Playa Vik is the smallest and most sculptural of the three Vik properties in José Ignacio: a central pavilion of glass and titanium surrounded by houses, set right on Playa Mansa just steps from the village. The art collection is serious — the hotel works almost like an inhabited gallery — and the intimate scale makes it feel more like a wealthy friend's beach house than a hotel. The cantilevered pool hanging over the ocean is one of the most photographed images in the area.

It's ideal if you want to be within walking distance of the restaurants and the lighthouse, but with the privacy of a design retreat. Guests share benefits with Bahía Vik — about 500 metres along the beach — and with Estancia Vik inland, so countryside, beach and great food are all covered from a single base. For design lovers and couples marking a special occasion, it's hard to beat.