At the very bottom of the 1,100-kilometre Baja California peninsula dividing the Sea of Cortez from the Pacific, Mexico’s Los Cabos region can feel like a paradise at the end of the world. The arid desert landscapes, the rocky cliffs, the inky, starry skies—visitors are always on the edge of something spectacular.
The waters here can be rough, though, and as I head back up to my room at the Paradisus Los Cabos after a little dip in the ocean, I am thankful for the resort’s uniquely swimmable beach. Located about halfway between the resort towns of Cabo San Lucas (the glitzy one) and San José del Cabo (the artsy one), the Paradisus’ access to a protected crescent cove is a rare treat.
Back on the property, I admire the thoughtful touches rarely seen at all-inclusives—the daring design choices, including the generous use of natural materials, support for the local communities and the focus on the arts, including ever-changing exhibitions in the art garden.
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“I can’t be at a hotel without offering something that’s different from next door,” managing director Teresa Alfonso tells me one night during our journey through the tasting menu at chef Martin Berasategui’s Gastro bar. Maybe right after the picaña with pasta, mushrooms and truffle cream, but before the saffron pistil veil? Six courses in, with as many fine wines on the menu, who’s to say?
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Like many of its Los Cabos neighbours, the hotel was renovated (to the tune of US$50 million) and relaunched after 2014’s Hurricane Odile hit the area hard. Palma, Spain–based Meliá Hotels International used it as an opportunity to give the four-and-a-half-star property the sophisticated contemporary look Meliá is known for—there’s nary a piece of cucaracha kitsch in sight. Their membership in Leading Hotels of the World tells you all you need to know about the standard of service.
Though Paradisus Los Cabos is definitely a family-friendly resort, it’s certainly not a scene; with just 350 rooms, it’s the smallest of the Paradisus family. Still, the Royal Service wing, with its adults-only pool and lounge, can provide a further refuge for those who choose to indulge in the upgrade. The Royal Service’s swim-up suites—your own pool, right outside your window—are as coveted as the swimmable beachfront.
For all the activities the resort provides (a kids Mini Club, nightly music, wine and tequila tasting experiences, for example), the Paradisus’ key role might be seen as a sanctuary of sanity, a place designed so that something spectacular might happen.
All-inclusive rooms from $280/night. melia.com
