Los Cabos hotels coming back strong

There are a few destinations that hold a special place in my heart. Los Cabos is one of them. Cabo was one of the first international destinations I visited as a young college student with my husband. Since then, it has served as an easy beach destination for a long romantic weekend or fun with friends.

Last fall, I was heartbroken to see the video and reports of Hurricane Odile and the resulting damage to many Cabo hotels. I couldn’t help but feel for the hotels that were wiped out and closed. I empathized with hotel staff left without jobs, and all of the local families that were impacted. I wanted to do something. So I went back.

After this most recent visit to Cabo—just a few short months from the storm—Cabo is back in business and looking better than ever. Storefronts look cleaner. Beaches are filled with soft sand. Great beachfront hangouts, such as The Office, have rebuilt. Many of the hotels hit hard by the storm have reopened, and are rolling out red carpets for guests.

While there is still much work to do, the list of Cabo hotel renovations (and new hotels) continues to grow. Here are just a few noteworthy Cabo luxury hotels that recently have undergone renovations and are open for business yet again.

The Resort at Pedregal

The Resort at Pedregal

On our most recent visit to Cabo, we rented a private home that looked directly down on The Resort at Pedregal, formerly the Capella Pedregal. We didn’t know it at the time, but after some quick online research, we discovered that we were witnessing this new luxury hotel’s grand reopening celebration. It was so wonderful to see events of the weekend unfold. We watched the staff work late into the night, using flashlights to light the way as they hammered nails, tied thatched roofs onto supports, and arranged chairs by the pool. On the morning of reopening, we watched from our balcony as the entire staff gathered in white uniforms, and cheered with delight.

This luxury resort is impressive at any angle, but is at its most grand from above. From our birds-eye view we also could see that many of the rooftop suites have outdoor fire pits, private decks, and infinity plunge pools. I’ve read Pedregal also offers personal assistant services. The property is absolutely stunning, and sits right on the Pacific Ocean, with views of the iconic rock formation of Lands End. The resort is a short walk to downtown Cabo San Lucas.

Viewfinder Tip: No matter where you stay, be sure to visit to the newly renovated beachfront bar, The Office.

Other repairs

Other re-openings are slated for later this year. The One & Only Palmilla Resort will reopen its luxurious doors to guests starting April 20, while the all-inclusive and family-friendly Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos will start taking reservations again July 15. The Westin Resort & Spa Los Cabos, where my husband and I stayed a few years ago, will reopen September 30.

These newly renovated hotel openings are just the beginning for the new and improved Los Cabos. In addition to re-openings, a number of luxury hoteliers have announced brand new properties for 2016 and beyond. Some of the brands on this list: Auberge Resorts Collection’s VieVage Los Cabos, in 2016; and the much anticipated Solaz, part of the Starwood Resorts & Hotels Luxury Collection, in 2017.

I am thrilled for our return visits to Los Cabos so we can see how the next era for this beloved beach destination unfolds.

Which newly renovated Cabo hotels are you most excited to book and why?