The days of Los Cabos as a simple, laid-back beach and fishing destination are long gone.
It’s not that the beaches and big-game fishing aren’t still spectacular, mind you, it’s that the better class of resorts in cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo have spent the last two decades adding amenity after pampering amenity in an attempt (overwhelmingly successful, by the way) to turn Los Cabos into one of the world’s great luxury destinations.
At the heart of this reimagining are incredible collections of championship level golf courses and luxurious spas. The region now boasts no less than 18 currently operating golf courses designed by legendary names like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Greg Norman, and expansive and decadent spas are now found at virtually every local upscale resort.
We’ve given plenty of updates recently on the golfing scene, but very few in regards the collection of spas. So with that in mind, here are five great new luxury spa options to enjoy on your next trip to Los Cabos…
Waldorf Astoria Spa at Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
By any name, this Pedgregal property is world-class. Originally opened as Capella Pedregal in 2009, the boutique 96-r00m resort was subsequently renamed The Resort at Pedregal before taking on the Waldorf Astoria imprimatur in 2019. The latter is a virtual synonym for luxury travel, and what were already five star amenities–the longest private tunnel in Mexico, cliffside dining above crashing Pacific Ocean waves–have now been elevated to the level of must-try destination experiences.
That’s certainly the case with the Waldorf Astoria Spa, which was created by renowned spa designer Sylvia Sepelli and offers pampering treatments grouped around central themes of the moon, the sea and Mexican folk healing. For example, massages based on lunar cycles and an indigenous herbal detox using the potent properties of indigenous Baja plants.
All the traditional spa bells and whistles are also found here, however, from an upscale beauty salon and a state-of-the-art fitness center to ten private treatment rooms and tennis courts with stunning elevated Cabo San Lucas city views.
Oasis Spa at Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas
This resort is the first ever luxury property on the East Cape of Los Cabos, a 70-mile belly-shaped arc that extends northward from San Jose del Cabo. For decades, the East Cape has been the last refuge for those who loved the old Baja of dirt roads and under-the-radar dive and surf spots.
That Baja still exists, but so too does a new kind of East Cape experience, an exclusive luxury hideaway on the coast at La Ribera. Relaxing couples’ treatments like side-by-side massages are a specialty of the house, offering intimacy and an enhanced state of relaxation across a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, from private rooms to plunge pools to romantic strolls through the aromatic onsite herb garden.
Like the Waldorf Astoria Spa, Oasis also offers folk rituals based on the healing properties of indigenous plants. Yoga and breath work on the beach, exfoliating treatments for face, body, hands and feet, and the full-service Rossano Ferretti salon are yet more reasons to discover this newly opened Oasis.
SE Spa at Grand Velas Los Cabos
Now open for only a little more than three years, it was SE Spa at Grand Velas that ushered in the new era of luxury spas in Los Cabos.
At over 35,000 square feet, SE Spa is enormous. However, it’s not just sheer size alone that set it apart from all the Los Cabos spas that came before it, but the overwhelming displays of pampering decadence, including a pool and bath area so immense and well-equipped it would make a reincarnated Roman Emperor blush.
SE Spa doesn’t have staff, it has body artisans, and the onsite spa atelier program is the only one of its kind in Los Cabos, with hour plus therapies custom tailored to the needs of guests. In addition to the large array of treatments and massages–which range from pre-Colombian rituals to Ayurvedic medicine and well beyond–the spa also offers beauty and wellness options like a state-of-the-art fitness center, full-service beauty salon and men’s barbershop.
Spa Montage at Montage Los Cabos
Inspired perhaps by Grand Velas, which had premiered its resort with the largest spa ever seen on the Baja California peninsula, Montage upped the ante when it opened its luxury resort on Playa Santa María in the tourist corridor between cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo in June 2018
Spa Montage spotlights a whopping 40,000 square feet of wellness spaces–meaning it’s now the largest spa in Baja history–the introduction to which is a gorgeous entrance that utilizes a stepping stone pathway that weaves across a clear water lagoon. From there, the facilities only get more and more impressive, from a massive adults-only serenity pool to garden lounges, hydrotherapy stations, beauty salon, and treatment rooms for all guests 16 years and older.
A 24-hour fitness center, regularly scheduled yoga classes, Pilates and a beachfront boot camp are also available, as is an expansive spa boutique featuring resort clothing and upscale beauty products.
Esencia Wellness at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos
There was excitement aplenty about the opening of a Nobu restaurant in Los Cabos…even more when it turned out it was part of a boutique Nobu resort on the Pacific Coast north of Cabo San Lucas, in the exclusive Diamante property development.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s acclaimed fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian (and now Baja) ingredients is one reason to visit. Another is Esencia Wellness, an onsite spa that’s grounded in Japanese traditions but also promises plenty of modern refinements.
The pampering spa occupies over 13,000 square feet at Nobu, and features 13 treatment rooms, a spacious fitness center, a full-service salon, indoor hydrotherapy areas, and an outdoor hydrotherapy garden that includes steam, sauna, jacuzzi and more.
Signature offerings include Nobu Zen, a custom treatment that utilizes several techniques to alleviate stress.
The same description could just as easily be applied to Los Cabos itself. So do yourself a favor and plan a visit soon!
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Saludos from Co-Founders…
Chris Sands – Writer and Michael Mattos