Las Ventanas may be one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve every stayed in, and certainly one of the most romantic, with its twinkling lights, hand-lit candles and lanterns everywhere and trees hung with glass hearts.
Las Ventanas has been on my bucket list for a long time, so I am happy to say that after a two night stay in mid-November, it lived up to my expectations, and then some. There’s a reason it’s on every “Best Hotels in the World” list year after year, voted by critics and travelers alike, and now I have first hand experience at las Ventanas and can assuredly recommend to clients.
The real star at Las Ventanas is the service, which I consider to be industry gold standard. Always there but unobtrusive. Genuinely warm and friendly. Not really service but hospitality. That’s one of the highest compliments a hotel can earn.
NOTE: I did not receive any compensation from the hotel and I paid for my stay. The opinions expressed here are my own, as with all hotel reviews I post.
- So exclusive there’s no sign at guarded entry but a very warm welcome from a mariachi band
- Modern Mexican hacienda style with much attention paid to details, down to the sand being raked into designs every morning
- The overall design is romantic and stunning, with hanging glass hearts in trees and candles and lanterns everywhere. Even more beautiful at night!
- Desert meets Ocean with indigenous plants like cactus all around the property
- All rooms have great covered outdoor space with couches, chairs, candles and some junior suites have an outdoor Jacuzzi and a rooftop terrace.
- All rooms have a telescope for star or whale gazing, as well as an adobe fireplace
- All rooms receive a bottle of Tequila amenity, along with several accompanying things such as spiced almonds, limes, herbs, chocolates and 3 types of salt so you can do your own tequila tasting
- Multi-bedroom private villas are extremely private and all have their own enclosed courtyard, personal concierge, full kitchen, huge pool, firepits and includes chef coming very morning to prepare breakfast. Peloton bike set up in villa available.
- Private residences can be reserved too
- The gym has 3 Peloton bikes, each in its own area
- 8 pools including a lazy river (which is temporarily closed) with a swim up bar-designed for kids but obviously for adults! Some pools are adult-only, such as the oceanfront “twin” pools. Very easy to socially distance. Pool butlers cannot be more attentive, and come around with comp frozen fruit, popsicles and sorbet.
- Mini Golf course and petanque turf
- Golf course adjacent to property
- Live entertainment nightly (performing outdoors on a platform over the pool that is temporarily closed). When I was here, it was a Cuban singer who was fabulous.
- Spa feels like a secret garden
- A Prohibition-inspired speakeasy bar La Botica (was just re-opening the day I was leaving)
- Flagship restaurant Arbol offers an Indian twist to Baja flavors and is one of the most magical dinner settings you can find anywhere, lit with twinkling lights and candles and lanterns that seem to float in the air and on the water. The food is excellent.
- Breakfast at El Restaurante features a regular breakfast menu or “The Mexican Experience” breakfast, with authentic corn and flour cakes and meats made on the spot in a special oven by a local woman.
- Sea Grill provides beach dining, there’s also a Tequila & Ceviche Bar and a private dining wine cellar (the wine cellar dining has been closed due to Covid)
- There are many special experiences to be had on property, including private dinner on the beach with a fireworks display, horseback riding right from the beach, cooking lessons in the herb garden’s open air kitchen, tequila tastings that determine your own personal Tequila Sign, and more. They can arrange pretty much anything-for a price of course.
- Every room gets a butler (butler for the building) who stays in touch via text. Private villas get their own dedicated host and alot of other special amenities.
- Every night there was a little special something at turndown—a different little handmade Mexican doll each night along with house made chocolate bars, or truffles, or cookies.
- Thoughtful little touches abound—the night before I was leaving, they left travel sized Ziploc bags on both bathroom vanities for our toiletries. Housekeeping saw all my sunglasses laying around, they left me special glass cleaner wipes. The attention to detail is amazing.
- Departure gift was a wrapped glass heart ornament, like the ones that hang from the trees all over the property.
- Wifi was strong everywhere but happened to be weak in my room, and I casually mentioned to our butler while walking to the pool. Unbeknownst to me, she had IT come and set up a private network for my room and texted me the passcode for my new network while I was at the pool. That’s service at Las Ventanas (and Rosewood properties in general).
WHO STAYS HERE?
Couples! Perfection for honeymooners. One night there were 3 different beach private dinners going on, all lit by candles. They were spaced far enough apart for privacy.
But it’s also a great place to celebrate a special anniversary or birthday with your significant other.
There was one young family here with 2 very small children, but to me it’s not a place for young kids. And there were models, doing a beach photoshoot and then staying in a poolside suite. This is where you see haute bathing suit parades, metallic thongs, etc.and not just on models. It’s got a chic beach/pool vibe going on.
Things that could be a negative for some:
- The outdoor Jacuzzi is tiny
- The rooftop terraces on the upper-floor junior suites (as I had) would benefit from either a firepit or the jacuzzi placed there
- There is a distinctly different area of higher rise 6-story buildings that house the residences and signature residences. They are further away from the beach and near the golf course, and I feel they do not blend in with the low-rise building design and overall aesthetic.
- In-room toiletries are Bulgari —not in line with the exclusive Baja vibe.
- No in-room desk—there was one outside on my terrace! But maybe not the place to be working…
- Has a non-swimmable beach.
Through our affiliation with Virtuoso, our clients receive these exclusive perks:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Daily Full breakfast for two guests per bedroom, available in El Restaurante, Sea Grill, or through in-suite dining
- $100 USD equivalent Spa Services credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full, not valid on products)
- Oasis Margarita & Taco Sampler Experience from Taqueria (one per accommodation booked, for up to two guests to enjoy once during stay)
- Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Contact us to reserve!
Luxury Travel Adventures
240.744.4749
