Minimalist Beach Chic: Nobu Los Cabos, Mexico – Hotel Review

Poised on the blustery, southernmost end of Cabo San Lucas – on the shoreline of the rough Pacific coast – the clean and sleek, whitewashed Nobu Los Cabos makes for a button-down hideaway. With a handful of restaurants, including a signature Nobu Restaurant overlooking a gold-sand beach and throttling surf, gastronomy is the star of the show.

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Minimalist Beach Chic: Nobu Los Cabos, Mexico – Hotel Review

STAY

Nobu Los Cabos is based approximately 45 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport, in the 80-acre Diamante complex where Tiger Woods is rumoured to have a home. A sprawling retreat with six dining venues, four pools and a massive spa and gym, the blindingly-white, minimalist resort fringed in palm, oleanders and cacti is stationed right next to the Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos. Views overlook the ocean, as well as the larger Diamante complex (some of which is still undergoing construction). There are 200 generously sized rooms, spaced out over three interconnected buildings, enhanced with Asian touches, like airy kimono-style robes, kyusu clay teapots and wooden Japanese soaking tubs.

A deluxe, swim-up room

Because strong currents make the Pacific Ocean dangerous for swimming, hotel pools are especially important in Cabo, and Nobu Los Cabos does not disappoint: there’s the serene Pacific Pool, the buzzy Cortez Pool with DJ and swim-up bar, and the adults-only Sunset Infinity Pool. Guests looking for a relaxing stay should request rooms overlooking the beach (which is almost always deserted) or the mellow Pacific Pool. Sunworshippers will delight in the swim-up rooms on the ground floors, though there are plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas throughout the property.

Because of the hotel’s prime position, sunsets make for dazzling evening displays, best enjoyed in a beachfront cabana, with toes in the sugar-soft sand and a garden-fresh New Daisy cocktail (Patron, blueberry shrub, lemon, sage and bitter orange) in hand.

A deluxe room with a private pool

DO

The small resort town of Cabo San Lucas is around a half-hour away by taxi or Uber (it takes nearly ten minutes just to get to the entrance of the Diamante complex). Once in Cabo, walking is the best mode of transport. Try Los Tres Gallos for knockout chile en nogada or the coastal-chic SUR Beach House with Cali-cool sensibilities.

Whale-watching tours and sunset boat trips are de rigueur (see: the postcard-famous rock formation, El Arco, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez). In the rainy months, mainly August and September, mud-splashing ATV rides are also popular. The ‘official’ season for whales – usually grey whales and humpback whales – runs from around December to April in Cabo San Lucas, and eagle-eyed observers may even spy them from the shoreline.

The Pacific Pool

EAT

There’s a wide food and drink selection, the highlights of which include: upscale Mexican at the poolside Pacifico, for fresh-from-the-ocean striped bass and jicama tacos with Pacific prawns (plus live music); and the carnivore-slanted, refined grill, Ardea, for Japanese A5 wagyu, glazed with raspberry and balsamic jus, and rich bone marrow with tangy tamarind and jalapeño relish.

But, of course, the titular Nobu Restaurant is the place to be. Expect all of the classics, including a killer rendition of that miso black cod, plus location-specific delights like white fish cactus salsa, scallop tostadas, and local whole fish. Pair the plates with a fresh and fruity bottle of Mina Penelope Sauvignon Blanc from the Valle de Guadalupe and book al fresco at sundown to watch the beach turn gold and the glowing moon rise over the waves. Try the tres leches sponge for dessert, studded with milk meringue, vanilla cream and refreshing watermelon sorbet.

Nobu Restaurant Terrace

THE FINAL WORD

Posted on Baja’s southernmost tip with an edge-of-the-earth feel, Nobu Los Cabos provokes breathy sighs of relaxation, with clean, Asian-inspired design and desert-haute landscaping. Rooms stay true to the brand’s Japanese roots, but high-end Mexican fare and the seaside Nobu Restaurant is the reason to visit.

BOOK

Rooms from around £400 per night. loscabos.nobuhotels.com