Cabo san lucas best places to stay

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The best area to stay in Cabo San Lucas is El Medano beach, located near the Marina and downtown. It’s the busiest beach in the city and offers more services than any other. If you’re looking for absolute peace and quiet, then this is definitely not for you! There are quieter beaches in Cabo San Lucas, but they don’t have the quality hotels El Médano beach has.

Apart from the variety of restaurants and bars to enjoy yourself in, El Médano beach stands out for the impressive views of the rock formations that form the well-known Arch of Cabo San Lucas. It’s also a great beach for swimming, as there’s very little current there.

The Marina next to Dune beach is a great place to visit and walk around at any time of the day. You’ll find an amazing variety of international tourists there who just love to visit San Lucas to go shopping, have a meal in one of its restaurants, take a boat tour to the Arch, or simply enjoy its views.

The area next to the Marina is what’s considered to be the real downtown of Cabo San Lucas. It’s another area that we’d really recommend you to stay at if you don’t mind being on the beachfront. It’s full of life, and has everything a tourist could possibly need. It’s also a little cheaper than the beach area.

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle and stay at a quiet beach area, then we recommend the Las Viudas, Pedregal or Tequila Cove (Bledito) beaches.

Thinking about a sunny getaway in Los Cabos? Wondering where to stay in Cabo San Lucas for a luxury escape?

Ponder no more, as we’ve got you covered!

There are oodles of epic things to do in Cabo.

And the best resorts in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, are some of the most deluxe you’ll find anywhere in the world.

The luxury hotels in Cabo are so fabulous that the Mexican resort destination is a magnet for A-list celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Alba and Christian Bale.

To top that off, the weather in Cabo is wonderful too – reliably warm and dry (sometimes hot!), with endless days of sunshine. (Late autumn and early summer in Cabo are especially pleasant.)

Best resorts in Cabo San Lucas

Quick guide: 23+ Best Cabo resorts and hotels

Lay of the land | About the whole Los Cabos area

Best Cabo San Lucas hotels + resorts:

1) Nobu Los Cabos

2) Pueblo Bonito Pacifica

3) Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal

4) Pueblo Bonito Resorts | Rose, Blanco and Sunset Beach

5) Bahia Hotel

6) Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa

Best resorts in Los Cabos along the Corridor:

7) Grand Velas Los Cabos

8) Montage Los Cabos

9) Las Ventanas al Paraiso

10) The Cape, a Thompson Hotel

11) Marquis Los Cabos

12) One & Only Palmilla

13) Garza Blanca Resort & Spa

14) Chileno Bay Resort & Residences

15) Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection

16) Sirena del Mar by Welk Resorts

17) Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos

Best hotels in San Jose del Cabo:

18) Hotel El Ganzo

19) Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

20) Casa Natalia

21) Viceroy Los Cabos

22) Cabo Surf Hotel

Other top resorts near Cabo San Lucas

23) Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas

Can you swim at your hotel?

Cabo hotels with swimmable beaches

We love Cabo (aka Los Cabos).

Over the past 20 years, we’ve visited Los Cabos so many times that it’s become almost like our second home.

Sometimes we stay at 5-star hotels in Cabo on assignment – writing about our hotel stays for this blog, as well as for magazines and newspapers like USA Today, Interval World, TravelAge West and Cruise & Travel Lifestyles.

Other times, when traveling purely on vacation, we book and pay for our own accommodation.

(And, pssst! If you’re comparing Cabo and Puerto Vallarta, you’ll find Cabo has way more luxury places to rest your head.)

Here’s our guide to 23+ of the best Cabo hotels and resorts – from super posh to boutique, all-inclusive and family-friendly.

All are recommended. We’ve personally stayed at or inspected most of them.

Where to stay in Los Cabos

First, though, let’s get a handle on the geography.

The location of your resort matters. It can be key to your holiday enjoyment (especially if you have your heart set on swimming at your hotel’s beach).

So, where is Los Cabos?

Los Cabos refers to the whole tourist area at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula (in the state of Baja California Sur).

Main geographical areas or places to stay in Cabo:

There are several areas to stay in Cabo.

Most luxury hotels in Los Cabos are found in the following three areas:

1) Cabo San Lucas – the main resort town at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula (often called “Cabo” for short, though sometimes Los Cabos is called “Cabo” too, so it does get a little confusing!)

