Hotels, Rentals, and Camping

Overnight guests in Todos Santos [1] can choose from a variety of luxury and modest hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and private vacation rentals. As more visitors arrive each year, new properties are opening, old ones are renovating, and others are just raising prices without making significant improvements. Many properties are now up for sale, and if water and sewer rights are worked out, several large resorts may be coming to the area in the not-too-distant future.

The principal complaint that many first-time visitors express is frustration with the noise that comes with staying in a non-resort town. From the rumble of 18-wheelers to the persistent dog-barking and chicken-clucking, Todos Santos can feel like a town that doesn’t sleep. In general, places closer to the beach are quieter (though not silent, and farther from town). Before you book, ask your host what to expect at night. Locations near La Poza and El Otro Lado (north side of town) mean a longish walk to town but more convenient beach access.

There are three accommodations in town with “Todos Santos” in their name: The Hacienda Todos Los Santos is located in the palm grove at the end of Avenida Juárez; the Todos Santos Inn is on Calle Topete, with its own wine bar; and the Hacienda Inn Todos Santos is north of town. Details for each are given in this section.

Under US$50

Large, clean rooms are centrally located at Motel Guluarte (Juárez and Morello, tel. 612/145-0006, US$35). This place is well known among budget travelers. On-site laundry is a plus.

US$50–100

The former Hotel Misión del Pilar got a fresh coat of paint inside and out in 2006 and opened under new ownership as the Maria Bonita Hotel (Militar at Hidalgo, tel. 612/145-0850, mariabonitahotel [at] prodigy [dot] net [dot] mx, US$40–55). The office and 12 guestrooms are all on the second floor, above the popular Café Brown. Though rooms are plain, the clean off-white walls, new curtains and bedspreads, and comfortable mattresses make for a pleasant stay. Small but clean bathrooms have shower stalls with glass doors and hot water aplenty. A great value, this hotel is a wise choice for budget travelers who need a place to crash for the night. Rates include tax.

At Bed and Breakfast Las Casitas (Rangel btw Obregón/Hidalgo, tel./fax 612/145-0255, www.lascasitasbandb.com [2], US$60–100), Canadian artist Wendy Faith has lovingly restored four chiname adobe cottages and one four-person suite over the last decade. Set among lush landscaping, rooms are small, with low ceilings, one bed, and brightly colored walls and ceilings. Accommodations here are basic but artsy, with hand-painted murals in some rooms and the artist’s own glasswork in others. Breakfast includes the bed-and-breakfast’s own blend of coffee. An authentic palo de arco casita houses the owner’s studio.

To get to the Hotel Santa Rosa (Olochea btw Verduzco/Villarino, tel. 612/145-0394, www.hotelsantarosa.com.mx [3], US$70), go three blocks south of the Pemex station on Calle Degollado, turn right on Calle Olachea, and go two blocks. There are eight rooms with kitchenettes and queen beds, plus a well-maintained pool, hot tub, and enclosed parking. The hotel offers a 5 percent discount for weeklong stays, 10 percent off for two weeks, and 33 percent off for a monthlong reservation. Wi-Fi available.

In the Las Tunas area two kilometers north of town, Iguana de los Mangos (cell tel. 612/119-7880, www.bajasurtodossantos.com [4], US$90) is a newer studio casita that sleeps two adults and up to two children. Special touches include fluffy towels and luxury bed linens, plus a rooftop terrace, hammock, BBQ, and daily breakfast. It’s about a 10-minute walk to the water’s edge.

US$100–150

Set among towering palm, mango, and banana trees, Jardín de Pilar (Pilar btw Topete/Hidalgo, tel. 612/145-0386, www.jardindepilar.com [5], US$105) has two beautifully appointed casitas for rent. Details include colorful high-end linens and bamboo accents, as well as wireless Internet and swimming pool.

On the road to Playa La Cachora, the Hotelito (tel. 612/145-0099, www.thehotelito.com [6], US$125–135) is a boutique-style inn with four cottages that blend a modern Mexican and European style. For recreation, the inn has a small swimming pool and morning yoga classes twice a week. Rates include breakfast. On all but the hottest days you can comfortably walk about a half mile to the beach or into town.

Much loved for its location, sparkling pool, and friendly service, Hacienda Todos Los Santos (Juárez, tel. 612/145-0547, www.tshacienda.com [7]) has three casitas and four suites, each with its own unique personality. All have air-conditioning, private terraces, and spacious bathrooms. Casa Santa Luz (US$190) has a queen-size bed, TV/VCR, and fireplace. Casa del Palmar (US$165) is a studio suite with multiple terraces, king-size bed, and TV/VCR. Casita del Encanto (US$125) is a studio suite complete with two patios, queen-size bed, and seating area. Casa de los Santos has one room (US$125) and three suites (US$165–225), and the whole house rents for US$850 a night. The upstairs suites have great views of the surrounding farmland. Amenities on the property include Wi-Fi, swimming pool, and lush gardens for strolling. Walk to town or the beach.

