9 Los Cabos Hotels With Nary a Spring Breaker in Sight

At the southernmost tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos comprises two towns (Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo) and the coastal stretch of resorts and golf courses between them. In the 1990s, the area earned a reputation as something of a seaside Sin City, known for its pool parties and raucous clubs. Luckily, all that has started to change, thanks to a slew of new—and newly reimagined—luxury resorts.

Today, resorts like One&Only Palmilla lean into the stunning geography here, where the serenity of the cactus-studded desert meets the ruggedness of the sea. Others, like Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, fully embrace what it means to be Mexican: Expect rooms filled with work by local artisans, menus that focus on locally caught seafood and adventurous activities that celebrate the area’s vibrant terrain and marine life. Read on for more resorts where you can get to know the real Los Cabos. (Photo courtesy of Grand Velas Los Cabos.)

Viceroy Los Cabos (San José del Cabo)
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There may not be a more architecturally beautiful hotel in all of Mexico. The Viceroy Los Cabos comprises sleek white cubes that surround mirror-calm reflecting pools and a nest-inspired restaurant that seems to float over the water, all connected by illuminated paths. Rooms, suites and villas skew minimalist, with clean-lined, light wood furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows to let in the gorgeous views of the ocean. There’s an artist in residence and a gallery, and you can join in on the creative fun with daily art classes—or simply ask for a canvas to paint on your own time.

Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (San José del Cabo)
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One of only a handful of Ritz-Carlton Reserves around the world, Zadún is a loving ode to Mexican craftsmanship, with locally made textiles and decorative furnishings in each of the 113 rooms, suites and villas. The Alkemia Spa similarly draws on the resort’s surroundings: A “spiritual healer” leads guests through cleansing and chanting ceremonies at the temascal, and treatments include ingredients like tamarind and desert sage. The signature restaurant, Humo, has a slightly wider lens, pairing grilling techniques from across Latin America with a wine list heavy on Mexican bottles and more than 100 different agave spirits.

One&Only Palmilla (San José del Cabo)
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Originally opened in 1956 by the son of a Mexican president, this Spanish colonial–inspired hideaway was the first resort in Los Cabos, and it attracted the likes of Lucille Ball, Ernest Hemingway and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It still exudes a sort of glamour, thanks to its careful attention to detail: carved wooden doors, travertine floors, studded leather furnishings and even staff uniforms inspired by Indigenous Huichol textiles. Take time to stroll through the gardens, which include more than 2,500 palm trees.

Montage Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas)
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Spread across 39 acres along Santa María Bay, the Montage boasts access to one of the most swimmable beaches in Los Cabos. If you’re more of a pool person, you can splash out with a six-person cabana rental, which includes bubbly, a tapas tower, cooled towels and more. Guest rooms, suites and residences look out onto lush desert landscaping (including plenty of towering saguaros), and the on-site Compass Sports allows you to explore the surrounding waters on toys like Seabobs, which glide underwater, or eFoil electric surfboards.

Grand Velas Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas)
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Grand Velas does a great job of quieting all-inclusive skeptics, thanks to its stylish suites, activities for all ages (a kids’ club, a teens’ club and a baby concierge) and a wide assortment of restaurants and bars that range from a laid-back cevichería to the award-winning Cocina de Autor. This is a resort that rewards travelers who don’t like to sit still, with activities like cooking and mixology classes and yoga included in the cost. You can get even more adventurous with whale-watching and snorkeling excursions, a sunset sail or even a camel safari along the beach.

Nobu Hotel Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas)
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Located near the southernmost point on the Baja California Peninsula, this outpost of the hotel chain cofounded by Robert De Niro draws its design inspirations from across the Pacific. Japanese influences in guest rooms include onsen-inspired wooden soaking tubs, shoji closet doors and lantern-like light fixtures. You can order all of chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s classics (miso black cod, rock shrimp tempura) at his namesake restaurant, but the resort also houses a taco and mescal spot, a Champagne bar, a steakhouse and more. Take in the Mexican sunshine from one of four pools, including an adults-only infinity pool and another with a swim-up bar.

Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas (La Ribera)
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Located on Baja’s East Cape, this relaxing retreat has a swimmable beach (a relative rarity in these parts) and an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II that takes advantage of the area’s special desert-meets-sea topography. Four Seasons loyalists will recognize the subdued room decor, with plenty of neutrals and pops of earth tones, as well as the brand’s sustainability measures, including a program to protect olive ridley sea turtles. Among the resort’s dining options is Zest, Baja’s smallest restaurant with only 12 seats, set in the chef’s private garden and serving a nine-course tasting menu.

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel (Cabo San Lucas)

The cool kids love this urbane outpost of the Thompson chain, where nearly the entire property has unobstructed views of the El Arco rock formation. Renowned Mexico City chef Enrique Olvera, of Pujol fame, designed the menu at Manta, which draws influence from around the Pacific Rim (think: Peruvian ceviche or roasted sweet potato with almond mole) while Sunken Bar is a can’t-miss spot for raw seafood. The rooftop hosts live acoustic music at sunset and DJ sets after dark, but days are best spent by the infinity pool with a swim-up bar or the saltwater pool carved into beachside rocks.

Paradisus Los Cabos (San José del Cabo)

This adults-only, all-inclusive resort by Meliá pairs mission-style architecture with more than a dozen restaurants, bars and cafés (including a poolside ceviche truck), plus a roster of activities that includes movie nights, guitar lessons, mescal tastings and macramé workshops. The YHI Spa ups the relaxation factor with sound baths and massages that incorporate local herbs, while live music and resident DJs keep the action going after dark. Splurge on The Reserve, a resort-within-a-resort that includes its own pool, lounge, concierge and guided tours of a chocolate factory and barrio mágico (or “magic neighborhood”) in nearby San José.