After a great flight from Austin on American, we had a quick ride over to our home for the next four days, The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas. The road between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas is lined with a wide variety of resorts, automobile dealerships, and large retailers. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I was driving along the beach in California.
Booking
As I mentioned in the introduction of this trip report, our travel partners booked the hotel as part of a promotional package involving a timeshare presentation. While I find these presentations mildly annoying, you can typically get a decent room rate using this approach.
They were kind enough to ask us to tag along but, the typical nightly rate at the property seems to be between $400-450 for the smallest Studio King and between $500-550 for our Two Bedroom Villa when booked via Marriott.com.
Location
The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas is located along the Transpeninsula Highway and is 15 miles northeast of Cabo San Lucas and 6 miles southwest of San Jose del Cabo. Signage for the resort is located along the highway, though the entrance is roughly a half mile down a side road.
After turning off the main road, there is a guard shack at the top of the hill. Private cars of guests staying at the hotel may proceeded through the gate, though our Uber had to stop outside. Bellhops came to meet us at the gate and take our luggage to the lobby.
Lobby & Check-In
As you approach the lobby area there is a motor court. This is used for private car transfers, guest vehicles, and tour vans associated with the hotel.
The hotel lobby was large and open air. Though the desert sun was high in the sky when we arrived, it was cool in the shade of the lobby. The hotel was on the old side, especially considering all of the new construction in Los Cabos, and was built in 1994. While it wasn’t modern, it was well maintained and clean.
Our bellman escorted us over to the check in desks where our ID’s were checked and we were given hot towels. This was a much appreciated touch after traveling.
We were informed by the front desk clerk that our room wasn’t ready yet. They offered to hold our bags while we went and enjoyed the property and informed us that we would receive a call when our room was available.
Past reception is a large seating area and a row of Concierge desks. We didn’t have much of a reason to utilize their services though it is a nice perk for visitors looking to book tours. It was staffed throughout our stay.
While the space was cool, especially with a breeze, very few people were relaxing in the lobby during our stay. Most were waiting on a ride, speaking with the concierge, or checking in/out.
The Westin Los Cabos Room
For our three night stay at The Westin Los Cabos Resort, we were assigned a two bedroom suite on the 8th floor in Building One. The room numbers have 4 digits, the first corresponds to the building, the second to the floor, and the final two for the room.
While I did have my Marriott Titanium status on file, there were no upgrades as our room type was pre-assigned as part of the timeshare package. All rooms at the resort face out towards the ocean with an open air hallway overlooking the courtyard.
Entry
Upon entering the room, we found ourselves in a hallway with a closet off to one side.
Across from this is a full bathroom for visitors. This is also the bathroom for the secondary bedroom.
A large sink with a decent sized countertop provided plenty of room for makeup and toiletry bags. Four outlets were mounted on the wall so you should have no issues powering all of your devices.
The shower was large and featured reusable, Heavenly by Westin, toiletries mounted on the wall.
Bathrobes and hand towels were hanging on the back of the door. These were comfortable and plush (the robes, not the towels).
Living Area
Past the bathroom, at the end of the short hallway, was the main living area. A small kitchen, six-person dining table, and seating area were spread across one large room.
Though small, the kitchen had everything necessary for an extended stay. There was a electric cooktop, full size refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, coffeemaker, and sink.
A large selection of pots, pans, glassware, knives, and utensils were provided. Though we were only here a few days, we cooked breakfast in the room most mornings.
At the rear of the room was the sitting area. A small couch and table were positioned against the wall. Two, somewhat uncomfortable, chairs were positioned around a small center ottoman.
On the opposite wall, a flat screen TV was mounted on the wall. A sound bar and small console were located underneath.
One of my favorite things about this hotel is the fact that all rooms face outwards towards the beach. Each room features a balcony which has a cafe table and two chairs. This was a great place to have coffee each morning. The hotel faces east so don’t expect any sunset views.
Primary Bedroom
Off of the main living area was the primary bedroom. It features a king sized bed, as well as a wall mounted TV and a console/closet against the wall. A secondary balcony can also be accessed from the primary bedroom.
The bed is flanked by two nightstands with lamps built into the wall. A multicolored bench is at the foot of the bed.
The bathroom is located through a doorway on the left side of the room. It was spacious and featured dual sinks and mirrors allowing two people to get ready at the same time.
The primary bathroom also had a large glass showerhead with wall-mounted, reusable toiletries.
The toilet is hidden away behind a door opposite the shower.
Secondary Bedroom
The secondary bedroom is located off of the entry hall across from the bathroom. It featured the same decor as the primary bedroom in a slightly smaller space. A king sized bed, flanked by two nightstands, was against the wall. A bench was at the foot of the bed.
A small, flat-screen TV was mounted above the dresser across from the bed.
A small closet was located just to the right. We hung a few items here but mostly used the bench at the foot of the bed to hold our luggage.
Overall, the suite worked great for four adults visiting for a long weekend. The only issue was the fact that there is no light in the secondary bedroom. With no exterior windows, I had a hard time determining if it was 3:00 AM or PM.
The Westin Los Cabos Beach and Pool
Pools
The pool is multi-tiered and has plenty of lounge chairs to maximize the fun in the sun. Thanks to the terraced nature of the hotel, you get a great view of the area as you enter.
The highest tier features decorative pools that aren’t meant for swimming. The first level that you are permitted to get in is the large hot tubs. These have great views of the hotel building and parts of the beach.
A level below is the main pool deck. It features a swim up bar, tons of lounge chairs, and a fantastic view out over the water.
