One&Only Palmilla

Palmilla is one of those properties that reminds you why the One&Only brand is in a league of its own. The Palmilla is quintessential Cabo and a very classic vibe as opposed to trendy. Many guests have been vacationing here for decades and they have a very loyal following. The arrival experience alone sets the tone — warm, genuine, and deeply personal. My room was an oceanfront casita with a spacious terrace, plunge pool, and sweeping Sea of Cortez views. Interiors are elegant yet relaxed, blending traditional Mexican touches with modern comforts. Bathrooms in the Junior Suite Category and above are enormous. Every detail here feels curated — from the fresh fruit delivered daily to the handwritten notes from your butler. Service is impeccable but never stiff. Dining is exceptional across the board and I find it to be some of the best cuisine options in Cabo all packed into one resort. You truly could never leave the property and leave fulfilled. It is important to note that the beach is one of the few truly swimmable stretches in Cabo. Although parts of the swimmable beach are public, the Palmilla has a private area with beach chairs, cabanas, water toys and service. The Palmilla social club just opened in December 2025. Located near the Golf and Tennis club- the social club offers a brand new restaurant, pool, outdoor bar /lounge, Pro Shop and Coffee / Juice Cafe. Social club is open for hotel guests and private members only. The latest restaurant to open on property, Hoshi (Japanese) is not one to miss. They offer a la carte and omakase options. The "OOnlykids" club has always been fantastic, but in 2025 they launched a teen club which is just a short walking distance from the kids club and has experiences geared towards teens. Pro Tip on rooming categories: -"Palmilla rooms" in building 16 and 17 have amazing views and are very close to the crashing waves. Considerations: Smaller Bathrooms with no free standing bathtub. -The "Oceanview Junior Suite" rooms are set back behind the row of luxury suites and views are inferior. They are a higher price point than Palmilla rooms but do come with Large Bathrooms with free standing bath tubs. (I personally do not recommend booking this category unless you can lobby for an upgrade at time of booking with your travel agent). -The "Oceanfront Junior Suite" and above have large bathrooms with free standing tubs and are closer to the water with no view obstruction.

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.