2) The Corridor – a 20-mile resort corridor (with a string of luxury hotels and golf courses lining the coastline) linking Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo

3) San Jose del Cabo – a Mexican-style town with an historic center

* Note, we use “Cabo” and “Los Cabos” interchangeably here in this post to refer to the whole resort area of Cabo San Lucas, the Corridor and San Jose del Cabo. When we say “Cabo San Lucas” from now on, we mean just the resort town of Cabo San Lucas (and immediate surroundings).

Best Cabo San Lucas resorts + hotels

The Cabo San Lucas vicinity is a great area to stay if you want to be on or close to Medano Beach – one of the best swimming beaches in all of Los Cabos.

This location also places you within walking distance of lots of restaurants plus the Cabo San Lucas Marina (for walking, shopping, dining and movies, etc.)

With plenty of bars and nightclubs too, Cabo San Lucas has a bit of a reputation as a party town.

However, you can still find quiet accommodations even if you stay in Cabo. The further away from the center of town, the quieter it is.

1) Nobu Hotel Los Cabos

Zen meets Japanese minimalism at the Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.

And it’s a gorgeous mashup of contemporary design!

If you’ve ever eaten at a Michelin-starred Nobu restaurant, you know how sublime the food is.

Now Robert de Niro and celebrity chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa have opened their first Nobu hotel in Latin America – on the Pacific Coast a few miles outside Cabo San Lucas.

The same architectural firm that turned the Four Seasons Mexico City from fusty to wow designed the buildings and landscaping.

Many of the 200 suites have their own private plunge pools.

Decorated in whites and light wood, they feature spa-like bathrooms with Onsen teak soaking tubs and Italian stone vanities.

Beds are draped in organic cotton linens. And you’ll find yoga mats and wet swimsuit bags in your room.

The resort’s four pools each have their own vibe.

The bubbly flows freely at the “party” pool.

On the other hand, the infinity pool away from the “see and be seen” scene is a blissful adults-only area for calm and tranquility.

The food is a big reason to stay here.

The namesake Nobu Restaurant Los Cabos delivers up its brilliant Japanese fusion food, including signature dishes such as miso black cod and rock shrimp tempura.

The Ardea Steakhouse is also superb for dining at night.

The outpost of Malibu Farm is also enticing. It offers healthy vegan coconut tofu, ginger Wagyu beef with carrot arugula, avocado pizza and the like for lunch.

The resort’s location on the Pacific-side stretch of coast means it sometimes gets windy and chilly by the pools.

On the plus side, when compared to other 5-star Cabo San Lucas hotels (and other top Los Cabos resorts), the lower rates here will make your wallet positively gleeful.

It’s the best luxury hotel in Cabo San Lucas for foodies who want a peaceful escape, away from the hubbub of Cabo town.

Nobu Hotel, Cabo San Lucas

Check rates and availability here

2) Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort

For an upscale all-inclusive experience, check out the adults-only Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort. 

Offering a chilled escape on the outskirts of Cabo San Lucas, the resort has five restaurants, a state-of-the-art fitness center overlooking the ocean, a tranquil spa and two swimming pools.

Feel like a bit of a splurge?

Book one of the 47 club accommodations in The Towers, a new “hotel within a hotel” addition – guests have access to personal butlers certified by the British Butler Institute.

You can’t swim at the beach at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica due to rough currents.

But a free shuttle can take you to any of the other Pueblo Bonito resorts (see #4) – and you can swim at Medano Beach at the Pueblo Bonito Blanco or Rose resorts.

The Pacifica is not the swankiest of the best resorts in Cabo San Lucas. (The Waldorf Astoria – #3 below – deserves that title for this part of Los Cabos.)

But we had a lovely time there, and we expect you will too!

Read more: See our Pueblo Bonito Pacifica review – romance and relaxation is on the menu

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort

Check rates and availability here

3) Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal

Every room and suite has a plunge pool.

And when it’s hot outside, you can even nosh in your swimsuit on a floating breakfast in your private pool! (The server sets plastic wicker baskets into the pool.)

Yes, there’s simply no question that the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is one of the best hotels in Cabo San Lucas! (Perhaps the ritziest?)

Travel + Leisure readers voted it No. 1 in the 2022 list of “Top 25 Resort Hotels in Mexico.”

