Confession: My husband is a workaholic. He truly loves what he does and will willingly work 16 hour days, 7 days a week. Sometimes, the only way to get him to stop working is to book a vacation where he will be forced to relax and unwind. So after much deliberation and debate between Hawaii, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, we finally settled on Cabo San Lucas and immediately booked a 7 day vacation package. Paradise here we come!
Upon arriving at Los Cabos International Airport, we hopped in our black SUV and the driver took us 30 minutes away to Cabo San Lucas. Because this trip was all about relaxation, we wanted a more resort-style experience and booked a room at Sandos Finisterra. We were very pleasantly surprised once we arrived! The property was recently renovated from a hotel to an all-inclusive resort, and they added a spa, additional restaurants and various upgrades throughout the resort. We were so impressed and excited for our first all-inclusive adventure!
After taking a quick walk through of the property, we ventured to our hotel room where we ordered room service and decided to take a quick nap. Apparently, we were very tired and we woke up the next day (over 16 hours later)! I don’t think I had ever slept that much in my life, but it was well-deserved and much needed.
Our room was pretty large and came equipped with a large dressing area, bathroom, and refrigerator full of beer, water and soft drinks (they replenished them every day). We also had a super large balcony, where we overlooked the pools and had amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. Side note: The resort is built into the side of a cliff, so the higher you go, the more amazing views you have!
For the next five days, we visited the different pools, spent some time in the beach cabanas and tried out the different restaurants located on the property. Our favorite was the buffet (of course!) because there was so much variety of food. As vegans, we were somewhat limited, but we definitely cheated and enjoyed some fresh fish a few times! Every night they have a different theme, Italian, Mexican, Brazilian etc., so it was always fun getting to sample different food!
And I must not forget my absolute favorite amenity that the resort offered; a coffee shop called Cupcake Cafe. Every morning we woke up, grabbed a coffee from our favorite bartender, Francisco, who always made a different design in our lattes, and sat on the patio overlooking the beautiful Marina. We could see the Sea of Cortez and downtown Cabo. It was such a great way to start the day, and we definitely were daily visitors to Cupcake Café.
The resort also offers some kind of entertainment every day, which was nice. They had pool games, water aerobics, cooking demonstrations and various sports throughout the day. At night, they had different dancers, shows and a White Party (where everyone wears white) on the beach one night. It was always fun to see the different styles of dance!
During our vacation, we celebrated my husband’s birthday with a day at the on-site spa; Spa Sandos. It was so nice and relaxing and wonderfully decorated, with beautiful natural stone walls and stunning views of Cabo! We enjoyed 60 min couple massages, followed by a sauna, steam bath and a dip in the hydrotherapy tubs. Definitely recommend if you ever come to Cabo San Lucas!
Another perk of the resort was the amazing fitness facilities they offered! I know most people don’t want to work out while on vacation, but when you have all you can eat food and are in a bikini all day, it’s a must! We enjoyed nightly visits to the gym, where they had plenty of cardio equipment, exercise balls, weights and machines. They even had an elliptical machine that goes side to side, so it looks like you are dancing! Loved that one!
We were honestly so happy with the resort, we only ventured outside of it one day to explore Downtown Cabo San Lucas! Only a five minute walk from our resort and we were right in the heart of downtown, where we saw Squid Row, the mall, and various vendors selling different crafts. We enjoyed getting to see a more touristy side of Cabo and liked the proximity to both the beach and nightlife! Next time we go back, we are definitely going to check out Mandala, a nightclub that all the locals told us to visit!
After 6 nights at Sandos, we decided to extend our vacation by one day and booked a night in San Jose del Cabo at one of our timeshares. We mostly relaxed by the pool before walking to a nearby restaurant, Cynthia Fresh Organic Cuisine. After splurging on various non-vegan foods, we were looking forward to a delicious, vegan meal. We ordered a variety of appetizers from the menu, including garlic fries (our splurge), salads, a wrap and veggie tacos! So good and such a wonderful last meal before leaving back to the States!
Going to Cabo, we didn’t really know what to expect. Most people associate it as a party scene, which there definitely is, but only a small percentage! There is so much culture and beauty in Cabo, and we left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Now that we know how amazing it is, we will definitely be back for future vacations! Adios Cabo! Thank you for being so good to us!
Written by Kari L. Moya