Cabo – Sophisticated and Luxurious, if you know where to go!

Cabo is such a perfect beach holiday destination. While arriving by car would be a grueling 25 hour drive from San Diego down to the tip of the Baja Peninsula, arriving by plane from much of the continental USA is a breeze and the remote location pays off quickly!

Cabo is most simply defined as the cities of Cabo San Lucas in the far South and San Jose del Cabo in the North, connected by the “Corridor” made up of a variety of unique and varied resort properties. While the purpose of my trip was to check out the newly opened and spectacular Chilean Bay, I took advantage of my time in Cabo to see and experience several of the properties that clients of Resort to Laura Madrid love.

I was taken aback by the dramatic rocky and cliffy topography where the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific ocean sandwich the desert between! Incredible food, service, design, natural beauty, and a fantastic array of activities are a huge draw for Cabo’s well heeled-clientele.

Chileno Bay is the new kid in town and will absolutely get everyone considering a return to Cabo!

The vibe at Chileno Bay is sleek and sexy, chilled out but fun!  Large rooms with terrace or balcony and large bathroom including outdoor showers are their standard accommodation,  but families or a group of friends will absolutely love their 2, 3 and 4 bedroom suites and villas. I am in love with the 3 and 4 bedroom sky suites!

Due to its geographic location between the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez and its rocky nature, most beaches in Cabo are not swimmable.  Chileno Bay has one of the few swimmable beaches in the area and lots of fun toys to take out on its calm waters.

 

img_3224
One of the swimmable beaches at Chileno Bay
img_3203
Three dramatic pools wind down to the beach.
img_3221
One of several comfortable spots to sit and chill through out the resort.
fullsizeoutput_2171.jpeg
Loved my make your own welcome amenity – the Chileno fast became my favorite cocktail!

 

img_3198
Terrific snacks to accompany my welcome cocktail!

 

img_3204

One of the TOP selling points of Chileno Bay is its food. This is not just good resort food, this is incredible cuisine making the resort a destination in itself. The talented culinary team right down to a pastry chef who will knock your socks off is the reason you will not miss a meal while on holiday at Chileno Bay!

Dinner at Comal was absolutely phenomenal!

img_3214

img_3215img_3216

img_3217

img_3218
Mexico offers fantastic wines these days!

img_3213

However, nothing beats lunch and cocktails at T&T (Tacos and Tequila). These tacos are NOT dumbed down for the “hotel” market, they are completely authentic and delicious!

img_3239
The team throughout Chileno Bay is so engaging and so much fun!

img_3200

img_3318

img_3330
Lots of fun toys at Chileno Bay

img_3332img_3315img_3316

With such great food, guests will love the incredible fitness center with top end equipment and fantastic trainers and fitness sessions from Cross Fit Northern Cal.  Here I am at one of the morning boot camps.

img_7154

Next stop was to Ezperanza, like Chileno Bay, part of Auberge Hotels and Resorts.  For foodies, this is another important property to consider. Auberge has a philosophy of insuring the culinary is a prime consideration, never an afterthought. The special touches and service are felt throughout. This property is understated luxury where you can go and completely relax. While the room product is older than some of the competition, Esperanza is romantic and relaxed and has a very loyal following. They come for the service, the view, and the high touch but relaxed service. Children under 18 are not allowed at the main pool, keeping the romantic and sophisticated feel at the main resort. That said, Esperanza has fantastic options for families in their multiple villa and residential units complete with lawns for playing sports, family pools, restaurants and shops at an attractive price point. For couples, I definitely suggest the two  bedroom villa with plunge pool and direct private beach access!

img_3250
Sunset at Esperanza
img_3252
Bienvenidos a Esperanza
img_3248
B
img_3249
Desert meets Sea
img_3256
The service is the best! Love the genuine Mexican hospitality!
img_3258
Homemade and absolutely special micheladas prepared by the Chef (beer with clamato, mulled herbs, chili, lime and vegetables – a meal in itself!)
img_3263
Guacamole station with all the fixings including chicaron.
img_3264
Ahi tacos – incredible combination of fish tacos served sashimi style.

img_3267

img_3273
Oh what a night at Esperanza!

The Resort at Pedregal has always been a favorite of my clients. It’s ideal for couples, but also a terrific option for families.  The location at the Tip of Baja makes it a dramatic and beautiful setting for whale watching and privacy but definitely a dangerous and non-swimmable sea. Enter the resort through a tunnel carved in the mountain and let the magic begin. While completely private and unreachable by non-guests, Pedregal guests have the option to walk through the tunnel and into Cabo San Lucas if they wish to go to some local restaurants. This may be an ideal place to come with teens who may wish to go out and party while the parents enjoy the sophistication of the resort.

img_3146

img_3142
As I exit the vehicle on arrival to Pedregal a margarita is offered.  Si, como no?!

img_3174img_3154

In my room, beers and guacamole await and I am told this is replenished every afternoon during my stay.

My room was charming and romantic!img_3155img_3153img_3157

img_3183

Walking through the resort on my way to the spa, I encountered this tree hung with glass hearts. The following images are of the spa. Terrific spa and outstanding treatment!img_3164img_3169img_3170img_3172

img_3173
Healthy spa snacks
img_3176
For my cliff side dinner, I simply choose my fish and all the chef’s nightly accompaniments come automatically.

img_3179

The day time pool and bar setting is truly beautiful!

img_3186img_3189

My final visit was to One & Only Las Palmilla. This stunning and incredible property is high energy with excellent and scripted service. The staff to guest ration is a jaw-dropping 5 to 1. This property has a swimmable beach, fabulous service and very chic and trendy restaurants. This is the place to see and be seen.

img_3081
Guests are welcomed with a homemade “paleta” – popsicle
img_3082
I chose the guava and coconut – unreal!
img_3083
Welcome to One & Only Palmilla

img_3090

Loved this artist in residence –

 

 

 

 

img_3094
The meats on display in their steak restaurant

The resort has many room types that will appeal to couples and families or groups of friends. They even have multiple types of suites and even queen/queen accommodations if a family prefers to share a room.img_3097img_3098img_3100img_3101img_3102img_3103

img_3105
Tequila and snacks replenished daily.

img_3106img_3109img_3111img_3114img_3115img_3118img_3119

img_3130
The swimmable beach at One & Only Palmilla
img_3133
Lunch with a view
img_3136
In Baja California, it is all about the fish tacos!

The only property that I did not get to see on this trip, is the incredible Las Ventanas. Quiet and romantic, with outstanding attention to detail, this is without doubt a great spot for couples wanting to completely chill out and not be bothered. There are several new hotels in Cabo that I can talk to you about including Grand Velas for those wanting the best of the all inclusive experiences and The Thompson for young couples of friends who want to party. Cabo has something for everyone and is a MUST do destination!

Leave a Reply