I recently returned from a three night, four day stay in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Last minute trips, I believe, can be the best and most fun which is what this trip was. I made no major plans ahead of time but simply wanted to enjoy the resort, pool time and of course a spa day or two.
We stayed at Grande Solmar Lands End Resort and Spa. https://grandsolmarresort.solmar.com. I found this place on American Express Platinum Travel Services https://www.americanexpressplatinum.com and I trust their expert reviews and ratings of hotels. I normally book a lot of my trips through AMEX travel. The 1 bedroom suite at Solmar was plenty of space to relax in, had a small kitchen space, and spacious balcony with extra comfy chaise lounge chairs. It was nice to have a full coffee pot in the room. Illy brand coffee in the room was a nice touch too. I normally travel with instant oatmeal for a quick early morning breakfast and having the dishes available in the kitchen was super convenient. The hotel offers all inclusive packages as an option. I didn’t select that when I initially booked the room but when I was checking in to the hotel, it was offered to me at a reduced price so I took it. So, if you are willing to wait, you can potentially get the inclusive meal/drink plan at time of check in and negotiate a better price.
I loved that the property had 5 swimming pools to choose from each with its own vibe. I enjoyed the sunset pool one day as it as right next to the spa and was easy to slip away for my beach front cabana massage appointment. It is a quieter pool setting with no music, boasting an infinity pool and chairs with umbrellas. One day we rented a cabana at one of the other pools by Las Brisas restaurant and bar. There service was excellent and the pool butler was very attentive making sure we had everything we needed for the day and he checked in often.
If you are new to visiting Cabo, know that the beaches are beautiful but not necessarily swimmable. The resorts discourage visitors from getting in to the ocean water for safety reasons. However, there it plenty of of beachfront to enjoy to take a long walk. The sunrise and sunsets views are truly magical at this resort.
I chose the resort because of its close proximity to downtown. We had stayed in Cabo before but at resorts that are a bit further out of the central downtown area. Staying here made for an easy cab ride to get into town. We went to dinner one night at Tres Sirenas. It is the same ownership as Edith’s (which is right across the street. Tres Sirenas has live music at night, an open air feel, fun atmosphere, and a diverse menu. Seafood, steaks, mexican and more is on the menu. I ordered a whole lobster, bake potato and steamed veggies. It was enough for two people to share! Cocktails were amazing and the service was excellent! It was really busy on a Sunday night so I encourage making a reservation.
We flew Alaska Airlines from San Diego and the flight was direct which is a huge travel day bonus! https://www.alaskaair.com I booked the car service from Cabo airport to the resort through the hotel website under the concierge tab. Speaking of the airport…on our way back to San Diego, since we had so much time until our flight departed, we wanted to sit down somewhere relax and eat. You have to try STK. It is located after you get through security and by the Starbucks. The food is excellent and the place has a funky vibe inside. I especially loved their music choice!
When going to Cabo here are my suggestions to pack:
- Several hats
- Many bathing suits and coverups….can you really have too many??
- Easy flowy dresses
- Sandals
- Sunglasses
- Workout clothes
- Wraps, white denim jacket, light sweater for winter months at night. It cools down in the evening a bit.
- Sunscreen
- Pool/beach tote bag
- Small, cross body purse
To return to the USA, we had to take a COVID test at the hotel the day before we left. It was on site and really easy to do. When we checked out of the hotel, they gave us the printed results. The covid result you give to the airline when you get to the airport. Simple as that!
If you are trying to plan a beach vaca, I know you would love Cabo. There is so much to explore and do there. I find the weather ideal because hardly any wind, warm days, cooler nights and no humidity. To learn more about Cabo and what to do while you are there, see my blog post from my previous Cabo trip for more ideas. https://www.kristijones.org/visting-cabo-san-lucas-pueblo-bonito-pacifica/
Remember, life is meant to be enjoyed and the world to be explored!
Happy Travels!
