On a recent trip to Los Cabos, one of the first things we spotted on our ride from the airport to the new Casa Dorada Los Cabos Resort and Spa was a bumper sticker that read simply "Los Cabos: No Bad Days." It was a sentiment that turned out to summarize our entire trip—and the days we spent soaking up the gorgeous weather, natural surroundings and the spoils of the fantastic Casa Dorada.
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Casa Dorada's pool reflects the golden lights of the hotel at night |
Found on the southern tip of Baja California, the Los Cabos part of Mexico refers to the cities of both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Casa Dorada sits in the heart of Cabo San Lucas, conveniently within walking distance to the marina and some of the most notable downtown hangouts. On the 35-minute ride from San Jose del Cabo International Airport, your clients will be wowed at not just the breathtaking natural scenery but also the abundance of development happening throughout Los Cabos. (Though the area is flourishing as a tourist destination—frequently a favorite for upscale travelers—the coastline area is large enough so that the expansion and construction is spread out and doesn't disrupt the sprawling aesthetics and tranquility for which Los Cabos is known.)
We were lucky to be one of the first guests at the 186-room Casa Dorada, which debuted in January. Initially, guests will be impressed with the hotel's dramatic open-air lobby; it looks out over the pool area and gives an expansive view of the Medano Beach just beyond it. All hallways in the hotel are also open-air, and after arriving in Mexico from New York City, we were thrilled with the breezy atmosphere.
Casa Dorada's 13 penthouse suites are sure to be its most requested accommodations. All have vaulted ceilings—some as high as 12 feet—and living and dining rooms with their own separate terraces. Two- and three-bedroom penthouse suites have Jacuzzis on their terraces; all offer spectacular views of the bay and of Land's End Rock, a famed feature of the surrounding glittery Sea of Cortez.
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A gorgeous view of Land's End Rock in the Sea of Cortez from the bedroom of a penthouse suite |
We suggest booking your clients in any of the hotel's one-bedroom suites, which we found to be more than enough room for two people. The suites have a large dining room, a living area that's perfect for entertaining, a full-size kitchen and two bathrooms (one with a hydro-massage Jacuzzi tub). The luxuriously appointed bedrooms each have a king bed or two double beds, goose-down comforters and plasma TVs. All rooms have large balconies with tables and comfortable chaise lounges (where guests might want to enjoy a room-service breakfast; they can even order it the night before so that their "wakeup call" is the smell of fresh pancakes and steaming coffee). Tip: If your clients are early risers, tell them not to miss the sudden rush of fishing boats that race out of the nearby marina and into the blue waters; it usually happens just after sunrise at around 7 a.m. and is a great photo opportunity.
Agents can speak to Thierry Baurez, the hotel's director of sales and marketing, to make reservations. Reach him at 866-448-0151 or e-mail
Guests can choose to indulge in spa treatments at Casa Dorada either in their rooms or at the hotel's Saltwater Spa, which opened in late February and is the newest spa in all of Cabo San Lucas. The 7,000-square-foot space is situated just off the beach; guests can exercise in the facility's state-of-the-art fitness studio in front of floor-to-ceiling glass walls that look out onto the sand and surf. There are also 10 treatment rooms as well as skylighted ceilings, a Japanese-style bridge, a waterfall, a pool, sauna and steam rooms and cold plunge pools.
Overseen by Spa Manager Gloria Reyes (866-448-0151;
Other hotel amenities include an indoor/outdoor children's club, two winding pools (one heated) with plenty of lounge chairs, a swim-up bar with TVs and full-service food and drink offerings. The hotel's concierge team also can arrange for a golf outing at one of Los Cabos' championship courses, horseback riding or any number of ocean adventures, such as snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, swimming with dolphins, glass-bottom boat tours and whale-watching adventures that make for gorgeous photo opportunities.
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The dining rooms in the penthouse suites of the new Casa Dorada Resort and Spa have their own terraces. |
Tell clients to be sure to try dinner at 12 Tribes, an indoor/outdoor dinner venue that celebrates the diversity of the world's food traditions through a mix of international flavors created by Executive Chef Fabian Rios. The dishes change seasonally, and each course is listed on the menu with a bit of background on its ethnic or geographic roots. Also, the restaurant's wine cellar houses 85 labels, including 20 Mexican wines, such as Adobe and Casa de Piedra. Guests should try a glass of one of the local wines along with a dessert of sorbet—homemade each day in exotic flavors like rose petal, jasmine, cucumber, pomegranate and avocado—for the perfect finish to one or all of their "no bad days" in Los Cabos.