SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Los Cabos
TRAVEL GUIDE P H O T O G R A P H TA K E N BY D I C K D U R R A N C E / C ourte s y o f PA L M I L L A
PRESENTED BY
a Playground by la
PLAYA
Troon’s Palmilla Delivers The BEST Hotels, Restaurants & Activities
Talking Stick Resort
Hilton Los Cabos
Hilton Los Cabos
t
LODGING | Where to Stay
375
All 375 rooms at the luxurious Hilton Los Cabos feature walls, doors and sinks uniquely hand-finished by local artisans. Tucked into a cove on the Sea of Cortez, the resort allows swimming on its beach—one of few along a coastline known for fierce undertow.
Los Cabos Travel Guide presented by
FEATURED RESORTS Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort 877-354-1399 hiltonloscabos.com Meliá Cabo Real 888-956-3542 melia.com/en/ One&Only Palmilla Los Cabos 866-829-2977 palmilla.oneandonlyresorts.com Sandos Hotel Finisterra 888-774-0040 sandosloscabosresort.com Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar 800-325-3535 sheraton.com/haciendadelmar
Mild or Wild Los Cabos isn’t just one big beach party—though you certainly can find plenty of those if you want. The Corridor abounds with elegant resorts hugging the immaculate coast, all of them just minutes from world-class golf, fishing, dining and more. Thanks to its perfect climate and range of resorts, Cabo can be all things to all people: wild, restful, cultured and fun.
Finesterra t THE Sheraton
Hacienda del Mar’s colorful, palatial property sits just a pitching wedge from Cabo del Sol’s Ocean and Desert courses and within an easy drive (by car, that is) of lively Cabo San Lucas and the cobblestoned quaintness of San José del Cabo. 52
t Meliá Cabo Real,
t One&Only Palmilla’s
an all-inclusive beach and golf resort tucked away on a cove along the Corridor five minutes south of San José del Cabo, boasts 305 deluxe oversized rooms, four restaurants and the adjacent Robert Trent Jones Jr. course at Cabo Real.
172 sensuously elegant guest rooms come in singleand three-story “casas,” encircling the resort grounds along the peninsula’s edge. Every private patio or balcony comes with unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean or Sea of Cortez.
Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2013
Luxury at Land’s End
To book special packages go to
coloradoavidgolfer.com/ travel
Sandos Hotel Finisterra, the iconic resort scenically located high above the tip of the Baja coast, recently underwent a major renovation under new ownership. The all-inclusive room price includes unlimited food, drinks, family-friendly entertainment and more.
SERVICE THAT DESERVES A ROUND OF GOLF CLAPS. The Golfer's Getaway Discover the world-class golf of Los Cabos when you book our exclusive Golfer's Getaway package. Special includes three rounds of golf at the luxurious Palmilla, Cabo Real, Puerto Los Cabos or Club Campestre golf courses and complimentary breakfast buffet each morning. After a long day on the green, enjoy a soothing Sports Massage to refresh and rejuvenate tired muscles. Package requires a 3-night minimum stay. For room reservations please visit hiltonloscabos.com or call 877 354 1399 STAY HILTO N. GO EVERYWHE RE .
Carretera Transp. Km. 19.5 | Los Cabos | 23447 | MEXICO ©2013 Hilton Worldwide
5
Sheraton Hacienda del Mar gives guests five pool options, ranging from dramatic infinityedge to peaceful sunbathing spot, from a kid’s pool with a slide to one with a swim-up bar and another with live music and water sports. All come with food and drink service.
Sheraton Hacienda del Mar
Los Cabos Travel Guide presented by
t
Sheraton Hacienda del Mar
Livin’ La Vida Cabo
Cabo’s swanky nightlife finds its expression along Médano Beach, home of such upscale, trendsetting resorts as ME Cabo and Casa Dorada. By day, the award-winning ME Cabo epitomizes relaxation and refinement; by night, the energy pulses from its Nikki Beach and Passion Club. The luxurious, familyfriendly Casa Dorada ranks as one of Mexico’s top 10 hotels, frequently hosting—and hiding—celebrities...and those who wish they were. t Cabo Villas Beach Resort & Spa radiates all the luxury of a beachfront paradise with the added bonus of having Cabo’s first and only microbrewery— Baja Brewing Company—on its rooftop terrace. Enjoy the fare, fire pit and fabulous sunsets with a handcrafted cold one.
54
t The Westin Resort and Spa, Los Cabos overlooks the Sea of Cortez and features the exclusive Royal Beach Club Rooms and Suites, offering such amenities as continental breakfast with hot options, snacks all day, and hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and soft drinks at sunset.
Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2013
t Hilton Los Cabos, like many fine resorts, features an infinity pool with a swim-up bar. The difference? This one serves delicately cut sushi and sashimi. La Barca Sushi Bar, which also has seating, lets you catch some fresh tuna without having to charter a fishing boat.
