Choose Las Ventanas al Paraíso for privacy and polish, Montage Los Cabos for a calm swimming bay and the biggest spa, and One&Only Palmilla for heritage, energy and the widest choice of restaurants. All three sit on the Tourist Corridor facing the Sea of Cortez, and all three were awarded Two Michelin Keys in the guide’s first Mexico hotel selection, so deciding on the best Cabo resort for you is about fit rather than quality.
The right answer depends on who is travelling, how much time you want in the water and how quiet or social you like your evenings. Here is how to read the differences, and what to ask for at each.
The short version
- Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort: 84 suites and villas, butler service in every suite and a hushed, residential mood. Best for couples, milestones and guests who value discretion above all.
- Montage Los Cabos: 122 rooms, suites and casas on 39 acres along Santa María Bay, with a 40,000-square-foot spa. Best for families, swimmers and spa-centred trips.
- One&Only Palmilla: 174 oceanfront rooms and suites, a broad collection of restaurants and bars, and Cabo’s original luxury address. Best for travellers who like a resort with history and a little buzz.
Las Ventanas: the private one
Las Ventanas al Paraíso sits at Km 19.5, closer to San José del Cabo than to Cabo San Lucas. It is the smallest of the three by key count, and it feels it. Whitewashed buildings, stone paths and bougainvillea frame a serpentine run of pools, and suites carry Mexican craft details such as adobe fireplaces and hand-carved woodwork.
The defining feature is service. Every suite has a butler, and the resort is built for guests who would rather shape their own days than follow an activities board. Dining is strong enough to keep you on property: Árbol for Indian and pan-Asian cooking, Sea Grill on the sand, a Tequila & Ceviche Bar and La Botica, the apothecary-style speakeasy where cocktails start with a conversation.
The momentum is real. This year Las Ventanas climbed to 25th on The World’s 50 Best Hotels, and in September it retained its Two Michelin Keys in the 2027 hotel selection. It also holds Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond status, and marks its 30th anniversary in 2027.
Ask for: a suite with a rooftop terrace, and one of the spa suites for a private half day with your own infrared sauna and whirlpool.
Montage: the swimmer’s choice
Montage Los Cabos occupies 39 acres on Santa María Bay, roughly mid-Corridor. That bay is its great advantage. Rugged headlands shelter the cove, and independent guides to Cabo’s beaches single it out as prime territory for snorkelling and swimming, which most Los Cabos resorts cannot offer. Santa María is also one of the destination’s Blue Flag beaches.
The architecture is low and contemporary, and the 122 keys include standalone casas with private pools. Spa Montage covers 40,000 square feet, with 12 treatment rooms, contrast hydrotherapy and an adults-only Serenity Pool, so a full spa day needs no planning beyond the booking. Mezcal, the resort’s Mexican restaurant, is recommended in the Michelin Guide, and Marea moves from beach lunch to a moodier dinner.
Golfers can play Twin Dolphin, the Fred Couples course in the private community next door, by booking through the resort.
Ask for: a casa with a private pool if you are travelling as a family, and an early-morning snorkel in the bay, when the water is at its calmest.
One&Only Palmilla: the original
One&Only Palmilla began in 1956 as a 15-room hideaway built by Don Abelardo Rodríguez, son of a Mexican president, and became One&Only Palmilla in 2004 after a major refurbishment. It still carries that old Cabo glamour, now with a larger, livelier footprint: 174 oceanfront rooms and suites and two four-bedroom villas.
Food is its broadest strength. SEARED is a wood-fired steakhouse, Hoshi a 28-seat Japanese counter in the historic bell tower, Agua serves farm-to-table Mexican cooking and Pelican Bar & Grill keeps things easy on the beach. Separate pools split families from adults, the KidsOnly club runs crafts, cooking and sports clinics, and the One&Only Spa is set across private treatment villas with outdoor showers and garden daybeds.
Pelican Beach has lifeguards, though the water is less sheltered than at Santa María Bay, so check the flags before swimming. Golfers should know that Palmilla’s Nicklaus golf club is in a multi-year renovation running through 2027 and 2028, so confirm which nines are open before counting on a round next door.
Ask for: a seat at Hoshi, which with only 28 places is the resort’s hardest dinner, and a treatment villa at the spa in late afternoon.
Matching the resort to the trip
Honeymoons and anniversaries
Las Ventanas first, for privacy and butler service. Montage’s casas with private pools are a strong alternative for couples who want more space.
Families
Montage for the calm bay and the casas. One&Only for the kids’ club, the separate pools and the sheer choice of places to eat. Las Ventanas works for families too, especially in its larger suites and villas, but its mood suits older children best.
Golf trips
Montage, for guest access to Twin Dolphin. One&Only becomes a strong golf base again once Palmilla’s renovation is complete.
Spa weeks
Montage for scale and facilities. Las Ventanas for the most private treatment spaces.
One signature moment at each
If you want to know which resort is right for you, picture the one evening you will remember.
- At Las Ventanas, it is a private dinner in La Cava, the wine cellar of around 2,400 bottles that hosts one party at a time, followed by a nightcap at La Botica.
- At Montage, it is a late afternoon at the adults-only Serenity Pool after the contrast hydrotherapy, then dinner at Marea as the bay goes dark.
- At One&Only Palmilla, it is a seat at the Hoshi counter in the old bell tower, with the resort’s long history all around you.
Whichever of those sounds most like your trip is probably your answer.
Practical points before you book
- Location. Las Ventanas and One&Only sit at the San José end of the Corridor, closer to the airport and the Gallery District. Montage is more central, which helps if you plan evenings in Cabo San Lucas.
- Dining reservations. Resort restaurants often prioritise in-house guests, so book signature dinners when you confirm the room.
- Villas. All three offer standalone villas or residences for groups, and the best of them book early for the holidays.
- Ratings change. Awards are reassessed every year, so treat them as a signal of consistency rather than a tiebreaker.
The Cabo 100 take: there is no wrong answer among these three, only a better fit. If the brief is quiet, book Las Ventanas. If it is the sea, book Montage. If it is a sense of occasion and plenty to do, book Palmilla.
Compare them with the rest of the shortlist in our Stay category, or join the Insider List for new features as we publish them.