The lowest level also has a large pool though we didn’t use it during our stay. It was mostly filled with kids and we were perfectly happy in the calmer pool.
Beach
While Cabo isn’t known for white sandy beaches, the hotel did have a decent sized beach space. Two rows of lounge chairs with umbrellas were lined up across the beach. These were free for hotel guests to use and it was pretty easy to find at least two chairs together during our stay.
The only thing that we found odd during our visit came when Mrs. ATX decided to get in the ocean. Warning flags were flying but people were still allowed into the water. The lifeguard stopped Mrs. ATX as she attempted to get into the water while others were swimming. He indicated that, because she was pregnant, she wasn’t allowed to get into the ocean.
After a long back and forth, he handed her a release form to sign and allowed her in. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he was looking out for her, though it was an odd exchange.
The Westin Los Cabos Food and Beverage
The Westin Los Cabos has six different food and beverage options on the property. They aren’t all open year round though we managed to visit the majority of them during our stay.
Coralline
The first restaurant we visited was Coralline, an open air, beachfront restaurant located next to the resort pools and beach.
We ate here the first day while we waited on our room to be prepared. I ordered the burger which was very good. The rest of our group also enjoyed their meals.
La Cantina Sports Bar
On the second day, we had lunch at La Cantina Sports bar. La Cantina is located adjacent to Cocina Casera, which was closed when we walked by.
La Cantina has indoor and outdoor seating. There are a few TVs behind the bar where you can, in theory, watch your favorite sporting events.
We sat outside and got a great table in the shade.
At La Cantina I had a delicious, and massive, wrap that hit the spot.
Mercadito
Mercadito is the onsite market at the hotel. It functions as a grocery store and has a variety of products. You can get everything from OREO cookies to Havana Club rum here.
The hotel website doesn’t list hours for Mercadito though, they were open each time we visited, even late into the evening.
Margaritas Pool Bar
Margaritas was probably the food and beverage outlet we visited the most during our stay. The bar is located in the middle of the pool deck and has two sides. The first is a sunken seating area with a single, long bench. The other side was a covered, swim up bar which gives you the chance to escape the sun.
The service here was very hit or miss depending on the time of day and the staff. We tried to eat lunch here when we first arrived and it took 15 minutes for one of the bartenders to bring us a menu. 15 minutes later, 30 in total, he still hadn’t come by to take drink orders so we left.
Later in our stay, when we spent a day at the pool, the bartenders were extremely responsive when serving to the pool side. One strange thing, especially at a hotel pool where they have your room number, was the fact that we couldn’t keep a running tab. We had to close out and sign after each order.
The Westin Los Cabos Grounds
As you may have noticed from earlier photos, the resort is absolutely massive. Aside from the pool, most spaces felt quiet and serene with plenty of space to sit and relax. There were numerous amenities spread throughout the property and I’m sure I didn’t even get to them all. Thankfully, there is wayfinding signage throughout the property.
There were multiple sets of seating scattered around the property. These were mostly used at night from what I could tell. The desert heat is evident even a few hundred yards inland from the beach.
Near the lobby, there was what appeared to be a converted driveway that had some seating, a ping pong table, and a basketball goal. While I’m glad they converted some otherwise wasted space, these items appeared comically small compared to their surroundings.
On the rooftop, close to the lobby, was a pair of tennis courts. One of the courts had been converted into two pickleball courts. I never saw anyone playing tennis during our stay, but the pickleball courts appeared to be popular.
The Westin Los Cabos Fitness Center
The Westin brand has been positioned in the Marriott portfolio as the health and wellness brand. Because of this, the hotels typically have large fitness centers and fitness related activities throughout the day.
At The Westin Los Cabos, the Westin Workout fitness center is co-located with the spa off of the main courtyard.
Upon entering, check in for Spa Otomi is located over to the left. We didn’t take advantage of any of the spa services during our stay. According to the hotel website they offer facials, manicures, pedicures, massages, and waxing services.
To the right, up a flight of stairs, you’ll find the entrance to the Westin Workout studio.
While this is far from the largest fitness center I’ve seen at a Westin, it has a decent selection of workout equipment.
The views out the windows were great and I’m assuming most people on vacation were out there at the beach since the fitness center was deserted.
If working out indoors isn’t your style at the beach, the hotel offers a variety of classes held outside each day. This included morning yoga on the beach which we participated in during our stay.
Summary
The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas is far from the most cutting edge hotel in the area. At 30 years old the design definitely looks dated but the hotel has been well maintained. The major downside to this hotel is the east facing view which means you don’t get any afternoon sun on the beach and pools.
Our room had plenty of space for four adults to spread out without bothering one another and a useable kitchen that allowed us to prepare meals when we wanted to eat in. Overall I’d put the hotel in the good, not great category but we would return again if the opportunity presented itself.
In This Trip Report
- Introduction
- American Boeing 737-800 Business Class (AUS-SJD)
- The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas
- VIP Lounge Los Cabos International (SJD)
- American Boeing 737-800 Business Class (SJD-AUS)
Still looks the same as 1994 when my parents bought a timeshare there. I spent at least 2 weeks a year there through 2000.
It was probably super modern back in 1994!
This is a great and very detailed review.
We ar MVCI member adult family, so am considering this place. Curious about activities outside the hotel. Sounds like a car is pretty much a requirement.
Bottom line question is should we plan for here, or a different Marriott location?
Enjoyed the hotel but there isn’t much around in the way of activities. There are a ton of other properties lining that section of the beach and a few golf courses but a car/rideshare is a must. If you want walkability you’d need to stay in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo. We found Uber’s very easy to get and used those to get around.