Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal Review

For anybody who’s dreamed of getting their very own little personal pool with infinity views out over the ocean, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal delivers — and for the factors and miles fans amongst us, award nights could be surprisingly accessible.

Not each piece of this rugged paradise is ideal, although my current keep got here fairly shut. This is a better take a look at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal.

The resort, a part of the Hilton Honors portfolio, is situated on the southern tip of Baja California Sur in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It first opened in 2009 and was rebranded to a Waldorf in 2019; it is one among simply 34 Waldorf Astoria properties worldwide.

Different issues to know at a look:

• Commonplace check-out time: Midday (later for Hilton elites if out there).

• Cancellation coverage: Varies from as little as 14 days out through the off season to 90 days out throughout peak instances.

• Room sorts: Beginning with customary rooms as much as bigger casitas and multi-bedroom personal villas. There are 115 rooms and suites in complete on the property.

• Transportation: Los Cabos Airport (SJD) serves a number of hubs on all the foremost U.S. carriers. The lodge is a few 40-minute drive or cab experience away (Uber isn’t allowed to do pickups). If you happen to’re adventurous and packed very gentle, the gradual however comfy Ruta del Desierto bus from the airport’s home terminal can get you so far as Puerto Paraiso mall, a mile from the resort, for $5. On the opposite finish of the fee spectrum, personal transport could be organized with the lodge.

• Parking: Complimentary valet parking.

• Location: Alongside the southernmost stretch of seaside on the town, a 15-minute stroll from the vacationer heart.

This property stands out even amongst different luxurious properties in Los Cabos as a result of each unit, from the usual rooms on up, comes with its personal (small) heated pool. We’ll have a lot extra on these swimming pools under.

Paid charges all-in begin at simply over $1,200 an evening for the standard room, however at excessive season these charges can greater than double.

Awards begin at 120,000 factors per night time for a base room, through which case your redemption could be price no worse than 1 cent per level and simply north of two cents per level at peak intervals.

As with many issues in award journey, fortune favors these with the flexibleness to drop all the things and go. Once I booked this with factors in mid-March, each single day for the remainder of the month was out there at low-level award pricing:

What’s extra, Hilton elites get each fifth night time free when reserving 5 or extra consecutive customary award nights, which may successfully scale back the per-night price to 96,000 factors.

Be careful, although: Charges can bounce to over 1 million factors per night time based mostly on demand.

Ultimately examine, no 120,000-point dates remained for the winter 2023-24 journey season. If that’s while you need to go, watch award availability like a hawk, because it appears to return in waves.

The bottom room for award bookings is a Pacific View King. In my current keep and a previous keep in 2021, the Hilton Honors Gold standing conferred from holding the Hilton Honors American Categorical Surpass® Card ($95 annual payment; phrases apply) scored me a double improve to an Ocean View Deluxe room. It’s the identical dimension as the bottom room with a full, unobstructed ocean view.

Cabo itself is located in a panorama the place desert, mountains and sea all appear to collide, and the resort’s design blends nicely with its environment.

The truth is, you really must go via a little bit mountain — by way of a chandelier-lit tunnel — to get to the resort from city.

I arrived on foot, passing via a safety checkpoint earlier than getting whisked via the quick tunnel on a golf cart. As soon as on the opposite facet, I arrived on the open-air check-in foyer, the place I used to be greeted with a welcome margarita.

Whereas customary check-in time is 3 p.m., I arrived at midday, which gave me a while to discover the grounds earlier than the desk texted me round 1 p.m. to inform me my room was prepared.

Past the foyer, the resort sprawls out over 24 beachfront acres alongside and up the bottom of the mountainside.

Commonest areas are grouped on two-tiered ranges; it solely took me just a few nice minutes to stroll from one finish of the resort to a different.

The tiered design assures that each unit has a view of some sort, though some views are higher than others.

Usually talking, the upper on the property you go, the extra expansive the view — however the extra you’ll see between you and the ocean.

When it comes to privateness, it may possibly differ wildly. The outside areas of among the casitas across the pool are fairly uncovered, as are the decrease ranges of among the bigger buildings. I wrote forward to request a extra personal room and was pleased with what I wound up with.

Though the resort’s design can really feel considerably spare from the skin, the small particulars stand out as soon as indoors.

The property options 4 eating places starting from fancy to poolside informal, together with three bars and a espresso store.

As a Hilton Honors Gold member, I might benefit from the $34 continental breakfast buffet totally free at Don Manuel’s, which is open for all meals of the day however serves breakfast beginning at 7 a.m.

Continental breakfast included granola, fruit, cereal, espresso, freshly squeezed juice and a collection of pastries.

