This article reviews a luxury tented resort as unique as nature itself, Naviva®, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, Mexico. You will experience a profoundly personalized retreat in a deep, green jungle here.
With just 15 luxury tents surrounded by 48 forested acres (19 hectares) on the edge of a private peninsula, Naviva is an adult-only sanctuary that harnesses nature to create an environment that fosters community, personal growth, and appreciation for local heritage. Naviva awakens humans’ intrinsic bond with nature through biophilic design – an architectural approach that immerses people in their natural surroundings. The transformative journey begins as soon as guests arrive, meeting their personal guide on a cocoon-inspired bamboo bridge overlooking a dramatic forest ravine.
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“Naviva builds on the success of our more than 20 years in Punta Mita, reinforcing everything that our guests love about this idyllic destination while offering an entirely new experience,” says Rainer Stampfer, Four Seasons President, Global Operations, Hotels and Resorts.
“We welcome guests to Naviva as if they are friends joining us at our own home, while giving them the space and flexibility for their own self-discovery and adventure,” says Ronny Fernández, Resort Manager, Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort. “Together with my team, we’re honoured to unveil this one-of-a-kind experience to the world, showcasing the wonders of Mexico – from embarking on a shamanic sound journey to finding a new level of focus while spearfishing – in a distinctly Four Seasons way.”
Fernàndez continues, “The joy of my role is being able to personally guide guests through these experiences and help them connect more deeply with the wonders around them.”
Location
Naviva’s location creates the feeling of being disconnected from a faraway destination when it is only a short flight from the US and Canada to Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR). Then just a 45 minute drive to the private peninsula of Punta Mita.
Naviva guests also enjoy full access to the adjacent Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, located five minutes away. The Resort features ten restaurants and bars, two golf courses, three pools, two beaches, and additional spa and fitness facilities.
Style & Character
Through the lens of biophilic design and biomimicry – in which the natural world is the driving influence for design solutions – the natural beauty of Mexico was the key source of inspiration when Naviva was conceptualized with Luxury Frontiers, an award-winning design firm and pioneer in the alternative lodging sector. All building forms, interior designs, and guest experiences tie back to a natural phenomenon, creating a resort concept that is fully derived from nature.
Naviva blurs the border between the natural and manmade worlds with 15 luxury tents that are designed to be at one with the surrounding jungle. Spacious indoor and outdoor areas invite the verdant sights and sounds of Riviera Nayarit’s unique flora and fauna. An open-air living room and separate bedroom flow to a private plunge pool and expansive outdoor living area, where a hammock, firepit, and outdoor shower offer forest-framed refuge. Inside, textures and fabrics reflect natural patterns found in the environment. Oversized bathrooms house deep soaking tubs and skylit showers that reveal uninterrupted visual connections to the outdoors.
The team collaborated with Mexican artists, craftspeople, and manufacturers throughout the design and construction process to support local businesses and create spaces with an authentic connection to Mexico’s culture. Highlights include custom furniture from Taracea and Baufaktory; artwork from Emma Boomkamp; reclaimed wooden games from Rasttro; and textiles from Anora Casa.
Naviva’s untamed natural setting organically sets the stage for individual transformation through Daily, Signature, and Unscripted Naviva experiences, each rooted in one or more biophilic design principles.
Service & Facilities
Daily Naviva experiences focus on movement, gastronomy, and cultural insight. Guests may embark on a nature hike to the Aztatlán ruins, savor the ocean’s natural bounty during a “charcuterie” tasting or learn about Aztec culture at a Metztli mythology session.
Signature Naviva experiences bring heritage, tradition, and local expertise to the forefront while rooting guests in the natural environment. Guests may challenge their mind and body in the House of Heat, a temazcal designed specifically for Naviva; catch fresh snapper along the Resort’s rocky shoreline, or visit a local artist at their private home and studio.
Contributing to the biophilic principle of mystery as a sensory experience, Unscripted Naviva moments occur spontaneously and may include a surprise picnic in the jungle or exploring little-known, small-batch Mexican wines.
Naviva features a series of intimate wellness spaces, including two spa pods tucked away in the forest, a House of Heat temazcal, a cliffside terrace, an open-air gym and nature trails. Each area promotes human connection to nature by grounding guests in tangible and intangible aspects of the environment.
Guests are welcome directly into their private spa pod to use the space how they wish. Inspired by the seed of the local Ceiba tree, each cocoon-like spa structure offers a sense of safety that invites shifts in internal energy. Between transformative spa rituals, guests can spend time in each spa pod’s personal garden, outdoor shower, or timber soaking tub.
The House of Heat invites guests on a personalized temazcal journey guided by a dedicated curandero to produce a mind-body awakening. Guests can choose from several focus areas, such as gratitude or devotion, to drive their customized experience. The House of Heat includes a ceremonial fire pit with seating inspired by traditional Mayan stools, a pre-and post-ceremony gathering space, and an outdoor shower area.
Naviva guests will also discover well-being experiences rooted in the environment at Risco Terrace, where yoga practices include powerful vinyasas and restorative flows, and the outdoor Mar Gym overlooking the Pacific, where strength training workouts incorporate existing formations such as boulders and trees. Guests can find rest and rejuvenation at the Resort’s Selva Pool, nestled in the jungle, or at La Solana Beach, a private 575-foot (175-meter) expanse of Pacific beachfront.
Food & Drink
Central to the Resort’s fluid and informal style, every Naviva stay includes all meals, snacks and beverages – including many premium wines and spirits – whenever a guest may wish. Guests can enjoy fresh seafood at Copal Cocina, graze on light bites inspired by local harvest at Selva Pool, or a personalized menu on the deck of their private luxury tent. Exciting dining experiences abound, from impromptu molcajete lessons to chef-prepared dinners in the forest. In-tent dining is also available around the clock.
At the heart of Naviva, Copal Cocina welcomes guests to an open-air kitchen and living room where they may meet a local coffee roaster, pop a bottle of Mexican wine with a sommelier, or join Chef Sofia Barrera behind the open-fire grill. With no more than 30 guests at any given time, Copal Cocina offers unique dining experiences that integrate uncommon ingredients and flexible daily offerings that can be adjusted to each guest’s preferences. Local purveyors – including farmers and fishermen – periodically visit the kitchen, allowing guests to develop a deeper connection to the local community.
Conclusion
Perhaps the best thing about this tiny resort and a reason to stay here is Naviva’s respect for nature and sustainability. Naviva’s authentic connection to nature is rooted in its thoughtful conception, which began with rehabilitating the land on which it now resides. The development team carefully surveyed the land to build around existing trees and preserve the peninsula’s lush vegetation, hand-placing tents into the existing environment to minimize disruption to the surrounding forest. Select trees were relocated or salvaged for hand-carved timber hooks placed in each luxury tent, and natural stone found on site was repurposed for benches. The team also took significant measures to protect animal life by creating new paths that mimic the colors of soil and rocks and using specific lighting types to limit light pollution.
The design team utilized light-on-earth, low-impact construction materials throughout the property, such as reclaimed wood, local stone, copper, bamboo, and concrete. In addition, natural ventilation made possible by the region’s prevailing winds limits air conditioning to only the most essential spaces.
As an advocate for sustainable water sourcing, Naviva partnered with SOURCE Water to bottle all drinking water onsite using hydro panel technology that extracts clean, pollutant-free water from the air.
All-encompassing Naviva stays start at $3,950 USD per night and include all meals, snacks, and drinks, including special meals prepared to enjoy throughout the property, one 60-minute spa treatment per guest, daily practices and rituals, and Unscripted Naviva experiences. Signature Naviva experiences, rare or custom-ordered beverages, additional spa treatments, private classes or training, and airport transfers are available for an additional cost. If you want the best possible deal at Four Seasons Punta Mita and Naviva®, contact our luxury concierge to find out what extra free benefits we can share with you.
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