Looking for a laid back, un-crowded alternative to Cabo? Hotel San Cristobal just outside of Todos Santos is the answer. The only traffic in Punta Lobos comes in the form of fishermen heading out to sea every morning and bringing their haul back in. The super chill 32-room beachfront property is surrounded by undeveloped land and feels removed from civilization. Yet it’s a very civilized place to spend a few days or unplug for a whole week—and even better, it doesn’t feel like you’re in a resort bubble, separated from the real local culture. Many efforts have been made to connect you to the community, be it through surf lessons with a local entrepreneur, cactus-lined bike paths leading into town or one of the many guided tours that can be booked through the convivial concierge who personally hand-picked every partner they work with.
While the sea is too rough for swimming, the property sits at the endpoint of a long stretch of beach lovely for walking or simply sitting to watch the waves crash on shore. You can hear the ocean’s roar from the comforts of the beachfront rooms. Many have outdoor showers and all have patios. If you book a room set away from the ocean views, you won’t be missing out too much because the public spaces—a pool, hot tubs and bar-restaurant—take full advantage of the setting and offer a front row seat to spectacular sunsets. The onsite restaurant serves healthy and satisfying fare for breakfast and dinner and the pool bar offers ample bites and cocktails to keep you in a relaxed state of bliss as you soak up the sun and views from early afternoon into the night.
On a recent visit to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday, we only left the property on two occasions: for a surf lesson on a swimming-friendly beach about 10 minutes south and an adventurous bike ride into Todos Santos, where we browsed through the galleries, walked the historic streets (home to the original Hotel California) and shopped for souvenirs among fellow tourists.
Though there were plenty of highly recommended restaurants in the vicinity, we couldn’t pull ourselves away from the peaceful beauty and aesthetic perfection of Hotel San Cristobal, which kept us quite well fed and mellowed by mezcal-based cocktails—not to mention in-room massage service. If we’d had more time, we may have taken advantage of one of the day trip tours to the Sea of Cortez. Or, we could have just easily whiled away another day (and another day) lounging poolside basking in the Baja California sun and Hotel San Cristobal's good vibes.
