Cabo
The southern tip of Baja California, Mexico is a
sun-bleached, laid-back piece of paradise. It's a 20-minute drive between sister
towns Cabo San Lucas and the more low-key San José del Cabo, and the shoreline
is lined with luxury resorts, each more beautiful than the last.
Not sure where to start when it comes to sorting through all the luxury hotels
in Los Cabos? Let us be your guide.
1
Resort at Pedregal
It's difficult to deny the immediate allure of this
mountainside resort, where
guests enter via a dramatic tunnel, an infinity pool blends seamlessly into the
horizon, and the ocean is never out of view. A favorite for romantics, the
property feels more like a Mediterranean village than a hotel: each of the 66
rooms feature locally-made ceramics, fireplaces, and private plunge pools, not
to mention staggering ocean vistas and complimentary tequila delivered straight
to your door. The new champagne lounge is a perfect prelude to what awaits at El
Farallón, the open-air seafood restaurant cantilevered over the cliffside where
live music accompanies your meal.
Book from $703/night
2
Marquis Los Cabos Resort & Spa
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more dramatic, statement-making lobby than the
one at the modern, adults-only
Marquis Los Cabos, a member
of The Leading Hotels of the World—the all-white, open-air space features deep
archways that perfectly frame the turquoise waters beyond. Hacienda-style rooms
have colorful sofas and Mexican artwork, not to mention ultra-spacious soaking
tubs with ocean-facing balconies (whether you're in a junior suite or a private
casita). Spend your free hours floating in the infinity pool, indulging in a hot
stone treatment at the 13,000-square-foot spa, or trying all six of the on-site
restaurants—a struggle we think you can handle.
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Book from 572 $457/night
3
Esperanza, an Auberge Resort
Two scenic bluffs hug this
17-acre hideaway, tucked
off the main highway. Esperanza, a shining star in the Auberge roster, hasn't
missed a beat since it hosted President Obama and family back in 2012. Along
with 57 re-done suites and casitas (all with private patios), there's free yoga
and fitness classes, an ethereal spa with open-air treatment rooms, cushy
serviced cabanas overlooking an adults-only pool, and a calendar of culinary
events. Its standout restaurant, Cocina del Mar, looks out onto the rock-studded
surf, and the cuisine, courtesy of Argentinian chef Guillermo Gomez, spotlights
the best Baja purveyors.
Book from $575/night
Photo by Joe Fletcher
4
Mar Adentro
We're still buzzing about
Mar Adentro, the
hypermodern vision of celebrated Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragonés that
manages to feel worlds away despite its location between a stacked list of
resorts along San José del Cabo's Playa Las Palmas. There's a serious wow-factor
to the minimalist design, where sugar-white buildings, all angled towards the
sea, appear to float on reflecting pools crisscrossed by stone walkways. At the
center of it all is the open-air sushi restaurant, Nest, which is cocooned in an
intricate weave of twigs. Expect to see new beachside villas, a holistic spa,
and a private beach complete with its own food truck in the coming months.
Book from $769/night
5
Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort
The last
resort on the Los Cabos
strip feels luxuriously secluded, thanks to its covetable location where hotel
development gives way to dunes and desert. Several towers arranged in a crescent
look out onto the property grounds, which are dotted with dipping pools and
blooming cacti, while the Armonia Spa is a heavenly world of its own. Debuting
this December: The Towers at Pacifica, an additional building with 47
refreshingly modern rooms and suites (six with private plunge pools), 24-hour
butler service, and a presidential suite with jaw-dropping views designed with
honeymooners in mind.
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Book from $837/night
6
Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach
Up the hill from the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica resort is
Sunset Beach, a sprawling
property built right into the cliffside. Escorts in golf carts whisk guests away
to their rooms, all 635 of which come with kitchenettes, living rooms (which
provide that necessary extra room if you’ve got little ones in tow), and
balconies overlooking the sea. The hotel is ideal for families: there’s a kid’s
club, tennis and beach volleyball courts, and—a crowd favorite—roaming pink
flamingoes. Book the all-inclusive plan to get free WiFi as well as access to
the fitness center and adults-only restaurant LaFrida.
Book from $930/night
7
One&Only Palmilla
After suffering the brunt of Hurricane Odile in 2012, Baja's (arguably) most
luxurious resort has returned even better than before. The
One&Only makes its comeback
with a Jean-Georges steakhouse, a 22,000-square-foot revamped wellness spa, two
all-new salons, and re-done rooms featuring details like embroidered throws and
leather bars. Luckily, not everything has changed; the hotel still has one of
the only swimmable beaches in all of Los Cabos and service that goes above and
beyond. Guests can expect in-room deliveries like artisanal tequila on arrival
and sewing kits to match their wardrobe, along with cocktail-hour snacks and the
chance to book tailored excursions, including camelback beach safaris, trips to
organic farms, and private charters onboard the resort's yacht.
Book from $1100/night
8
Las Ventanas al Paraíso
There's a reason this Rosewood property is a go-to for A-Listers like Leonardo
DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, and Cameron Diaz—Las
Ventanas al Paraíso, which translates to "the
windows to paradise," lives up to its name. The 71 suites, spread across
all-white adobe buildings and 12 beachfront villas, are a tasteful combination
of glamour and privacy, with wood-burning fireplaces, patios with telescopes
(whether you use them to star-gaze or whale-watch is up to you), and, for some,
alfresco Jacuzzis, not to mention a villa to end all villas. Kids are welcome on
property, but Las Ventanas is a decidedly more intimate affair: there's a serene
indoor-outdoor spa shaded by palm trees, pampering pool service,
and—honeymooners take note—a Department of Romance for those looking to
fine-tune that trip of a lifetime.
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Book from $696/night
9
JW Marriott Los Cabos
This
JW Marriott, one of the
area's newest additions, is a beautiful—if quiet—escape in the northern reaches
of San José. Property designers Jim Olson/Olson Kundig Architects utilized
stucco, concrete, and travertine marble for each building to make them blend
seamlessly with the desert surrounds, and scattered the public spaces with
pieces by Mexican artists like Angel Otero. There are perks here for every type
of traveler, including 13 pools for kids and adults, the Griffin Club (a 45-room
mini-hotel within the hotel) for extra privacy and pampering, seven restaurants
including the lauded Café des Artistes, and an updated version of a traditional
temazcal in the expansive Jasha Spa.
Book from $279/night
10
The Cape, a Thompson Hotel
Sucker for a view? Rooms at
The Cape, the first Mexico
hotel for the Thompson brand, look straight across the Sea of Cortez to the
peninsula's famous Arch. The interiors combine the brand's signature midcentury
look with modern touches including rainfall showers, daybeds, and binoculars on
all balconies. Besides those views, the stars of the show are the hotel's Manta
restaurant, which serves up elevated seafood, and the rooftop bar—another first
for the region—where guests and locals come to sip on inventive cocktails and
artisanal beers while watching the spectacular Cabo sunsets.
Book from $439/night
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