fade in magazine > Vol. VII No. 3

The Other Cabo

Of sun, spas and mango margaritas
by Eric Hiss

Your day gig has your blood pressure ballooning. The days are growing cooler and the flights aren't getting any cheaper. It’s now or never: You need some warm weather, a little pampering and a touch of adventure — preferably no more than a two-hour plane ride from L.A.

You settle on an old standby — Cabo. But ask yourself: Which Cabo sounds better? The sprawling mega-resorts and sunburned, trinket-toting masses of Cabo San Lucas? Or did you have something a little more sublime in mind? If cobblestone streets, discreet boutique hotels and romantico restaurants sound more appealing, better do an about-face and head to the other side of the Cape, to San Jose del Cabo.

Located twenty miles down the coastline and light-years in attitude from San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo is redolent of old Mexico, moving at a more gracious pace than its brassy sister city. Tucked quietly between an estuary and the Sea of Cortez, San Jose's tallest building is a church, which sits adjacent to a plaza where mariachi bands play and local families loll in the shade.
Crossing from the plaza, you encounter your own exquisite shelter, Casa Natalia. Run by a young European couple, Nathalie and Loic Tenoux, the boutique hotel is an artful blend of continental sensibilities, albeit with a decidedly Mexican flourish.

Entering from the street, you first notice the sound of cascading water. Next, your eyes focus on walls that are soaring geometric planes suffused with vibrant colors that recall the work of celebrated Mexican architect, Barragan. Attended by a stand of royal palms that line a long, elegant courtyard, the effect is unerring south-of-the-border chic. Presided over by the generous balconies of the guest rooms, the courtyard features an intimate pool and large braziers that fill the space with dramatic firelight when lit at nightfall.
After check-in, you make a beeline for the open-air bar to sample the signature mango margaritas. Life is good. Indeed, Nathalie and Loic will do everything possible to make you feel as if you're staying with friends in their swank Mexican hideaway. It's easy to cocoon in one of the hotel's sixteen guest rooms or two Jacuzzi suites, brimming with artifacts from all across Mexico, or to count the hibiscus flowers as they drift by in the swimming pool, with its cascading waterfall. Yet Cabo's untrammeled side has much more to offer.

Your first day might be spent wandering Boulevard Mijares and its scenic side streets, browsing for coveted indigenous goods such as Talavera pottery, Huichol Indian masks or Mexican fire opals. Particularly good finds can be had at the Veryka gallery (indigenous crafts, textiles, contemporary art), Opalos de Mexico (gemstones plus custom jewelry made on-site) and Arte Diseño Decoracíon (Talavera pottery, silver and jewelry).

Take a respite from the omnipresent sun and duck into the French Riviera on Zaragoza Street, an incredibly indulgent bakery and café run by a French ex-pat, where continental pastries, chocolates and the wondrous Crepa Los Cabos — a tropical crepe featuring a mixture of mango, pineapple and whipped cream — tempt locals and long-distance travelers alike. As delicious as the fare is here, be forewarned: The service is mañana-slow, so don't schedule a power lunch. Afterwards, sate your Cuban cigar habit with a Cohiba and Cuban rum chaser or espresso and friendly chat (in perfect English) at the gringo-owned Amigos cigar shop, the only certified distributor of Cuban cigars in Baja.

Then again, a happy medium might just be exploring the area beaches to find that perfect snorkeling spot where you can get your tan on and imagine the envy you’ll inspire back at the office. Stretched along a twenty-mile strip known as the Corridor between San Jose and Cabo San Lucas, there are beaches to please every taste. The best? Santa Maria (excellent snorkeling and tranquility-plus, at least until the tour boats show up around noon — go early!), Costa Azul (great for surfing, with consistent waves and a nice beach bar and restaurant), and — for those who really want to go native — the raw, unpaved beauty of Cabo Pulmo on the East Cape, featuring Baja's only coral reef, located about an hour’s drive from San Jose.

Since both shopping and surfing can burn carbs and stoke appetites, discriminating palates will be happy to learn that San Jose is a dining nirvana. In fact, one of the region's top restaurants, Mi Cocina, is located right in Casa Natalia. The kitchen is presided over by your ever-accommodating host, Loic, a Frenchman trained in his native Bordeaux, so relax and indulge. Dive into entrees such as tequila-cured salmon, Provençal-style clams finished with saffron sauce, and lamb chops marinated in mustard and herbs.

Other haute spots include Tequila, with its tryst-friendly courtyard shaded by towering mango trees; El Chilar, featuring an extensive wine list and inventive Mexican nouvelle cuisine, such as sea scallops in chile serrano and honey sauce with jicama carpaccio; and Morgan's, a pricey, polished affair with all the attitude of your favorite Westside boîte.

In addition to some of the area's best beaches, the Corridor is also known for its exclusive resort hideaways. They reside in their own rarefied world apart from San Jose and San Lucas, ensconced between high parapets of bougainvillea and the Pacific Ocean. Consider concluding your run-for-the-border with a stay at the resort considered the benchmark of Baja bling bling, Las Ventanas al Paraiso. Translated as Windows to Paradise, the five-diamond Ventanas cannot be faulted for overhype, as it truly merits its platinum-plated cachet.

Set amidst cactus, palo verde trees and assorted succulents in a desert Zen setting, the property exudes a palpable sense of serenity with its nine pools, whitewashed walls and profuse gardens. Choose one of the oceanfront suites (worth every peso) for their infinity pools overlooking a languid beach, gallery-quality Mexican artifacts and telescopes to view the star-strewn night sky. Now that you're here, don't bother going anywhere, except the legendary spa or the open-air Tequila & Ceviche bar.

Renowned for combining indigenous natural elements with state-of-the-art applications, the spa’s menu employs area botanicals like desert lavender, elephant tree and damiana in treatments such as the Desert Healer, designed to revitalize skin pushed to the breaking point by urban environments.

As the name implies, the Tequila & Ceviche bar serves up more than 100 premium brands of Mexico's fire-in-the-hole rocket fuel and super-fresh seafood. It’s a match made in heaven. The main restaurant takes on a glam (if slightly stuffy) air by evening, with candles, evocative lighting and extremely attentive waiters patrolling the tables. Or else you can just dine in — especially if you're in one of the second-floor oceanfront suites, with their spacious rooftop patios. There, you’ll be attended to by your own personal waiter, with the candlelit ambiance and wave-tossed setting notching up the intimacy factor to truly memorable levels.

Later, sipping your post-prandial digestif, staring up at the night sky, you’ll thank your lucky stars. The ones that led you to the "Other" Cabo.

Casa Natalia
Blvd. Mijares 4
San Jose del Cabo
B.C.S. Mexico
C.P. 23400
Ph: 011-52-624-142-5100
www.casanatalia.com

Back to print publications