Kenoa Exclusive Beach & Spa Resort

Tucked between Atlantic forest and open ocean on Brazil's far northeastern coast, this Michelin Key boutique resort earns notice for bringing genuine design ambition somewhere that had none. Indigenous wood and stone outside give way to rough-hewn interiors with crisp minimalist lines inside. The spa punches above its weight, and the restaurant draws locals with regional specialties touched by Portuguese influence, so it's never purely a desert-island bubble.