One&Only Spa at Palmilla
Private treatment villas with outdoor showers and garden daybeds, a longtime Cabo spa benchmark.
One&Only Palmilla is a beachfront resort on the Tourist Corridor on Palmilla Bay with a rare swimmable shoreline facing the Sea of Cortez. Its spa matches that pedigree. Spread across roughly 22,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, it treats wellness as something rooted in place, drawing on Mexican ceremony as much as on modern skincare.
What sets it apart is the range. On one side sit rituals led by a resident Mexican spiritual healer: a temazcal steam ceremony, a copal and herb-infused water cleanse followed by deep massage, a cacao ceremony and a sunrise purification set to drums and the sound of the ocean. On the other is a serious beauty and science offer, including Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare, which the resort presents as exclusive to Palmilla in Mexico, and a PEDI:MANI:CURE studio linked to the podiatrist Bastien Gonzalez.
The spa also hosts the Baja Wellness Collective, a rotating programme of visiting practitioners, coaches and beauty specialists who bring residencies, masterclasses and one-to-one sessions in areas such as reflexology, movement and integrative healing. It keeps the calendar fresh for repeat guests.
What to expect
Arrival leads into the Hydrotherapy and Relaxation Garden, with sauna, steam, cold plunge and whirlpool, all complimentary for resort guests. Treatments can be a straightforward massage or facial, or one of the ceremonial experiences, which feel distinctly Mexican rather than generic resort fare. Beyond the treatment rooms, a full beauty salon and a Barber & Blade grooming space round out the offer.
Fitness is taken seriously. The studio runs around the clock for in-house guests and is equipped with Technogym machines, a Pilates reformer, a Peloton bike and TRX. Private or group yoga and Pilates are available, and outdoor sessions include HIIT, bootcamp and stand-up paddleboarding on the bay.
Good to know
- Book online through the resort’s spa reservation system or by email; the spa asks guests to arrive 30 minutes before a treatment.
- The spa runs 9am to 5pm, while the hydrotherapy garden stays open until 6pm.
- Guests under 16 must be accompanied, and the wet areas are for ages 16 and over.
- Visiting practitioners in the Baja Wellness Collective appear for set windows, so check dates before planning around one.
- Best suited to travellers who want ceremony and cutting-edge skincare in one place.