no stranger to transformation. Owners Chuck and Dev Stern were so in love with the sprawling, 80-acre estate that they planned to turn it into a second home. Instead it was painstakingly restored and converted into a striking vacation villa, with much of its original, 18th-century architecture still intact. The hacienda's five suites are breathtaking, with 30-foot ceilings, hand-painted tiled floors, and a beautiful collection of period pieces. Available only as a private rental, Petac is one of Mexico's most intimate haciendas—a luxury experience without the luxury crowds.