Most Americans know Panama for its canal, which links two oceans as the narrow isthmus links two continents. That makes this country a hub of biodiversity, and it’s beginning to exploit its rainforests and tropical coastlines for eco tourism. Alberto Vallarino, who is currently the Panamanian minister of finance, recently completed the 1000-acre community of Buenaventura with a resort hotel as its centerpiece, an hour’s drive southwest of Panama City. “It’s designed in the style of a Spanish hacienda,” says project director Fernando Duque, “with open-air courtyards and a breezy floor plan that give uninterrupted views of the Pacific.” All the buildings-from the hotel to the villas and the privately commissioned houses-employ the same recycled roof tiles, soft-toned stucco, and other stylistic details.

The Bristol Buenaventura Hotel is surprisingly handsome. Its 256 rooms and suites surround a 200-year-old tree of vast size or face out over an elaborate complex of pools and palm trees. Darlene Pierpoint of Design Works Studio teamed with architect Catalina Beiner to tweak the structure and infuse it with a distinctive character. “I was inspired by old family photographs and celebrities who vacationed here,” says Pierpont. “Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope sported Panama hats, deep-pocketed linen suits, and brown leather wing-tips, and the ladies wore elegant cocktail dresses. I wanted the spaces to feel timeless and classic, upscale and relaxed, with guests as the focal point, rather than a clichéd ethnic theme.”

Outdoor areas are paved with Jerusalem stone, inset with pieta serena (a gray sandstone from Italy), to evoke a sandy beach. Interiors have hardwood floors and walls are clad with grass cloth set off with white wainscoting and generous crown moldings. Vintage photographs of the canal under construction were sourced from the Smithsonian. In the lobby, a bleached tree root hovers over the reception desk, while a wrought iron chandelier is suspended from the lofty roof vault. The spa has a green tile soaking pool with a ribbed rock back wall and pebbled edges to corridors. Bathrooms open onto spacious bed/sitting rooms and terraces. The Buenaventura is a tropical playground with an urban level of refinement and taste.