Trust: Los Cabos Will Be the Most Magical Beach Vacation You’ll Ever Experience
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
After a year and a half of no travel, I was on a mission to make up for lost time in summer 2021. Thankfully, my husband has a lot of flexibility with his work schedule, which made it easy to carve out time for a getaway where we could relax, eat delicious food, and look at something pretty other than the gray concrete buildings of New York City. When the opportunity came up to travel to Los Cabos around the time we were narrowing down plans (thanks to the Los Cabos tourism board), I knew it was meant to be.
This was my first time at the popular beach destination. Prior to visiting, I used to associate the spring breaker spot with rowdy college kids—can ya blame me? But listen, it’s actually quite the opposite. To my surprise, it turned out to be such a soulful city that’s rich in luxury, art, and culture. The cuisine was beyond delicious with so many up-and-coming farm-to-table restaurants. And views couldn’t be topped. I mean, a combination of desert, beachfront, and mountain terrain?! Heaven on earth. Psh, and you already know I had to indulge in alllll the tacos and tequila…because when in Los Cabos!
Time for takeoff: book flights
P.S. The writer received free stays, meals, treatments, and experiences in order to write this story.
But first, the ultimate rule of any vacation: You can’t go without fire ’fits!
The Vibe
We were lucky enough to stay at two amazing hotels during our time in Los Cabos. Both were uniquely different in design, food, and overall vibe, which made for such a nice change of scenery!
From the minute we stepped onto the property at The Cape, a Thompson Hotel, I was enamored by the breathtaking design, the modern industrial architecture, and the *chef’s kiss* perfect view of El Arco. There’s no denying the chic ambience that can be found in every corner of this place.
Stunning sunsets and delicious food await: book The Cape, a Thompson Hotel
We spent the first afternoon lounging at its infinity pool and swim-up bar, Point Break, among the plethora of young 20- and 30somethings enjoying their weekend getaways. But on the real, y’all, I seriously could’ve spent hours on hours watching the waves with my paloma(s) in hand. (Side note: Make sure to spend as much time as you can at the saltwater pool. It’s freakin’ dreamy.)
Next up on the agenda: Hit the Currents spa, aka the lavish oasis in the hotel that was built to look like a natural rock formation. And guys, I could literally feel and hear the serene vibrations of the ocean waves during my treatment. It was magical. Icing on the cake, though, was taking a dip in the hot and cold plunge pools after it all, and TBH, I will never be the same again.
And don’t even get me STARTED on the in-house restaurant. Manta, which serves a fusion of Peruvian, Mexican, and Japanese food, has it all, especially when it comes to fun cocktails. (The avocado cocktail has my heart!) And Chef Enrique Olvera and the team at Manta just blew us away with his culinary skills and their thoughtfulness. They curated a special menu for my husband and me—and went out of their way to have fabulous vegetarian options for me. We were obsessed with the roasted sweet potato with almond mole, the heirloom tomatoes, the watermelon and hibiscus chamoy, and the mushroom ramen with epazote, beans, and pasilla mixe.
Now onto the next hotel! Staying at the Chileno Bay, Auberge Resorts Collection was like living in a palace. I was treated like a queen from the moment I stepped onto the beautiful property all the way down to checkout time. Our room was extremely spacious and featured a large private outdoor space with the Sea of Cortez practically right next to us. The best part had to be that exclusive outdoor shower though!!
Yes, I want my own outdoor shower! book Chileno Bay, Auberge Resorts Collection
We spent our first afternoon at Chileno Bay unwinding by the pool (it has three pools: kids, families, and adults-only) because you can never get enough pool time on vacation. The Chileno Bay team hooked us up with one of the chic private bungalows. One of my favorite parts of the day, though, was partaking in the hotel’s Amanu sandal experience. As a fashion lover, it was a blast to design my own handcrafted sandals. I also gotta mention that I didn’t even have to leave our sweet, sweet bungalow for this activity. Their sandal artisan came to me (?!?) and measured my feet and I selected materials for my custom pair of sandals. It didn’t feel like real life!
If you’ve gotta do something at Chileno Bay, you must try its custom agave journey. Chileno Bay’s top mixologist, Osvaldo Vasquez, gave us a private lesson on Mexican agave spirits, where we did some tastings and learned the fascinating details of the origins, production process, and chemistry profiles of tequila, mezcal, and sotol. During the tasting, we also snacked on Mexican chocolates and tacos as we paired different spices and dried fruits with each kind of agave.
After one too many shots of tequila (LOL), we had the pleasure of dining at Comal. The menu was filled with Latin American–inspired dishes that had a modern twist. Personally, I loved the grilled peach and grapefruit salad with toasted cashews, scallions, and ginger-grapefruit dressing and the special risotto they prepared for me. My husband loved the Japanese Wagyu A5 with black garlic, bok choy, cashew, and charred baby corn. Go on and salivate over these works of art.
The Spa at Chileno Bay was just what the doctor ordered on our last day in Cabo. I spent time in the salt inhalation room and took a dip in the tranquil reflexology pool. For treatment, I received the deep hydration oxygen facial, which was much needed and restorative after my time spent in the sun.
For our final morning at Chileno Bay, the amazing team at Comal set up a private beachside breakfast for my husband and me. It was truly one of the most memorable and romantic experiences I’ve had on any vacation. The breakfast spread was decadent, packed with fresh fruit, multiple fresh juice options, an array of breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, yogurt parfaits, avocado toast, and more. They even went out of their way to have special cookies made with designer logos on them because they did their research from my Instagram and knew I’d love it. Like, what?!
The Food
Like I said, eating at Manta and Comal was truly a blessing. I also have to shout out the exquisite meals we had outside the hotels at Sunset Monalisa and El Huerto Farm to Table Restaurant.
Sunset Monalisa was by far one of the most incredible dining experiences I’ve ever had—and not just because it was located at the top of a freaking cliff. We started at the Ocean Terrace for appetizers and craft cocktails. I suggest getting the Mighty Peak, which has Himalayan pink salt, Don Julio Reposado Claro, fresh pink grapefruit juice, pomegranate and blueberry juice, and artisanal coconut and yuzu foam. Yes, it was also almost too pretty to drink. The menu leans Mediterranean, featuring fresh seafood with the option of three, five, or seven courses. BTW: If you’re a vegetarian like me, get the truffle pasta!
El Huerto Farm to Table Restaurant was also just as lovely. As one of the newest farm-to-table concept restaurants to enter the Los Cabos scene, it does not disappoint. My husband and I loved the tempura green beans, margherita pizza, tomato salad, sautéed carrots, and wood-grilled chicken. Pair with an Agave Basil Smash cocktail. Trust. You can thank me later.
[/image]
What to Do
Cabo Adventures offered the best boat day excursions. We were able to spend a morning snorkeling, where we spotted a full family of dolphins and saw the arch up close.
We also took a cooking class at Los Tamarindos and learned how to make zucchini eggplant ricotta rolls, green herbed rice, chicken in red mole, baked cauliflower, and traditional Mexican ceviche.
Next time you’re figuring out your next vacation, whether you want to relax with all the cocktails or be on your feet with a bunch of activities, Los Cabos is your spot—nay, paradise. Promise.
You Might Also Like
