Los Cabos remains a favorite for sun and scene seekers, especially from California, New York, Texas, Arizona and Washington. And one hotel on the golden Sea of Cortez is fast becoming a favorite with Marriott Bonvoy members seeking a smart and easy place to spend all those accrued points.
That would be Hacienda del Mar, a Marriott Resort halfway between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. The property is not new. It has been a Park Hyatt and a Sheraton during its 25 year history but it officially becomes a member of the Marriott Autograph Collection in November as a smart choice for “bleisure” time with convenient flight connections from key gateways.
WHERE IS IT: Find Hacienda del Mar around 40 minutes from San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) wedged between new construction in the hotel zone of what is known as Cabo Del Sol. A Four Seasons hotel and residences is expected to open at the end of the year and a St. Regis is in progress there as well. As with most lumbering hospitality spreads in this area, the property is a good two miles from the highway and there is little around but ocean, golf courses and other resorts in the distances along the shore.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? HDM’s architecture and look maintains a neo-colonial feel throughout. While the accommodations are contemporary, the architecture and pubic spaces retain a Mexican vibe flourishing through fountains, sculptures, succulents, colorful tiling, Talavera touches and large Spanish baroque-style furnishings – many original pieces collected by the hotel owner.
WHERE IS IT? The location includes a dramatic strip of beach facing the Sea of Cortez. While there is a sand beach, the waves are rough and pounding amid a rocky shore but the effect of the powerful waves becomes a meditative backdrop for some of the resort’s five pools and all the casual and fine dining in settings that overlook the sea.
Pools here keep the party going with swim-up bars and meandering waterways that lead to several Jacuzzis. Things quiet down at night, so entertainment veers to dining and television. Groups and couples can order up special dinners on the beach. Those coming with children will appreciate the property’s kids’ club that offers time to make tie-dye shirts and play with Barbie’s Dream things for $10 an hour — or free if a parent joins. Two children’s pools complement the family-focused amenities.
ROOM FACILITIES: There are 542 rooms available here, 270 managed and booked under the Marriott moniker. The rest are owned time share villas that are larger units with kitchenettes and added bedrooms and bathrooms. These are managed under the Hacienda del Mar site as rental inventory. At any one time, some 50 percent of the Marriott accommodations are booked by Marriott Bonvoy members and come with added perks and values those points bring. Marriott’s rooms average $300 per night (lower in the hot season that runs from April through September and higher in the cooler times, October to March).
Standard rooms come with luxury vinyl wood flooring, king or queen configurations, HBO and other cable channels, large walk-in shower, double sinks, private commode, vanity area, plenty of closet space and storage, and a sunny balcony, likely facing the pool scene rather than the ocean. Ocean view rooms can be booked for an added $160/night upgrade. All rooms throughout the Marriott inventory have air cooling registers that stay at 70 degrees or higher and cannot be overridden, but this is rarely a problem in cooler months.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS: The resort sits by a formerly public, now private, golf course. The signature dining attraction here is Pitahayas, found under a massive palapa firmament and framed by the breaking waves. The legendary restaurant that was once the reward for a game well played – the 19th hole – became the anchor and reason for initially building the hotel. That restaurant still stands and is the place for fine dining on steak, lobster and inspired Mexican accents helped by a resident sommelier and wine pairings. Special dinners in the wine cellar can be arranged for intimate groups amid French, Spanish, Italian and Latin American labels.
Other venues face the sea and serve a comfortable casual menu with a variety of tacos and Mexican favorites mixed in with American must-haves like salads and pizzas. One consideration, however, is the fact that a stay at HDM is far from other zones of commerce, mainly Cabo San Lucas – a $15 drive one way by Uber; and San Jose del Cabo, a $30 ride one way by Uber. So guests are often left with few convenient choices but to dine at the resort. Full board options are given to group business and convention business guests and the property is looking into becoming an all-inclusive.
LEISURE FACILITIES: On the leisure side HDM has five meandering pools with endless ‘80s tunes spinning and attentive waiters to bring libations and set up $250 cabanas with iced Champaign buckets. The Cactus Spa offers some quiet sanctuary for those who seek it with the usual menu of massages and facials, and a relaxing resting area that includes a shaded patio garden with hot tubs at varying temperatures. The locker areas sport dry saunas and mentholated steam rooms.
Nearby golf courses are available to guests, arranged by the concierge, as are adventure and cultural tours such as parasailing, touring Los Arcos and walking tours of San Jose del Cabo. Guests who want to see Cabo San Lucas can reserve a spot on the hotel shuttle that goes to town and back all day for $12 roundtrip.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES: The HDM is popular with meeting planners because it has a state of the art, flexible, 1500-seat events area – one of the largest hotel events venues in Los Cabos. A busy sales department books meetings, conferences, celebrations, weddings (including Jewish weddings) and offers group prices and perks often not available to transient leisure guests.
UPSHOT: For the price, location, relaxation amenities and ease, Hacienda del Mar makes sense and is a solid contender for the get-away vacation interests of both leisure and business travelers. And with Marriott Bonvoy promotions in motion, bleisure has a home here.
CONTACT: Corredor Turístico SJC-CSL KM. 10 Lote D, Cabo del Sol, Cabo del sol, Cabo San Lucas, BCS 23455|.Phone: (624) 145-6186 | 855-652-7362. www.haciendadelmar.com.mx; www.marriott.com/sjdhm
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