Seaside Escape
Montage Los Cabos offers a sense of place on the Sea of Cortes
Location, location, location” is the timeless real estate maxim. The saying rings true for resorts as well. In Los Cabos, Mexico, the dazzling Land’s End getaway at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, precious few premier locations remained in the 20-mile coastal corridor that links the charming colonial city of San José del Cabo and the throbbing nightlife capital of Cabo San Lucas.
However, one farsighted developer waited out hurricanes and the housing slump to create one of the destination’s finest new resorts. Eco-friendly and elegant, Montage Los Cabos fronts Santa Maria Bay and its perfect crescent-shaped beach. Embraced by a pair of giant volcanic arms that jut into the sea and rise to ochre-colored cliffs, the protected bay is a marine sanctuary known for its placid waters and brightly colored fish (it’s a snorkeler’s paradise). The beach has received international Blue Flag certification for its adherence to stringent environmental criteria.
Fourteen years in the making—the development company acquired the iconic Hotel Twin Dolphin and its oceanfront acreage in 2004—Montage Los Cabos, the hotel brand’s first international property, opened to fanfare on May 31.
Built in a bold, contemporary style, its sleek lines and neutral tones accentuating the beauty of the bay, the 122-room hotel’s low-rise edifices, landscaped with 40,000 rescued desert plants (all of which are endemic to the region), were designed to conserve energy. The stylish guest rooms are done up in granite and teak, with matte-finish antique marble countertops. Each room has a spacious outdoor terrace or patio as well as indoor-outdoor showers. Traveling with extended family? Two- and three-bedroom Montage Residences are available, as are three sprawling estate homes.
The heart of the resort is Spa Montage, a 40,000-square-foot temple of renewal. Treatments utilize the healing power of indigenous ingredients. It’s a good place to surrender to the ministrations of the technicians—and relax afterwards in the adults-only serenity pool.
Dining? Marea, set directly above the beach, offers regional Baja California fare (the seafood dishes are exceptional), a swim-up bar and live music nightly. Mezcal, built to resemble a mezcal distillery (lots of copper decor), promises a gastronomic journey under the stars on its outdoor terrace.
The resort community’s newest amenity, Twin Dolphin Golf Club, a Fred Couples Signature design opened in November, is as naturalistic as the hotel. It’s a fantastic layout, but like the hotel, it takes a back seat to the resort’s serendipitous location on Santa Maria Bay.