Cabo Villas Beach Resort & Spa 866-962-2268 cabovillasbeachresort.com Casa Dorada 866-448-0151 casadorada.com ME Cabo 888-956-3542 melia.com/en/hotels/ mexico/los-cabos/me-cabo The Westin Resort & Spa, Los Cabos 800-228-3000 westinloscabos.com
coloradoav idgo lf e r.c o m/t r ave l
Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar’s Unlimited Golf Experience •Three-night stay at Deluxe Room with Jaccuzi •Walk-in-shower •Sweet Sleeper bed and private terrace in double occupancy •Unlimited Golf on the Ocean Course* and/or the Desert Course* at Cabo del Sol, a world-renowned Jack Nicklaus Signature and Tom Weiskopf design golf course for up to two registered guests per room •Shuttle Transportation to/from golf course included •Breakfast Buffet for two at Tomatoes Restaurant (7:00 am -11:00 am) •Late Check-Out (subject to availability) •Free access to Gym, Sauna and Steam Room
Rates starting from
518 USD
$
per room per night
*Excl Tax & Service
Book at Sheraton.com/haciendadelmar or call 800 325 3535
©2013 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Sheraton and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. For full terms & conditions visit Sheraton.com/haciendadelmar
Palmilla
There was a time—1992, in fact—when “one and only” described Palmilla Golf Club, the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in Latin America. Since then, others have come online, but the Arroyo, Mountain and Ocean nines that make up the 27-hole, Troon-managed One&Only Palmilla Golf Club remain some of the peninsula’s most spellbinding.
Golf | Where to Play
27
Cabo Del Sol 866-231-4677 cabodelsol.com Cabo Real 877-795-8727 caboreal.com Club Campestre San Jose 877-795-8727 clubcampestresanjose.com Diamante 866-901-9058 diamantecabosanlucas.com One&Only Palmilla Los Cabos Golf Resort 800-637-2226 palmilla.oneandonlyresorts. com
t
Diamante (Dunes Course)
t Cabo Real
t Cabo Del Sol’s
in San José del Cabo currently combines a Greg Norman Signature front nine and a Jack Nicklaus Signature back nine. Each nine will eventually belong to its own 18-hole course but for now it’s a oneof-a-kind routing.
opened in 1994 and many still consider its front nine—a combination of mountain and ocean holes—the most challenging in Los Cabos. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. design hosted the 1996 and 1999 Senior PGA Grand Slams.
aptly named Ocean and Desert courses, designed respectively by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf, make for a memorable 36hole experience that’s one part Pebble Beach, one part Troon North—and all Cabo.
Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2013
FEATURED COURSES
Puerto Los Cabos
t Puerto Los Cabos
56
presented by
Puerto De Los Cabos 877-795-8727 puertoloscabos.com
Cape Holes Architecturally, the 12th at the private El Dorado Golf Club may be Cabo’s only “cape hole.” But “cabo” translates to “cape,” and at least 200 golf holes form a necklace along the coast—from Puerto Los Cabos on the Sea of Cortez around to Diamante on the Pacific. They embrace elements of desert, ocean, mountains, forest and sand and all carry the signatures of the best architects in the business.
Los Cabos Travel Guide
Love’s Links
To book special packages go to
coloradoavidgolfer.com/ travel
The buzz at Diamante has centered around Tiger Woods (see cover), but Davis Love III’s Dunes Course has bucket list written all over it. The course rocketed onto Golf’s Top 100 in the World shortly after opening. Play this private gem if you can.
experienceMexico Palmilla Golf Club—among the world’s finest venues Breathtaking natural beauty and the inspired design vision of Jack Nicklaus
elevate Palmilla Golf Club in Los Cabos, Mexico, to its place among the world’s finest venues. Poised on a secluded private peninsula at the southern tip of the Baja coast, Palmilla’s three distinctive nines—the Arroyo, the Mountain and the Ocean—wind through a unique seaside desert framed by picturesque vistas of the vivid blue Sea of Cortéz and punctuated by magnificent cardón cacti and wildflowers. Through a range of elevation changes, arroyos and rugged mountain terrain, the course strikes the perfect balance between challenge and playability.
