Cabo Surf Hotel for Rich and Famous Surfers and Regular Folks Too!
Article Photos by Bruce Herman
While sprawled on a comfy cushioned rattan sofa in the lobby of the Cabo Surf Hotel overlooking one of the most awesome surf breaks in Los Cabos, I couldn’t imagine a finer place to bring the family to surf away a day or few. The paintings created by local surfers, and the rack of surfboards gracing a wall off the dinning room compliment the California casual but elegant hotel lobby and restaurant. It is hard not to imagine you are in the chic One & Only Palmilla hotel or Cabos Sheraton given the ambience and sophisticated decor. For the surfer who has arrived in life, this is surf heaven as the hotel overlooks a world-class surf break!
The hotel located on Acapulquitos beach in San Jose del
Cabo, Baja California del Sur, Mexico lords over a great beginning to intermediate
level surf break known as Old Mans. Here at the hotels surf school, surfing
legend Mike Doyle teaches hundreds of dorks each season the art of catching
waves, surf etiquette (yes, surfers have manners) and more. Further to the
east is The Rock – an intermediate break for short boarders. Past the Rock
is Zippers break, which is strictly for macho locos on short boards.
The
twenty-two room hotel has a loyal following of guests who enjoy the personal
attention of the staff of forty. Guests will feel as though they are members
of a private club. “The hotel is small enough that we get to personally
know a lot of our guests like family” notes owner Mauricio Balderrama. A
surfer himself, Mauricio can often be seen in the water riding his long
board, swapping surfing stories with the guests or arranging their surf
safaris to famous breaks on the Pacific or East Cape sides of the peninsula.
Summer is peak surfing season at the hotel as that is when the tropical
swells arrive from disturbances down south. If you are a beginning to expert
surfer – anytime of the year is good at the hotel. As the hotel is centered
on the Baja peninsula cape, the seasons really don’t matter much for here
the surf is always ok to great in front of the hotel, or awesome a short
drive away on either side of the peninsula.
Old
surfing legends like Walt Phillips (50’s surfing moviemaker) can be seen
surfing their last waves here as the sun slowly sets…. Celebrities like
Orlando Bloom from Pirates of the Caribbean and Troy, Adam Sandler, and
Ray Romano have recently surfedand dined here. The hotel gallery walls
feature a bevy of tropical beach and surfer paintings by Doyle
and others.
Body Glove executives recently purchased a painting by local surfer artist
Alex Mandich. One soft blue 6’ painting of mermaids frolicking with hammerhead
sharks could have been done by Chagall. But only a surfers mind would come
up with that concept!
All
the rooms have ocean views. The plush accommodations decorated in contemporary
Mexican style finished with marble and natural stone, is not your hammock
strung, roach ridden surf camp of yore. Suites come with balconies sporting
Jacuzzis, kitchenettes,
beauty
sleep mattresses, and original art. Others feature oversized showers with
tiled benches for trimming your nails…. or water sports. Most suites sleep
four to six, with one penthouse available that sleeps eight to ten. Prices
range from $225 to $550 per night.
After surfing “Dawn Patrol” to “Sunset,” one can relax in
the infinity pool or the Jacuzzi overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The new
hotel spa features a full menu of body treatments for women including mud,
algae, seaweed wraps, hot rocks etc. and special treatments for those Ironman
surfers whose arms and shoulders are screaming from paddling around in circles
trying to catch waves all day. There’s a romantic hydrotherapy whirlpool
treatment and massage special for couples that’s sure to revive you after
a long day of surfing or the morning after your honeymoon night.
The hotel is often the scene of tropical weddings held under palm trees on an Irish green grassy lawn overlooking that million dollar surf scene. Gidget should have got married here! This is a picture perfect palm fringed Cabo wedding venue for groups of 25 to 100. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on the covered terrace overlooking the rolling waves, surfers and sports fishing fleet anchored in Palmilla Bay beyond.
The hotel's 7 Seas
Restaurant is located on a covered terraza and features international
fusion cuisine with a Mexican twist. The restaurants focus is on seafood
and is the sole ocean front fine dining spot in San Jose outside of Palmilla.
Located between Zippers beach bar café and the Palmilla hotel, one could
describe its menu and prices in the same way. Between Z and P.
Don't forget to visit the Cabo Surf Hotel's Sea Spa
Always reinventing the menu, the chef prepares fresh tuna, sea bass and steaks al gusto. The Taco Bar menu at lunch is popular as diners can choose from a variety of taco fillings including shrimp, fish, carne and pollo (meat and chicken). Expect a full bar, and good selection of wine and beer for the discriminating surfer.
This
writers dinner favorites: The Spinach Salad with green apples caramelized
walnuts, blue cheese and vinaigrette dressing is delightful and sure to
please. The Kobe Beef entrée is what restaurant writers live to write about.
It arrived garnished with succulent King scallops in a Cilantro Pesto sauce.
The Cabernet sauce topping the beef
medallions will absolutely fly you to
France without a ticket. The side of sautéed spinach with just a hint of
blue cheese and onion was sophisticated and delectable.
Kobe beef is imported, massaged and grain fed Japanese small stock cattle from which come - rare, delicious, virtually impossible-to-find delicate steaks. At $45 US, the Kobe Beef entrée is one of those good things in life that is worth the price. Most menu items run from $16 US for the traditional Mexican Combination that features everything you want to know about Mexico including a stuffed chile, Panela cheese, seafood enchilada, quesadilla, chicken “Sope”, rice, beans and guacamole, to $27 for Tamarindo Prawns in mango and tamarindo sauces with green beans and Couscus. Cabo Surf Hotel is truly Paradise Found.
Staying there: Cabo Surf Hotel: Acapulquito Beach, Km. 28 Transp. Hwy.
San Jose del Cabo. Major credit cards accepted. Rates: $250 to $550
plus 13% tax and $7 a night service charge.