Kimpton Mas Olas Resort And Spa — Hotel in Baja California Sur

My husband and I just completed a 1 week stay at Rancho. We stayed in a premium suite with an ocean view. The grounds are impeccable. The rooms, spa and gym are well appointed. The food in both restaurants is consistently delicious and beautiful.

The biggest issue is that we had sewage smell seeping into our bathroom for the first 3 days of our trip. It turned out the hotel had forgotten to install a p-trap in our shower to prevent sewage odors from coming through the drains. The whole ordeal took about 2 hrs to address and interrupted the quiet evening my husband and I had planned with our room service and early bed time. We were both a bit put off to discover what we had been smelling for several days. We addressed with the manager, but who only offered to change our rooms if the smell continued to be an issue. I was surprised they did not offer any comps/apologies to make up for the issue and inconvenience. Considering the prices, this was a disappointment.

Rancho Pescadero was by no means bad, it just wasn't top tier and polished as you'd expect for the prices. In general, we found the service throughout the hotel to be very reactive vs proactive. At lunch, our food took over an hour to arrive for fish tacos and a tuna/watermelon salad. The resort was about 50% capacity during our stay and we were frequently dining alone or with 1-2 other parties. The server came over after about 45 min to assure us that the food was coming soon, but offered no apologies, explanation or even some complimentary chips to munch on. The next morning at breakfast, they scrambled to put in our orders, acknowledging we wouldn't have to wait so long for our food again.

Rancho prides itself on being a culinary destination with a fine-tuned attention to detail and gracious accommodations for dietary restrictions. You're asked upon booking about any dietary restrictions. To my delight, at my first breakfast, the server greeted us by name and placed a gluten-free muffin in front of me without prompting. He said they were already aware. Unfortunately, this wasn't always the case. I had to send back breakfast burritos and a few dishes on 3 separate occasions at Botanica, even after reminding the server. During turn-down service, they left 2 regular cookies every night, except one night when they left us a single gluten-free cookie. At breakfast, sometimes you get a free pastry, but sometimes not. Every morning, they deliver a cooler containing fresh bread, fruit and herb-infused waters to your room. Sometimes, we'd get gluten-free and regular options, sometimes not. You get what you get, and you don't get upset here. These are minor quibbles, but since it appears the management is reading these reviews, I think it's worth mentioning so they're aware and can address how/if they see fit.

Rancho offers several paid and free activities, which are offered at specific date/time each week. We took advantage of these, which must be reserved ahead of time. Two were unexpectedly rescheduled at last minute without explanation -- again, inconsistency is the theme! Wasn't a big deal, but may have been inconvenient if we had other scheduled plans. The experiences were all great (Rancho Pescadero Tour, Ceviche Making Class and Botanical Blend). Shout out to Andrea (tour) and Tony (botanical blend) and to the chef who led our ceviche making class. He offered to email us recipes for the ceviche and any other meals we enjoyed during our stay.

There are some staff standouts (Miguel one of our servers, Ricardo from the front desk, Tony from the Spa) who excel at delivering top-notch service. But I agree with another reviewer who said Rancho still has some work to do to compete with other hotels in the ultra-luxury market.

I do want to mention that the food and atmosphere at Botanica are wonderful. The head chef walks around and has long conversations checking in with the patrons. He is super friendly, warm and a delight...