LO S
C A B O S,
M E X I CO
|
1. 8 0 0.637. 2 2 26
|
PA L M I L L AG C .CO M
PAL MILL A GOLF CLUB IS M ANAGED BY TROON GOLF, ® THE LE ADER IN UPSC ALE GOLF COUR SE M ANAGEMENT 1.888.TROON U.S. | WWW.TROONGOLF.COM
The Hilton’s El Meson
Beyond Tacos and Ceviche With so many restaurants competing for so many visitors, it’s nearly impossible to find a subpar meal anywhere in Los Cabos—and most of those meals feature fish that was swimming that day. Spectacular resort restaurants such as One&Only Palmilla’s Agua and Market up the ante: the former serves up its uniquely “Mexiterrean” fare; the latter, elegant Euro-Asian cuisine with Mexican inspirations from renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
presented by
FEATURED RESTAURANTS Agua 866-829-2977 palmilla.oneandonlyresorts.com Baja Cantina 866-209-2246 bajacantina.com.mx Edith’s Restaurante (011) 52-624-143-0801 edithscabo.com Fenicia 877-354-1399 hiltonloscabos.com Market 866-829-2977 palmilla.oneandonlyresorts.com El Meson 877-354-1399 hiltonloscabos.com The Office on the Beach (011) 52-624-143 3464 theofficeonthebeach.com
Solomon’s Landing (011)52-624-143-3050 solomonslandingcabo.com
Agua
t Solomon’s Landing,
t Baja Cantina,
at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar pairs Chef Volker Romeiker’s Pacific Rim fusion cuisine with an equally unforgettable atmophere, resulting in 13 straight five-star awards from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.
a festive bar and grille right on the Cabo San Lucas Marina, features inspired takes on sushi, steaks, seafood and cocktails. Owner Brian Solomon also charters fishing trips aboard the boat that brought him here 16 years ago.
with locations on the Marina and Cabo Villas Resort & Spa, boasts a sports bar vibe with luxury box flavor—especially the fish and crustaceans, which come in a range of sauces and styles, including pibil, culichi and mojo de ajo.
Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2013
Los Cabos Travel Guide
Pitahaya’s Restaurant (011)52-624-1458010 pitahayas.com
t Pitahaya’s RESTAURANT
58
Dining | Where to Eat
5
El Meson, specializing in seafood from a perch overlooking a reflection pool and the Sea of Cortez, presents one of five dining opitons at the Hilton Los Cabos. Chief among the others is Fenicia, a swank ristorante and mozzarella bar.
ICONS BY THE SEA
To book special packages go to
coloradoavidgolfer.com/ travel
Owned by chef Edith Jimenez, Médano Beach stalwarts Edith’s and The Office on the Beach come with views of El Arco, fabulous service and atmosphere, and specialties like Aztec Soup, Tampiqueña Steak and Todos Santos Fresh Whole Lobster.
Relaxf ish ng Los Cabos
Can’t drive 55? Jet Skis, Sea-Doos and WaveRunners pound the waves along Médano Beach and at Cabo Real at speeds that can reach double-nickels. The area abounds with outfitters such as Cabo San Lucas Tours offering one- and two-person rentals by the half-hour.
Fish Upon a Star Decades before it became a tourist mecca, Cabo was an international sportfishing hotspot, with anglers looking to land a trophy marlin or other billfish. Reports of specimens weighing more than 800 pounds have become less frequent, but a 1,000-pound blue marlin—the largest caught there in 30 years—made headlines two years ago. More often, it’s red snapper, dorado, yellowfin, wahoo, bonito and grouper that make their ways into fishing boats and onto plates at the local restaurants—many of which will gladly cook what you catch. Fishing charters are as plentiful as the ubituitous roosterfish (which, by the way, aren’t good eating). Among the more popular and reputable charter fleets are Pisces, Silverados and Picante.
t San josé Del cabo
t CABO SAN LUCAS BAY,
t ATV excursions
provides a relaxing counterpoint to Cabo San Lucas with its colonial architecture, cathedral plaza, wildlife estuary, shops selling Talavera pottery and fire opal jewelry, as well as the most fine art galleries on the Baja Peninsula.
a protected marine sanctuary, is an underwater paradise. Divers of all levels can see whale sharks and sea lions, while the more advanced can challenge the bottomless beauty of the Abyss, the Sandfalls and other choice spots.
aren’t legal on most Los Cabos beaches, but they’re a great way to savor Baja’s rugged inland beauty. Desert Park at Cabo Real, takes you on a 25-mile journey through spectacular arroyos, hillsides and canyons.
60
Colorado AvidGolfer | Winter 2013
ACTIVITIES | What to Do
55
Los Cabos Travel Guide presented by
THINGS TO DO Cabo San Lucas Tours 866-348-6286 cabosanlucastours.net Desert Park ATV Tours (011) 52-624-144-0127 caboreal.com Dive Cabo (011) 52-624-105-1793 divecabo.com Picante Bluewater picantesportfishing.com 714-442-0644 Pisces Sportfishing piscessportfishing.com 877-286-7938 San José del Cabo allaboutsanjosedelcabo.com Silverados 619-600-5570 silveradosportfishing.com Tio Sports (011) 52-624-143-3399 tiosports.com
WHALE WATCHING
To book special packages go to
coloradoavidgolfer.com/ travel
delivers an annual treat for winter visitors to Los Cabos. Between January and March grays and humpbacks migrate to the Sea of Cortez. See them breach and spout from the shore or get up close on a boat excursion. colora do avidgo lf e r.c o m