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From music-themed spa treatments to studio sessions, Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos offers a unique all-inclusive experience, as Jennifer Morris discovered on a pre-lockdown visit
I stare out of the car window as the cacti that line the highway grow ever larger, like the ones you see in old Westerns. My taxi driver is filling me in on the local area, but I’m distracted by the “Welcome to the Hotel California” lyric playing on a loop in my head.
We’re actually headed to the Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos, which opened in July 2019, but the driver has just pointed out a sign to Todos Santos – home to the lodgings made famous by the Eagles’ iconic song.
I’m shaken from my desert-lined reverie when we pull off the highway and descend towards the sea. It’s a beautiful contrast, the rich blue of the ocean against Mexico’s sandy Baja California Sur.
The driver casually points out some humpback whales frolicking in the near distance (the next time I’d see them would be from my sun lounger). I feel like I’ve already had a travel experience before I’ve even stepped into the lobby.
But as soon as I do, the outside world melts away. It’s alive with colour and excitement.
My sister Ana and I are handed glasses of fizz as we check in, free to gaze around in wonder. Here’s Madonna’s outfit with the conical bosoms, there’s Axl Rose’s jacket…
I’d never visited a Hard Rock International property before, but soon learn the brand owns more than 83,000 pieces of memorabilia worldwide, beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar.
We visited in March this year, before the Covid pandemic grounded global travel, but with its capacious hallways, eight restaurants and five large pools (with five swim-up bars) spread out across the hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos is naturally socially distanced, making it a good choice for clients planning a holiday for next year.
My sister and I stay in a spacious Rock Suite Ocean Front Swim-up suite (fees apply). A little tired from our overnight flight, we decide to order fajitas and white wine to our terrace, which we enjoy between dips in our private plunge pool. Such a private room would be a good choice for those looking for minimal contact with others, with 24-hour room service available and plenty to see from your lounger.
After a good night’s sleep we’re keen to make the most of the resort and try a different restaurant every night. We eat Mexican at Los Gallos – complete with tangy cocktails prepared at our table; we try mouthwatering steaks at Toro; and cheer and gasp as our chef sets our dinner alight at the Zen sushi and tepanyaki restaurant.
We also make full use of the Cafetto grab ’n’ go coffee shop, picking up slices of cake and milkshake when we pass – just because we can. The breakfast is something else too, and we justify a glass of bubbles with a quick morning gym session in the state-of-the-art Body Rock.
With Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos’ limitless all-inclusive concept, clients can choose from unlimited off-site tours and on-property activities for a 25% fee of the total cost of the activity.
After a few days of rotating around the glorious pools (head to the main Lyric pool for music, activities and water slides or choose a more secluded option for peace and quiet) and eating and drinking to our hearts’ content, my sister and I are ready for some activities.
We head to the Music Lab, where we put in headphones and belt out some classics before being sent the recording on a link. Clients can jam, mix and even record a music video.
On a cloudier day we head to the Rock Spa. I’m intrigued by the Rhythm and Motion experience and spend a blissful hour with a speaker suspended above my head as the table vibrates and I’m massaged in time with the
music – a mash-up of everything from the Beatles to the XX.
While there is more than enough to keep us entertained in the resort, mid-week we head to the activities desk and check out the countless excursions bookable through the hotel, which include a morning arch catamaran trip for $25 with the Limitless credits, a Wild Canyon zip-lining experience at $35 and a trip to Todos Santos for $21.25.
We sign up for the early arch cruise and are rewarded with fantastic views around the famous Arch of Cabo San Lucas and buy some local trinkets and food afterwards.
We top the week off with a day spent at our favourite beachfront Rhythm pool where we’re lucky enough to spot a humpback whale waggling its tail in the air from our sun loungers.
Los Cabos – or “Cabo” as it’s known – is a year-round destination, so ideal for winter sun, with the possibility of spotting whales between December and April.
The hotel says the UK market and agents are “very important to it”, and plans to expand on this with a new agent rewards programme in the pipeline.
Ana and I stay at the pool bar sipping mojitos until the sun goes down, before returning to our terrace for the most incredible vivid orange sunset over the beach – ordering some chilled white wine to arrive at our door beforehand.
All that’s left on the agenda is to get dressed for dinner, and I’m reminded of the total relaxation an all-inclusive holiday grants you.
Book it: JTA can offer seven nights at Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos from £1,699pp including American Airlines flights from Heathrow (indirect), departing 8 September 2021 and staying in a junior suite. jtatravel.co.uk; hardrockhotels.com
Smarter: Clients can access Rock Om in-room on-demand yoga videos to stay fit in the comfort of their own room.
Better: The hotel has 60,000 square feet of meeting and events space (indoor and outdoor), ideal for weddings, concerts and more – once guests feel ready to host these. There is a dedicated wedding space including a gazebo and a Catholic chapel.
Fairer: Hard Rock’s Safe + Sound hygiene programme uses Ecolab’s environmentally friendly, biodegradable services.
What Covid safety measures has the resort adopted?
“Our hotel teams have worked hand-in- hand with local and national authorities while adhering to globally recognised guidelines to devise a number of added measures. The hotel has implemented the global Hard Rock Safe + Sound programme in addition to measures involving food and beverage, guest and employee health, employee training, cleaning and sanitation and physical distancing.”
What does the new Safe + Sound programme entail?
“Powered by Ecolab, it includes detailed guidelines and protocols followed by all branded properties around the world. As part of the programme, every Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is required to pass the Safe + Sound 272-point inspection independently assessed by public health and safety organisation NSF International.”
What makes the hotel a good choice for clients seeking a safe all-inclusive holiday?
“Set on 30,000 square metres of land with a kilometre of sandy beach, Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos is spacious and spread out, allowing for extensive personal space and social distancing. The hotel has a number of rooms with their own swimming pools and sun terraces for customers looking for more personal space. Buffets have been eliminated from restaurants and replaced with a la carte dining, and restaurant menus are available through a QR code and on one-time-use disposable handouts. Room service menus have been expanded to offer even more choice 24 hours a day at no extra charge for clients wanting to dine in their own space.”
