The adorable, six-room Petit Hotel d’Hafa sits like some kind of exotic temple to high-surf-style  in the center of town in Sayulita–just a block from the beach. I wandered in, totally in awe, and met the owner, Christophe Mignot, a Frenchman who spent 10 years living on a sailboat with his family (they now have three kids) before settling in Sayulita. He and his wife Marina pulled from Mexican, Mediterranean and Moroccan influences for the fantasy-invoking interiors of their own design: Rattan furniture, hanging lanterns, beautiful blankets handcrafted in Chiapas, and the signature Hafa heart (marking pillows, walls and grass floor mats) add to the buoyant yet thoroughly laid-back aesthetic. Christophe, who doesn’t let running a hotel detract from the real purpose of his life in Sayulita, muses: “We thought about opening a bigger place, but then there’s no time for surfing.” In the end, the Hafa–with all its brilliant hues and effortless beach town style–is perfect just the way it is.

Note (and no, this is not a joke or a typo): Prices start at $50 per night.