Todos Santos
a curated guide featuring the top luxury resorts in todos santos
Some destinations simply call to you, and I had been dreaming about visiting Todos Santos for at least three years now so to finally have visited, and checked off all the top luxury resorts in the area, has been such a pinch-me experience. Below is a curated list of the top stays in the region along with the key differentiators to help you plan your ideal getaway. If you find yourself having a hard time choosing, you can always opt for what we did which was to spend two nights each across two different resorts, to fully soak up what the area has to offer.
Welcome to todos santos
Arrival: All international journeys to Todos Santos typically begin at Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) in San José del Cabo. From there, you’ll head north up the Pacific coast. Depending on your budget and preference, you will travel via one of two ways:
Private Shuttle or Car Service: The most seamless and stress-free option. You can book a private airport shuttle or private driver directly to your hotel. It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes via the toll road (Highway 19), allowing you to sit back and enjoy the scenic views without worrying about navigation.
I have used Rico Transportation for our last 4 visits to Cabo and have found their communication, service, and punctuality to be good.
Rental Car: For those wanting ultimate flexibility to explore the surrounding beaches and surf spots at their own pace. The drive from SJD to Todos Santos is smooth and straightforward on well-maintained highways.
Tip 1: Airport transfers and private drivers can be a sneaky cost. Be prepared to spend anywhere from $150 to $300+ each way for a private vehicle, depending on the size of your group. Be sure to clarify if the toll road fees are included in your quote before you book.
The Layout: Todos Santos is not a massive, sprawling resort city like Cabo San Lucas; it is a charming, historic town nestled between the Sierra de la Laguna mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Accommodation here leans into boutique luxury, eco-chic desert lodges, and historic haciendas rather than large all-inclusive mega-resorts. All three resorts we visited were within 25 minutes of one another.
Top 3 luxury resorts in the region
Hotel San Cristobal: This is the place to stay if you want a curated, deeply authentic boutique experience that feels like an intentional escape. Perched right on the coast at Punta Lobos, this 32-room haven perfectly captures the laid-back charm of the region with its vibrant Mexican textiles, mid-century design accents, and intimate scale. It balances a hyper-local, feel with wonderful, personalized service, making it feel like a laid back sanctuary for travelers who appreciate thoughtful design and a mellow atmosphere.
Paradero: This is Todos Santos in its most striking, rustic-luxury form. Designed specifically for the adventurous traveler, Paradero is a high-design, eco-chic fortress blended seamlessly into the desert and farming landscape of El Pescadero. The vibe here is raw and intentional, featuring minimalist concrete architecture, open-air star-gazing nets, and an emphasis on outdoor exploration. They offer culturally rich experiences like guided hikes along the Pacific bluffs, morning yoga, hands-on cooking classes, and surfing at nearby beaches - making it the ultimate retreat for those who want luxury paired with a sense of being off the beaten path.
Kimpton Mas Olas: For those who prefer a slightly larger, self-contained resort feel without sacrificing a regional ambiance, this adults-only oceanfront stay is the perfect fit. While it remains down-to-earth and honors local architecture with low-lying adobe-inspired structures, it delivers the expansive amenities of a modern luxury resort. With nearly 100 rooms, four distinct outdoor pools, a modern wellness spa, and three on-site restaurants, offering international cuisine, Mas Olas provides a suite of elevated offerings for the luxury traveler.
Hotel San Cristobal details
Number of nights: 2 nights
Room Type: Ocean View Studio King
Villa: Our suite at Hotel San Cristobal was truly picturesque. Rather than a sterile luxury environment, the interiors feel deeply intentional and spacious, providing plenty of room to unpack and unwind. We absolutely loved the vibrant, bright colors used in the decor which gave the space a wonderfully authentic feel.
A minor note: One important note for future travelers is that the handmade, natural-fiber beds are incredibly firm. If you prefer a soft, plush mattress, it might take a night to get used to, but the stunning, unobstructed views of the Pacific right outside your window more than make up for it.
Food: Our dining experiences at Hotel San Cristobal truly exceeded our expectations. Overall, I’d rate the food a 9/10 - consistently delicious, beautifully presented, and deeply reflective of the region's culinary culture.
The Standout Spots:
Cosecha: This was our favorite meal during our stay in Todos Santos. What we loved most was the true farm-to-table aspect of the dining experience; the ingredients were incredibly fresh - having been picked on the farm that day - and the menu remained proudly Mexican-inspired. It never lost the authentic soul and flavor profile of the region, seamlessly elevating traditional dishes into something memorable.