When it comes to dramatic entrances, the Waldorf Astoria knows how to make a statement.

To get to the hotel, you must drive through the 984-foot-long Dos Mares Tunnel. Owned by the hotel, the torch-lit private tunnel cuts through the mountain, opening at the end to stunning ocean views.

As for El Farallon, the resort’s high-end seafood restaurant is perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

We listened to waves crashing below as we noshed on the freshest of fish, enjoying one of the finest dinners to be had in Cabo.

Waldorf Astoria, Cabo San Lucas

Check rates and availability here

4) Pueblo Bonito Resorts

You can’t go wrong booking any of the three PB luxury resorts in Cabo San Lucas.

Pueblo Bonito Resorts, Cabo

These condo-style Pueblo Bonito resorts are:

1) Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos (dubbed “Blanco” for short, as it’s white in color)

2) Pueblo Bonito Rose

3) Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort

All the PB resorts are considered 4.5-star.

Each suite has a private balcony; most units come with kitchenettes. Bonus: You get daily maid service even though you have kitchen facilities.

The Blanco and Rose have prime spots on Medano Beach (where you can swim in the ocean).

Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach is a huge resort on the Pacific Ocean side of the Baja Peninsula, where swimming is dangerous.

Though big, the property is gorgeous. Pueblo Bonito offers free regular shuttle service between Sunset Beach and Rose, so you can swim at the Rose and use its facilities for the day.

Of the luxury resorts in Cabo on Medano Beach (close to the actual town), the Blanco is our favorite.

Find out: Which is the best Pueblo Bonito Resort in Cabo?

5) Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa

Tucked into the end of Solmar Beach beside Land’s End, this is the best resort in Cabo San Lucas for classic luxury at a somewhat affordable price.

(It’s much less expensive than the Waldorf Astoria, #3 above.)

There’s a wonderful intermingling of modern and traditional Mexican touches. Wrought iron accents, gemstone colors and fountains meet sleek marble floors and rich mahogany furniture.

The 246 suites range from huge 737 sq. ft. studios to a 4-bedroom penthouse (over 6,200 sq. ft. in size) with five bathrooms and a private beachfront pool. All suites feature full kitchens with stainless steel appliances.

The Grand Solmar makes up for the fact that you can’t swim at the beach with seven glittering pools. Some are infinity pools with swim-up bars.

Despite this being a time-share property (like many resorts in Cabo), service is excellent.

La Roca is its flagship restaurant for fine dining. And the food quality and romantic seaside experience may nudge you to buy the all-inclusive or European plans offered.

Then again, as you’re an easy walk to Cabo town, you may prefer the freedom to dine outside on occasion.

Grand Solmar Land’s End

Check rates and availability here

6) Bahia Hotel

Young, hip and boutique-hotel-aficionados (on a budget) like the stylish Bahia Hotel, one block away from Medano Beach.

At night, you’ll cozy up with your partner here because most rooms have a queen-size bed or two double beds (very few kings).

By day, chill by the pool while sipping artisanal Mexican margaritas or walk to the hotel’s smart beach house/club on Medano Beach.

The hotel’s Bar Esquina restaurant is also one of the hottest restaurants in town.

For an affordable boutique hotel in Cabo San Lucas with lots of buzz, the Bahia is a great choice.

See our review: Dig the South Beach style at Cabo’s hip Bahia Hotel

Bahia Hotel

Check rates and availability here

Best resorts in Los Cabos along the Corridor

Many of the chicest luxury Los Cabos hotels and resorts are found along the beachfront Corridor.

7) Grand Velas Los Cabos

How to blow away the all-inclusive competition?

Mix huge suites and a luxurious spa with extraordinary service and dining that pleases the most demanding of foodies.

That’s why we think the Grand Velas Los Cabos easily takes the prize for being the most luxurious of the all-inclusive resorts in Cabo.

Indeed, a 2022 Travel + Leisure article notes that the Grand Velas is one of the 10 best all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, according to Hotels.com.

You have a choice of eight restaurants, including French and innovative Mexican food dining spots. Don’t miss the haute cuisine at Cocina de Autor.

Pretty well everything but the $25,000 gold-flecked tacos are included in the rates. Think top-shelf liquor, at least 51 complimentary wines and in-room bars restocked daily.

