Villa Del Palmar - Cabo 2005

Best Things Nearby:
Walking distance to downtown (about a 15-minute walk, if you're adventurous). The grocery store on-site is handy and there is an Internet deli. The beach is right outside the back door.

Best Things About the Resort:
The lobby is really pretty. If you have kids (which we don't) there are a lot of great activities to keep them busy.

Resort Experience:
When you make reservations, be sure to request an ocean view up front. We didn't know about this, and after a whole day of traveling ended up with a lovely view of the a/c unit on top of the spa. We requested a change to an ocean view and got daily excuses and put on "the list" for when a room opened up. Plus, we found out that the ocean view rooms are an extra $100+ PER NIGHT ... I guess it's good (?) we never got one. The mattresses are the worst in the city ... I would've been better off trying to sleep on the wicker loveseat. Our room was listed as a studio, which means it was basically a hotel room with a mini-kitchen. We never did get to the pool because every chair within sight of shade was reserved by families who put down towels and left for the day. Needless to say, we won't be going back to this particular resort.

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Fair
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Poor
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Fair

Best Things Nearby:
Location, location, location! Also, the front pool has great waitstaff service. The back pool has volleyball in the afternoon, but is pretty private the rest of the time.

Best Things About the Resort:
See above! Also, the resort is small enough that you feel like family. The gates are locked for extra security. We found the staff to be very helpful!

Resort Experience:
This is our favorite resort in the city. The rooms are comfortable; the people are nice; the pools are really great for couples or families. The hotel restaurants are actually outside the gates, but there is so much within walking distance that you feel invited to explore the city. Also, the mall is right next door for air-conditioned shopping (it's a little pricier than the open-air markets, but the quality is a little higher). Every room has a view of the marina, which is absolutely beautiful at night (and at sunset!). We always get a studio, because the kitchenette is just enough for keeping leftovers or running to the grocery store to make your own meals.

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Not Available
• Service: Very Good

Some places we highly recommend: El Pescador, on the street that you find the Rose, is a little local place where they speak no English, but the marlin quesadillas are amazing! El Shrimp Bucket is always good (the Rockefeller Fish is so good ... mahi-mahi with Chihuahua cheese and steamed vegetables), and the location is great! The new place, Senor Sweets, has these amazing desserts. The tiramisu is not really sweet, but one of the best pieces of tiramisu I've ever had ... the chocolate lava cake is enough to make you drool!

When you get on the ship, they take a group picture (for $15 purchase at the end of the tour). As you take off, the bar opens, and the pirates become your waiters! The music plays and everyone has a good time ... you go pretty far out in the ocean. It can get rough as you go past the cape, so I recommend motion sickness medicine. Also, I found that if you stand and "ride" the boat, you don't get as sick as if you sit really still and hold on for dear life.

They have a couple contests for men and women. The snacks consist of veggie sticks and pretzels (not bad!). Then the activities stop to watch the sunset and the pirates have a little skit and swordfight as you come back in to the marina. Also, be sure to use "el bano" before getting on the boat, or you're in for an extra adventure!

This was so much fun! The van ride to the ATV site was about 35 minutes, but well worth it! We went with the Baja MotoSports group. There is a 1/2 hour guided tour through the trails, then you have an hour to explore trails, drive along the beach, practice your jumps (woo hoo!), and interact with other riders. Bottles of water are included, as well as helmets, goggles, and handkerchiefs to keep the dust out of your mouth!

It was amazingly fun! Be sure to bring jeans, tennies, and a shirt you don't mind getting embedded with dirt. The engines get pretty hot, and one girl on our tour wore a bikini top, short-shorts, and flip-flops and got burned on her legs from the engine, scratched on her shoulders from the brush, and scraped on her feet from shifting the ATV. But we dressed appropriately and had a great time!