The Breakfast Experience: Thanks to our Amex Platinum status, we enjoyed complimentary breakfast each morning, and it was absolutely outstanding. The visual display of the food was beautiful, but the true highlights were the thoughtful touches: an extensive lineup of unique, incredibly flavorful salsas, fresh-squeezed juices, and hot, hand-made tortillas pressed right before your eyes. It was the perfect way to start every day.
Amenities: While Hotel San Cristóbal leans into a more intimate, boutique scale rather than a sprawling mega-resort, its amenities are thoughtfully curated to maximize relaxation.
The Pool: It is worth noting that the hotel does not have a traditional indoor gym. However, the stunning oceanfront pool is long, heated, and great for swimming laps to get your morning workout in.
Beach Access: The property offers direct beach access which is perfect for long, scenic morning walks with your coffee alongside the crashing waves and local fishing boats.
What surprised us most: Hotel San Cristobal surprised us in the best way possible. While we expected a beautiful stay, we were truly blown away by the intimate, peaceful feel of the entire property. We loved spending the day lounging around their stunning heated pool, enjoying golden hour drinks as the sunset over the pacific, and finishing the evening dining at their farm-to-table restaurant, Cosecha. Hotel San Cristobal is the type of stay where its impossible to not feel completely at ease the moment you arrive.
Paradero details
Stay Status: Property Visit & Dinner Only
Restaurant: Tenoch (Open Kitchen)
The Vibe & Atmosphere: Even if you aren't staying overnight, making the trip to Paradero for dinner is an absolute must. This is the resort that originally put Todos Santos on the map for me and is definitely worth visiting. Nestled in the farming community of El Pescadero, the property feels less like a traditional resort and more like a high-design, chic compound blended seamlessly into the desert landscape. The architecture is a striking mix of brutalist, raw concrete and wild, native flora. The feeling of walking through the grounds at dusk to get to the restaurant is impossible to put into words - it is rustic luxury at its absolute finest, made for the traveler that prefers a more unique stay & experience.
Dining at Tenoch: Our dinner at Tenoch was one of the most memorable culinary experiences of the trip. The kitchen is completely open-air, centered around traditional Oaxacan clay ovens (comales) and wood-fired grills, allowing you to watch the chefs work their magic.
The Concept: The menu is a celebration of Baja’s "land meets sea" bounty. It leans heavily into hyper-local, farm-to-table ingredients sourced directly from the surrounding Pescadero farms and fresh seafood caught that morning.
The Standouts: We loved the tableside display of their tortilla soup as well as the fresh fish ceviche. The best bite of the night was their “french toast” dessert that came topped with berry puree and vanilla ice cream
Tip: Book a dinner reservation around 7:30 and plan to arrive 30-45 minutes before your seating. This gives you time to catch the golden hour light hitting the concrete structures and walk through the botanical spaces. It is a breathaking time to experience the property’s unique design before it transitions into a moody, candle-lit desert sanctuary for the evening.
What surprised us most: What surprised us most about Paradero was its scale; the property actually felt much smaller and more intimate in person than it appears online, which made the experience feel very exclusive. Photos truly don’t do the design justice. Seeing the brutalist concrete architecture in real life, completely surrounded by the wild desert landscape, was even better than we anticipated. Experiencing it during golden hour is nothing short of dreamy - the way the late afternoon light hits the raw concrete structures and the native plants creates a breathtaking, moody atmosphere that you just have to see for yourself.
Kimpton Mas Olas details
Number of nights: 2 nights
Room Type: Oceanfront King Suite with Plunge Pool
The Suite: Our suite at the Kimpton Mas Olas was truly incredible. Staying in an Oceanfront King Suite meant waking up to the sound of the crashing Pacific waves every morning. The room itself was incredibly spacious, luxurious, and beautifully designed, but the true highlight was our private plunge pool. Having our own secluded oasis to dip into while looking out at the ocean elevated the entire stay and gave us the perfect balance of resort luxury and total privacy. We also loved the addition of both an indoor and outdoor shower.
Food: Overall, we would rate the culinary program at Mas Olas an 8/10. The food across the property was fresh and well executed, but what truly elevated our meals was the incredible hospitality. We have to give a special shout-out to Chef Sandro, who personally went out of his way to make both of our dinner experiences wonderful and highly memorable.
