Las Ventanas Al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort

At the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, above the Sea of Cortez at San José del Cabo, Las Ventanas al Paraíso occupies a position on one of North America’s most climatically privileged coasts — the Cabo region receives over 300 days of sunshine annually and the Sea of Cortez, described by Jacques Cousteau as the world’s aquarium, provides some of the most diverse marine wildlife accessible from a beach resort anywhere in the Pacific. The 71 suites and villas are designed in a contemporary Mexican vernacular of pale stone, adobe textures, and hand-painted Talavera tiles, with private plunge pools, telescopes for whale-watching from the terrace, and the outdoor fireplace tradition of the Baja coast built into each accommodation’s evening routine. The resort’s position between the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez means that guests can engage with two separate marine environments within the same day.

The spa’s treatment programme draws on indigenous Mexican healing traditions, particularly the temazcal sweat lodge ceremony and the use of desert botanical preparations from the Baja’s unique succulent landscape, in a setting of volcanic stone and ancient Aztec iconography. Dining at The Restaurant focuses on the extraordinary seafood of the Cortez — the yellowtail tuna, dorado, and sea bass caught by the local panga fishermen whose traditions the hotel supports — alongside the organic vegetables and herbs grown in the resort’s own garden. Whale shark and manta ray encounters in season, diving with sea lions on the Espíritu Santo Island, and private yacht excursions through the Cortez archipelago are among the signature marine experiences.

Las Ventanas al Paraíso has established a conservation partnership with the Espíritu Santo Biosphere Reserve and contributes to the research and protection programmes for the whale populations of the Cortez through its excursion programme’s educational content and its funding of the monitoring operations that track grey whale migration through the region.