From personal assistants for each guest to private plunge pools in every room, there’s plenty to love about this 24-acre Mexican escape. Here are five things to know before you set off for your south-of-the-border getaway:
1. The rooms — even the small ones — are huge
With fewer than 100 rooms and a small cadre of private villas for rent, Capella Pedregal is an exclusive escape. Every guest room — which start at a spacious 856 square feet — features a full ocean view and private plunge pools, separate soaking tubs and rain showers, gratis non-alcoholic mini-bars, free Wi-Fi and gas fireplaces. Special occasion visitors (think honeymooners and celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney) opt for the more extravagant suites, especially the Estrella Suite corner units with two balconies, outdoor fireplaces and spectacular sunrise vistas. The Beach Casitas, which include oversized infinity pools and a private beach area with dedicated beach butler service, are also popular among A-list guests.
2. Service is as stunning as the setting
Horst Schulze, the man behind the famed Ritz-Carlton brand, founded Capella, so it’s no wonder that the property has an extremely high percentage of returning guests. Each room is assigned a personal assistant who is responsible for arranging activities and discerning guest preferences through pre-stay interviews. On property, the team of seven staffers interacts with guests as much or as little as the guest wishes, while each and every team member, from the pool butler to the restaurant receptionist, smiles and greets guests by name whenever possible in a consistently friendly and gracious manner. Of course, small touches like Coronitas, chips, pico de gallo and guacamole delivered to the rooms each afternoon don’t hurt either.
3. The Spa is top-notch
Hailed as one of the top spas in the world, the 12,000-square-foot Auriga Spa and Julian Farel Salon don’t disappoint. Guests begin their experience with a circuit of his-and-hers hot and cold rooms, a dip in the saltwater spa pool or savor a refreshing beverage in the plush relaxation lounge. Each treatment begins with a ritual foot washing and massage with local herbs. The spa’s menu offers signature experiences based on lunar phases and utilizes natural and organic treatment lines — for example, the “New Moon • The Beginning” service includes a foot massage, seaweed and eucalyptus salt scrub, seaweed wrap and full-body rosemary and eucalyptus massage. Each treatment takes place in a private pod overlooking the ocean and saltwater pool, and several suites even offer private plunge type pools for in-water treatments.
4. The location just can’t be beat
The only Los Cabos-area luxury hotel to be located in Cabo San Lucas proper, Capella Pedregal’s guests enjoy an easy five-minute walk into town and to the city’s vibrant marina and shopping districts, which make it a favorite among the younger set seeking a more active nightlife. The property also features the distinguishing characteristic of being built into the Pedregal Mountain, accessible only by a private tunnel through the mountain proper — which took the resort more than three years to build. The result? A resort that is closer than nearly any of its competitors to the Pacific Ocean’s spectacular crashing waves and cooling breezes. The tunnel also affords an extra measure of privacy for discerning guests.
5. Try the cuisine (and the tequila)
The resort focuses on traditional foods of the Baja, with a menu heavy on local produce and fresh sea bass, scallops and other daily caught seafood. The kitchen’s cache is even further elevated with the recent promotion of the French Laundry-trained Yvan Mucharraz from chef de cuisine to the resort’s executive chef. Capella’s newest dining outlet, a swim-up Crudo Bar, features some of the best fresh sushi and ceviche in Los Cabos, and the grand morning buffet at three-meal restaurant Don Manuel’s includes freshly squeezed, made-to-order juices as well as Mexican classics like huevos rancheros. An in-house tequila sommelier is ready and willing to guide guests through group or private tasting classes that explain both the history and manufacturing process of the popular spirit. Another favorite for visitors is a drink at the spectacularly located El Farallon restaurant, which is perched over the cliffs on Pedregal Mountain. Thunderous waves and the resort’s best sunset scapes make this the perfect place for a pre-dinner chipotle margarita or glass of wine. But if all of that weren’t tempting enough, foodies won’t want to miss the upcoming annual Capella Pedregal Food & Wine Festival (July 10 to 14) either.
Photos courtesy of Capella Hotels And Resorts
