What happens when Long Beach goes to Quivira Los Cabos? First-class everything!
As a resident of Long Beach, I am accustomed to beach living. I see the ocean every day, walk and ride a bike more often than I drive, and I know to expect things to be a lot more relaxed than they would be 40-something miles away in Manhattan. This town -- technically a city -- is an anomaly, even by Long Island standards.
When given the opportunity to spend four days in Cabo San Lucas -- courtesy of Quivira Los Cabos -- I was initially skeptical. I wondered why a person who lives in a beach-centric community should travel thousands of miles to another, well, beach-centric community. Could it really be any more relaxing than Long Beach? Once on-site at Quivira Los Cabos, about a 40-minute drive from San Jose del Cabo Airport, I quickly found the answer to be "yes"; those with private jet access have an even shorter drive thanks to an executive airport located about six miles away.
A view from the Quivira Golf Course / Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz
Quivira Los Cabos is not just an all-inclusive resort, rather, it is a collection of resorts and properties situated along Mexico's Pacific coast. The spread-out community includes the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica (an oceanfront resort only for adults), the Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach (based on a coastal bluff), the Pueblo Bonito Montecristo Estates (three-bedroom villas with private infinity pools), and The Towers at Pacifica (an extension of Pacifica which include 24-hour butler service). Beyond the all-inclusive experience, also on-site is the Quivira Golf Club, which features a Jack Nicklaus Signature course and the Quivira Steakhouse; as seen in the video below, the Quivira Golf Club overlooks the ocean, probably providing the most scenic golf game you have ever played. The community also offers the outdoors-centric program "The Q Life," which includes hiking, horseback riding, swimming with dolphins, whale watching, and ATV tours. Pacifica specifically offers -- as pictured below -- a mix of culinary classes, sports activities, and games. For those looking to stay in Cabo longer than a few days, there are also ownership opportunities within the Copala Residences, Coronado residences, the Novaispania, and the aforementioned Montecristo.
As with Long Island, another signature of this region of Mexico beyond its golfing and beaches, is its local wine industry. The Wall Street Journal is among the major publications that have brought attention to the Mexican wine industry, which is rooted in Baja. Currently there are over 120 wineries in and around Baja, including Valle de Guadalupe and Valle de Santo Tomas. Quivira Los Cabos offers many of these local wines by the glass, many of which also for in-room enjoyment. Antonio Palacios is the head sommelier and bartender of the Pueblo Bonito resorts, and is readily available to guests, offering a Mixology class as part of the aforementioned "Q Life."
For my Quivira experience, I had the pleasure of staying at The Towers at Pacifica. After getting through the gates of Pacifica -- there were two security checkpoints, which ought to illustrate how safe and secure you ought to feel -- my wife and I were greeted within moments by our British Butler Institute-certified butler Manuel. Within one minute of that greeting, another butler had approached with two complimentary cocktails on a tray for us without solicitation; this same first-class treatment was seen being offered to dozens of other guests during our stay. Manuel turned out to be a regular part of our stay, checking in with us via text at least once a day to see if anything was needed. He served as a buffer for housekeeping, dining and all other departments of the hotel, making sure that we were there to unwind and make new memories.
An activity board found at Pacifica / Photo: Darren Paltrowitz
One of the amazing parts of The Towers at Pacifica is that you really did not have the leave the hotel for anything. A beachfront resort, Pacifica is also full of palm trees, pools and cactuses, giving you a great view no matter where you look. Its dining options were diverse to the point that you would be able to try new items every meal. Peninsula offered local Baja fare, Siempre was focused on Mediterranean food, Pescados was heavy on seafood and sushi, and Aire Restaurant -- which includes a swim-up bar -- offered bar favorites, which goes beyond the tapas, in-room dining and deli options also made available. As if that weren't enough, visitors who purchased an all-inclusive package for Pacifica were entitled to visit 23 restaurants and 12 bars in total, as such included venues at the Quivira Clubhouse and sister resorts Sunset Beach, Los Cabos and Rosé. Pacifica also has the Armonia Spa, in addition to tennis courts and a fitness center. If you did want to leave Pacifica but still stay local within Quivira, there was free shuttle service between its different properties, including The Market at Quivira, a shopping and dining experience inspired by the great food halls of Europe.
The stand-out entree at Peninsula was the Slow-Roasted Short Ribs, as served with farro risotto and root vegetables. Peninsula had an unforgettable dessert with the Walnuts Mousse with Warm Chocolate Cake, which was accompanied by Damiana strawberry compote, chocolate crumble, and homemade pistacho ice cream; this plate offered every texture, flavor and level of sweetness one could hope for in a dessert. The Ribeye at the Quivira Golf Club's steakhouse was not one of the most delicious steaks I have ever had, but also one of the largest as I could not finish it. The closest kiosk to the entrance of The Market at Quivira, La Chocolateria is full of truffles, chocolates and macarons, many of which painted so creatively that you will want to take photos before eating them. Beyond its Mediterranean cuisine, as available for lunch and dinner, Siempre had a breakfast buffet that includes something for everyone, not just the traditional eggs and meats you would find at a hotel's continental breakfast, but also local favorites and sweets.
My favorite part of the visit to Quivira Los Cabos was not the top-notch service, the excellent food, or the spacious guest room that came with a balcony, but rather the overall mindset it presented. Like a luxury cruise without the rough seas or claustrophobia, The Towers at Pacifica enabled you to do as much or as little as you pleased. The resort never made you feel as if you had to do anything by a certain time, especially with a butler like Manuel -- or Manny, as we grew to call him -- on-call at all times. You were simply there to enjoy yourself, calling the day's activities as the time passed. Furthermore, I can imagine that it would be difficulty to find an all-inclusive that is both luxurious and affordable. Pacifica felt private, exclusive, modern, and international all at once. While my wife and I did venture off-site to visit the world-famous, Sammy Hagar-owned Cabo Wabo Cantina and take a sailing tour via Cabo Adventures to see Lover's Beach, there really was no place like Quivira Los Cabos.
