Paradisus Los Cabos—An All-Inclusive Goes Destination-Inclusive
By Lydia Gregory
I love Baja, especially when I stay in a luxurious five-star resort with a swimmable beach, a rarity on this rugged coastline. Enter Paradisus Los Cabos, where Recommend was invited to preview the brand’s new Destination-Inclusive experience, part of the brand’s overall alignment with wellness.
Paradisus Los Cabos has 305 guestrooms and suites, and we stayed in The Reserve, an adults-only upgrade that gave us access to, among other things, priority dinner reservations, personal concierge service and exclusive adults-only spaces. These included our own pool and beach area, The Reserve Lounge—where check-in was almost quicker than getting a cold drink and settling in one of their comfy chairs with a view—and the delicious La Palapa restaurant. The latter quickly became a favorite for breakfast and vied at lunchtime with the best table at Gabi Beach: A long bar-top at one end where our group sat with uninterrupted views of the Sea of Cortez and our backs to everyone else.
A word about the food: There isn’t enough space to extol its virtues. There are six bars and eateries plus a delish coffee shop, and there wasn’t a “meh” dish or drink at any of them. Dinner at Tokimeku was a cornucopia of Japanese deliciousness, but the multi-course pairings of The Epicure Dinner @ Sal Steak Cave with chef Vicente Torres were, in fact, epic. This is a rotating chef experience, so repeat clients will enjoy a different one on each visit. Recommend the tequila tasting at NAOS—the pairings were surprising, and it’s incredible how much one can learn about this spirit.
My upgraded suite on The Reserve floor was spacious and comfortable, a vision in white with a burst of bright tropical colors beyond the sliding glass doors from the view of the gardens and the sea. The hotel is U-shaped and set back from the beach by a garden and the enormous main pool, where we had a gentle “floating yoga” session one morning before breakfast. Another morning we stretched out with an instructor on the rooftop above Gabi Beach, and on a third, we balanced on SUPA surfboards on the sand, all part of the resort’s “life-enriching experiences.”
ROOM
Destination-Inclusive
The highlight of our stay was the aforementioned Destination-Inclusive program, which was still being curated at the time. Created to immerse guests in the local community and landscape, it touches nearly every aspect of the Paradisus resorts in the Riviera Maya, Los Cabos and the Dominican Republic, from the room amenities and F&B to entertainment, guest activities and more. Your clients can expect an experience unique to each destination.
For our Destination-Inclusive experience, we went to a canyon a half-hour ride from the hotel, where we hiked and explored for about an hour before returning to a beautiful circle of eco-friendly cork yoga mats from the resort’s YHI Spa (a small but perfectly appointed retreat, by the way) set up around a bonfire. Each had a basket with a water bottle, a blanket and a pillow. The air filled with the sound of Tibetan singing bowls as we were led on gentle yoga stretches and meditation. Afterward we snacked on fresh fruit and juice under the enormous night sky.
Also new for 2023, the brand has partnered with SUDA to offer different wellness journeys throughout the year: Paradisus Holistic Weeks have been designed to help lead guests to well-being through yoga, sensory meditation and more. Every experience will be unique to each resort and available several times throughout the year for all Paradisus guests. The first Embrace Your Nature Retreat in Los Cabos will be from July 13-18, 2023.
YOGA
The News about Nikte
Paradisus by Melia has also recently announced the Nikte at Paradisus Melia program. This elevated experience is an optional upgrade for all clients—including families—with exclusive services and perks similar to those enjoyed by the adults-only guests of The Reserve.