The experience at Kimpton Mas Olas was excellent, everything executed seamlessly, with service that was attentive without being cloying. The staff immediately knew our names and our room number (for billing ease), and there's always a pleasant, yet simple greeting when paths cross. Any request is delivered and answered with "our pleasure," assuring that there's nothing to worry about, allowing for immediate relaxation into the peaceful and light vibe of the place. ||||Some specifics that were especially appreciated:||•In room coffee setup. Sleek kettle for brewing water, French press, excellent coffee, sugar, cream, ceramic mugs with spoons. ||•The insulated bag of fruit, muffins, and rosemary-infused water left outside the room each morning.||•We enjoyed the coffee and morning snack on our room's deck before 9am yoga class, followed by a later brunch at the casual, roof top Centro restaurant, overlooking the ocean.||•Food at all 3 restaurants is superlative. Kahal oceanfront, and in the beautiful garden at Botanica - both charming, relaxing, and memorable for dinners. ||•Comfortable loungers by the multiple pools and beach locations, with umbrellas and towels. No strategizing for a lounge spot needed. If we wanted food or drink, staff is nearby to readily provide that, but otherwise guests are left in peace. Pool side music is pleasant & quiet, in sync with the relaxing sensory experience of the resort. ||•Room: Well working, independently controlled AC. Spacious shower has a tall rain shower head with ample water pressure. Room lighting has several options for brightness, and low level under bed and/or bathroom motion-controlled lighting that can turn on when walking to the bathroom at night. Tastefully decorated.||•Excellent housekeeping that took place reliably when we were at yoga/brunch, and then again a turn down service during dinner. Filtered water delivered twice a day, coffee supplies restocked, cookies left bedside in the evening, garbage collected twice daily. Soft, comfortable, crisp bedding and bed. Impeccably clean. ||•Special touches: chocolate covered strawberries (beautiful, with edible gold leaf) in the room upon arrival, anniversary dessert at Kahal, complimentary initial stocking of in room mini-bar (beer, sodas, sparkling water). ||||I'm IGH Platinum Elite, and we were upgraded from oceanfront to a King Suite Rooftop with Swing. The patio area with sofa & table seating had shade overhead, which we appreciated. The two-person size lounge swing on the rooftop deck has a fantastic 360 view over the entire resort.||||The resort sits on a very large swath of undeveloped beach, though the ocean is not swimmable there. There are swimmable beaches in proximity, but we admittedly did not leave the resort during our three night stay. The resort and its four pools provided complete satisfaction for us. We used a private car transport service to/from the hotel, though if we were to visit again for a longer stay, we'd consider renting a car in order to easily visit the neighboring towns. The hotel can arrange for transportation and can also have a rental car brought to the hotel for use that guests can then return at the airport. I offer this logistical note in case it's helpful for those considering a stay (do it!), and not as a criticism of the hotel's quiet and more secluded setting, which we treasured. Our every need was met in the resort. We delighted in our weekend stay, are grateful to the gracious and well trained staff, and look forward to...

I’ve just returned from a glorious week spent in El Pescadero at Kimpton Más Olas. While I was looking for sun and good food, I also wanted some rest and rejuvenation. As such, I purposely chose a location off the beaten path of Cabo San Lucas. The intentionality of the staff is experienced from the moment you arrive on property. You are greeted by a member of the staff who provides a greeting to “leave everything behind” as you cross over the threshold of the beautiful entry. I was then met by another staff member with a refreshing juice, made on site that included fruits from one of the property’s garden”, and time to just take in the beautiful entry seating area. I began to understand just how special the staff is here. Galvan introduced himself and took me on a tour around the property on the bikes available to guests. I told him how much I enjoy gardening, so we spent extra time looking at the abundance of fruit and herbs coming to harvest.||||Every meal I had was beyond delicious and exceeded my expectations! Chef Sandro Falbo is creating gastronomic magic in all three restaurants on property. I ate ceviche (there are three offered daily) every single day! Enjoying dinner in the garden at Botanica is a special touch, but watching the sunset at Kahal can’t be missed. He, too, spends time meeting guests and ensuring their expectations are being met. I spent much of the afternoon reading by the pool and enjoying lunch, and Isaias was especially attentive and kind. ||||The property is spacious and beautiful. There are various areas beyond the three pools to relax, listen to the ocean, and restore oneself. I utilized the gym, which is also bigger than most hotel fitness rooms. Each morning, I participated in a beautiful hour-long yoga session with Ana, who ends the session with aromatherapy. ||||My room was available upon check-in and was spacious and relaxing. The bed, sheets, and pillows were incredibly comfortable. Although I had a poolside room, I could hear the ocean from my room. This was a pleasant touch, especially in the morning when I would sit out on the patio to journal. Each morning, a pouch is brought to your room with a mason jar of fresh fruit, a pastry, and infused water! Such a thoughtful touch. ||||I could go on…this place felt magical and exceeded my expectations! Not only are the grounds beautiful, but the staff is next to none. While I’ve mentioned a few people, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the kindness and wonderful service I also received from Eric, Raquel, Manuel, Tony, Dino, William, and Julian (and the lovely woman who is the spa host). I also received an amazing massage from Sol. ||||I’ve been back 2 days and have mentioned Más Olas to no less than 5 people already. I will be back. Thank you, all, for creating this...