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    Luxe Life in Cabo

    Do Cabo like a celeb: Butlers, yachts, and tequila dreams abound at luxe resort hotels

    Jayme Lamm
    Jayme lamm
    Aug 22, 2016 | 1:40 pm

    It’s no travel secret that Cabo is one of the best vacation destinations, especially from Houston, just a 2.5-hour flight out of the recently renovated Houston Hobby Airport or Bush Intercontinental. For starters, the airport is clean and efficient; the flights are direct and affordable (thanks to Southwest, United and Spirit), and the weather and beaches are perfect.

    But once you’ve decided on Cabo as your beach destination, where to stay becomes tricky with 60+ hotel and resort options, each promising prettier beach views and tastier cocktails than the last. Pending your travel style, we’ve narrowed down our list to two of the best Cabo resorts. If you want to vacation like Jennifer Aniston, Eva Longoria, Jessica Simpson or Jessica Alba, read on.

    Are you a traveler who appreciates tiny details and the utmost luxury available —think butlers and a 3:1 staff to guest ratio where everyone knows your name? Could you spend hours upon hours on a comfortable lounge chair, with mister bottles, complimentary foot rubs and a good book? If so, the One&Only Palmilla is for you.

    Are you someone who needs constant movement and music during your beach getaway? Do you need interaction with other guests and a night scene? If so, check out The Cape, where they welcome you with a bottle of tequila in your room.

    One&Only Palmilla: Ultimate luxury

    The kind of luxury and attention to detail guests get at One&Only is stuff dreams are made of. Even at full occupancy, there are about three employees to every guest, which means you’ll get excellent service around the clock. Service so supreme, even Jennifer Aniston and Eva Longoria vacation here.

    One&Only Palmilla is considered the creator of the Los Cabos mystique—the resort originally opened in 1956 as an exotic spot for Hollywood celebrities to hide was only accessible by private plane or yacht. The iconic resort reopened in 2015 after a full renovation after Hurricane Odile, and the luxurious touches are everywhere.

    If you opt for transportation service from the airport to One&Only, the full-size and supremely clean SUV even comes with Wi-Fi – another hint of detail. You might not think that’s a big deal, but the drive in is pretty boring (just 20 minutes), so being able to check emails and send “landed safe” texts before you arrive to the resort is key. So then you can bask in paradise.

    One&Only has Pelican Beach — one of the only swimmable beaches in Cabo. You’ll also be greeted with a beach concierge, free bottled water and misting bottles and top-notch service. Two free-form pools offer breathtaking views of the Sea of Cortez.

    For ultimate relaxation, spend an afternoon at the Vista Pool, the adult-only infinity-edge pool where a pool concierge comes by to clean your sunglasses and even offer complimentary foot massages. Add a signature Serrano Margarita to your afternoon and you’re officially on vacation mode, partying like a celebrity.

    The top five suites come with a dedicated butler and your own iPhone to stay in touch with him throughout your stay as well as your own personal golf cart and driver.

    Guests in any of the oceanfront suites or private villas enjoy a taste of a signature tequila — Atalaje Reposado — made exclusively for the hotel and served in a terra cotta carafe with shot glasses and fresh limes and sea salt, just one of the many amenities your butler provides.

    SEARED, the brand-new on-site steakhouse, offers such items as Kobe Tomahawk, grass fed New York Strip and Porterhouse, all displayed in a glass-walled meat cellar with a dry-edge curing room. The menu from noted chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten wows guests with unique dishes along with an extensive wine list, including local favorites and a dedicated wine sommelier to help find your new favorite.

    The 22,000-square-foot spa offers a sense of seclusion with signature treatments in a private villa. You’ll need the relaxing afternoon after partaking in an afternoon of surf lessons with TropicSurf, the pioneer of “luxury surfing” – the same safe place where Matt Stafford and a few other NFL big names recently took lessons.

    Another add-on luxury service is the 95-foot, four-cabin, luxury Catari Yacht. An on board culinary team is available to prepare tailored menus accompanied by the perfect margarita.

    Upon departure, there are at least five staff sending you off. But as you drive away, you can’t help feel you were just voted off the island in some luxurious reality show, knowing others are still enjoying the best vacation you ever had. You will return, you repeat over and over.

    The Cape, a Thompson Hotel: Trendy, sleek, and modern

    The Cape is so modern that it graced the cover of Condé Nast Traveler’s “Hot List” May 2016 issue. The coveted property is situated in front of The Golden Arch, the distinctive Cabo landmark in a rock formation that erupts from the sea at the tip of the Baja Peninsula.