The Standout Spots:
Kahal: This oceanfront restaurant is serving elevated japanese cuisine and offers a stunning oceanview backdrop. The atmosphere is upscale yet relaxed, making it the perfect spot to enjoy incredibly fresh, locally caught seafood paired with curated cocktails right by the water. We loved the seafood trio appetizer and the locally caught roasted catch of the day.
Botanica: Situated in the heart of the property's organic gardens, Botanica is a farm to table restaurant serving mexi-italian cuisine. We loved the duck quesadilla, their fire roasted pizzas, and you have to finish the night with the churros and house made caramel sauce.
Amenities: In contrast to the smaller boutique hotels in the area, the Kimpton offers a slightly larger, more modern resort feel with an extensive footprint. Between the multiple expansive outdoor pools, the world-class wellness spa, and the seamless beach access, it serves as a adults-only haven where you have absolutely everything you need right at your fingertips.
What surprised us most: The Kimpton Mas Olas effortlessly balances its larger, modern footprint with a genuinely peaceful and uncrowded atmosphere. Even with its expansive amenities, it never felt overwhelming or hurried. Because the property occupies such a vast stretch of the Baja landscape, we did notice that a few outlying pockets still felt a bit unfinished or less manicured compared to the pristine central resort grounds. We also noticed that one of the beautiful on-site bars remained closed throughout our two day visit. However, given how quiet the property was during our stay, it’s highly likely this was simply a reflection of the low season rather than a permanent fixture.
packing essentials
Todos Santos is truly a beach paradise - think bathing suits, sandals, and a wide brimmed visor or hat to protect yourself from the strong Baja sun. There are a few travel essentials, linked here, that I swear by when I travel. I’ve also listed a few additional items below that I brought on our trip and love.
Good quality luggage: This is a non-negotiable for me. I absolutely love my Beis carry on and checked bag. My go-to weekend bag is my Quince Italian Leather weekender. I love that this bag is both sophisticated and practical. (Quince Code: INFG-26XXLAURENBENNETT10 for 10% off your first order!)
Vacation Ware: All of my favorite looks from our trip are linked here. All Amazon travel essentials (both vacation wear & practical items that I packed) are linked here.
Good sunscreen: I swear by the Supergoop Unseen sunscreen. This sunscreen holds all day and layers great under makeup.
When to Visit
Best Time: November through April marks Cabo’s peak dry season and is widely considered the absolute best time to visit. That said, we just visited in early July and we had excellent weather - plenty of bright sunshine and beautiful beach days. Going during this time also means warmer ocean temperatures (perfect for surfing or dipping in the pool) and a much more relaxed, less crowded atmosphere at the resorts.
How long to visit: For a trip to this region, 4 to 6 days is the absolute sweet spot. Because the drive up the Pacific coast is so quick and seamless from the airport, a 4-to-6-day itinerary gives you the perfect amount of time to completely unwind at a luxury resort, explore the vibrant art and culinary scene in historic Todos Santos, and experience the laid-back culture of the region without feeling rushed.
things I wish I knew in advance
The Ocean is Not for Swimming: This is the most critical safety rule on the Pacific side of Baja. The currents, undertow, and rogue waves along the beaches of Todos Santos (like Punta Lobos) are incredibly powerful and deceptive. Unless you are at a designated, protected surf beach like Los Cerritos, treat the ocean strictly as a beautiful backdrop for walking—never swim or wade into the water here.
Sun & Desert Safety: The Baja sun is exceptionally strong, and the dry desert breeze can easily trick you into feeling cooler than you actually are. Make sure to pack plenty of high-SPF sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and polarized sunglasses.
Is the todos santos worth it?
Yes, Todos Santos is absolutely worth visiting. We loved that it was a quick 2.5 hour flight from San Francisco and offered a more intimate feel compared to its bustling, larger neighbor, Cabo San Lucas. Where Cabo brings high-energy crowds and massive mega-resorts, Todos Santos offers a slower more authentic escape. It is a destination specifically tailored for those who appreciate the art of a relaxing, intentional getaway.
This is a sanctuary for those who find joy in a slower pace - sitting by a heated pool overlooking the Pacific, slow walks along the pacific and long leisurely dinners. While the region offers plenty of adventure, like horseback riding, surfing, and hiking, the core of Todos Santos has a relaxed energy.
To me, the true magic of Todos Santos lies in disconnecting from the noise of the "real world" and enjoying the quiet luxury, incredible farm-to-table food, and magical golden hours. It was a trip that didn't just meet our expectations but exceeded them. If you are looking for a place to truly recharge without the chaotic resort crowds, there is nowhere quite like it.
