Why Would I Go Back to Cabo?

My last trip to Cabo San Lucas was September 9 or 10, 1992. I remember the date quite well because I was sitting on my beautiful balcony at Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos, looking out to sea and having my early morning coffee...and wondering who I had booked in Hawaii. September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki was hitting the island of Kauai full force.

My husband and I loved Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos. We could walk into town in less than 5 minutes, there were restaurants on the beach with delicious fish, rice and beans; small restaurants to have a full breakfast; shopping; a small super market to purchase coffee and pan Mexicano (pan dulce), milk and other supplies. Previously, I had stayed at El Presidente in August 1986, and there wasn't much around the hotel back then, so Pueblo Bonito was wonderful...no cab ride necessary to shop or dine. Knowing the difference between San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, I always recommended people stay in Los Cabos, to have easy access to shopping and dining; or to stay in the all inclusive Riu Palace. Cabo San Lucas has the swimable beaches, San Jose del Cabo does not (rip tides are a problem). So, easy decision for my clients, Cabo San Lucas it is!

My how things have changed! January 22 of this year I left LAX to see the grand opening of Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe. That hotel is located 20 minutes from the airport in San Jose del Cabo. It is an all inclusive property, newly constructed, state of the art. But, it is in San Jose del Cabo, not my usual choice at all.

The flight from LAX to Cabo is two hours and, while I usually opt for an aisle seat, the scenery from the plane window is beautiful. You follow the coast line down to Cabo, I believe following the Sea of Cortez. Certainly coming back we came up the Sea of Cortez and I recognized various islands I had seen a year ago in November on a trip to Loreto.

Transportation from the airport in Cabo to the hotel was 20 minutes. Of course, leaving the airport, which has been greatly upgraded from when I was last there, you must still walk past desk after desk of time share vendors who will try and convince you that THEY are your transportation to your hotel...on the condition that you listen to their two hour presentation. Exit the airport and look for your transport service. I will have booked you with one of three companies and you will know who you are looking for...and they will be looking for you! Sorry, timeshares are the plague of Mexico and the ONLY airport I have been to that does not have them seems to be Manzanillo! Manzanillo, whatever you are doing to keep them out, keep doing it!

WOW! Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe is a mouthful, but what a hotel! The lobby is huge, very open to breezes and sea air. We were quickly checked in and went to our rooms. This was a FAM trip, so it was travel agents only and there were at least 40 of us, along with our lovely hotel sales representative, Dorita Scott, who does such a great job bringing me specials at Barcelo Hotels.

My room was a swim up room. This is a first for Cabo, and a first for me as well. Cancun has had swim up rooms for years. Jamaica has lots of swim up rooms. This is the FIRST hotel in Cabo to offer a swim up room feature, and my first time ever to be assigned to such a room. I opened the door to my room and found a state of the art bathroom, complete with rain shower, European style hand held shower, and Jacuzzi tub. There was a mini bar, filled with water, beer, juices and snacks...of course it is all included...no charge! The bed was beautiful and, looking beyond the bed, there was a table and chairs and then the sliding glass doors....which opened directly into THE POOL! Two loungers were in the pool, which, when you first step in is quite shallow (not over my ankles). WOW!

There are several reservations only restaurants: Asian Fusion; Spanish; French; steak house; Italian, to name a few. If you are a Premier Guest, which you are when you stay in a swim up room, you may dine at a reservations only restaurant every night...but you MUST make a reservation, no charge. If you are a regular guest I believe you may dine at a reservations only restaurant only 3 nights out of a seven night stay. Our dinner that night was in the French restaurant. The menu was excellent and the food well prepared and presented. There is also a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an emphasis on Mexican food.

The next morning we had our hotel tour. To get a full tour of the hotel took roughly 3 hours of walking and observing. There is a great children's area; the spa is brand new and state of the art; lovely areas for cocktails, including a martini bar to have a drink while you wait for your reservation at one of the specialty restaurants...and of course, except for the spa, it is all included in the price.

