Cayena Beach Villa

Surrounded by pockets of greenery and cascading bougainvillea, the pool is a central hub at Cayena Beach Villa, and you could easily settle in for an entire day on one of the loungers. There are two choices for lunch and dinner (orders are taken earlier in the day), which are served in the open-sided restaurant — the latter is three scrumptious courses. The bar serves everything from tropical smoothies to refreshing margaritas to enjoy poolside or in a hammock on the beach.

The villa has just a dozen rooms, all decorated with dark-wood furnishings, king-sized beds and sea-blue textiles. The rooms are minimalist and bright with a spacious, tropical feel. The second- and third-floor rooms have private balconies with sitting areas that look out over the wave-lapped beach. The back house is ideal for groups as each floor has shared balcony, gourmet kitchen and private dining area, so you can really make the place your own.

When you're not reclining poolside, the Tayrona National Park is just 15 minutes away. Explore on foot – look out for the incredible birdlife, monkeys and iguanas – and then make the trek to see the ruins of the ancient Tayrona civilisation. Along the coast, there is a collection of idyllic beaches and reefs to snorkel or dive amongst. On your return, there's a waiting hammock to plop into as you gaze at the Sierra Nevada Mountains from the beach.