You can’t swim in the ocean here.

But who cares!

Because you have infinity pools with pool butlers to pamper you silly, as you kick back in super-comfy lounge chairs with the most glorious sea views.

Many suites also have private plunge pools on their terraces.

Indeed, this Grand Velas is one of our favorite resorts in Mexico with private pools!

Grand Velas Los Cabos

Check rates and availability here

8) Montage Los Cabos

Another one of the nicest hotels in Cabo is the Montage.

Embracing Santa Maria Bay on the Los Cabos Corridor, the Montage Los Cabos skillfully integrates contemporary cubic architecture into the surrounding desert landscape.

Accommodations range from spacious guest rooms with dramatic marble bathrooms (complete with tub-side candles) and separate sitting areas to 3-bedroom suites.

Ocean-view digs have both indoor and outdoor showers.

The snorkeling at Santa Maria Beach right in front of the resort is tops.

The gorgeous beach is also one of the few beaches where you can actually swim in Los Cabos.

You’ll also find two pools – one is for adults only.

Should you feel like pampering yourself, you can elevate your pool or beach experience by renting a private cabana for the day.

You’ll receive champagne on ice, coconut water, tapas, chilled towels, hourly amenities and attentive butler service.

Uber-cool, the Montage is one of the best hotels in Los Cabos for couples seeking a casually glam retreat on a great swimming beach.

Montage Los Cabos

Check rates and availability here

9) Las Ventanas al Paraiso

Rub shoulders with Cindy Crawford, Katie Holmes and Justin Bieber at this ultra-posh celebrity hideaway.

But be forewarned – you may never want to leave.

White-washed suites come with telescopes for stargazing, wood-burning fireplaces and large stone patios.

Many also have a little hot pool and spiral staircase to your private rooftop terrace.

But what really sets Las Ventanas apart is attention to detail.

Pool butlers who arrange your umbrella just so. (They also deliver complimentary frozen chocolate sorbet, along with ice buckets with bottled water and Evian misting spray.)

Personally-sized robes and slippers, based on your airport pickup host’s input.

Nightly turn-down service that includes two long-stem red roses on the bed or an awaiting scented bath.

Other luxury amenities include a delightful in-room tequila welcome, 24-hour room service and twice-daily housekeeping (in addition to nightly turn-down).

Hungry?

Try the fish tacos at the Sea Grill.

If Tandoori lobster, octopus curry and other Asian specialties tickle your fancy, you’ll love the resort’s Arbol restaurant.

An amazing gym plus a variety of fitness classes and personal pilates, yoga and training sessions mean you can stay fit.

Super wow factor:

The “Romance Director” can arrange a private movie night on the beach just for the two of you. Think 50-inch plasma TV and home theater system, champagne and your own cinema butler.

Or maybe you’d like to propose to your sweetheart on the beach – with the ring delivered by a Mexican cowboy riding a white stallion!

Just be prepared to drop scads of money here.

Las Ventanas is a serious contender for the title of “best hotel in Los Cabos.”

Find out: Which is the best Pueblo Bonito Resort in Cabo?

Las Ventanas al Paraiso

Check rates and availability here

10) The Cape, a Thompson Hotel

This luxury hotel in Los Cabos, The Cape (a Thompson Hotel), blends a hip edgy design with classic Mexican accents.

We particularly loved our hanging daybed.

Not to mention the sateen sheets and the copper soaking tub.

And the staggering view of the Sea of Cortez and El Arco (Cabo’s iconic rock Arch).

And the welcome blue Agave tequila in a crystal hand-etched bottle.

Manta, the resort’s Peruvian, Mexican and Japanese fusion restaurant, is one of the best restaurants in Cabo.

The resort’s location is prime too. You’re only a short cab ride away from other restaurants (or nightlife) in Cabo San Lucas.

And if you can’t bear to travel without Missy, your beloved four-legged friend, bring her along. The Cape is pet-friendly (for well-behaved pooches).

Simply put, The Cape is one of the best Los Cabos hotels to deliver the freshest take on luxury.

See our review: Here are 7 reasons why you’ll love The Cape Cabo, a Thompson Hotel

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel

Check rates and availability here

11) Marquis Los Cabos

The Marquis Los Cabos is not only one of the best resorts in Cabo, it’s also a work of art.

