Los Cabos, Mexico: The Place at the End of the Rainbow

Story by
Teresa & Michael Anderson 

 

As you leave the plane, you hope your friends were telling the truth about their recent trip to Los Cabos, Mexico. "Trust me, it's not just college kids on Spring Break or tourists piling off cruise ships. You'll love it," they said. As you begin to relax on the drive from the airport, you get the feeling your friends might be right. A day or 2 later, you'll be sending them a thank you note.

Los Cabos (Spanish for "the capes") is really two towns about 20 miles apart—Cabo San Lucas to the south and San Jose del Cabo to the north. In between is an area alternately called resort row or the hotel corridor, and this is where you should stay. While Los Cabos is world-renowned for fishing, in the corridor you will find world-class resorts and a breathtaking golf course for all abilities. San Jose is about 5 miles north, and Cabo 15 miles to the south. You may not need to remember any of this because the beaches are so inviting, the pools so available and those colorful drinks being carried by the wait staff so enticing, you end up realizing there’s a reason those hotels are called destination resorts; it’s because guests tend to stay put.

A Plush Retreat

While the new resorts strive to achieve an identity, the established leader is the Rosewood resort Las Ventanas al Paraíso. As you enter the unassuming gates, the faces of those who have just checked out look as if they found nirvana but were asked to share it. You soon realize why. The staff knows your name upon arrival, and within 24 hours, you feel as if they have known you all of your life—down to your very personality and preferences. The buildings are whitewashed, like clouds set against a clear blue sky. The rooms are impeccable. But it's the people who set it apart, giving Las Ventanas a calmness and casual elegance that simply can't be duplicated. The resort even has a director of romance.

The spa at Las Ventanas offers interesting variations of massage and facials and unusual therapies, such as "raindrop therapy" where fragrant oils and massage combine with reflexology to help guests unwind. The tequila bar serves the famous local liquor with a twist: They teach you everything about the making and drinking of tequila, much like the wineries of Napa. The restaurants are not inexpensive, but they are top notch with the upper rung occupied by La Cava, a private table within the resort's own wine cellar. The meal is prepared with regional ingredients including local wines from the Guadalupe Valley, a burgeoning area to the north. If you get the feeling you don't need to leave the hotel, you're right.

If you do venture out, head north to San Jose del Cabo. Its main street is lined with shops and restaurants, and it's certainly more quaint and delightful than its counterpart to the south. When tired of shopping, stop for a drink at the Tropicana Hotel, a cute colonial-style hotel. Stay in town for dinner at Morgan's, one of the many new world restaurants springing up on the old world streets.

At the southern end of the corridor is the Hotel Twin Dolphin.The rooms are rustic and comfortable but don't offer televisions or telephones. With so much to do in the area, it's unlikely you will miss them. The pool is the center of the social scene with its cabanas and swim-up bar. The clientele seem laid back and slightly younger than elsewhere.

Party Central

If it's nightlife you want, head to Cabo San Lucas, where anything goes at mainstays like Cabo Wabo (011-52-624-143-1188) and El Squid Row. For dinner try Cabo's originals like Edith's (011-52-624-143-0801 or the "Original," the Original Trailer Park Restaurant (011-52-624-143-3705). For lunch, go where the locals go—La Picazon (011-52-624-142-3410). Among its local dishes, this family-owned hideaway serves swordfish and marlin tacones, a better version of the burrito.

As you reluctantly return to the airport you are already planning your return visit. Make sure to thank your new best friends for their recommendation. Or better yet, bring them the next time. In the interim, relish your new role as the friend telling everyone, "Cabo, trust me, you'll love it."