One&Only Palmilla

Possibly my least favorite hotel I’ve ever stayed at- and that means a lot given how much I travel. I had so much higher expectations for this hotel because it’s one of the highest ranked hotels in Cabo, has 2 Michelin keys, and is a One & Only property. We stayed at O&O Mandarina for our mini moon and it was probably 20x better than Palmilla. There is absolutely nothing to do here. Especially when it rains. They have almost no activities and the activities they do have are not worth it. $200 for a “cooking class”…. All I did was watch a chef make guacamole. I didn’t even get to cook anything. The rooms are dated, and we stayed in the newest room type. The doors don’t fully seal the room off so you can hear every single conversation happening outside or near your room. The rain kept me up all night one night so I couldn’t even sleep. Dinner is actually quite good at Hoshi and Seared. But breakfast and lunch are average. A cocktail costs $32USD. That’s twice the cost even from Los Angels. The staff here is sub par. The service is average. The WiFi cuts out every other minute and doesn’t work on some parts of the property. And you will get eaten alive by mosquitos. For $1400+ per night, I expected much, much more. Do not waste your money here. You couldn’t pay me to stay here again. if I could get a refund and erase my memory of staying here, I would. However if you still choose to go stay there, there are only 3 things you really need to do that are worth it: ⁃ Omakase dinner at Hoshi ⁃ Dinner at Seared ⁃ Cabana at Pelican Beach Club (food sucks but drinks are good and the beach is beautiful)

This review is written in the context of a roughly $2,000 per night room. At that price level, expectations are understandably high. The property is undeniably beautiful, and the service across most of the resort is extremely attentive, warm, and professional. Most members of the staff were gracious, friendly, and genuinely welcoming, which made much of the stay enjoyable. However, the pricing throughout the resort borders on egregious and at times feels almost insulting, even by luxury standards. As examples, two tacos at the bar were priced at $50, and a very simple pharmaceutical item had a retail cost around $20 was offered by the concierge for delivery at $165. The markups are absolutely insane and difficult to justify. I also had a disappointing interaction with guest services. When I called to speak with a manager about an issue with my room, Anna in guest services told me twice that I could not speak with the manager unless I explained the issue to her in detail first. I was clear that there was a room issue and that I wanted to explain it directly to the manager. She repeatedly told me no and refused to connect me. I had to then hang up and walk to the front of the property in order to find the manager. This is not the level of service one expects at this price point. If the room were priced at a third of the cost, I would have rated this property much higher. The resort is stunning and most of the staff are excellent, but at $2,000 per night, the extreme pricing practices and the handling of guest concerns materially detract from the experience.

We had a great experience at One& Only Palmilla. We had great experiences at the beach, the pools, the bars and restaurants. Really enjoyed our stay and are already planning our return.

I've been fortunate to travel a fair bit and I would say that overall Palmilla is the nicest property I've ever stayed at. It is classy and meticulously maintained and the staff is wonderful. On site food and dining is expensive, but that is my only criticism.

The O&O Cabo was the best experience at a resort we have had and a memory my wife & I will cherish forever. Everything was remarkable and had such great time with all that was offered. The rooms and environment were beautiful, food was awesome at every spot, the breakfast is so relaxing and exceptional items to choose from, the pools are beautiful and relaxing, the beach area is amazing and the spa was second to none. Most importantly the staff from top to bottom was sooooo amazing and felt like we were the only ones there. Truly a place for those that want the best. We have stayed a a umber of exceptional resorts in Cabo and this was the best.