ELLE Escapes: Los Cabos
Los Cabos is a vacationer’s nirvana. The resort city on the tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula has some of the best vacation weather any beach-loving traveler could ask for, along with its seemingly endless variety of land and sea adventures, and, of course, head-spinning nightlife. However, for those looking for a serene haven, there is a quiet luxury that makes it the perfect getaway to...get away.
What to SeeTodos Santos
It began as a humble fishing village that caught the eye of surfers and bohemian artists, and at its heart, Todos Santos is still just that. About an hour north of bustling Cabo, and officially designated as a Pueblo Mágico or “Magical Town,” Todos Santos has an off-the-beaten-path vibe with chic art galleries, cozy boutiques, and intimate luxury hotels around every corner. There are many walking tours that showcase the history and art of Todos Santos, but I recommend you treat yourself to a culinary tour provided by InCabo excursions.
The Waldorf Astoria Spa
At The Waldorf Astoria Spa you’ll enjoy luxurious amenities while feeling like you’ve escaped to a hidden grotto. The extensive service menu offers something for everyone, with treatments executed by highly skilled therapists. Each offering begins with an aromatic foot bath that sets the soothing tone for a transporting experience. A reservation grants you an all-day pass to take in the sauna, steam room, and ice room and bask in the secluded private pool.
Pelican Cabo Boat Charters
You can’t go to Los Cabos and not set sail on the pristine waters of the Sea of Cortez. For a next-level excursion, pass on the party barge and board the Pelican Cabo, a luxury 55-foot private charter. You can curate your sailing tour to experience everything from whale watching to a private wedding reception. Or just relax and enjoy a personal chef and all the amenities of a five-star resort.
Perched between the Pedregal cliffs and the Pacific Ocean, you will feel like you are dining on the edge of the world. With a sea-to-table selection that’s so fresh your waiter presents the menu on a chalkboard, El Farallon offers the best of the local catch. Splurge for the colossal lobster tail and champagne tasting, and you are in for a truly unforgettable experience.
Ardea Steakhouse
If you find yourself vacationing during your favorite sports playoffs season, you won’t miss a second of the action at Ardea Steakhouse. The restaurant at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, which now offers exclusive luxury “home away from home” residences, provides the perfect spot to catch the big game. With offerings like a 40-ounce, 15-day dry-aged Prime Tomahawk, game day menus just got an opulent upgrade.
Flora’s Field Kitchen
Nestled among flower beds, palm trees, and cacti and boasting a stunning view of the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, Flora’s Field Kitchen defines the essence of hand-crafted cuisine in the loveliest setting. Be sure to check out its cooking classes, farm tours, and grocery store to get the true farm-to-table dining experience. And don’t miss the “Farmarita” and Bloody Mary, cocktails featuring just about one of everything from the farm.
What started as a simple thatched-roof palapa that rented surf gear has transformed into a can’t-miss beach cantina. “The Office” serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and margaritas the size of your head, all from the beautiful sandy shore of Médano Beach.
The Rooftop at The Cape, A Thompson Hotel
Skip the booze cruise and take in the magnificent sunset and jaw-dropping views of the iconic El Arco from this inviting open-air rooftop bar at The Cape. The views, live music, casual yet ultra-hip vibe, and maybe a Hot & Spicy Margarita will touch all your senses.
La Botica Speakeasy
You’ll need a secret code to enter La Botica, a hidden speakeasy, but once inside, you are transported to a stylishly retro era. With live jazz and Afro-Cuban and Latin music from Rosalia de Cuba and her exquisite band, combined with killer signature cocktails like the Gin Monkey 47, you will certainly have a night to remember.
When a resort is accessible only via a private tunnel under Pedregal Mountain, you know your destination will be exceptional. Carved into the side of the cliffs and with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal was recently named the “most Instagrammable resort” by Forbes. Every room, suite, and casita has its own private infinity pool, ocean view, and even personal concierge. Dining options not only feature the freshest ingredients from farm (and ocean) to table, but also daily events like agave tastings. But do yourself a favor and schedule your visit around one of the resort’s Festival of Flavors weekends, where you will be treated to a Michelin-starred guest chef takeover.
ME Cabo by Meliá
The ME Cabo by Meliá is positioned on the only swimmable beach in Los Cabos. The stylish hotel, which reopened in 2021 after undergoing a $10 million transformation, is a white-washed beauty, with ocean view rooms, complete with large balconies, that overlook Los Cabos’ famed arch. Our spacious room had two bathrooms, each with large rain showers, and had a living and kitchen area that could be completely closed off from the bedroom— great for couple and families on different sleeping schedules. There are five restaurants on the property, thanks to a partnership between the ME Cabo and the restaurant and entertainment group, Rosa Negra. My favorites were the Tamara Beach Club, for its fresh seafood options, and Craft Open Fire Kitchen, for its perfectly prepared steak and grilled provoleta. The rooftop restaurant is also a great spot to take in the hotel’s nightly fireworks show.
Acre Resort Los Cabos
If a luxury beach vacation is not on your radar, Acre offers authentic and casually chic villas, haciendas, and, yes, 12 treehouses set within the lush mountains outside San Jose del Cabo. However, the heart and soul of this resort is the consistently top-rated Acre Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, with evolving menus crafted around produce grown on the property’s 25-acre farm and sourced from local ranchers and fishermen. Put me down for their private label and award-winning Mezcal and the Wednesday night House Smoked Ribs!
A sunny vacation without sunscreen is a disaster waiting to happen. With a high SPF, this moisturizing sunscreen protects against harmful UVB and UVA rays, all while coating the skin with skin-loving collagen peptides to ward off aging signs and correct dullness.
Skip the grating TSA bag search process and opt for this compact solid fragrance, which radiates with a smokey, woody scent that will tempt you to order another dark and stormy (or maybe two).
This formula, comprised of soothing aloe and vitamin E, coats your pits in ultimate nourishment and protects against odor and perspiration without leaving your skin irritated or burnt.
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