Centrally located in the historic district, Casa Bentley (Calle Pilar 99 at Hidalgo, tel. 612/145 0276, www.casabentley.com [8], US$90–170) offers five contemporary guest suites in three houses—one is a restored adobe structure and the other two are modern stone construction. Guests enjoy air-conditioning, luxury linens, and use of a heated swimming pool. Access to an outdoor kitchen is provided with some units and available by special arrangement for the others.

US$150–250

On the road to La Pastora, the Hacienda Inn Todos Santos (tel./fax 612/145-0193, US$110–140 with continental breakfast) is about two kilometers from the center of town. The inn has a swimming pool and restaurant with a bar. All 14 rooms and suites have air-conditioning, cable TV, and comfy bathrobes. Turn right at the El Sol II grocery store to find the inn.

A stay at the elegant Todos Santos Inn (Legaspi 33 at Topete, tel./fax 612/145-0040, www.todossantosinn.com [9], US$125–225) takes visitors back to the town’s sugarcane era in the 19th century. Housed in a restored brick building, the inn is beautifully designed and appointed with high ceilings, antique furnishings, and tile floors. Amenities include private terraces, ceiling fans, and air-conditioning. Guests enjoy use of a small pool and the on-site La Copa Bar. Spanish-language instruction is available, either separately or as a package with accommodations (10 hrs. for US$200).

Last renovated in 2003, two-story Hotel California (Juárez btw Morelos/Márquez de León, tel. 612/145-0525, www.hotelcaliforniabaja.com [10], US$110–190) has eight suites, a small swimming pool, and courtyard garden. It also has its own restaurant, La Coronela, and a gift shop called Emporio Hotel California.

Posada La Poza (tel. 612/145-0400, www.lapoza.com [11], US$195–460) blends the relaxed pace of life in Baja with a Swiss sensibility for quality and efficiency. Hosts Jörg and Libusche Wiesendanger opened the hotel in 2002. Guests stay in one of four garden suites (and these days, the garden is as lush as can be), two junior suites with private hot tubs, or the master suite. Suites here come with views of the lagoon and ocean beyond, plus air-conditioning, a CD player, and Swiss bed linens. Guestrooms and common areas also feature Libusche’s oil and acrylic paintings. You can splash around in a large saltwater swimming pool, soak in the saltwater 10-person whirlpool tub, enjoy the small beach area right in front of the inn, watch for whales from the deck, or borrow a bicycle for a ride into town. And when you’ve had your fill of the great outdoors, you might give yourself an aromatherapy treatment in the on-site sweat lodge, which is filled with heated lava rocks topped with eucalyptus leaves, rosemary, or other herbs. Internet access is available. Rates include continental breakfast, and El Gusto! restaurant serves hearty Mexican and international dishes like pork loin, rib eye, and lobster. The road to La Poza is well marked: Turn southwest off Degollado (Mexico 19) onto Calle Olachea or Calle Carrillo and follow the blue and white signs.

Over US$250

In a restored two-story dormitory on Calle Topete, Guaycura Hotel (Lesagpi at Topete, tel. 612/145-0800, US$350) offers 14 luxury guestrooms, three of which have ocean views. Guests can lounge by the small rooftop pool in the morning, take a stroll around town or head to the beach midday, and return for spa treatments in the afternoon.

Guesthouses and Vacation Rentals

Several Todos Santos community websites list vacation rentals in the area. They include www.baja.com [12], www.bajawesternonion.com [13], www.todossantos.cc [14], and www.todosantosguide.com [15]. Vacation Rental by Owner (www.vrbo.com [16]) also has a few West Cape listings. Here are a few of the most popular options in this category:

Over the last decade, a fun-loving retired couple from Italy has built six guest casitas on their Las Brisas area property, collectively known as La Supercionfola and located on the West side of Camino a Las Tunas. Each casita has a clear view of the ocean and dunes before it, and the sand is a five-minute walk from your door. Simple yet elegant designs are beautifully constructed with separate private kitchens and sculpted concrete counters. Two units have two bedrooms each, two are one-bedroom casitas, and one is a studio. All but the studio have private kitchens. Though in a somewhat developed area, the landscaping makes the setting feel secluded and completely private. The location is about 10 minutes from town—ideal for independent travelers. Contact manager Emy Festa, who also manages the Gemma Inn in La Paz (tel. 612/123-5508, cell tel. 612/168-7937, info [at] gemmagroup [dot] it) for details. Longer term stays are preferred, and the rates are US$55/night or US$300/week for the studio (two-night min.), US$500/week for the one-bedroom casitas, and US$700/week for the two bedroom casitas. Inquire about discounted monthly and half-year rates.

