One&Only Palmilla, one of Cabo’s finest luxury resorts, recently reopened with totally-refurbished guest rooms, new adult outdoor lounging areas, new One&Only Spa and Fitness Center, and SEARED ̶ a new steakhouse created with Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
A long-time fave of celebs and jet setters, this lavish hideaway delivers refined tranquility amid colorful gardens fragrant with tropical flowers bordering gentle pathways leading to the sea. Here on the tip of the Baja Peninsula where the Pacific merges with the Sea of Cortez and the mountainous desert meets the sea, you are warmly embraced by the ambiance of Old Mexico’s red tile-roofed buildings, whitewashed walls, exquisite gardens and fountains.
With the addition of the new SEARED by One&Only™ restaurant, the resort has also become one of the country’s most interesting dining destinations. You have the choice of comfortable indoor elegance with original Mexican touches of tawny marble, amber chandeliers, and Aztec geometric marble floors or al fresco dining on the restaurant’s expansive terrace overlooking the ocean. The menu features the finest steaks and freshest seafood along with one of Mexico’s most comprehensive wine lists. Some 15 different cuts of the highest quality beef from Wagyu A5 and Kobe certified to succulent rib eyes and tenderloins are served along with local spiny lobsters, whole grilled red snappers, a complement of chilled seafoods, Hamachi sashimi with Yuzu dressing, and beef carpaccio with black truffle fritters ̶ all bearing the signature of Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Recipient of numerous accolades from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, U.S. News & World Report and others, the refurbishment included new décor and furnishings with hand-crafted Mexican accents for 172 guest rooms and suites, all of which feature expansive views of the Pacific or Sea of Cortez from a private patio or balcony and 24-hour butler service. The newly-restyled 10,000 sq. ft. beachfront Villa Cortez offers four-bedrooms, its own private beach and pool, lavish entertainment areas, 12-seat private screening room, staff quarters and much more.
Suviche, adjacent to SEARED, also has a fresh look with its new back-lit alabaster bar enhancing dramatic floor-to-ceiling views of the Sea of Cortez. Featuring sushi and sashimi, the cuisine is also choreographed by Chef Jean-Georges who selected Chef Yoshiaki Akaike to oversee the preparation. Next to Suviche is the One&Only Lounge with its vast array of cocktails and extensive selection of Mexico’s finest tequila and mezcal. Live entertainment is offered nightly.
Another popular local and guest favorite, Agua by Larbi’s large, airy space has been re-imagined in new earth-to-sea tones by David Mexico. Chef Larbi Dahrouch and his team prepare farm-to-table dishes of authentic Mexican cuisine with Mediterranean influences. A protégé of the late 3-Michelin-star-chef Jean-Louis Palladin, Dahrouch’s culinary travels throughout Mexico have enabled him to provide guests with unique, authentically-Mexican cuisine while the open kitchen allows you to observe the preparation. Agua by Larbi also offers guests a wealth of beverage options from the dedicated tequila and mezcal trolley with blanco, reposado and anejo varieties of tequila to unique, lesser-known mezcal. The restaurant’s menu is constantly varying with daily and seasonal changes which are served with fresh, hand-made tortillas, authentic moles, signature guacamole and ceviche prepared tableside.
The resort’s central terrace leads guests to the casual outdoor Breeze café overlooking one of the resort’s two free-form pools edged by a stunning vista of the Pacific. The restaurant offers a variety of breakfast options, light lunches of salads and Mexican delicacies, and all-day snacks showcasing fresh and organic produce.
The newly-redesigned One&Only Spa and Fitness Center offers 22,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space with signature treatments provided in 13 private treatment villas ̶ each with its own secluded courtyard and many with plunge pools, rain showers and swinging day beds plus relaxation and light lunches in the Yoga Garden. Also new is the OBO beauty salon created and partnered with Beverly Hills celebrity stylists Jonathan Antin and Amanda George in their first off-site venture, and for the guys, Barber&Blade is One&Only Palmilla’s exclusive new men’s salon.
For more information, visit One&Only Palmilla.
