Esperanza, Auberge Collection — Hotel in Baja California Sur

"Sometimes you want to go to a place where everybody knows your name." Our experience at Esperanza Cabo San Lucas seemed like it could have been drawn right out of the theme song to Cheers.

Despite being spread over 17 acres looking out over the Sea of Cortez, I was greeted by name throughout our four-night stay. The personalized attention to detail is second to none.

We stayed in a 4-bedroom hacienda for our first international trip with our family of five, including our 2-year-old and my wife's parents. The Hacienda was perfect, with a quiet room for the youngest, a master suite for us, and a detached suite for the grandparents. The pool and hot tub overlooking the bay were a hit with the boys.

As soon as we drove up, the team that welcomed us, got the bags to the room, showed us the hacienda, and handed us margaritas. We had a chef and team come to the hacienda and make dinner for the family that first night, which we highly recommend.

The second morning we had a breakfast on the beach in one of the two-story beach bungalows. This may have been our favorite experience. It's very private, and you have the beach essentially to yourself. The older boys enjoyed exploring the cave, finding crabs, snails, and shells and of course playing in the sand.

The weather was perfect -plenty of sun but never too hot.

We finished the day lounging at the pool then returning home for dinner and s'mores while my wife's parents had dinner at Cocina Del Mar. They highly recommend the octopus.

We played pickleball the next day, with more time at the pool, a sunset photoshoot, and a highly recommended "glamping sunset dinner." They set out a large tent and brought in a multi-course dinner. They also had an outdoor space set up right outside the tent and an entire hillside for us - which the kids loved running up and down and as it got dark they had a blast laying out on blankets and finding constellations.

The following day included massages, Easter brunch at Las Estrellas which is a poolside cabana restaurant next to a bocci court. The boys stopped to play at the on-site playground on the way and explored the kids club. That night we had dinner along the coast watch the waves roll up followed by a walk and some live music.

We never once left the resort or felt the need to. It's a great place for families, and it's a great place for adults. There are two adult-only pools, and the units are so private you won't see other people around unless you go looking for them. Something we have always loved about Auberge properties is they picked wonderful locations, build amazing properties that reflect the local culture, and find a way for things to remain private and away from the hustle and bustle.

What truly sets Auberge apart though is service. On the flight back, I was thinking about what I would say about my experience and the word that comes to mind is "hospitality." The people at Esperanza treated us exactly how I would treat a guest in my own home. They greeted me by name wherever I went. They had special personalized gifts for the boys throughout. A very special and unique touch was for the turndown service instead of mints they set out small figures or tokens from local artisans for you to remember your trip by. Kudos to Eduardo who was our personal concierge throughout the stay, making sure we had everything we needed.Major shoutout to Selena who kept the massive 4-bedroom property clean every day of our stay. I can't remember everyone's names but do remember Brenda was the manager on duty at the restaurant we went to for Easter Brunch and she was still there when we stopped by for an after-dinner drink. She went out of her way to get us seated at a two-top right next to the musician who was playing that night. It's the small things, and far too many to list here, that put Auberge and Esperanza on a completely different level than even the finest resorts in the world.

We could stay anywhere, but we chose to stay with Auberge because of the service. We now plan vacation around where Auberge has...

We visit Cabo frequently and this was the last of the luxury resorts that we had not yet seen. If I hadn't been to the other resorts, I would have given the Esperanza five stars as it is undoubtedly a beautiful, luxurious hotel, there are just a few things that detracted from the overall experience for us.

On arrival we were greeted with a choice of drinks, I choose the margarita of course and it was delicious. Our room was not ready and technically, this could be a strike as we had booked under Amex Platinum and it was after the 12:00 check in we had requested but as we received a very lovely upgrade it was worth the wait. Our room was called a "Garden Spa Casita" but it was right along the front of the resort overlooking the beach and the pool. The room was huge, beautiful and the patio had a huge jacuzzi tub, much larger than what we have had at Las Ventanas and The Pedregal. Overall, the room was a 10 out of 10.

After check in we went down to the pool through the very lovely grounds. The landscaping at the Esperanza is truly beautiful. It's a tropical style but done to perfection with many unusual and beautiful specimens. The pool itself is on two levels, surrounded by more gardens and done with a serene dark tile and is a peaceful, luxurious oasis. It did say that this was an adult pool so no one under 18 allowed. The pool is adjacent to a beach which is very scenic though rocky. My husband did go out snorkeling and said there were tons of things to see but he falls into the "experienced" category. Larger waves arrived on the second day and after that not even the most advanced waterman would have wanted to go in. The loungers were cushy, the towels fluffy, drinks delicious and umbrellas plentiful. The service around the pool was spotty for a resort of this caliber. I had to put some effort into flagging the them down and water was self serve, in cups from a cooler. Granted it was lemon/lime infused but it was not delivered to my chair in an ice bucket with scented spray misters as is done at the other resorts. We also ventured to the other pools that are in the "residences" section of the resort. Here again things fell short. The swim up bar is centered around the kitchen of the restaurant adjacent to the pool area. This was quite frankly unsightly, smokey and made the pool bar much less enjoyable. In addition they have deemed this pool the "quiet pool" and some other guests who were merely talking to one another were told they needed to quiet down. We did have some steak tacos that were delicious. Restaurant reviews are separate but the food was top notch. All in all we enjoyed the Esperanza though we would not come here with kids under 18. If the price was comparable to the other resorts we would consider it based on the location closer to town, the great food options and the...

From the moment we arrived at Esperanza, we knew we were in for something special. Greeted with refreshing welcome margaritas, we were immediately whisked away to our stunning three-bedroom villa, complete with our own personal golf cart and dedicated butler (thanks, Alexis!) – perks that truly elevated our entire stay.

Our villa was a haven of comfort and style. Beautifully decorated and impeccably clean, the spacious rooms provided ample space for our group. The outdoor area was a highlight, featuring a relaxing lounging area, a charming swing chair, a large round dining table perfect for al fresco meals, and a convenient grill. It was the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

The resort's restaurants offered a diverse and delicious culinary experience, though prices, particularly for drinks, were on the higher side. However, the quality of the food and overall dining experience made it well worth it. We particularly enjoyed a sunset dinner at Cocina del Mar, the fish tacos at La Palapa, and the pizza and pasta at Las Estrellas. A highlight of our trip was taking the shuttle to the sister resort, Chileno Bay, and dining at Comal, where the Comal Grill (featuring ribs, shrimp, fish, empanadas, and vegetables cooked on an Argentinian grill) was a standout. We also had a fun and informative group cooking class at Cocina del Mar.

The spa was an absolute sanctuary. The skilled masseuses provided exceptional treatments, and the spa facilities themselves were top-notch. We enjoyed a wonderfully hot steam room, several soothing soaking pools, and our treatments concluded with personalized drinks and a refreshing fruit and vegetable platter. They also offered a variety of daily fitness classes.

As this was a birthday trip with my girl friends, the staff went above and beyond to make it truly memorable. Every restaurant we visited acknowledged my birthday, presenting me with a special dessert at each meal – a thoughtful touch that made me feel incredibly valued.

What truly sets Esperanza apart is the immaculate and exceptional customer service. From our arrival to our departure, every staff member we encountered was friendly, attentive, and dedicated to ensuring we had the best possible experience. Their attention to detail and genuine care for their guests is unparalleled.

In short, our stay was nothing short of magical. From the luxurious accommodations and fantastic amenities to the exceptional dining and world-class service, every aspect of our experience exceeded our expectations. I cannot recommend this resort highly enough. It's the perfect destination for anyone seeking a truly unforgettable and...