Villa Del Arco Joins the Fam

Some people feel that the last child in a family often turns out to be the most well-adjusted because they benefit from the mistakes their parents made with the older siblings. Of course, there are plenty of older siblings that would probably disagree with that, but at least when applied to the Villa del Arco, the Villa Group’s third resort in Cabo San Lucas, the theory seems to hold true.

Not that there’s anything wrong with the Villa Group’s first two hotels in Cabo. Both Villa del Palmar and Villa La Estancia are top-notch resorts that have been a huge hit with visitors, helping to propel the chain’s growth to nine properties throughout Mexico, with more on the way. While the first two Villa properties serve very strong niche markets Palmar is a great value option for families and Estancia is an upscale “adults-preferred” resort Villa del Arco seems destined to combine the best of both worlds by being upscale and sophisticated, but still comfortable for families.

If you looked at all three resorts as a group, it would seem logical for Villa del Arco to fill the mid-priced market niche (with Palmar on one end and Estancia on the other), however throughout my recent visit there, it became clear that what the Villa Group actually did is create a second upscale property that is nearly as luxurious as Estancia, while still maintaining a unique, down-to-earth flavor.

The resort features 231 deluxe suites that are nearly as posh as those at La Estancia. Each of the one-, two- and three-bedroom air-conditioned suites have marble floors, Jacuzzi tubs, walk-in showers, two TVs with satellite service, high-speed Internet (for a $9.95-$14.95 fee) and spacious balconies with ocean views. The suites also have complete kitchens with full-size refrigerator, stovetop burners, microwave, toaster, coffee maker and utensils and dishware. The two- and three-bedroom suites even have a washer and dryer.

The resort also features studio units that have a kitchenette with a mini-fridge instead of a full kitchen.

Not only are the kitchens a plus for families, but most of the units have connecting doors, allowing for a wide variety of room configurations for groups vacationing together.

The resort itself features a number of family-centric touches beginning with the replica pirate ship “anchored” in one of the resort’s two pools. The ship houses the casual El Bucanero restaurant serving tacos, wraps and burgers, and it’s understandably a popular hangout for kids. In addition, the pools also have shallow areas that are ideal for toddlers. There are tennis courts on the complex as well.

The location of Villa del Arco, as with its two sister properties next door, is a major plus. Stretching along El Medano Beach considered one of the safest beaches in Cabo San Lucas the hotel has unobstructed views of the iconic El Arco rock formation. An on-site watersports center assists guests with snorkeling, boating, fishing, boogie-boarding and more. As safe as El Medano Beach is, however, be sure to warn clients that the currents are very strong up and down the coast.