The first thing you see as you enter the open-air lobby is the soaring three-story-high arch rising above – and the glorious aquamarine expanse of the Sea of Cortez beyond.

On either side are striking winged sculptures by Mexican sculptor, Jorge Marin.

Then as you wander throughout the resort, you’ll come across some 400 original oil paintings by Latin American artists.

For adults only, the AAA Four Diamond Marquis is all-inclusive, featuring four restaurants.

Ocean-view rooms come with Nespresso machines, and you lather up with L’Occitane products in the bathroom.

We found the little corridor cupboard in the wall sweet (in more ways than one!) – fresh wake-up pastries are delivered there each morning.

The resort also has 26 beachfront casitas (1,400 sq. ft. in size) which feature private plunge pools.

Two of the resort’s three swimming pools are serpentine-shaped infinity pools nuzzling the water’s edge.

While the beach isn’t swimmable, we were quite content to lie under a pool umbrella on a cushioned teak lounge chair, watching the thunderous surf crash on the shore and the occasional ultralight airplane buzz overhead.

Marquis Los Cabos

Check rates and availability here

Are you wondering how to get to your hotel? Don’t take a taxi – you’ll want to pre-book one of these Cabo airport shuttle services (cheaper and better)

12) One & Only Palmilla

With white-washed walls, red tile roofs and a Spanish colonial feel, the One & Only Palmilla is a marked departure from the ultra-modern design of many other 5-star Cabo hotels.

But it offers all guests every possible indulgence – from contemporary (a telescope on your balcony for whale watching) to classic (a personal butler to unpack your clothes).

Sporty indulgences include five clay tennis courts and a 27-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus.

As well, you get complimentary Mexican fruit and cocktail snacks each day, and you’ll find personalized robes in your room.

Choose from 15 different categories of rooms and luxury suites. Some have private plunge pools.

Or splurge bigtime on Villa One.

This 15,000-square-foot, four-bedroom villa comes complete with its own outdoor pool, private screening room and the services of a fitness trainer and spa therapist.

What many guests particularly love about this luxury resort is that it has a lovely and virtually private swimmable beach (rare on the Los Cabos coastline).

And to keep you cool, there are apparently 3,000 palm trees on the property. (Mind you, we haven’t counted them, but we do know there are lots.)

The One & Only Palmilla is in an elite league of its own.

Keeping company with the Waldorf Astoria (#3), Las Ventanas (#9), Zadun (#19) and the Four Seasons (#23), the One & Only Palmilla is one of the most exclusive luxury hotels in Cabo.

Not only that, it’s also on Travel + Leisure’s list of 25 best hotels in all of Mexico.

Stay here and you can brag (if you’re into this sort of thing) that it’s Jennifer Aniston’s favorite hotel in the area.

See our review: Head on over to our other Cabo Visitor blog for our review of the One & Only Palmilla

One & Only Palmilla, Cabo

Check rates and availability here

13) Garza Blanca Resort & Spa

With six restaurants, eight pools (including a rooftop adults-only pool) and activities ranging from beach volleyball to yoga, this deluxe all-suite property offers something for everyone.

Entry-level suites at Garza Blanca are a minimum of 660 sq. ft. And they’re pretty glam!

Traveling with friends? Or maybe you’re booking a family vacation?

Check out the huge 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom suites, along with the 3- and 4-bedroom residences. All feature full gourmet kitchens.

Remote-controlled curtains? Hammocks on the terraces? Butler service? Check, check and check!

If you don’t feel like cooking, you can choose an all-inclusive plan.

All of this makes Garza Blanca one of the best places to stay in Cabo for families, especially, or a group of friends (bachelorette party?) seeking a 5-star experience.

Garza Blanca Resort & Spa

Check rates and availability here

14) Chileno Bay Resort & Residences

If spacious rooms with indoor/outdoor bathrooms, a jaw-dropping central pool and a calm swimming beach sound like vacation heaven, consider Chileno Bay Resort & Residences. 

It’s one of the finest luxury Los Cabos resorts with a swimmable beach.

Part of the luxury Auberge Resorts Collection, along with Esperanza (#15 below), the resort has 92 rooms and luxury villas.

Appealing both to well-heeled families and couples, the resort has a teen club (complete with a recording studio) plus a kids’ club, an Insta-perfect bar with hanging swings and a top-notch spa.

