Secret Retreats for the Discerning Elite

Locals have been known to ask the secret aid of Mayan curanderos (healers) to mend a broken heart or cure a pesky ailment, but film fans and celebs flock to the Riviera Maya for the healing properties found in the sweet Caribbean lobster, electric blue waters, ancient ruins and nightlife teeming with sleek European and South American tourists enamored with the relaxed bohemian vibe. Tropical mangroves, fragrant chiles and achiote lend wild flavor to an already lively region of locals and ex-pats.

At Paraiso de la Bonita (translated from Spanish, "Paradise of a Beautiful Woman"), high-profile guests like John Galliano, Enrique Iglesias, Dustin Hoffman and Raquel Welch find an exotic retreat scattered with live peacocks, geese and all the luxuries that follow fine living. From airport pickup in Lincoln Navigators to hiring your own private yacht and crew, Paraiso offers the five-star guest just about anything their heart desires. Piano concerts, culinary afternoons with the chef, tequila tastings and ninety ocean-view suites on 14 acres of beach and mangroves, the resort's courtyards, private plunge pools, Bulgari amenities and fountain-filled paths with reflecting pools feel more like a millionaire's private residence than a hotel. Distinct Mediterranean, Indian and Balinese artifacts, picked up during the resort owner's world travels, create a decidedly island-chic getaway where suites are named after geographic locations such as Antigua, Jaipur, KwaZulu and Marbella. Executive Chef Fabrice Guisset, a native of Provençe, serves up an array of items, including world-famous Spanish Pata Negra ham along with delicacies to match an impressive five-thousand-bottle wine cellar. If that's not enough, Paraiso hosts the only Thalasso Spa in Mexico, applying the ancient regimen of the curative benefits of the sea, with treatments featuring marine algae, seawater and mineral-rich muds. This year, Oscar gift bags even featured gift certificates for several nights at the property, the definition of privacy and sophistication.

Mr. and Mrs. Parker want to take care of you. Whether they exist in your imagination or were cleverly created to lure the screenwriter or actor in all of you, The Parker Palm Springs knows creativity.

Modeled after the idea that you're actually staying at your affluent great aunt's place, the grounds, impressively designed by famed New York potter and interior designer Jonathan Adler, deliver vibrant '50's color with touches of great auntie's flavor (think pillows that say, "I Love You," and knickknacks that say she cares). Among the 144 guest rooms and 12 private villas - including #311, Robert Downey Jr.'s favorite - you'll also find clay tennis courts (you'll have to wear whites); two Pétanque courts ("boules" to the less educated), croquet and, of course, the Gene Autry Residence.

Mimicking famed searches for Noah's Ark in the middle of various deserts, The Parker's boasts the Palm Springs Yacht Club. In case you're confused with how The Parkers manages a Yacht Club in the middle of the desert, rest easy. It's actually a 22,000-square-foot, blue-and-white nautical desert-chic spa; a place to lounge and a haven for the sports enthusiast. Treatment rooms feature customized playlists for iPods and portholes that echo the spa's quirky vibe. Grab a couscous salad with chicken, roasted vegetables, goat cheese and tarragon vinaigrette for lunch; hike through the Indian Canyon; take a relaxing yoga session and follow with a specialty infusion from their fancy bar. Just don't forget to grab a $1,000 omelet at Norma's five-star diner, where a frittata filled with lobster and caviar is prepared for those who take haute cuisine to heart. After all, if the place is good enough for Ashley Judd, Teri Hatcher, Adrien Brody, Brad and Angelina, it's good. Enough.