Playa El Médano Hotels

US$50–100

East along Playa El Médano [1], and set back a ways from the beach, clean and cozy Club Cabo Hotel and Campground Resort (tel./fax 624/143-3348, www.clubcaboinn.com [2], US$55–85) is also dog friendly. It has a handful of suites and bungalows, some with palapa roofs, all with air-conditioning and king-size beds. Owners Irene and Martin Rozendaal, a Mexican and Dutch husband-and-wife team, have been in business since 1992. Their property borders the only remaining expanse of mesquite forest in the area, which is also a bird sanctuary. On the grounds are laundry machines, a large fridge for storing freshly caught fish, and a swimming pool with an attached whirlpool tub. The hotel provides wireless Internet and a shuttle to town (a 15–20 minute walk).

US$100–150

Bahía Hotel (Pescador s/n, tel. 624/143-1889, U.S. tel. 914/432-3307, www.bahiacabo.com [3], US$130–180), just off Camino de los Pescadores above Playa El Médano, has lost most of its ocean views due to construction of the Casa Dorada complex right in front. Its studios have minimally equipped kitchenettes, air-conditioning, satellite TV, and direct-dial phones. Giant sculpted concrete shells frame the beds as headboards, and bamboo doors enclose the bathroom and closet. Faucets and tiling have aged a bit. The property includes laundry facilities, a decent restaurant, pool with hot tub and swim-up palapa bar, and free parking in a gated lot. Rates here include tax. Like most affordable Cabo San Lucas locations, the place is overrun with college students on spring break during the month of March. The outdoor Bar Esquina (lunch mains US$6–12, dinner mains US$15–25) is a nice addition to the casual dining options in the neighborhood.

US$150–250

Families particularly like Villa del Palmar Cabo Beach Resort & Spa (Km. 0.5, tel. 624/145-7000, toll-free U.S. tel. 877/845-5247, www.villadelpalmarloscabos.com [4], junior suites US$200–400, including tax, three-night minimum), with 458 junior suites and one- to three-bedroom oceanview deluxe suites. Each unit has a kitchenette, marble bath, and balcony. There are two pools (one with a bar), two lighted tennis courts, a fitness center, and restaurants. Some units are available only by the week. The on-site Spa at Villa del Palmar offers individual and package treatments in a European-style spa.

Part of the Trading Places International network of timeshares, Club Cascadas de Baja (Camino Viejo a San José, tel. 624/143-1882, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/365-9190, ext. 400, www.clubcascadasdebaja.com [5], one-bedroom US$200), at the east end of El Médano, has 110 thatched-roof villas, plus two swimming pools and tennis courts. You can make reservations online.

Near Edith’s on Camino de los Pescadores and a short walk up from Playa El Médano, Cabo Villas (tel. 624/143-9166, fax 624/143-2558, cabovillasresort [at] prodigy [dot] net [dot] mx, US$180–500) has one-bedroom, one-bath units and two-bedroom, two-bath units in two white towers.

Over US$250

Next door to the Villa del Palmar, Villa La Estancia (Km. 0.5, Camino Viejo a San José, tel. 624/143-8121, U.S. tel. 619/683-7883, www.villalaestancia.com [6], US$215–300) has 156 units ranging in size from one bedroom to three bedrooms as well as standard guestrooms and junior suites.

Brand-new Villa del Arco (tel. 624/145-7000, toll-free U.S. tel. 888/880-8512, www.villadelarcocabo.com [7], US$285–340) has three buildings with junior suites as well as one- and two-bedroom units. Prices at both of these resorts include tax, and there is a three-night minimum.

The ME Cabo (Playa El Médano, tel. 624/145-7800, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/336-3542, www.solmelia.com [8], US$220 and up) is a Spanish-owned Sol Meliá property with 88 remodeled rooms and suites built in a horseshoe shape around a large pool and patio area. Reasonable prices, a convenient location, trendy beach club, and inviting spa make this a popular spot for younger travelers, many of them European. On the plus side, most rooms have ocean views, towels are large and fluffy, baths feature Aveda products, and hotel service is prompt. As for the minuses, rooms on the fifth floor, three levels above the club (and presumably other floors as well), echo sound from the lobby and disco/bar below. As with most places this close to the El Medano beach scene, the resort attracts a fun-loving crowd that’s here to party hard.

The Pueblo Bonito chain has four properties in Cabo San Lucas. The original Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos (Playa El Médano s/n, tel. 624/142-9797, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/990-8250, www.pueblobonito-loscabos.com [9], US$400 and up) is a white adobe five-story building designed in a Mediterranean theme. From the tiles on the roof to the chaise lounges, blue and white form the dominant color scheme. Its 148 junior and luxury suites surround an attractive free-form swimming pool. Room features include kitchenettes and views of the bay.

Farther away from downtown along the beach, the Pueblo Bonito Rosé (tel. 624/142-9898, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/990-8250, www.pueblobonito [10] rose.com, US$400 and up) has a striking Baroque-themed lobby, but its 260 suites leave less of a dramatic impression. Not-especially-new rooms have decent beds, private balconies, and hand-painted terra-cotta floors.

About five kilometers east of Cabo San Lucas, beachfront Hotel Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas (Km. 5.5, Camino Viejo a San José, tel. 624/146-7160, toll-free U.S. tel. 888/666-8816, www.riu.com [11], US$300–450) comprises a town unto itself, with 642 guestrooms—booked almost all the time, according to travel agents—and all-inclusive (only) meal plans. Part of a large international hotel chain, the lively Riu has so many dining and entertainment options that most guests never leave the resort during their visit. Rates include taxes.

One of the newest luxury properties to open along Playa El Médano is Casa Dorada (Pescador s/n, tel. 624/163-5757, toll-free U.S. tel. 866/448-0151, US$200 and up), where guests enjoy mango margaritas upon arrival. Modern kitchens, large baths, contemporary design, and a stellar location are some of the pros. Suites range in size from studio to two-bedroom. There have been some maintenance issues, and rooms above the Mango Deck are reportedly noisy. Its Saltwater Spa offers a full menu of massage and body treatments with products from Pevonia Botanica.

After several years of demolition and construction, the new Hacienda Beach Club and Residences (tel. 866/300-0084, www.haciendacabosanlucas.com [12]) has opened on 22 acres in a prime location on Playa El Médano yet also close to downtown and the marina. Luxury vacation rentals range from one to four bedrooms in size. Prices start at US$695 per night.