When I think of Cabo San Lucas, all-night parties and tequila shots come to mind. However, despite this reputation, the Mexican coastal city is also a place of wellness. Thanks to Hacienda Encantada, visitors can enjoy a relaxing vacation at this all-inclusive optional resort that focuses on wellness and self-care.
I often have mixed feelings about resorts because they can sometimes be a barrier to connecting to the local culture. However, Hacienda Encantada balances showcasing Mexican design and providing a luxury experience.
Walking through the property, I appreciated the Handmade Talavera murals, Spanish fountains, and modern Mexican architecture, which made me feel connected to Mexico’s history and culture.
While my trip to the resort was centered around wellness, Hacienda Encantada is also a good choice for a solo getaway, a weekend girl’s trip, a romantic getaway or a relaxing family vacation.
Here’s how I spent my three-day trip to Cabo San Lucas.
While Hacienda Encantada hosted me, all opinions are my own.
Why Hacienda Encantada works for a wellness trip
- Staff that is ready to cater to your needs
- Milagro Spa Experience
- Yoga classes
- Fine dining
- Ocean view restaurants
- 3 different pools
- Temazcal experience
- Sports and fitness facilities on-site
- Golf cart service to help you get around the property
Let us inspire your travels! Sign up for our newsletter now.
Getting there
Cabo San Lucas is located on the southern coast of Baja, California. I flew into Cabo San Lucas International Airport. The main way to get to the resort is by taxi. You can either reserve a taxi from a private service or use the resort airport shuttle service.
The car ride to Hacienda Encantada was about 40 minutes.
When I arrived at the property, the staff was friendly and inviting. The check-in process takes about 20 minutes, during which you’ll be asked to leave a security deposit by cash or credit card. There are two ATMs on site; however, the resort is cashless, and credit cards are accepted for those not on the inclusive plan.
.
Two ways to stay: All inclusive Plan or European Plan
I was on the all-inclusive plan, which made moving about seamless. After eating out, I’d receive a bill with the tip already included. All I had to do was add my room number, and the staff would note that I was on the all-inclusive plan. This way, I didn’t have to worry about carrying my credit cards.
The all-inclusive plan includes the following:
- Unlimited beverages and food a la carte at the 9 resort restaurants and selected restaurants in downtown Cabo San Lucas known as the Golden Zone marina.
I appreciated that the all-inclusive plan includes meals at local restaurants outside of the resort. This gives you more opportunities to explore outside of the resort walls.
The European Plan:
- You can order and purchase food with your credit card. The costs of items are shown on the menus. However, if you book accommodations with a kitchen, you can buy and cook your food during your stay.
- Additionally, under the European plan, you can purchase an Inclusive Day Pass, which gives you all-inclusive perks for a day. This pass can be purchased before or during check-in.
Accommodations
Accommodation Options
Hacienda Suites:
- Luxury suites include a king bed or two queen beds, a large bathroom with a whirlpool, a kitchenette, a sitting area, and a private balcony.
- The master one-bedroom suite has a king-size bed, a suite bathroom, a sofa bed, a full kitchen, a dining area, a whirlpool, and a second bathroom.
- A family two-bedroom suite includes adjoining suites, a kitchenette, a dining area, two bathrooms, a whirlpool, a sitting area, and a private balcony.
- The presidential two-bedroom suite is 2,000 square feet and ideal for groups or families. It has a master bedroom, sitting area, full bath, whirlpool tub, and private balcony. The second bedroom has two queen beds, a bath, a whirlpool tub, and a private balcony. The large living area has a sofa bed, kitchen, dining area, guest bathroom, and balcony.
I stayed in the master one-bedroom suite with a comfortable king-size bed. While I enjoyed the ample space that felt like my own apartment, the suite could work for a romantic getaway with my partner and me or a girls’ trip.
Although I didn’t use the kitchen facilities, I appreciated having a fully stocked kitchen with pans, plates, cups, bowls, a working stove, and a full refrigerator. As someone with dietary restrictions who typically enjoys cooking my own food, it was nice to have this option.
Other accommodation options
- Residence suites that villas best for families or large groups
- El Encanto suites offer more amenities, such as a private pool
The room also came with house shoes and a robe, which I enjoyed lounging around in, between activities. The robes can also come in handy for a girl’s trip when you’re preparing to go out for the night.
I appreciated toiletries such as body wash, lotions, shampoo, and conditioner, all of which were locally made in Yucatan.
My favorite part of the suite was the view from the balcony overlooking the property and the ocean. The suite has two balconies, one connected to the living room and the other to the master bedroom.
It’s the perfect spot to catch the sunrise or the sunset. You can have a relaxing afternoon on the balcony with a book and a cup of coffee.
Milagro Spa Experience
Once I got settled into my room, my mission was to stay in relaxed mode for the entirety of my trip. So, my first stop was the Milagro Spa.
It’s important to get to the spa about 15 minutes before your appointment to go over allergies and get a preview of the facility.
The spa was pleasantly quiet when I walked in. The staff kindly assisted me to my locker, where I created my personal code to store my belongings. The spa also provided a soft robe and sandals during my visit.
My favorite spa amenities had to be the clothes drawer. An electrically powered device about the size of a small kitchen trash can, it draws clothes in minutes. I thought this was so convenient, as many of my clothes get wet. I could try them on and be on my way.
My spa experience started with an hour-long full-body massage. At the beginning of the massage, I was asked about the type of pressure I preferred, and my masseuse checked in periodically to ensure my comfort. It felt like every worry or care was massaged out of my body.
