In March 2019, Mar Adentro changed management and is now called Viceroy Los Cabos.
Just like with some other resort destinations in Mexico like Puerto Vallarta, finding the right luxury hotel in Los Cabos is rather daunting. Prices are high, resorts all look great and know how to portray themselves in a good light and there are not that many independent and honest reviews out there.
I hear you, I have been there. But here you have an honest and open review of Viceroy Los Cabos, a stylish resort named by Architectural Digest as a “Futuristic dreamscape“. Who am I to disagree. Leave the traditional resort styles and immerse yourself in a world of white, horizon blending lines with neon splashes.
Arrival and check in at the Viceroy Los Cabos
Finding the resort was relatively easy with Google maps and the rental car we picked up from the airport. Once there, the valet will pick up your car. There are no hotel signs from the road, it is all minimalistic white walls and small apertures.
The story on the other side is completely different. The reception is on the second floor above the expansive pools and sea views. From the moment you step inside you will not be able to stop taking photos. This is an instagram worthy resort that will have you snapping every symmetrical line. Philip Starck would enjoy it.
Check in was swift and the hotel was friendly and helpful despite the fact that I had booked the wrong dates. They quickly found my reservation for a month later and honoured the same rate for the following three nights. We went down to the bar for a drink while the room was being set up and were soon given keys to our suite.
The rooms at the Viceroy Los Cabos
Everything is white and bright at this fantastic beach front hotel. The rooms are rectangular, looking like a cube, with the bathrooms farthest in towards the corridors and a wall to wall balcony with a large square daybed and a table plus an outdoor bathtub. The room is large and comfortable with great beds, an espresso machine, a minibar and all the electronics.
The room controls can be managed from a tablet that is provided or you can use the good old switches and TV remote for that, something which I welcomed considering that I can never make all this technology work. There are speakers everywhere and you can connect your own music, the surround sound was very good.
The room comes with mood lighting in various neon colours that can be set along the room. The colours contrasted with the bright white of everything else and gave a splash of disco to an otherwise Ibiza-esque setting. I loved every bit of the room, from the double shower to the sliding closet or the full length mirrors.
But the star was the outdoor balcony, large enough to laze all day and with fantastic sea views. The sun flooded the room in the mornings to the point of needing sunglasses and the that bathtub was something to look forward after a day touring the magnificent landscapes of the desert. This is a hip and cool resort that goes very well with the new Los Cabos image and makes the hotel stand out from the large all-inclusive traditional Mexican designs of all the other resorts.
The facilities at the Viceroy Los Cabos
Viceroy Los Cabos has all the facilities of a grown up resort in Los Cabos. Think endless beach space, a reflective pool where you can actually take some laps and a full size gym where you burn off those tacos and tequila. Bear in mind, this is not a particularly family friendly place like other resorts in the area, it is made for adults.
However, there is a children play area with a minder during the peak season but even the space for children is stylish, sleek and promotes creativity beyond the plush toys.
For those looking to relax, this is the place to be. There are sun beds by the pool, cocktails with a view and grass to play with white ducks, if you manage to leave the room. The quiet beach has some loungers and will soon have bar service too.
The spa is a major focus for the hotel as wellbeing and water is a key design element baked into the beauty of Viceroy Los Cabos and its “floating on water” essence.
Dining at the Viceroy Los Cabos
As the hotel is not fully open yet, some of the future dining options are yet to be in service. Breakfast is served in the most beautiful setting I have ever woken up to. El Nido is a nest style cocoon that defines the hotel’s design and where you can enjoy a lazy breakfast under the shaded lines.
Breakfast includes all the best Mexican foods as well as international dishes and sweets. Fresh juices, fresh ingredients, freshly made to order. Don’t rush it, this is a breakfast to enjoy and start the day on the right foot.
Origen is a white lined open side space with views on the rest of the hotel’s reflective pools and serving Mexican and international dishes with organic ingredients. The Roca bar is right next to the restaurant and has the same views with rounded seating and a wide range of specialty cocktails. On the rooftop, there is a terrace with views over the Sea of Cortez and summer parties with live bands and long nights.
Activities at the Viceroy Los Cabos
The hotel offers yoga classes throughout the various spots in the resort where they can provide fresh sea air and great views. If you want to ride into town, San Jose del Cabo is right there and you can borrow bicycles from the hotel on loan to explore the area.
The area is filled with activities for the active ones. You can go on a road trip to the many sights, go surfing, diving, on boat trips to The Arch, shopping or simply lounge in a cafe or go bar hopping.
The verdict
Some have said that if iPhone had designed a resort it would look like that. It is perhaps the white, the straight lines, the focus on perfection and non-intrusive service or it is maybe the feeling that you are in a walled garden you can’t escape from, as hard as you may try.
Viceroy Los Cabos is a haven for design fanatics, style lovers and white washed lines that blend into the sea. Calmness and relaxation are unavoidable when you are there. Let the resort nourish your senses.