Golfers take note: You’ll be thrilled to know that you get exclusive access to the private 18-hole Chileno Bay Club Golf Course, designed by Tom Fazio.

Chileno Bay Resort & Residences

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15) Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection

A peaceful sanctuary, the Esperanza is also part of the Auberge Resorts Collection like Chileno Bay Resort (#14).

But it’s the older, more traditional sister.

Hammocks, thatch palapa roofs, desert-hued stone work, driftwood tables and hand-tooled leather furnishings lend the boutique hotel an old-Baja feel.

Accommodations range from 57 suites and romantic casitas (“little houses” in Spanish) to privately owned villas which you can rent, including extravagant 4-bedroom haciendas with twice-daily housekeeping.

Most of the 950 sq. ft. casitas have an infinity-edge hot tub.

As the boutique hotel sits right on the rocky cliffs, every room has smashing views of the azure sea and Punta Ballena or “Whale Point.”

The binoculars in your room come in handy for watching those humpback whales in winter!

Esperanza boasts that it has the only private beach cove in all of Los Cabos (not swimmable though).

A posh way to enjoy it is by splashing out in one of its two-story open-air beach palapas.

They come complete with a daybed, swing, private butler service and add-ons like a 60-minute massage or private bonfire cookout under star-kissed skies.

The hotel’s signature Cocina del Mar is one of the finest restaurants in Cabo, serving up seafood by candlelight as waves lap the rocks below you.

You can’t do much better than the Esperanza for a truly romantic getaway in Cabo!

Esperanza, an Auberge Hotel, Cabo

Check rates and availability here

16) Sirena del Mar by Welk Resorts

Here’s another family-friendly oceanfront resort with lots to offer – from pool bingo to pottery painting.

Yet, as a smaller cliffside property, Sirena del Mar manages to maintain a “quiet resort” feel.

Classified as 4-star, Sirena del Mar is not quite as luxurious as, say, Garza Blanca (#13), but it still offers an upscale experience.

All accommodations have full kitchens plus washers/dryers (and you’re super close to Walmart and Costco for picking up supplies).

Two infinity pools have stellar views, and there are lots of serene places for sunbathing.

The resort’s restaurant, Estrella, gets good reviews for its seafood and Mexican cuisine.

Sirena del Mar, Welk Resorts

Check rates and availability here

17) Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos

Just for adults, Le Blanc Spa Resort is a beacon for a truly luxurious all-inclusive stay in Cabo.

Indeed, with its stunning white-hot design, premium cocktails and liquor, high standards in à la carte dining and complimentary access to the water journey circuit at the spa, it gives the Grand Velas Los Cabos (#7) a good run for its money.

Rooms are cool cocoons of comfort. They feature marble bathrooms (with Bulgari bath amenities), Lavazza coffee makers and beach bags for your stay.

You have no excuses for not working out.

A state-of-the-art fitness center offers many daily activities to keep you in shape, including spin, Pilates and dance fit classes.

The outdoor pool area is also quite beautiful, with more than enough loungers for all guests. No need to get out early to reserve pool chairs here!

And if you tune into your sense of smell, you’ll notice that different areas of the resort have their own subtle aromatherapy scent.

Yes, Le Blanc effortlessly joins the list of best 5-star resorts in Cabo.

Le Blanc Spa Resort, Los Cabos

Check rates and availability here

Best hotels in San Jose del Cabo

San Jose Del Cabo is a more authentic Mexican town than Cabo San Lucas.

With a slew of art galleries and a weekly ArtWalk in winter, it’s more sophisticated too.

If you base yourself near San Jose del Cabo, you’ll also be close to some delightful restaurants like the renowned Flora Farms, which dishes up the yummiest farm-to-table eats.

18) Hotel El Ganzo

What’s super cool about Hotel El Ganzo?

Artists are invited to hang out and paint on the walls, and visiting musicians record tunes in the underground recording studio.

Oh, and let’s not forget the views.

Rooms look out over San Jose del Cabo’s marina (Puerto Los Cabos), which spills out in front.

The most eye-popping scenes are enjoyed up top from the hotel’s rooftop bar and infinity pool.

El Ganzo is definitely one of the trendiest boutique hotels we’ve dropped our suitcases in!

