Strolling past tranquil courtyards and azure pools, I found it difficult to imagine that Casa del Mar Golf Resort & Spa had just recently recovered from Hurricane Odile.
The 50-room boutique hotel in Cabo Real celebrated its reopening Nov. 10, 2015, after a complete renovation. The makeover transformed its bar space into a sports bar, revamped its main restaurant and updated the Beach Club with a sundeck, complete with cabanas and lounges.
Nestled in the tourist corridor of Los Cabos, the five-star Casa del Mar is a perfect getaway for families or honeymooners looking to unwind by the beach. The sparkling waters of the Sea of Cortez can be seen from nearly every room, pool and restaurant on the spacious property.
While the renovation restored the hotel’s original Spanish mission-inspired design, it also incorporated new, contemporary Mexican elements such as patterned cement floors, embroidered fabrics, ceramics and handicrafts, all of which add a cozy charm.
In addition to Mexican and nouvelle fare at the recently renovated Tapanco Restaurant, guests can feast on raw specialties at the Beach Club’s restaurant or enjoy a meal at the poolside snack bar. The menus feature organic selections, with fresh herbs and ingredients from the resort’s garden. Even after my more-than-filling lunch of shrimp in tequila sauce with cilantro polenta, I couldn’t resist ordering fresh guacamole and salsa by the pool.
For an even more special dining experience, guests can take advantage of the resort’s new Friday night dinners, hosted in the courtyard and accompanied by live music. Every two weeks, guests can also join in on a new Mexican barbecue night at the Beach Club, also set to live, local tunes.
Golfers staying at Casa del Mar can enjoy preferred rates and golf packages at Cabo Real Golf Club, Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club and Club Campestre San Jose. While I’ve never understood the appeal of golf, touring the lush landscape of the 18-hole Cabo Real golf course while sipping pinot grigio gave me an inkling of why people enjoy the sport.
Far closer to my interests was the nearly 4,900-square-foot Suenos del Mar Spa, equipped with five indoor treatment suites, two double suites, a sauna, a steam room and a large stone Jacuzzi that overlooks a courtyard and the Pacific coast beyond.
Guests are recommended to book in advance from the extensive spa menu, which includes unique treatments such as the “Golfers” and the “Mother to be” massages, as well more traditional Swedish and deep-tissue offerings.
Spa therapist Rosa Maria Jimenez recommends her specialty, the Watsu treatment, launched mid-February of this year. During this aquatic therapy, guests are stretched and massaged right in the water of the Jacuzzi. Jimenez compares this soothing experience to an underwater dance.
“It’s good for people who are stressed or nervous, or who can’t stop thinking about work,” she said.
And this is a fairly apt description of the entire Casa del Mar experience.
Everything from the tiered pools and hacienda-style architecture to the designated beachfront “quiet zone” is custom-tailored for a truly serene experience.
General manager Ella Messerli told me that every aspect of Casa del Mar aims to create the ambience of “home sweet home.” And while I’m not lucky enough to live in Los Cabos, I was more than happy to pretend that Casa del Mar was home, at least for a little while.
The Details
Casa del Mar Golf Resort & Spacasadelmar.com.mx
