Todos Santos Services

A mile or so down a serpentine dirt road, past a mix of local and expat homes, and out-of-nowhere panoramic views of the Pacific, is Casa Mila. A wall of smooth concrete surrounds a checkerboard tiled courtyard, replete with a fireplace and cozy seating draped in Mexican blankets. A spiral staircase leads to the rooftop palapa—the kind of place that will have you dreaming of a glass of wine by sunset. The kitchen is modern and functional, with every coffee maker imaginable alongside beautiful stemware and terracotta pots for dining in when the mood strikes. Beds are sumptuously comfortable, and the outdoor shower transformed daily grooming into a treat. But few details beat falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach outside. Leaving Casa Mila is hard. The whole place—Joshua Tree meets minimalist casita—is so special you’ll want to take it in over and over, and it still won’t be enough.

Sylvie Sabatier is a Los Angeles–based Frenchwoman who, after designing her own eclectic Todos Santos retreat, had a roster of expats wanting a Sabatier flourish in their homes. More of a hacienda than a house, the property—hidden down a bumpy track—sits in an idyllic mango grove. Hacienda los Olivos is divided into a large straw-topped lounge room and kitchen, a master suite, and three smaller colorfully tiled, sumptuously comfortable casitas. Simmering a pot of beans for dinner, peeling a mango you picked yourself, lounging on the Mexican textile sofas—it’s all as transporting as it sounds. There are no bad angles at Sabatier’s hacienda. And while you could spend an entire vacation on one of the daybeds, we suggest exploring this vast and gorgeous property. Wander the gardens and catch all the details: the green and blue pool tiles that match the surrounding jungle, the outdoor showers, the Moroccan mirrors, the sculptural light fixtures. You’ll want to bring home your own Sabatier flourish before you leave.