Cabo San Lucas is without a doubt the most well known town in Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Cabo is also home to some of the most luxurious resorts, prestigious golf courses and decadent restaurants, making it a perfect destination for people who want a true VACATION (a vacation is quite different from a trip!).
A few other super fun Brownell advisors and I recently made an itinerary busting trip to Cabo to check out all Cabo’s luxury properties.
But, first…
AMANDA KNOWS BEST:
Taxis, Uber and private transportation are very expensive in Cabo. Bring plenty of cash if you will be needing transportation.
Speaking of cash, no need to pick up pesos. Virtually everyone takes the U.S. dollar.
If possible, visit Cabo between December 15th and April 15th so you can enjoy watching whales frolic in the ocean while you sip your coffee (or Bloody Mary) on your balcony.
December 15th – April 15th is also a great time to snorkel with whale sharks. An INCREDIBLE experience.
Most of the resorts on Cabo are located on non-swimmable beaches. Ask your trusted advisor (me!) for guidance if you want easy access to a swimmable beach.
Skip Cabo Wabo bar. For a more authentic experience spend an afternoon or evening leisurely exploring San Jose del Cabo and its 18th century architecture, lovely boutiques, and quaint restaurants.
San Jose del Cabo is a perfect stop on the way to Flora Farms or Acre. Wander the cobblestone streets window shopping and enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail.
Click on a link below to get more information on each of the resorts I visited:
Chileno Bay Resorts and Residences
The bathrooms at Chileno are perfection. Outdoor showers. Large soaking tubes. Gorgeous tiling. Dual vanities. Total bathroom goals.
My colleagues and I were so fortunate to have been able to spend two nights at Auberge’s newest luxury resort in Cabo – Chileno Bay Resort and Residence. When a resort opens in late 2016 and is named the best “Best of the Best of 2017” by the RobbReport, you know you are looking at something special.
You are greeted at check in with a cold beer or personalized cocktail, your first sign that you are going to be spoiled. The staff is so friendly and the zero edge three tiered pool begs for you to sit and stay a while. If you can pull yourself away from your palapa, don’t miss the holistic and rejuvanitive spa. And Chileno’s signature restaurant, Comal, will have you swooning.
Chileno Bay is unique among most resorts in Cabo in that it is located on a swimmable beach. You can visit H20 sports activity cave for snorkel and enjoy non motorized sports equipment.
Perfect for couples, groups of friends and families, Chileno is a must visit.
Please contact Amanda Watkins Travel directly to learn more about the amenities & perks AWT can offer to its clients who book Chileno Bay.
Esperanza, an Auberge Resort
Hours FLY by when at the gorgeous pool at Esperanza. Relax to the max.
My colleagues and I were so thrilled to be invited to stay at Esperanza! The grand dame of Auberge resorts in Cabo, Esperanza is located on the Punta Ballena headland flanked by two rocky and semi private beaches. This resorts keeps a purposefully low profile and focuses on what it does best – pampering its guests. The feeling of secluded luxury is probably why famous faces frequent Esperanza.
And, oh, the rooms! All of the oversized rooms have an ocean view, furnished terrace with hot tub and the bathrooms come with dual vanities, two showerheads and a large soaking tub (with the resorts own blend of soaking salts).
Score a table on the patio jutting out into the ocean at Cocina del Mar and let your server guide you through an absolutely exquisite experience.
Perfect for couples, honeymooners, groups of friends looking to chill, golfers, and those looking to ESCAPE.
Virtuoso Amenities you can when booking with AWT:
Breakfast for two daily
$100 Resort Credit (exclusions apply)
Upgrade on arrival (based on availability)
Grand Velas Los Cabos
Toss any pre-concieved notions you have about all-inclusive resorts OUT THE WINDOW and take a closer look at Grand Velas!
Because I do a great deal of family travel planning, I was really excited to visit the newly opened Grand Velas Los Cabos. But I was not prepared for how much I would love this property! This is not your typical all-inclusive property. How many all-inclusive resorts can also boast a two Michelin starred chef? Grand Velas Los Cabos exceeds all expectations with luxury suites, three infinity pools, a golden beach, an AMAZING spa (I am in love with their sensory spa rooms) and gourmet dining.
With seven restaurants and five bars, you will never need to leave the resort. Seriously, look into their restaurants. The fact that such high level cuisine, service and amenities are included makes this resort a steal! Your kids will beg to go to the teen club (really – they won’t want to leave) or kid club, so you don’t have to feel guilty sneaking away to experience the playful and inventive 8-10 course tasting at Cocina de Autor.
While wonderful for families, Grand Velas Los Cabos also has 6 dedicated spa rooms that are purposefully designated for those looking for a fitness or wellness retreat.