There are multiple pools and they are all beautiful. One pool faces the ocean and has a sandy beach. Another pool has islands in it with table and loungers. Drinks and snacks are brought to these little islands of tranquility and several couples can sit on one island and visit. Unlike some hotels, there is no extra charge for the service. One area has a pool bar, but with a different twist. There are actual tables and chairs sitting in the water. Request your snacks and drinks from the bar and they will bring them to you while you sit with your feet in the water....much like the pool with tables and chairs in it at Rick's Cafe (Negril, Jamaica). VERY nice. The children's area has yet another pool, with imaginative figures to play on while in the water.

We were given a choice of two excursions, whale watching or a Hummer Adventure. Since on my trip to Loreto a year ago I had what I considered the best ever whale sighting, I opted for the Hummer Adventure. LOVED IT! I am from a place where 4w/d and dirt roads are pretty usual, and I have had bone jarring experiences riding for a day through both Saline and Eureka Valleys...where you just want a break from never ending washboard roads. We took some roads in the Baja outback that were pretty bone jarring, never felt a thing! The Hummers were up to the task of washboard roads and washed out roads. The terrain was interesting for me, lots of different types of cactus, great views of desert hills and when we got up high enough, some beautiful views of the ocean. Baja really is a place of contrasts.

One of the Hummer Adventures takes you to a hidden waterfall where you can hike down to the pool below and swim. Another adventure lets you release baby turtles into the ocean. The turtle eggs are cared for until they hatch, then the babies are released into the sea. This, of course, is a seasonal offering, as is whale watching. There is also a zip line adventure, deep sea fishing, sunset party cruise and shopping. While the hotel is all inclusive, all additional activities are at a cost.

Would that I could have done it all! The agents who went whale watching came across a pod of whales and had a wonderful time observing the whales and watching them play in the Baja waters.

On the way back to the hotel after our Hummer Adventure (cost about $121.00 per person for a half day outing), we drove through town. The town is DARLING! There are beautiful little shops, restaurants, coffee houses, all clean and charming and very colonial. I don't remember the town being so pretty before. Unfortunately for me, there was not time to explore the town. I understand a cab ride from the hotel into town is around $5.00 I would definitely spend that to have an afternoon at leisure walking around town.

Within the hotel itself there are at least two small stores dealing in sundries. I was able to purchase both stamps and postcards. Postcards are just now arriving, so the mail coming out of Cabo is about a week faster than mail from Manzanillo. Postcards sent out of Manzanillo took a month to reach the U.S. There is also a jewelry store with absolutely stunning silver jewelry. The price for the piece I especially liked seemed high to me, which would be my reason for wanting to prowl the stores in town. I am sure if I had been able to look at the shops in town I would have found a piece of silver I HAD to bring home...fortunately for my bank account, there wasn't time.

On my last day, before leaving for the airport, there was time for a spa treatment. The spa is modern, clean, has wonderful lounge areas to wait before your treatment begins or relax afterward. My attendant, who gave me a facial, was Monica. She had studied in Puebla and was quite good. Most certainly I would recommend her to anyone interested in a facial. The spa is not quite finished, but it soon will be and it is going to be stunning in every way.

There is sufficient to do in San Jose del Cabo to keep a family entertained for an entire week, and this resort IS family friendly. If you only have 5 nights to vacation, that would be sufficient to do a lot of activities. The fact that the flight from LAX is so short gives you more time to spend on your vacation. And, when it is finally time to return to the airport for your flight home, that 20 minute ride BACK to the airport is a real pleasure. You got to spend every available minute of your vacation time at your resort, not riding a shuttle to and from your hotel.

Would I go back again? Most certainly! I now wonder what took me so long! The weather in January was beautiful, warm, blue sky, fluffy clouds. I sent clients toward the end of January and, except for one afternoon rain storm, they also had a great time and beautiful weather. When NOT to go? Usually August and September run the risk of more rains. Although hurricanes have been known to hit Cabo, they usually have spent their full force on mainland Mexico before they reach Cabo.

If you are an ocean swimmer, San Jose de los Cabos is not for you. You need to be in Cabo San Lucas where there is swimming beach. There are also small swimming beaches at two hotels in the San Jose del Cabo area. If you are a golfer, the WHOLE area is a golfer's paradise. If you fish...you came to the right place!

Loved Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe...please call and ask me about booking your vacation there!

Until next time,
Sonia

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