While some of these stunning contemporary retreats are privately owned—some of them can also be rented for a memorable—and architecturally rich—holiday in the sun.

Lakeside Retreat in Valle de Bravo

Casa Meztitla

It would almost be possible to overlook this camouflaged natural stone structure—were it not for the massive tempered glass doors that expose the interior and blur the boundary between inside and out. Located at the foot of the sacred El Tepozteco Mountain in rural Mexico, the Mexican architecture group EDAA succeeded in seamlessly blending this vacation getaway into to the landscape formed by native Tepoztecos over 500 years ago.

Tepoztlán Bungalow

Perched on the edge of a slope in Tepoztlán—south of Mexico City—this holiday home is the first in a proposed series of unique, low-impact residences designed by Barcelona- and Mexico City-based firm Cadaval & Solà-Morales. The house is designed with an unusual structural shape—a narrow gap separates the front half of the house into two distinct parts and creates a division between living and sleeping areas.

Casa Sisal

This stunning home designed by Yucatan-based architect Salvador Reyes Rios (also shown in the top image), was the first place winner of the Cemex Award for residential and international architectural excellence. Located in the small village of Sac Chich in Merida, the home is situated on over two acres of what was once ancient sisal fields. Still surrounded by the original 10-foot masonry walls of a historic neighboring Hacienda—the fields have been turned into a massive lawn area lined with royal palms.

Casa Tiny

Appropriately named “Casa Tiny,” this one-bedroom vacation house in Mexico is located on the Oaxaca Coast near Casa Wabi, and acts as an artists’ retreat that was founded by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi. Inspired by Walden—Henry David Thoreau’s classic about living a simple life in a natural environment—this peaceful, tiny home is the perfect choice for a relaxing getaway in the middle of nature.

Cocoyoc House

By pooling their resources and giving their architect complete creative control, two busy Mexico City–based brothers built this high-design vacation home in Cocoyoc—just 60 miles south of Mexico City—for only $70 per square foot.

An A-frame in Lake Avándaro

This triangular retreat overlooking Lake Avándaro outside Mexico City was designed by Architecture studio Método to be shared by two families. The steeply pitched, 40-foot-high A-frame roof is not uncommon to the region—in fact, it was required by the local building code.

Casa Zen

This restored home located in the historic center of San Miguel de Allende was rescued from ruin and reimagined into a stunning contemporary vacation retreat.

Los Cabos Modern

Perched on a hill overlooking the Sea of Cortez, this vacation home rental in Los Cabos, Baja is a light-filled retreat that's comprised of whitewashed angles and sits in abstract harmony with the rugged terrain above the town. Walking distance to a surfing beach—and only a short drive to swimming beaches—this home sleeps up to four and rents for $400 per night.

Eco-Friendly Getaway

Tepoztlán is a nearby retreat for residents of Mexico City, so when a Mexico City-based real estate broker was looking to build a getaway in the area, she called upon Mexico City–based architects Ambrosi | Etchegaray to create a residence that could transition from a vacation home to a place to retire in the future. To create the space, the architects looked to the local temperate climate and rugged landscape, creating a 3,800-square-foot structure that extends out into the environment like an open-air pavilion.

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Reflections on a Lake