Los Cabos has long set its sights on the ultra-luxury market. And, based on current trends, it’s heading firmly in that direction. There’s a lot of star power in the dozen-plus hotels under construction. Here’s a look at some set to debut in 2018.
Montage Los Cabos opens in May. It’s located in the Twin Dolphin master community, on a 39-acre stretch of Santa Maria Bay. The property has 122 guestrooms ranging in size from 895 to 2,696 square feet. Ocean View Casas with private infinity pools measure in the 10,000 square-foot range.
Noteworthy is the setting on a protected bay, which allows walk-up snorkeling, diving and swimming in the Sea of Cortez. Additional features include two pools, several dining venues, signature Spa Montage, a children’s program, plus more than 6,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Montage Los Cabos will be the sixth property and the first outside of the United States from Montage Hotels & Resorts to join Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Also debuting as a Preferred Hotels & Resorts member is Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Los Cabos. The property's opening is set for July in the hotel corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. The property will have 315 suites, lofts, penthouses and master residences. Most of the suites have kitchen, dining and living areas. Private chef service is available, as is an all-inclusive option. The property also has three restaurants, four bars, eight pools, including a rooftop pool, gym and tennis court, plus family fun zone and spa.
Antonio E. Vera, regional director, Mexico for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, tells Travel Agent about the company's growth strategy in Mexico.
“We currently have 58 member hotels in Mexico, of which 60 percent are resorts, and 40 percent in city locations. There are seven hotels in Los Cabos and we will also be announcing more next month. We continue to grow in resort and city destinations throughout the country, and our renewal rate is over 90 percent which demonstrates our members are very happy with the returns we provide,” said Vera.
In addition to the two new properties in the Preferred Hotels portfolio, other big names debuting in 2018 include Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. It opens in the summer in the Puerto Los Cabos development. The setting, on the coast of San Jose del Cabo, features views of the Sea of Cortez.
The 2,000-acre Puerto Los Cabos includes a number of residential neighborhoods, golf courses, a marina with a planned new Marina Village, botanical and sculptural gardens and the Puerto Los Cabos Club.
Zadun is the fourth resort in the Ritz-Carlton Reserve portfolio. It has 115 villas offering sea views and butler service. Many have private pools.
Celebs such as Gwyneth Paltrow have reportedly enjoyed sneak previews of Solaz, A Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos. Set to open in March, the 128-room property features panoramic Sea of Cortez vistas. Rooms include outdoor terraces with private pools, whirlpools, and fire pits. The Spa at Solaz offers biothermic rain showers, a saltwater thalasso wet area and a dynamic pool with hot and cold Jacuzzis. Additional amenities include two infinity pools, three whirlpools and a kid’s club.
Four Seasons will open its third Mexico property (after Punta Mita and Mexico City) in 2018, with the debut of Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas. Located on the Sea of Cortez, the Costa Palmas community features a private marina that accommodates yachts up to 250 feet, a village area, Robert Trent Jones II golf course and a two-mile stretch of beach. The 145-room property includes multiple pools, indoor and outdoor event and wedding facilities, five dining outlets, and a spa.
As with other nascent developments in the destination, it’s all about location. Costa Palmas’ setting on the eastern shore of the Baja peninsula gives it a swimmable beach. In fact, the beach faces north into the Sea of Cortez, offering a protected, clear and calm sea. Developers are expected to announce another ultra-luxury property for Costa Palmas soon.
The Hard Rock Hotels brand is coming next year to the Diamante development of Cabo San Lucas. The 639-room beachfront property has six restaurants, 24-hour room service, five pools with swim-up bars, 46,000 square feet of meeting space, kid’s and teen’s areas, bowling alley plus signature Rock Spa, Body Rock fitness center and Rock Shop. It will also be one of the first in the Hard Rock portfolio to debut the Rock Star Suite concept.
Set to open in February is the 73-room Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos. It’s Palace Resort’s second offering under the adults-only Le Blanc Spa brand. Features will include four pools, seven restaurants and 14,000 square feet of meeting space. And, the spa’s the draw. Nearly 30,000 square feet, it offers 25 treatment rooms and a range of therapies.
Of course, even high-end travelers are interested in value.
“It’s a Palace property, not just Le Blanc. Stay five or more nights and you get our famous resort credit. You can use it for extras, such as massages. It’s one of the most popular features for our guests,” Kathy Halpern, vice president of sales and marketing for Palace Resorts, tells Travel Agent.
Infrastructure in the destination is also growing to accommodate the increased hotel capacity. Los Cabos International Airport is in the midst of a multi-year refurbishment and expansion. It will add five new gates and a VIP lounge.
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