For an upcharge of $13 (together with taxes) I upgraded to the Mexican breakfast, which included made-to-order huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, omelets and a rotating each day particular, amongst different scorching objects.

For the sheer choice alone, it’s greater than well worth the worth to improve, particularly because you’re allowed to pattern as many objects as you’d like.

All the things I attempted was good, however essentially the most memorable objects I had had been the crackling, scrumptious buffet pastries and a spiced scorching chocolate.

The extremely regarded (and priced to match) El Farallon is open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. I didn’t partake throughout my quick keep, though if I carried the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card ($450 annual payment), this could be a stable method to make use of up a lot of the $250 annual Hilton resort credit score that comes with the cardboard. The cliffside location appeared beautiful.

In the meantime, a current addition to the resort’s bar choices is Agave Examine at Peacock Alley, which provides mezcal and tequila tastings paired with native bites.

Down on the seaside you’ll discover a separate champagne bar with swings for chairs, a enjoyable place to spend a couple of minutes even should you’re not indulging.

Moreover, the resort provides cooking and cocktail-making lessons for a payment.

The lodge options two principal swimming pools, one for adults and one for all ages. Every was constantly busy throughout my keep; these pictures are typically from early within the day.

Each swimming pools are designed with an infinity-style setup overlooking the lengthy seaside, which is shared with just a few different inns however felt secluded in any other case, provided that it’s basically lower off from the city correct.

The adults-only pool boasts a shaded swim-up bar, whereas the household pool includes a built-in scorching tub.

Simply see an attendant they usually’ll set you up at an out there lounger with umbrella shade as desired. Sunscreen is offered at each swimming pools, too.

Poolside service was immediate and pleasant, with a number of small water bottles delivered in a bucket of ice as quickly as I obtained settled. (That stated, I far most popular spending time in my very own little balcony pool, the place it’s rather a lot simpler to think about you are the one one on the resort.)

Workers sometimes comes round with free popsicle treats, which is a pleasant contact.

Farther up from the seaside are a small round youngsters pool, appropriate for splashing round, and a pool reserved for spa visitors with small waterfalls in-built.

Elsewhere on the resort, you’ll discover:

• The aforementioned spa, with a full complement of paid remedies.

• A youngsters membership, which provides “household film nights, curated programming, scavenger hunts, Spanish lessons [and] cooking adventures,” the resort says.

• A enterprise heart (principally only one room with a pc) and assembly services.

• A well-appointed health heart with yoga and quite a lot of different lessons out there.

Moreover, you’ll obtain an e-mail earlier than arrival outlining the varied paid excursions the resort is joyful to arrange for you, together with land and sea actions.

As soon as my room was prepared, I used to be escorted over and given a full tour by the agent who had checked me in. My unit was on the third of 4 flooring of Constructing 1, beachside on the sting of the property subsequent to El Farallon.

Beforehand, I’d stayed in Constructing 3, increased up close to the foyer. The views had been glorious in each circumstances, however I most popular Constructing 1 as a result of there was no visible distraction between me and the seaside/ocean.

The star of the present was the infinity ocean-view balcony and plunge pool, which is roughly 12 toes lengthy by 4 toes throughout. It’s 3 toes deep with a full-length step-down that may seat no less than 4 comfortably.

Whereas no person would confuse this for a full-size pool, you’ll be able to paddle round and even do mini-laps should you need. Or you’ll be able to sit, stretch your legs, soak for hours, and (in season) scan the horizon for whales — your selection.

The one whales I noticed had been a few cruise ships as they meandered previous, alas.

The plunge pool obtained good morning solar however was shaded for many of the day, which I really appreciated. It’s stored at a comfortably heat temperature (between 80 and 84 levels year-round, the resort says) and felt good even on delicate 65-degree nights.

The balcony options slanted privateness slats on the facet making it simple to see out whereas shielding others from seeing in. There’s loads of comfortable seating, though I would not have minded a full-size lounger in lieu of one of many two small sitting couches.

When it comes to exterior noise: I didn’t hear a lot of something whereas in my room (rating one for the soundproofing), however on the balcony, it’s just about not possible to not hear others close by having fun with their outside house. If you happen to’re wherever close to a principal pool, you’ll possible hear that through the day, too, but it surely’s nothing an excellent pair of earbuds can’t cancel out. At night time, all I might hear with my balcony open was the sound of crashing waves.

The room was a comfortable 856 sq. toes, which included a knob-controlled fire and an oh-so-comfy king mattress. (The sq. footage consists of the outside house, too.)

The open rest room boasted a rain-water bathe and a big soaking tub with a loofah and what appeared like honey however was really bubble bathtub answer. It additionally had a mini seating space that capabilities as a visible buffer as a lot as anything.