The spa offers various types of spa experiences, including:
- Deep Tissue Massage
- Relaxing Massage
- Sports Massage
- Body Scrubs and Wraps
- Facials
- Nail Treatments
After the massage, I wanted to stay on cloud 9, so I took full advantage of the spa facilities. The spa recommends a hydrotherapy session, which includes moving through the steam room and sauna, refreshing yourself with cold showers, dipping in the jacuzzi, and floating in the outdoor pool. They have a recommended procedure posted on the wall. I personally like mixing and matching my experiences.
Amenities
Since the focus of my trip was wellness, I took full advantage of the different amenities the property offers.
Adults-only pool and bar
Hacienda Encantada provides ample opportunity to soak up the sun and relax with three large pools. I spent most of my time at the adults-only pool. Situated in the middle of the pool is El Patio Bar and Restaurant. Here, you can experience various dining methods. You can eat at the bar or have your food brought to you while you relax in your lounge chair. You can also enjoy a drink at the bar submerged in the pool.
When I ordered food, I found it faster to go up to the bar and order versus waiting for someone to attend to me at my beach chair. I was a big fan of their smoothies and crab cakes.
I was lucky to find a lounge chair, cliffside that was facing the ocean. While relaxing in my chair, I’d occasionally fall into a trance, watching the waves crash into the rocks along the shoreline. For anyone visiting, I highly recommend ending your day poolside, where you can watch the sunset on the ocean horizon.
While the property is next to the ocean, I was surprised to find that there aren’t any accessible beaches surrounding it. However, you can go into town and take a boat to an accessible and swimmable beach such as Medano Beach, Cabo’s most popular swimming beach.
Besides lounging at the pool, there are other activities you can
- Morning yoga classes
- Visiting the fitness center
- Basketball, Volleyball and Tennis courts
- Biking trails
- Horseback riding
On certain nights, there are magic shows for families and Fridays there is the Temazcal experience, a traditional Mexican spiritual and cleansing ritual with many mental and wellness benefits.
Where to eat
The resort has 9 restaurants on-site, and the prices are shown for guests not on the all-inclusive plan.
Breakfast buffet at Las Marias
I frequented Las Marias because of the variety of breakfast foods available. The restaurant offers a variety of delicious options for almost everyone’s taste. Some of the plates I couldn’t get enough of were the fried potatoes with bell peppers, fluffy scrambled eggs, tropical fruit, pancakes and French toast, and Mexican-style pastries. I particularly like their green juice, but they offered mimosas if you wanted something more celebratory.
Because I got to the restaurant relatively early, I secured a table outside that overlooked the beautiful ocean, creating a calming start to the day.
Other breakfast spots include:
- Mestizo Del Mar Restaurant ( part of the all-inclusive plan)
- Fresco Juice Bar, a part of Vista Encantada.
- Starbucks ( not included in the all-inclusive plan)
Lunch and dinner options
Since I started my days with a big breakfast, I took it easy for lunch most days and ate at the restaurants on site. Some of the restaurants included
- Los Riscos Mexican Grill and Bar open for dinner
- La Trajinera Mexcian Gourment open for dinner
- El Eden Taco and Tequila Bar open for dinner
- La Pergola Restaurant and Pool Bar for lunch and an early dinner
- Il Forno Pizza open for lunch and dinner
Parthenon
The last dinner of the trip was at the Parthenon (Barolo) restaurant for a torch-lit dinner with a specialty menu. Every dish was put together like a work of art.
My taste buds were delighted after tasting the catch of the day, which was decorated with various herbs and spices and accompanied by carrots and mussels. I also sipped on sweet wine to help me wash down my meal. To complete my dining experience, I had a tart, sweet lemon sorbet for dessert.
Los Deseos
To start, I ordered Salmon and Mango Aguacate, a cut-up piece of salmon mixed with cucumber, red onion, avocado, black sauce, and oregano oil. The fish was fresh, and the extra toppings added a pop of flavor and texture.
For my main dish, I got the Lobster Pozolo, a lobster broth with Cacahuazintle corn served with lime, onion, and chilli on the side. I’m a fan of pozole but had never had it with lobster, so I was eager to try it out.
For dessert, we had a caramelized corn cake, which melted my mouth with the perfect balance of not being too sweet and just being sweet enough. I also tried the Avocado Mouse, which provided an interesting texture but wasn’t too sweet.
If you decide to have dinner in town, the Sky Bar at the Marina Fiesta Resort, Hacienda Encantada’s sister resort, is great for a nightcap. You can have a tropical drink with a luminous view of the harbor.
Things to do outside of the resort
While there are many things to do on the property, it’s worth exploring things to do in town.
Boat experience
Sailing on the Pacific Ocean was among my favorite and most refreshing activities. Yachts Cabo took us on a rejuvenating yacht experience, where we cruised the coastline and marvelled at the beautiful rock formations that jetted out of the water. We even spotted a sea turtle shyly passing us by.
For part of our experience, we stopped the boat in the middle of the ocean to swim in the clear blue waters. Swimming in the sea in October was the perfect temperature—not too warm, and I felt like I could have stayed there for hours.
Other experiences to try in Cabo San Lucas
Apart from the boat experience, there are various water and land activities to do in Cabo San Lucas. Whether your wellness journey is focused on peace, joy, or excitement, there is an activity for you. Here’s what the city has to offer
- ATV riding
- Fishing
- Sunset cruises
- Golfing
- Horseback riding
- Dolphin swimming
Final thoughts
Overall, Hacienda Encantada is a beautiful and relaxing getaway that can make any vacation feel like a slice of heaven.
Leave a Reply