The Garden Casita (Olachea and Mutualismo, tel./fax 612/145-0129, www.todossantos-baja.com/gardencasita.htm [17], US$300 week) is a unique redbrick guesthouse with a palapa roof. The casita has a living area, separate bedroom, and patio with enclosed courtyard. Wireless high-speed Internet is included, and the long-term rates include weekly maid service.

In roughly the same neighborhood, Las Flores Posada (formerly Jane’s Place, Pedrajo and Villarino, tel. 612/145-0216, www.todossantosguide.com/vacationrentals/lasfloresposada.htm [18], US$65–95) has four cozy but well-worn casitas on an acre of property centered around a courtyard with a fountain. There are three studio bungalows, each with private bath and kitchen and a main bungalow with two bedrooms, kitchen, and living room.

Named for the sugarcane mill ruins that adjoin the property, Hotel Posada del Molino (Rangel and Progresso, tel. 612/145-0233, www.posadadelmolino.com [19], US$90–110) has four air-conditioned studios next to a swimming pool. Each studio has a queen-size bed, wireless Internet, satellite TV, and fully equipped kitchenettes. Breakfast at the on-site Pura Vida café makes a nice way to start the day.

Situated in a residential neighborhood off Calle Degollado, midway between downtown and the beach and next to the Hotel Santa Rosa, La Sirena Eco-Adventures (Calle Olachea btw Villarino/Verduzco, tel. 612/145-0353, U.S. tel. 213/265-9943, www.lasirenakayaksurf.com [20]) rents two one-bedroom, private-bath houses inside a gated property called Casitas La Paloma (US$60–65). An additional suite rents for US$500 per week with discounts for multiweek stays. Wi-Fi available. This property is a convenient walk from the bus station.

At Los Colibrís (Cerro La Poza, Calle Guaycura, tel. 612/145-0780, www.loscolibris.com [21], US$115/night, US$700/week), the friendly proprietors of Todos Santos Eco Adventures, Sergio and Bryan Jáuregui, offer two rental homes and two casitas on their hillside property, with stunning ocean views overlooking the freshwater estuary and beach beyond. Tiled baths have rain showers and sculpted concrete countertops. Lampposts made of decorative tree trunks, colorful linens, and hummingbird feeders are few of the special touches. Units have ceiling fans, some with air-conditioning, well-equipped kitchens, bottled water, and iPod docking stations for music. Outdoor space is limited, given the steep incline of the property, but the addition of a small infinity pool and hot tub on a stone terrace give the illusion of more space.

On the road leading to Playa la Cachora, Las Puertas (tel./fax 612/145-0373, www.alaspuertas.com [22], US$135–175) offers a large two-bedroom guesthouse, a one-bedroom guesthouse, and a suite with ocean views. All the structures are nicely furnished, private, and built in classic Baja style with palapa roofs and adobe walls. The oceanview suite is the newest addition and has the nicest furnishings, a fireplace, and exceptional views. Daily maid service is included.

Below the main property, Casa Colina (tel. 612/145-0780, www.casacolina [23] ts.com, US$195/night, US$1,095/week)is a two-story, two-bedroom home with a little more space and a private driveway. Large picture windows in the bedrooms and kitchen open to ocean views, while balconies on both bedrooms face the mountains. Each bedroom has a king-size bed with luxury linens, ceiling fan, and its own bath. The casa also has a fully equipped kitchen.

Villas La Mar (Cerrada Guaycura 26, tel. 612/145-0116, www.hotelvillaslamar.com [24], US$185) rents several newly constructed villas built against a hillside on the south side of La Poza. From Degollado, follow the signs toward Posada La Poza and Los Colibris.

About 2.5 miles north of town in the La Tunas area, Las Casitas Cal y Canto (www.calycanto.com [25], US$150–200) consists of three newly constructed two-story homes on a five-acre property on the east side of the road. Design accents include Saltillo floors, Talavera tiles, outdoor showers, and mesquite furniture. Swing in a hammock on the patio or walk 10 minutes to the beach. In winter proximity to the break at La Pastora, two miles away, is a plus for surfers. Together, the casitas can accommodate a group of 18 people.

Camping and RV Parks

El Litro RV Park has only five short-term camping sites, since it is nearly full of permanent residents. RV sites are in a large dirt lot surrounded by palm trees, south of Mexico 19 at the end of Calle Olachea. Full hookups cost US$15 a night or US$250 a month, including hot showers, clean bathrooms, and laundry facilities. The park also has 30 tent camping sites (US$8 per night). The beach is a 15-minute walk. The owners can store your rig for US$40 a month.

The beaches north of town offer good camping but no facilities. The farther north you go, the more remote and secluded it gets.