Luxurious by Nature
The Cape hotel in Los Cabos, Mexico, embraces its natural setting with understated elegance.
The lava rock walkway leading to The Cape, the hottest new hotel in Los Cabos, Mexico, descends to an open-air lobby with a large humpback whale constructed of driftwood at its entry. Opened last June and the first Thompson Hotel in Mexico, this minimalist hostelry embraces Cabo’s desert-meets-ocean setting with a spare, neo-industrial design nearly drained of color. In a sun-kissed destination known for its lush hideaways, The Cape, as toned down as Tribeca without the urban grit, brings an entirely new aesthetic to Cabo’s hospitality landscape. The Cape is matte black timbered walls, slabs of unfinished concrete, buffed steel accents. No adobe, no barrel roofs.
Angled to El Arco, the iconic sea arch at Land’s End, the 161-suite property fronts Monuments Beach, one of the best surf breaks in Los Cabos. Catch a wave if you’re brave—or watch the locals ride the foaming waters to the boulder-strewn shore. The best vantage point is a toss-up: the dark-bottomed infinity pool and its swim-up bar, or the comfy daybed for two suspended by steel cables on the balcony of each suite.
What appears to be a trio of unfinished structures is in fact a less-is-more “concept” that does not compete with the beach and sea. The eye travels beyond the neutral edifices to a broad bay and the mountains at Land’s End that mark the terminus of the Baja peninsula. The public spaces, notably the sunken lobby bar, are a study in understated elegance. The sixth-floor rooftop lounge, with its fine views of the Sea of Cortez and nearby Cabo San Lucas, is a tip of the hat to city life.
Manta, the signature restaurant headed by chef Enrique Olvera, presents a pan-Pacific interpretation of traditional Mexican cuisine. (The grilled octopus is a revelation.) The dark-walled Currents Spa is an ominous labyrinth at first glance, but the enveloping darkness and ocean sounds are soothing. Guest rooms, including multi-bedroom suites, are accented by hand-painted tiles, custom-made furniture, a glass cube rain shower, a freestanding tub, and a shelf of books devoted to the ’60s California surf scene. Led by a personable, engaging staff, The Cape succeeds by making nature, not itself, the star.
best time to visit
The Cape is is ideal in mid-November through mid-April, when days are sunny and nights are cool. Whale-watching season runs from December through March. Delta has regularly scheduled flights from Atlanta to Los Cabos. The Cape is ideal for couples seeking a romantic getaway. In addition to relaxing at the hotel, the concierge can arrange golf, sailing, snorkeling, sunset cruises and a myriad of other activities.
(877) 793-8527; thompsonhotels.com/hotels/The-Cape-Los-Cabos