Perfect for multi-generational travel, groups, families, corporate events, and small groups looking for a fitness/spa retreat.
Virtuoso Amenities you can get when booking with AWT:
Complimentary one-way private airport transfer ( From Airport to the Hotel).
$50 USD Spa
Complimentary Wi-Fi
$100 USD food & beverage credit toward a private romantic dinner
Upgrade upon arrival subject to availability
Resort at Pedregal
The rooms are a perfect mix of Oaxacan style and true luxury.
As exclusive as they come in Cabo, the Resort at Pedregal is a beacon to travelers seeking privacy along with exceptional food and service. It is no wonder Pedregal is a favorite among honeymooners. Adding to its aura of seclusion is the fact that - while only a short walk from downtown – the location was unreachable by car until the resort’s developers blasted a private tunnel through the rock, thus creating the only private tunnel in Mexico. Set into the oceanside cliff, you feel as if you are let into a very well kept secret.
Four restaurants (including a swim up sushi bar) and four bars mean you never have to leave this gem. The Auriga Spa is beautifully designed and features 10 treatment rooms, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, exercise areas and lounging space.
Accommodations are in the style of an elegant hacienda and the entry level rooms come in much larger than at its peer resorts. And all of the 96 units feature a private plunge pool. Lucky us got to stay in a three bedroom casita with an ocean view, spacious balcony and full kitchen.
Dinner at El Farallon is not to be missed. In addition to an unforgettable meal, the experience of being nestled between a cliff and crashing waves is otherworldly.
Perfect for couples, groups, events, families and multi-generational travel.
Virtuoso Amenities you can get when booking with AWT:
Breakfast buffet daily in Don Manuel’s, two per bedroom (including all suites)
$100 USD equivalent Spa Services credit to be utilized during stay
Complimentary VIP airport Lounge Tickets with all Beach Front Suite Bookings
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Las Ventanas al Paraiso
You never feel like you are part of a crowd at Las Ventanas.
Being the first luxury retreat to open in Cabo back in the 90’s gives Las Ventanas some rightly due and serious street cred. With only 71 suites and villas, their seven pools never seem crowded. When wandering from the lobby, through the meandering pathways, ponds and patios the glittering Sea of Cortez catches your eye like a sparkling diamond.
The rooms are all elegantly appointed with warm and colorful Mexican furnishings and textiles. And all rooms include a kiva-style wood burning terracotta fireplace.
Las Ventanas excels in providing providing excellent, yet unobtrusive, service while allowing their clients to enjoy their privacy.
Perfect for couples, honeymooners, groups of friends looking to chill, golfers, and those looking to ESCAPE.
Virtuoso Amenities you can get when booking with AWT:
Daily Full breakfast for up to two in-room guests per bedroom, available in El Restaurante or through in-suite dining
$100 USD equivalent Spa credit
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
The Cape, a Thompson Hotel
It is always a party at The Cape!
If you are looking for FUN, a great pool scene and killer views of El Arco, The Cape is the place to be. A boutique hotel in a primo location for exploring Cabo, The Cape is a hotel for the young and young at heart.
With each guestroom boasting an ocean view, you will wake up to staggering views every morning.
More jaw dropping views await at their famed restaurant, Manta. You will learn that fabulous views are par for the course at The Cape.
They have a three-bedroom suite with a rooftop patio and hot tub that screams for a party.
Perfect for fun seeking couples, bachelor/bachelorette parties, girls trips, guys trips, FUN trips.
Virtuoso Amenities you can get when booking with AWT:
A la carte breakfast for two daily for duration of the stay, served in restaurant
$100 USD equivalent Food & Beverage credit to be utilized during stay
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
One and Only Palmilla
One and Only Palmilla has it all without you ever feeling like you are at a mega-resort.
Built in the 1950’s as a retreat for the President of Mexico, this 115 room resort is still a tropical escape from “real” life. One and Only Palmilla loves to spoil and pamper their guests – welcome tequila, pillow menu, a cell phone to call your butler, and golf courts that are happy to drive you around the property. Access to a swimmable beach and a Jack Nicklaus golf course further solidify One and Only Pamilaa as premier Cabo resort.
The One and Only Palmilla offers multiple dining options including renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's SEARED restaurant, and chef Larbi Dahrouch's more casual, waterfront spot Agua.
There are two large, ocean front infinity pools – one for adults only and one that welcomes families.
Perfect for couples, families, girls trips, guys trips, multi-generational trips.
Virtuoso Amenities you can get when booking with AWT:
Daily Continental breakfast for up to two in-room guests
Two 30 minute Virtuoso Exclusive Spa Experiences per booking. (One per person, choice of head and shoulder massage, back massage, or foot rejuvenation)
A complimentary round of golf for up to two people, per room, including greens fees and cart rental, once during stay
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability