Hix Island House

Forget whitewashed beach villas, thatched roofs and the usual tropical resort vocabulary. On the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, Hix Island House offers something altogether more interesting: five sculptural concrete buildings scattered across 13 acres of lush tropical hillside. Designed by Canadian architect John Hix and opened in 2000, the retreat is an architectural experiment in simplicity, sustainability and living with nature rather than shutting it out. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, Hix embraced raw materials, imperfect surfaces and uncomplicated spaces. The buildings are unapologetically modernist, yet somehow feel entirely at home among the palms, fruit trees and tropical vegetation. It is Caribbean hospitality stripped back to its essentials, with considerably more architectural character than most five-star resorts.

Geometry, Concrete, and Trade Winds

Each of the five buildings explores a different geometric form. Casa Triangular, Casa Redonda and Casa Rectangular are exactly as architectural as their names suggest, while Casa Solaris takes the concept further with stacked rectangular volumes. The buildings combine exposed concrete, white surfaces and warm timber, with generous openings framing the surrounding gardens and distant Caribbean Sea. There is little conventional decoration because the architecture does most of the talking. Concrete overhangs provide shade, steel shutters offer hurricane protection, and the buildings are positioned to catch the cooling trade winds. Air conditioning is deliberately absent. Instead, natural cross-ventilation, ceiling fans and the occasional tropical breeze keep things comfortable. It is an intelligent response to the climate, and a reminder that good architecture often makes complicated technology unnecessary.

Loft Living, Island Style

The 19 accommodations feel more like minimalist holiday apartments than conventional hotel rooms. Spacious, open-plan interiors feature polished concrete floors, built-in furniture, simple timber details and the occasional splash of colour. Even the sinks, desks, tables and bed bases are formed from concrete. Most rooms have outdoor showers, while private terraces and patios make the surrounding landscape part of everyday life. Kitchens come stocked with breakfast essentials, allowing guests to start the day whenever they please. There are no televisions or telephones, and Wi-Fi is largely confined to the reception area. This is not the place for room service, pillow menus or elaborate hotel rituals. Instead, Hix Island House offers space, privacy and the rather underrated pleasure of being left alone.

Casa Solaris: Off-Grid by Design

The most ambitious building is Casa Solaris, a striking composition of six apartments arranged in stacked concrete blocks around a central staircase. Designed to operate independently of the commercial electricity grid, it uses rooftop solar panels to generate power and solar energy to heat water. Large openings encourage natural ventilation, while shaded terraces and outdoor showers make the tropical climate an integral part of the architecture. The design is deliberately robust, with exposed concrete and protective steel shutters suited to the realities of Caribbean weather. Rather than treating sustainability as a fashionable addition, Hix incorporated it into the building’s fundamental design. The result is a compelling example of how environmentally conscious architecture can also be visually extraordinary.

A Pool, a Yoga Pavilion, and Not Much Else

There is a 15 metre (50-foot) swimming pool with panoramic views, a yoga pavilion and acres of tropical gardens inhabited by hummingbirds, coquí frogs and other local wildlife. What you won’t find is a collection of restaurants, fashionable bars or an elaborate spa programme. Hix Island House has never tried to compete with conventional Caribbean resorts on amenities. Its appeal lies in the architecture, the setting and the freedom to do very little. Breakfast is a do-it-yourself affair, and the absence of a hotel restaurant provides an excellent excuse to discover the island’s local food scene. A sunset drink on your private terrace, accompanied by the sounds of the surrounding countryside, is about as close as it gets to organised entertainment.

The Other Caribbean

Vieques is one of Puerto Rico’s most appealing islands precisely because it has resisted much of the large-scale resort development found elsewhere in the Caribbean. Its beaches are spectacular, often wild and wonderfully uncrowded, while the small coastal town of Esperanza offers relaxed restaurants and bars. The island’s most extraordinary natural attraction is Mosquito Bay, where bioluminescent microorganisms make the water glow after dark. Wild horses roam freely, and the landscape alternates between tropical greenery, dry coastal vegetation and seemingly endless stretches of sand. Hix Island House occupies a peaceful inland hillside rather than a beachfront location, so a rental car is useful for exploring. But returning to those concrete lofts after a day at the beach is part of the pleasure. This is a hotel for people who appreciate architecture, individuality and a certain degree of independence. No marble bathrooms, no infinity-pool theatrics, no manufactured tropical glamour. Just brilliant concrete architecture, Caribbean sunshine and the trade winds doing what they have always done.