Toiletries come within the type of pump-style bottles meant to hold over from visitor to visitor, a slight letdown to those that wish to take house leftover samples of fancier stuff than we’d in any other case use day-to-day.

Rooms embody complimentary mini-bars stocked with water and gentle drinks. (Did I get in contact prematurely to request a fridge filled with zero-calorie Coke merchandise? Possibly…)

Additionally in my room, and complimentary for all visitors, was a 200 mL bottle of Clase Azul Reposado tequila (a roughly $40 worth and equal to 4 or 5 pictures) with a ramekin of heat nuts, together with some apples. The tequila bottle is yours to take house and makes for a pleasant souvenir of your keep.

Each unit on property, from customary rooms to stand-alone villas, additionally consists of the next:

• Plush bathrobes to be used throughout your keep.

• A set of binoculars, helpful for whale-watching.

• A pleasant toiletry bag that was stocked (reasonably sparsely, in my case) with mouthwash, shoe shine, a stitching package and a bathe cap. The bag is yours to maintain.

• A seaside bag, additionally yours to maintain.

• Free Wi-Fi, which was dependable all around the property (no less than for fundamental web looking).

• A day snack of heat tortilla chips served with excellent guacamole and pico de gallo, plus a pair of Corona beers, out there from 4 p.m. to six p.m. and delivered upon request. (The lodge has a chat function within the Hilton app that makes this or another request seamless.) On each of my stays the resort accommodated my request for margaritas reasonably than beers.

• A protected to lock your valuables.

A night turndown service is obtainable along with morning housekeeping, however permit a large time window for each. When requested at check-in after I’d choose my turndown I stated 8 p.m., but it surely wasn’t executed but after I returned to my room a little bit earlier than 9. By then, I used to be prepared to go to sleep to the crashing waves and texted the entrance desk to (properly) say by no means thoughts.

Bigger suites and stand-alone villas may embody such extras as a fireplace pit, a bigger personal pool, seaside hammocks, a full kitchen or perhaps a devoted butler.

If you happen to’re staying longer than a pair days, it’s nicely price budgeting a while to get to know the Cape area, ideally by automobile.

Central Cabo San Lucas (simply exterior the resort) exudes an overtly touristy get together vibe which may not be for everybody. Giant cruise ships dock right here typically, and strolling the pedestrian zone that encircles the marina is a good way to really feel such as you’re again within the States.

That stated, if it’s limitless procuring you’re after, test it out — simply attempt to time your visits to keep away from these noon cruise crowds. You may stroll via the tunnel into city or request a golf cart to take you so far as the outer safety gate, from which the marina is a 5-minute stroll.

San Jose del Cabo, nearer to the airport, is San Lucas’ extra sedate, artsy counterpart. The strollable streets of its compact central core radiate from Plaza Mijares, a big car-free public sq.. A nice stroll (or bike experience, alongside separated inexperienced lanes) southward alongside the estuary after which westward alongside the seaside resorts is a nice technique to go a few hours.

If you happen to like San Jose, you’ll possible love Todos Santos, an much more charming, artsier outpost about an hour north of San Lucas. Even farther afield, La Paz is understood for its fairly colonial downtown. The largely unspoiled East Cape can be price exploring, however you’ll desire a 4×4 to entry a lot of its jewels.

Cabo San Lucas has a dry, comparatively delicate season from roughly December via March. The remainder of the yr is heat to scorching, with rains principally confined to August via October. Hurricanes are an element to think about; as an example, Hurricane Kay introduced heavy rains because it handed simply west of Cabo in September 2022.

For me, the candy spot for visiting Cabo is between mid-November and New Yr’s, when the ocean continues to be heat sufficient for comfy swimming (at wave-free seashores) however the air temperature isn’t sweltering and rain likelihood is minimal.

When this property turned bookable with Hilton factors it was an prompt darling on this planet of award journey, and for good motive.

It’s extra than simply that heat pool of your personal, the place hours can simply slip away gazing out on the ocean with a nice margarita buzz.

It’s additionally the gracious service that’s there while you want it however by no means hovers, delivered with a palpable sense of satisfaction that makes it simple to forgive just a few comparatively minor lapses.

On condition that the bottom price for a lot of standard-issue Hilton properties as of late is 40,000 factors per night time, it’s simple to surprise how for much longer this oasis could be loved for simply triple that quantity. Soak it up whilst you can.

This keep was independently reviewed and paid in full by the author.

All details about the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card has been collected independently by FinanceGrabber. The Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card is now not out there via FinanceGrabber.

(High picture by Brad Walters)