Resting at the southern edge of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas is world-renowned as a vibrant resort town offering aquatic adventures and exciting nightlife. Numerous resorts line the town’s beaches—each boasting glorious ocean views and an abundance of amenities for a relaxing beachside vacation—but Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal stands out for its seclusion and exclusivity. Tucked into a mountainside and overlooking the brilliant blue waters of the Pacific, the resort offers a sense of what an Old World Mexican village must have felt like before modern development. It’s a place where you can immerse yourself in the details of traditional Mexican culture while enjoying the superb service that is a hallmark of Waldorf Astoria properties.
Day 1: A Tunnel, a Terrace, and Tequila
From the moment we arrive at the Waldorf, the property’s exclusivity is palpable. We’re transported through a gated entry and then through Mexico’s longest privately owned tunnel through the mountain. Awaiting us on the other side is a spectacular view of the sparkling sea and the warmest welcome from resort staff.
We’re escorted to an elegantly appointed ocean-view room with a cozy fireplace and a private terrace with plush lounge seating and a plunge pool. A welcome gift of premium tequila as well as a complementary refreshment center with water, soda, juices, and coffee awaits. Every guest room comes with a personal concierge, and every afternoon a snack, such as chips and fresh guacamole accompanied by chilled Coronitas, is delivered.
After settling into our room, we meander back to the open-air lobby for a Spirit of Agave Tequila Tasting featuring Mexican agave spirits, from Jalisco’s premium tequilas to smoky Oaxacan mezcals, at the Agave Study at Peacock Alley. As we relax on the patio, sipping a smooth añejo, a glorious sunset unfolds before us. The night sky descends, and the atmosphere evolves into an idyllic scene illuminated by the soft glow of candle-lit lanterns, the warmth of various firepits, and red-orange hues still hanging on the horizon. A mild ocean breeze floats through the evening air accompanied by the upbeat sound of live music performed by local musicians. Hosting live entertainment each evening, the resort lobby is certainly a dreamy location to relax pre- or post-dinner.
Peeling ourselves away from this serene setting, we head downstairs to the ground level to enjoy dinner at Don Manuel’s Restaurant, open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While seating is offered both indoors and out, we opt for an outdoor table to further enjoy the balmy evening. The restaurant’s talented chef de cuisine, Manuel Huerta, has created a gastronomic experience where regional flavors are represented using both contemporary and traditional culinary methods. An eclectic, seasonally shifting menu features appetizers such as braised short rib empanadas and beef tartare with chiltepin chile. Entrees from both land and sea are finished with local ingredients in dishes such as the roasted yellowtail amberjack with citrus habanero sauce and panseared sea bass finished with black garlic-hibiscus glazed tamal and habanero beurre blanc. We barely save room for dessert but manage to sample the milk cake, a delicious concoction of white chocolate cream with strawberries and brown sugar meringue.
Day 2: Poolside Whale-Watching, Intentional Healing, Sea-To-Table
Eager to unwind, we secure two seats next to the infinity edge pool where we can spend some quality chill time. The view is unbeatable as the pool water seemingly spills out into the Pacific. From December through April, humpback and gray whales swim through this region on their annual migration to warmer waters. We’re thrilled to watch these amazing creatures swimming and breaching from our lounge chairs.
In the afternoon, we head to our couples’ massage appointment at the Waldorf Astoria Spa. After enjoying the spa amenities, including a dry sauna, steam room, ice room, and salt-water meditation pool, I learn that every treatment begins with a healing foot bath ritual. The therapist snaps a fresh bundle of aromatic herbs into the warm foot bath—a truly lovely experience that I easily yield into. Afterward, I’m escorted to our couple’s treatment room, a circular room with open doors to allow in a soothing ocean breeze and the sound of waves washing onto shore. The resort’s wellness philosophy is rooted in traditional Mexican folk healing—a concept I’m fully ready to embrace. For our eighty-minute Intention Treatment, our therapists lead my husband and I through a brief ritual in which we’re asked to release energies that are no longer serving us while the therapist performs a smudging ritual with more blissfully fragrant herbs. I feel poignant emotions bubbling up within before I relax into a calming therapeutic massage.
We finish our day with an unforgettable dinner at El Farallon Restaurant. The resort’s piece de resistance, El Farallon is perhaps Los Cabos’ most distinguished dining experience. Carved right into the mountainside, the restaurant’s alluring outdoor dining space takes full advantage of the sights and sounds of ocean waves as they dramatically crash up onto the surrounding rocks. After sampling a flight of bubbles from an ever-evolving curated selection while enjoying a beautiful sunset from the restaurant’s Champagne Terrace, we enjoy a full sea-to-table experience with locally caught ocean delicacies, including blue fin tuna, sea bass, red snapper, and the catch of the day.
Day 3: Satiated and Satisfied
Don Manuel’s once again hits the mark with an extensive breakfast buffet. We select from an assortment of fresh-squeezed juices, pastries and fresh fruit, waffles and pancakes, as well as made-to-order omelettes, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and more Mexican breakfast specialties like a scrambled egg burrito with chorizo and Cabo-style eggs Benedict with smoked marlin.
After an indulgent breakfast, we take a stroll along the beach, which feels rather private with a secluded stretch of shoreline anchored on both ends by the mountains. Swimming from the beach in Cabo is not recommended as the area is infamous for dangerous riptides, but simply enjoying the ebb and flow of waves along the shore is a seamless way to spend our last morning here.
Book an Unforgettable Culinary Weekend
The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is especially focused on offering curated experiences for its guests. From wellness weekends or adventure-filled stays to extraordinary culinary experiences for foodies, the property offers an array of classes and themed stays depending on guests’ preferences. We were fortunate to experience our stay during one of the resort’s famed Festival of Flavors Culinary Weekends with award-winning, San Diego-based celebrity Chef Claudette Zepeda whose accolades include appearances on Top Chef and Iron Chef. As the guest chef for this particular weekend, Zepeda is a culinary anthropologist and entrepreneur with a bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine and a graciously down-to-earth demeanor. Her 20 years of experience, inspiration garnered from her extensive travels and culinary brilliance was on full display at this gastronomic weekend event called, “A Bold Taste of Mexico.” We sampled inventive creations such as Fermented Sunflower Milk Risotto with Grilled Mushrooms Tamarind and Short Rib Char Siu with a five spice Mole Dulce. The five-course meal was thoughtfully paired with wine selections from the Rhone Valley. A very special experience, if you’re a foodie, you’ll want to look into one of the resort’s culinary weekends scheduled throughout the year.
The next Festival of Flavors culinary weekend: Flavors Without Borders – April 24-26, 2025 with celebrated chefs Michael Mina and Adam Sobel. Book here: www.waldorfastorialoscabospedregal.com
