Cabo San Lucas is a city in the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. It’s on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula and is a center for eco-tourism, scuba diving, and sport fishing.
But in the last decade or so, it’s also become a hot spot for high-end travelers, with a smattering of luxury hotels that exemplify an encouraging blend of five-star luxury, sustainability, and cultural offerings. Many of the best hotels in Cabo San Lucas offer travelers chances to learn about the surrounding region, with activities like wellness sessions with traditional practitioners or guided art walks to meet current Cabo San Lucas artists.
Today, Cabo is easy to get to – there are direct flights from cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Francisco, Phoenix, Houston, Denver, and more. Most of the best hotels in Cabo San Lucas can arrange airport pickups and drop-offs, so it may be easier than you think to plan a quick weekend getaway.
Below, you’ll find eight of the best higher-end hotels in Cabo San Lucas, from inexpensive-but-stylish boutique hotels to five-star resorts where you can have your own private cliffside infinity pool. Hotels are listed in order from lowest to highest starting price per night, so scroll to the bottom if you’re looking for a truly high-end experience.
Where to find the best hotels in Cabo San Lucas
The primary airport in Los Cabos is about 40 minutes from most of the hotels, and taxis can be expensive. So before you arrange an airport transfer, contact your hotel and see if they offer shuttle services. Otherwise, expect to pay about $80 for a taxi service from the airport, though you can take a bus from the airport (but probably won’t want to if you have a lot of luggage).
Marina Fiesta Resort & Spa
Address: Paseo de la Marina Lotes 37 y 38, Centro Histórico, 23450 Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico
The very reasonably priced Marina Fiesta Resort Resort & Spa is proof that you can find awesome hotels in Cabo without going broke. It’s one of the best hotels in Cabo San Lucas for under $200 a night, especially because of its location. It’s on the marina, so you can walk to everything in Cabo — the boardwalk, bars and restaurants, shopping, galleries, and more.
The hotel is casual and friendly but high-end and has both on-site dining options and a shuttle for guests who want to check out the restaurants at Hacienda Encantada Resort & Residences, the hotel’s partner property. At Marina Fiesta, you can book a room only, or optfor an all-inclusive package that includes hotel restaurants and a few downtown restaurants you can walk to in just a few minutes. You can also book whale-watching packages or full packages that include airfare in case you want to make your trip to Cabo as easy as possible.
What to do in Cabo San Lucas
Cabo is known for its beautiful beaches, nightlife, and water activities, but that’s hardly a complete list of things to do in Cabo San Lucas. Between October and May, you can snorkel with whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez. Outside of that window, you can still snorkel with sea lions or scuba dive at dozens of gorgeous underwater sites. ATV and boat tours are super popular, especially sunset sails or whale-watching sails (when the whales are in the area, between December and April). By the way, whale sharks are actually fish, not sharks, and they eat plankton, not people.
But since it’s a popular tourist town, you can do just about anything you want in the area, from mountain biking to art tours to cooking classes and private dinners in the desert. Most luxury hotels can arrange whatever you want to do, or at least point you in the right direction if they’re unable to facilitate it.
Is Cabo San Lucas safe?
Cabo San Lucas is as safe as any other tourist destination in Mexico, but it’s true that the country does have a higher rate of crimes like carjackings, kidnappings, and robbery than in the US. However, most of the crime in the area is drug-related, so as long as you don’t try to buy anything you shouldn’t, there’s a very good chance you have a delightful and safe trip. Nearly all of the best hotels in Cabo San Lucas will have on-site security, and you’ll likely feel quite safe while you’re there.
Of course, travelers should take the same precautions they’d take anywhere that has occasional crime, like not letting their drinks and possessions out of their sight at bars and nightclubs, avoiding excessive signs of wealth (which, granted, are everywhere in Los Cabos), and not flashing huge bills when leaving ATMs. Most hotel concierges can advise on places to go and places to avoid, but nearly all of downtown Cabo San Lucas is filled with tourists year-round. It’s generally known for being one of the safer destinations in Mexico.
By Suzie Dundas
