Truly our favorite hotel in Cabo for many reasons, the Finisterra Hotel is beautiful and perfectly located for tourists who plan to fish. The word Finisterra can be literally translated to mean ‘lands end’ and that is an adaquate discription. As one of only 3 hotels located on the pacific side of the Los Arcos peninsula, guests staying here get the added benefit of a constant soft oceanbreeze. This is our fourth visit to the Finisterra in as many years and I continue to enjoy it and encourage more people to try it. The only drawback to staying on the Pacific side is that swimming is highly dangerous and discouraged. The beach, while pristine and gorgeous for walking, casting and other beach activities, drops off steeply into the water and is pounded by heavy Pacific swells and undercurrents. This small frustration is outweighed by a big benefit - NO VENDORS! As this year, 2003, seemed to be the worst as far as the number and persistance of the vendors, having such a haven was a gift. We tend to go to Cabo in August. Although it is certainly hot, many hotels, airlines, etc offer special discounts at this time of year and the fishing is usually excellent. For example, the Finisterra offers stay 3 nights and the 4th is free plus a $50 credit toward your food and beverages in the hotel.

The Finisterra is literally built into the side if a cliff facing the Pacific Ocean. It has a wonderful restaurant which sits up high on the rocks and directly above it is the famous Whale Watching Bar, not to be missed whether you actually stay in the hotel or not. We treat ourselves to the better rooms, called the Palapala Club, on the upper floors of the tower. From your room you can see miles of the Pacific from your bed, from the balcony, you can view the amazing pool, beach and hear the big breakers. Pool? Did I say pool? Oh my gosh, I am not a pool person by nature, however, this is one of my favorites in the world. Technically, it is not one pool but three (see pix). The upper and lower pools are quieter, large and with a couple of jacuzzis each. The center pool has a large swim up bar, vollyball and other organized activities during happy hour and tens to be a bit rowdier. The are great tables with huge sunshades where you can camp all day to take as much sun as you want or nap under the shade while listening to the waves. There is full bar and snack service all day. We find the food very good and the drink prices very reasonable - this year the going rate in a restaurant or bar for a beer is $2 and a margarita $4 (of course you can find them for less, this is an average). The restaurant is a bit pricy for dinner but again, the view and the food are excellent.

The hotel is clean, well run, the service is good and there is only one sales pitch for timeshare purchase. The sale of timeshares in Cabo has hit an all time peak. From the second you clear customs you will be bombarded with blatant, to subtle to downright sneaky attempts to get you on a timeshare “junket” - come view our timeshares, give us a few hours in exchange for various vouchers, discounts, etc. It gets to be almost comical. I do know poeple who get alot of their vacations paid for by doing these “seminars”. It is not for me, I only mention it because it helps if you are prepared for the onslaught of salespeople. In the Finisterra they might offer you one opportunity to see their new units adjacent to the hotel in exchange for a meal plus $100 toward food and beverage in the hotel. One couple in our party could not resist the offer this year and actually enjoyed what they say and said that their salesperson was very knowledgable imparting much of the local history. Anyway, if you decline you won’t hear about it again from the hotel people. For us the greatest boon is the proximity to the Cabo Marina. If you are fishing, the Finisterra is a pleasant 8 minute walk to the Marina or 10 minutes to the heart of town. The hotel also provides a free taxi van to any point in the marina or town.

I find this hotel ideal for fisherman who may be traveling with non-fishing spouses and/or children. The hotel is upscale with a few nice gift shops, plenty of activities and a very kid friendly pool. the clientele is diverse and friendly. Additionally, the proximity to town makes it great for shopping and if you are just champing at the bit to swim in the ocean, the taxi can drop you on the other side of the marina where the safe swimming beach is. As mentioned above, all sorts of other activities can be arranged through the hotel, scuba, snorkel, tours to neighboring towns, jet ski, parasailing, whatever, or you can just poke around town on your own. As a woman I have never felt unsafe alone in town. The vendors and shop people can certainly be aggresive but the streets are almost always crowded and a fair portion of the local population in Cabo is now American. We have been told that there will actually be a Costco built this year - so much for quaint! Knowing Spanish is always a plus but certainly not mandatory. If you are in a group of fisherman, I still reccomend the Finisterra. Most charter operators fish from 6am to 2 or 3pm. When you get on the boats in the morning or disembark in the afternoon, it is a treat to have your hotel so close by. There are many, many beautiful, wonderful hotels lining the 40 kilometer “corridor” from San Jose del Cabo (where the airport is) to downtown Cabo San Lucas. Many of them are full resorts with nightclubs, restaurants, shopping, all encouraging you never to leave the property.. Having flown all the way to Cabo, I generally prefer to get a little more of the Cabo experience and it is a blessing not to have to drive the road up and down the corridor more than necessary -

I love the Finisterra and plan to stay there as much as possible. You can book directly through the hotel or through their US agent; Area Travel (reservations@areatravelinc.com) in Salt Lake City. You can also book through the internet on Expedia and other services but NOTE: most of the internet sites do not include the local taxes so if you are price shopping be wary. The current hotel tax is 10 to 12%.

Score: 8/10

© Copyright © 1998-2007 RiverAndReef.com

Top of Page