Read our review: The artsy Hotel El Ganzo is an oasis of cool!

Hotel El Ganzo, Cabo

Check rates and availability here

19) Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

There are Ritz-Carltons. And then there are top-drawer Ritz-Carlton Reserves.

A few minutes’ drive from the center of San Jose del Cabo, the new Zadun is a tranquil Ritz-Carlton Reserve property, with 115 rooms and suites. It opened in late 2019.

The “standard” rooms are among the most spacious of all hotel rooms in Los Cabos.

Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors replace walls. And contemporary stone and tile interiors incorporate Mexican artwork and furniture by local artisans in the décor.

Most impressive are the enormous private terraces with inviting lounge and seating areas.

To top that off, all rooms (except for some family accommodations) have private plunge pools.

This ultra-luxury Cabo resort prides itself on its extraordinary service.

You have a personal butler (called a “tosoani”).

Just text any requests – ice, more towels, drinks, the firepit lit on your private terrace – and minutes later, you have what you want. Room service is available around the clock.

As is expected, the Zadun has a world-class spa.

And for dining, there are four onsite restaurants, from authentic Mexican to a Peruvian fish market.

We’ve bedded down in Phulay Bay, the Ritz-Carlton Reserve near Krabi, Thailand (the world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve).

That stay was close to perfection. So much so that we wanted to pack our butler in our suitcase and take him home with us!

From all reports, the new Zadun Ritz-Carlton Reserve (the fourth in the R-C Reserve collection) is equally fabulous – easily making the list of top 5-star Cabo resorts.

Zadun Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Cabo

Check rates and availability here

20) Casa Natalia

Casa Natalia is owned and run by Nathalie and Loic Tenoux.

She’s Swiss; he’s French.

And it’s one of the most charming boutique hotels in Cabo.

Hidden by high walls right in the historic heart of San Jose del Cabo, it offers 19 individually decorated rooms and suites with king-size beds.

Expect fresh flowers, walls adorned with indigenous art and free WiFi. Superior rooms have private terraces with hammocks, screened by bougainvillea.

The courtyard swimming pool, shaped like a half-moon, is a quiet retreat (no children under 13 may stay at the hotel).

Casa Natalia also partners with a beach club a 15-minute drive away, so you have access to a beach too; there’s a nominal charge for the shuttle.

Mi Cocina, the hotel’s excellent restaurant, is one of the finest in the area.

Tip: This is the perfect place to stay for two or three nights before or after a week at an all-inclusive resort in Cabo.

Casa Natalia, San Jose del Cabo

Check rates and availability here

21) Viceroy Los Cabos

Classy. Futuristic in design. Luxurious pools and water features.

That’s how you might describe the Viceroy Los Cabos.

Rooms are white-on-white. Except at night, you can color your room different hues with the color mood lighting system.

Your tastebuds won’t get bored with five eating-and-drinking venues onsite – from ceviche and sushi at the beach-view Nido or “Nest” (which sits under a bird’s nest-like dome of branches and twigs) to a late-night champagne bar.

And because you’re so close to the old town of San Jose del Cabo, you can walk or catch an Uber to town, where more great restaurants await.

Bring earplugs for sleeping – some TripAdvisor reviewers say the soundproofing between rooms at this 5-star Cabo beach resort isn’t the best.

Better yet, stay in one of the suites or private pool villas closer to the beach, and fall asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the sand.

Viceroy Cabo

Check rates and availability here

22) Cabo Surf Hotel

We love the family-owned Cabo Surf Hotel.

One of the sweetest boutique hotels in Los Cabos, it exudes a cool and laid-back surfer vibe.

With just 36 room, the 4-star inn is located on Acapulquito Beach, one of the top surfing beaches in Cabo.

If you surf (or want to learn to surf), this is definitely going to be your happy place!

Mike Doyle Surf School rents out quality long and short boards, along with SUP boards and boogie boards.

The instructors are excellent. They almost got us newbies popping up on our surf boards to ride the long waves!

Older garden rooms are less expensive than rooms in the newer section, which are brighter and more modern. Some rooms have hammocks on their balconies, and most are equipped with kitchenettes.

They all have marble floors.

After a day of surfing, swimming in two infinity pools and soaking up the sun, sit down for dinner – Oysters Rockefeller, grilled lobster, citrus tuna and the like – at the resort’s first-rate 7 Seas restaurant.

