A HAVEN FOR FAMILIES LOOKING FOR A LITTLE MORE SPACE: A striking rendition of the Arch in Cabo San Lucas and built into the cliffs overlooking the powerfully-blue Sea of Cortéz, this resort, I surprisingly discovered, is a great place for even the very young.
Los Cabos, Mexico — For the last four days, I have gone incognito–that is I’ve been residing at The Westin Resort & Spa in Los Cabos under a different name–in order to determine how a typical guest–a non-travel journalist for instance, would be treated at this unique, architecturally renowned Cabo landmark hotel. To my delight, I discovered you do not have to be a travel writer to get the VIP treatment at The Westin Resort & Spa in Los Cabos! No, not at all. I should note that I was not a particularly easy guest. I spent most of my time exploring and experiencing the hotel with my companion, my two-year old granddaughter, Violet. As a grandmother to almost 8 grandchildren (July 2nd is when #8 is due) I needed a new story angle. I wanted to find a luxury resort that an entire family–especially, those with young children–could escape to–one that makes even the littlest of people feel very welcome. Well, I must say, our little Violet was treated by the staff just like a Princess! Her favorite hang-out: the swimming pool. Her favorite lunch: chicken nuggets with french fries, served poolside. These chicken nuggets are not of the McDonald’s variety. Instead, they’re delicious chunks of white meat with a crunchy light-brown exterior perfect for tiny hands to handle. And, since Violet is going through an extremely independent streak, ordering food that she can proudly eat on her own is a godsend. I, on the other hand, loved my refreshing virgin pina-colada. After spending hours in the hot Baja sun, this cold beverage definitely fit the bill…well, that is until Violet accidentally spilled it all over the ground. When I brought our unfortunate incident to the waiter’s attention–he immediately beckoned for a staff member to clean it up. A few minutes later, the waiter kindly returned with a newly prepared virgin pina-colada to replace the other–even without being asked. These are the kinds of attention to detail that makes guests want to return again and again.
It is so wonderful to know these kinds of family-friendly resorts still exists today. They’re luxurious enough to make this lux-seeking ESCAPESEEKER (and other adult guests) feel at home and pampered; yet, they’re not so over-the-top luxurious that children are afraid to act themselves–that is, like children!
Thank you Westin Resort & Spa for creating a superb environment where this “Escapeseeker Grandma” can enjoy some real quality time with Princess Violet, or as her Mama, Joanna likes to refer to her, “Little Escapeseeker in training.” I’m pleased to report that based on our own tried and true experience–Violet and I would not hesitate to recommend The Westin Resort & Spa, Los Cabos to any fun, escape-seeking family. If you want to find a resort where the staff sincerely likes children, well, this resort located at the tip of the Baja peninsula–where the mountains and the desert meet the sea–is definitely your kind of place!
So, you’re probably asking, “How about the dining options at The Westin Resort and Spa?” Frankly, for the first two nights, Violet and I played so hard during the day that we opted to test out their evening in-room dining menu. Simply, Violet is a huge fan of their Spaghetti with Sauce Alfredo (made especially to her specifications), and I savored their Homemade Tortelloni filled with mozzarella, nuts and basil, fresh tomato sauce and grated parmmesan cheese. Yes, there’s more to Mexico than tempting salsa and tacos! However, speaking of salsa, oh my goodness, the morning buffet at La Cascada has the best omelet station, complete with an array of fresh toppings from guacamole, pico de gallo, and the most palate sizzling salsa you’ll ever taste!
Last night, I had the opportunity to venture out on my own. So I decided to try their award-winning restaurant, Arrecifies. Walking in and seeing the awe-inspiring view of the Sea of Cortéz immediately made me smile. Superb location? Check! My most pleasant discovery about this fine dining establishment–Arrecifies is headed by two thirty-something Chefs–Elena and Gabriel–who are absolutely passionate about culinary art! And, true artist they are. You just have to come and experience it for yourself. You won’t believe what these two can do with the bounties–prized seafood from the Sea of Cortéz!
Each night, we are lulled to sleep by the rhythmic, powerful sounds of the waves…the cool Sea of Cortéz greeting the hot desert sand.
Los Cabos presents two towns with two moods and two styles: Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo — one has always been more of a party town, while the other has transformed itself into a sophisticated travelers’ haven, waiting to be explored. There are six world-class golf courses nearby which includes The Jack Nicklaus Ocean Course at Cabo Del Sol is rated one of the world’s best by Golf Magazine.
When it comes to deep-sea fishing, The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortéz meet at Los Cabos, creating some of the world’s best year-round sport fishing. Many high-profile marlin tournaments are held here annually, and the bill fishing is superb.
Being the diving enthusiast that I am, I definitely have to return to test my newly acquired diving skills. Legendary diver Jacques Cousteau once described the Sea of Cortez as the “world’s aquarium” and the “Galapagos of North America”. That alone is reason enough to book another trip. But next time, there’s no going incognito. I am the ESCAPESEEKER through and through!
Here’s to Blissful Escapes…
With love,
Mel
Postscript: For those of you still wondering where Cabo is, thought you might enjoy this little capsule Geography lesson:
The Sea of Cortez is bordered by the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, and Sinaloa. To the north it is part of the desolate Sonoran landscape, and creates amazing ares where open desert suddenly spills into a beautiful, sparkling coastline. Further down south it laps up against more popular–and more populated–places like Bahia Concepcion, La Paz, San Carlos, and San Jose del Cabo.
A HAVEN FOR FAMILIES LOOKING FOR A LITTLE MORE SPACE: A striking rendition of the Arch in Cabo San Lucas and built into the cliffs overlooking the powerfully-blue Sea of Cortéz, this resort, I surprisingly discovered, is a great place for even the very young. 
Thank you Westin Resort & Spa for creating a superb environment where this “Escapeseeker Grandma” can enjoy some real quality time with Princess Violet, or as her Mama, Joanna likes to refer to her, “Little Escapeseeker in training.” I’m pleased to report that based on our own tried and true experience–Violet and I would not hesitate to recommend The Westin Resort & Spa, Los Cabos to any fun, escape-seeking family. If you want to find a resort where the staff sincerely likes children, well, this resort located at the tip of the Baja peninsula–where the mountains and the desert meet the sea–is definitely your kind of place!
