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IF MEXICO CITY is the heart of Mexico, Los Cabos is its flashy, diamond-ringed hand. It lies at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, flanked by an endless desert of mushroom-colored sand dotted with brittle shrubs. The town of San José del Cabo remains quaint and unfazed by the massive development boom, and visitors can still find some interesting souvenirs there. But most of the action—and where most tourists eventually end up—is in Cabo San Lucas, a city of upscale shops and unrelenting nightlife where the local workers promise “What happens in Cabo stays in Cabo.” But the lure of Los Cabos clearly isn’t its culture; it’s the balmy weather, the fine beaches and the dozens of new fancy resorts and time-shares that line the coast.
Along “The Corridor,” the stretch of road that links the two cities, is the recently renovated One & Only Palmilla Resort, a sprawling, stark white, hacienda-style resort and golf course perched on a promontory with access to the beach below.
I arrived at the property on a late Friday afternoon after a busy workweek, and was promptly whisked off to my suite after being handed over several times to various linen-clad employees who greet each other with a hand over their heart. Once in the room, my private butler, José Luis, briefly showed me around the lovely space where I would spend the next two days and described some of the unique touches, such as customized bedding and minibar.
But as I surveyed the room, something more auspicious caught my eye: the little ceramic bottle of tequila sitting on the side table. Lucky for me, José Luis is a former bartender who was quite learned in the making of tequila.
See, tequila is produced exclusively in Mexico from the blue agave plant. “When the tequila is ready to come out,” José Luis explained, “a flower grows from the plant.” When the flower is cut off, the agave continues to grow into a giant bloated “pineapple” that is ultimately chopped off at the base and cooked for about two full days. The virgin nectar is mashed, and from it comes the tequila.
Blanco, or silver tequila, is bottled straight from this process. Reposado is put in white oak barrels for six months to a year. Anejo is aged at least a year, and the best—the elusive premium, or ultra-anejo—is aged up to 15 years.
I thanked my kind butler for the information, and after a few belts of the gratis quiote reposado, I decided to take a long shower in the enormous bathroom. Peeking out the window, through the rows of tidy palms and over the edge of the cliff, I watched two pelicans engage in conversation while I scrubbed away the plane ride and tried to gain clarity.
Later, after meeting my travel companions for drinks, we headed for dinner at the open-air restaurant Agua, one of three eating places at the resort.
Alas, the first course was an artful presentation of three bite-size appetizers served with—what else? Tequila!
The next morning I climbed the steep stone steps to the property’s charming, 54-year-old chapel where they hold two weddings a month, and then indulged in a lime-and-ginger scrub in a private villa at the spa. My massage therapist was raised by vegetarian yoga instructors and seemed sincerely interested in my health. She performed a full-body exfoliation and wrap and a 60- minute massage, then prepared some tea and fruit while I had time to myself in the outdoor whirlpool bath.
In the afternoon, we headed off-property to see some unspoiled Baja land. The best way to do this is either on horseback or on a quad, a four-wheel, fivegear machine that can traverse the steepest sand dunes. We ended up along a stretch of untouched beach, the wind in our hair and our cares left behind. My next visit will surely include a round of golf at One&Only Palmilla’s immaculate 27-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus, which incorporates the desert with cactus plants, flowers and natural arroyos that wind through the greens, creating an enchanting pattern of nature. I will also be back for dinner at C, Charlie Trotter’s ultra-modern restaurant with angular designs, flickering lights and floor-to-ceiling cylindrical aquariums. And some tequila.
If You Go
Alaska Airlines, with direct flights to Los Cabos (800-252-7522 or www.alaskaair.com), has its own terminal in the San José del Cabo Airport. For information on renting ATVs or horseback riding, call 624-142-2922 from within Mexico or visit www.allaboutsanjosedelcabo.com/activities.htm. For rates and further information on One&Only Palmilla Resort, call 877-472-5645 or visit www. oneandonlyresorts.com.
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