Costa Careyes, Mexico - Nestled on the Mexican Pacific Coast between Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta, Costa Careyes reflects the whims of its 85-year-old Italian founder, Gian Franco Brignone, a onetime banker, who bought the land in 1968 and began inviting his jet-set friends soon after.

Brignone has since built Careyes into a glamorous residential community and resort with accommodations ranging from cozy beach bungalows to "castles," like the six-bedroom, sunshine-yellow aerie Casa Oriente. There’s also a small hotel, a contemporary art gallery, a polo club, five restaurants, and 8 glorious miles of coastline.

But even as it’s grown, and attracted guests like Bill and Melinda Gates, it’s held on to its bohemian sensibility. No one seems to have worried about business plans, branding strategies, or market positioning. Nothing feels focus-grouped. Rather, things are how Brignone and his son Giorgio, who has lived here since his early 20s, want them to be.

It was Giorgio who brought polo to Careyes in the late ’80s. Now nearing 60, he still plays, sometimes with guests in pickup matches to exercise the club’s 60 ponies between the international tournaments held here. Giorgio also acts as the primary host, table-hopping and introducing the global guests to one another.

Homeowners such as Seal, who married Heidi Klum here, must meet 27 conditions, such as appreciating the "music of sky, earth, and sea," being multilingual, and, my favorite, having committed most of the seven deadly sins. They also need several million dollars.

If they pass muster, they can buy a home built into the cliffs with open-air rooms, cinematic views, and quirky details. The rental villas can be quirky, too — think erotic paintings, cushions strewn everywhere, and strategically sited beds. That frank libidinousness may explain why Patrick Demarchelier photographed Christie Brinkley in a pool, Bruce Weber shot the CK Obsession campaign, and Cindy Crawford posed nude for Herb Ritts here.

Despite all the glam, Careyes isn’t clubby. Strangers say hello at dinner. A Brazilian family greets me effusively every time I see them, language barrier be damned, and everyone cheers for the Canadian kids staging an impromptu performance on the lit-up dance floor. It really does feel like a big, sandy dinner party.