Then fall asleep to the sound of the surf and wake up in the morning to incredible beach views.

Surf, eat, sleep and repeat. Not a bad way to enjoy a Cabo holiday!

Cabo Surf Hotel

Check rates and availability here

Other top resorts near Cabo San Lucas

We’re not finished yet!

We have to tell you about the new Four Seasons on the East Cape – it’s within the general Cabo vicinity.

23) Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas

When it comes to luxury Cabo resorts, the Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas is one of the newest and most visionary.

Opened in late 2019, it’s on the refreshingly undeveloped East Cape (about a 45-minute drive north of the Los Cabos International Airport) – well away from the action in Los Cabos.

For seclusion and exclusivity, it can’t be beat.

Upon arrival, you note that the contemporary cubist buildings blend in seamlessly with the cacti-studded dune landscape.

All 141 rooms and suites have Sea of Cortez views; ground floor suites have private plunge pools and outdoor showers. Travertine floors, carved ceramic walls and ivory and sand colors reflect the ultimate in good taste.

Two miles of untouched beach beckon walkers for morning and sunset strolls. Or check out the thoughtfully designed fitness center – it’s a pleasure to work up a sweat facing the ocean here.

There’s no reason to get bored at the Four Seasons.

It boasts seven pools, so you can relax by a different pool every day of the week.

You can also golf on the 18-hole course (designed by Robert Trent Jones II), hike to the nearby Sol de Mayo waterfall and natural rock pools (a great day trip from Cabo San Lucas), snorkel with sea lions at Cabo Pulmo (in season), go horseback riding and try windsurfing.

Dining options range from a fresh ceviche bar and poolside brasserie to an al fresco grill in a lemon grove and a Mediterranean seafood resto.

If you’re visiting Cabo for more than five days, we suggest combining time at the Four Seasons with a stay at a closer-in Los Cabos resort for the complete Baja experience.

Four Seasons Los Cabos

Check rates and availability here

Best Cabo resorts with swimmable beaches

If swimming in the ocean is tops on your must-do list when you visit Los Cabos, be sure to find out if you can swim at your hotel or resort.

While Cabo has great beaches, many are red-flagged as non-swimmable because of strong waves and killer undertows. Many hotels therefore don’t have safe swimming beaches (just great pools).

Medano Beach is one of the best swimmable beaches in Cabo. Several hotels and resorts are strung along this glorious stretch of beach.

A few other top resorts in Los Cabos also have safe swimming beach coves.

Hotels + resorts with swimmable beaches in Cabo

The following Los Cabos beach resorts (reviewed above) have beaches where you can swim:

• Pueblo Bonito Rose (#4)
• Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos (#4)
• Montage Los Cabos (#7)
• One & Only Palmilla (#11)
• Chileno Bay Resort & Residences (#13)
• Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas (#23)

Cabo hotels with beach clubs for ocean swimming

These resorts have access to beach clubs where you can swim:

• Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort – shuttle to Pueblo Bonito Rose (#2)
• Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach – shuttle to Pueblo Bonito Rose (#4))
• Bahia Hotel – walk to their beach club (#5)
• Hotel El Ganzo – boat to their beach club (#17)
• Casa Natalia – shuttle to a beach club (#19)

Other Cabo hotels with swimmable beaches

For the complete list, scroll down to the end of our post on the best beaches in Los Cabos.

Final thoughts on the best places to stay in Cabo San Lucas (and beyond)

As you can see, there’s no shortage of fabulous places to stay in Los Cabos.

If you ask: “What is the best Los Cabos resort?” – there’s no easy answer. It really depends on what you want from your Cabo vacation (e.g., a swimming beach, close and easy access to town, adult-oriented).

The good news is that you have a lot of choice.

Once you’ve picked from the best resorts in Cabo San Lucas or in Los Cabos further out – if it’s in the area you want – you’ll be in vacation heaven.

The hotels and resorts have very high hospitality standards, and we have no doubt you’ll have an amazing time in Cabo!

Planning your next trip?

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Photo credits: 1 Las Ventanas al Paraiso | 2 Grand Velas Los Cabos | 4 One & Only Palmilla | Remaining photos courtesy of the respective luxury Cabo hotels

About the authors:

Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.

Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!

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