The Los Cabos region at the tip of the Baja Peninsula is the most upscale of Mexico’s beach resort areas and there are far more a la carte hotels than all-inclusive resorts. The real standout for those who want to eat and drink well to their heart’s content on vacation is adults-only Pueblo Bonito Pacifica.
This beach resort is around the bend from the famous arch of Cabo San Lucas and it sits on property that hosts one of the best (and most challenging) golf courses in a region full of them: Quivira designed by Jack Nicklaus. The lighthouse where you see the sun set behind in the evenings marks the “Land’s End” part of the peninsula where the Pacific Ocean rounds a bend and meets the Sea of Cortez.
I first stayed at this hotel back in 2015, a year after the golf course opened to a flood of awards. While that course experience was high-end and still is, with a price tag that tops $400, the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica experience was best classified as good, not great. I knew then that they were trying to up their game though, with construction underway for The Towers at Pacifica, a separate VIP section with butlers and a special lounge overlooking the beach.
This time I returned and stayed in that section, taking advantage of the lounge and the nicer rooms, as well as checking out the new high-end restaurant that opened on the ground level. A new bar has come online there since my first visit too, bringing the whole property up a few notches.
Just a few decades ago there was a whole lot of nothing on this Pacific side of the peninsula and all the action was in the town of Cabo San Lucas itself. Starting in the late 1990s, however, the owner of Pueblo Bonito — a company that also owns the Pueblo Bonito and Emerald Bay hotels in Mazatlan — started buying up land here. He eventually ended up with 1,850 acres and it now contains a whole complex of multiple hotels, timeshares, multi-million-dollar vacation homes. condos, and the golf course.
There’s still a whole lot of empty space still in the mix too, so a St. Regis, more homes, and a second golf course are on the way eventually.
Pools and Restaurants at Pacifica in Los Cabos
Clearly you won’t feel hemmed-in at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, where you could hang a right from the pool and walk for a half hour or more on the beach before a cliff stops you. Don’t plan on going for a swim though. As in much of the Los Cabos region, the waves in this area where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean are downright scary. The ocean floor drops off like a cliff so quickly that you see fishing boats a stone’s throw from the beach and you can hear the spouting blowholes of whales swimming by between December and April.
Experienced surfers are out in a few places, but the waves go from lapping to gigantic unpredictably and riptides here are nothing to scoff at. It’s better to just watch them from your lounge chair or daybed on the wide expanse of sand while sipping a cocktail and maybe wading in the surf when a school of rays starts jumping out of the water at sunset.
The large swimming pool has plenty of lounge chairs and waiters make the rounds bringing drinks or food. Since this resort is all-inclusive, they’re a busy bunch. A swim-up bar takes some of the pressure off and drinks are proffered at several other spots around the property. There’s a huge hot tub facing the ocean and, plus a fire pit facing the huge beach to gather around at night.
There’s a dining area by the pool for lunch, with a good array of Cabo seafood options, typical Mexican dishes, and casual international choices. The cuisine is good overall at the various outlets here, which include the main buffet restaurant with indoor-outdoor seating and Pescados, a small seafood and sushi outlet. The latest and fanciest option is the Peninsula Restaurant, a dress-up affair where I had an excellent salad, seafood dinner, and dessert.
A deli and coffee shop on site serves those on the go and a complimentary shuttle to the golf clubhouse brings you to a steakhouse with a view of the ocean (that levies an extra charge). There are several other restaurants at other resorts owned by the same company that Pacifica guest have access to as part of the all-inclusive plan.
Guests here also have access to restaurants and bars at the two sister properties. One is on the top of a nearby hill and has a fine dining restaurant, the other is in Cabo San Lucas itself, so it’s a good stop after a day of whale watching or shopping.
Rooms at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica
Guest rooms here’s aren’t as large or well-equipped as the ever-improving luxury properties in Los Cabos, so book at one of the Tower rooms if you want to upgrade your digs a bit. They’re standard in layout and size even there, but most guests are spending far more time outside their rooms than it them except when sleeping, getting room service, or showering. They do have nice balconies for enjoying what’s in the stocked minibar.
You do get a comfortable mattress, robes and slippers are standard, 24-hour room service is part of the all-inclusive plan, and there’s turn-down service at night. There’s lots of marble in the baths and pretty inlaid stone patterns around the bed in the marble floors.
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The shot above is what the Tower rooms look like. These also include a terrific lounge with better booze, a more private breakfast, and snacks all day. The lounge has a huge deck looking straight out on the beach and it’s the best spot on the property for taking in the sunset.
Golf and Spa Options
The big draw here for many guests is going to be the challenging and dramatic Quivira golf course, which is in many ways the most dramatic one to play in Mexico. Some of the holes are on the side of a cliff and others have great water views. There are all kinds of crazy hidden flags, surprise obstacles, and prominent bunkers to avoid. There are comfort stations along the way where they prepare food as they see you approaching and you can order up a cocktail or beer before teeing off again.
There’s a spa on site here which requires additional charges, but the masseuse I went to did a terrific job of working out the kinks from too much time behind a computer. The steam room and whirlpool afterward took care of what remained. I didn’t have time to use the gym during this visit, but I did visit it to see the facilities. It’s now in the new Towers section, between their lounge and the restaurant underneath, with a view looking out directly at the ocean.
There are a few notables worth mentioning about Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. The grounds are beautiful and well-maintained, with palm trees, cacti, and colorful flowers offsetting the impressive design elements in the middle. I got a stretchy rubber bracelet that opened my door instead of the scratchy plastic one I endured during the first visit.
The butler service in the Towers section worked well, one leading me to the VIP check-in area and sorting out reservations, the other getting me checked out and taking care of my luggage and valet parked rental car. All by WhatsApp.
All-inclusive rates usually start at around $250 per person. Look for package deals by booking directly with the resort or check rates at Hotels.com and Boooking.com.
Review by editor Tim Leffel, who was recently hosted at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica to review the Towers experience for an online luxury travel magazine. As always, all opinions are his own.