    The resort is a sophisticated and new way to experience Cabo, taking in all the views, especially from the rooftop lounge and garden, which offers two open-air bars and is the only rooftop lounge in the area. The luxury hotel has two pools, but the one “to be seen at” is the infinity pool, which includes a swim-up bar and complimentary (first-come, first-served) cabanas with perfect views of Monuments Beach, the world-renowned surfers’ paradise.

    Manta, the on-site restaurant, offers a diverse array of chef-driven food and beverage destinations (think homemade tortillas and locally sourced seafood) overseen by the award-winning executive chef Enrique Olvera, who studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

    Guest rooms offer beachfront terraces with beautifully decorated hanging daybeds, making it the perfect spot to sip your morning coffee or partake in a few tequila shots before getting the night started. Speaking of tequila, all guests are welcomed with a custom tequila amenity, a 750ml hand-etched crystal bottle of Realeza Mexicana 100 percent blue agave tequila, produced and bottled exclusively for The Cape.

    With the open-air lobby, checkout becomes a sad day looking down at all the beach and pool lovers still soaking up the sun (and tequila) in their personal cabanas. As you leave the resort, you’ll wonder why you didn’t book a longer stay.

    One&Only Palmilla infinity pool in Cabo San Lucas.

    One&Only Palmilla infinity pool at Cabo San Lucas
      
    Courtesy photo
    One&Only Palmilla infinity pool in Cabo San Lucas.
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    Riverside Reno

    Fresh makeover turns Hill Country hotel into modern riverside refuge

    Brianna Caleri
    Jun 12, 2025 | 2:36 pm
    Hacienda Del Rio Hotel and Bar
    Photo courtesy of Hacienda Del Rio\u200b
    No matter how cosmopolitan the hotel gets, nothing can beat the trees around this pool.

    After a two-year renovation and rebranding, Hacienda Del Rio Hotel and Bar has opened in Gruene, a historic district within New Braunfels. Formerly the Gruene Outpost River Lodge, the property along the Guadalupe River now has 48 renovated rooms, new outdoor sports like pickleball, and updated amenities at the pool.

    The River Lodge's previous aesthetic was DIY and rustic, but the new Hacienda Del Rio has a much more cosmopolitan, contemporary design. The new look is full of midcentury styles, but with other eclectic elements mixed in. A press release declares the space was "designed in the spirit of Spanish colonial architecture," but don't expect anything old-fashioned.

    Hacienda Del Rio\u200b Hotel and Bar interiorThese earthy tones mellow out an otherwise energetic space.Photo courtesy of Hacienda Del Rio

    Texas-based hotel group French Cowboys was behind this major makeover, which started in April 2023. That puts Hacienda Del Rio in a family with Camp Comfort and The Meyer Hotel in the Hill Country town of Comfort; the Claire Hotel near Canyon Lake; the Gruene River Inn and Heidelberg Lodges in New Braunfels, and Webber East in Austin.

    The Hacienda can accommodate up to 178 guests in a variety of room layouts including kings, double queens, and suites. Bathrooms and showers are new, and rooms are outfitted with smart TVs, plus custom steel doors and windows. Photos of guestrooms, although they are colorful, show off a streamlined sensibility.

    A new clubhouse and cocktail bar draws guests who may not be staying overnight. Coffee and breakfast will be available in the morning, followed by daytime snacks, and finally a full bar in the evening. Anyone who stops by can enjoy beer, wine, and signature cocktails, plus shuffleboard, a pool table, and even some workspace. There will also be a new conference room for presentations, retreats, and more.

    Hacienda Del Rio\u200b Hotel and Bar interiorThis lounge is open to hotel guests and the public.Photo courtesy of Hacienda Del Rio

    Departing from the artsy interior to New Braunfels' beautiful surroundings, guests can play pickleball, beach volleyball, and basketball on a half-court, plus fire pits near the river and kayaks, paddleboards, and floats. River adventures will be facilitated by Paddle Texas, which will offer rentals and experiences. Finally, a renovated pool and deck provide more leisure space.

    “‘Del Rio’ reflects the area’s deep connection to the Guadalupe River, where guests can jump in, float, or just hang out by the water, whether it’s at the river or our pool," said French Cowboys co-founder Dylan Petrich in a press release. "And Hacienda captures our vision of creating a vibrant, social place where people can kick back, enjoy the outdoors, and grab a drink, all in one of the Hill Country’s most iconic destinations, without breaking the bank."

    Rates start at $125 per night, and the food and beverage space is open every day. Introductory rates are available for those who book through December 31, 2025.

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