# Westin Los Cabos Resort - Outstanding!



## JIMinNC (Feb 12, 2018)

We've just finished our first full day at the Westin Los Cabos Resort on a four-night $299 Vistana VIP Promo package. We've also added a fifth night with a cash reservation. We own Marriott and HGVC, so we are not currently Vistana owners, but this is a beautiful resort, one of the best we've ever visited anywhere. It really combines the best of a top-tier hotel with the amenities you would expect at a timeshare  - it is the best of both worlds.

Everyone on the staff has been exceptional, and we were fortunate to be assigned a 7th floor ocean front room (my wife's Platinum Preferred status with SPG may have helped with room assignment). The promo packages are for an Ocean Studio Villa, but for just the two of us, this is the best Studio we've seen anywhere - it has a basically full kitchen with an apartment sized refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and 2-burner cooktop. It also has a washer-dryer. We generally prefer 1BR units when it's just the two of us, but I can honestly say this Westin Los Cabos studio is more than adequate for our needs. If I were a Vistana owner, an Ocean Studio would be all we would need at Westin Los Cabos.

The resort also features the pools, services, spa, bell services, and multiple restaurants that you would expect at a Westin hotel, so you really have everything here. We have to do a sales presentation on Monday, which we hope won't be too painful, but this place is causing us to think about possibly adding a resale "mandatory" Vistana Unit like SVV Bella or Key West to get the StarOptions we need to be able to return here in the future. We're brand new HGVC owners and this is also our first trip to Los Cabos, so we haven't stayed at HGVC's Los Cabos affiliate - Fiesta Americana - but it's hard to believe it could top the Westin Los Cabos.

Attached are a couple shots of the view from our balcony - an afternoon shot and a sunrise shot. The black speck in the water just to the right of the sun in the sunrise photo is a young humpback whale tail-slapping and frolicking in the early morning. We have watched numerous humpbacks breaching and swimming, from both our balcony and from the beach/pool areas.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 12, 2018)

...Oh and to add one more thing, we did a whale watch cruise this AM, so I thought I would add two more close-up whale shots, in case anyone else out there is a humpback fan. We fell in love with whale watching in Maui, so it's great to have found another place we can see whales in years we don't go to Maui.


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## carpie99 (Feb 12, 2018)

Agreed ... awesome resort!


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## capjak (Feb 12, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> The promo packages are for an Ocean Studio Villa, but for just the two of us, this is the best Studio we've seen anywhere - it has a basically full kitchen with an apartment sized refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and 2-burner cooktop. It also has a washer-dryer. We generally prefer 1BR units when it's just the two of us, but I can honestly say this Westin Los Cabos studio is more than adequate for our needs. If I were a Vistana owner, an Ocean Studio would be all we would need at Westin Los Cabos.


  Sounds like the studios are the same as the ones in Maui at WKORV and WKORV-North works out great for a couple spending 2 weeks via lock off studio/1 bedroom and having a Washer/dryer and kitchen for both weeks.


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## CalGalTraveler (Feb 12, 2018)

Thanks for sharing @JIMinNC.  We recently stayed at the HGVC Fiesta Americana and was quite pleased.  We also discovered that Cabo is a less expensive and closer alternative than Maui for whale watching.  With Southwest fares and less distance, it is more practical and economical to take a 4 - 5 day weekend in Cabo than a full week++ in Hawaii for a winter getaway. (We prefer Hawaii for summer with our college kids where there is less access to alcohol and more legal and healthcare protections if something goes wrong.)

We are now curious to try this resort since we are new owners in Vistana (WKORVN).  I have few questions:

1) Do the studios have balconies?  If so, how large? e.g. does it accommodate a dining table or just two chairs?

2) Is this the same resort as the Regina/BajaPoint conversion discussed on the other Vistana thread?  If so, do we need to request a particular part of the resort to get this studio?

3) Is this resort available at times as cash getaways in II? (I would prefer cash vs. trading.)

4) How many staroptions does this unit require?


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## JIMinNC (Feb 12, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> Thanks for sharing @JIMinNC.  We recently stayed at the HGVC Fiesta Americana and was quite pleased.  We also discovered that Cabo is a less expensive and closer alternative than Maui for whale watching.  With Southwest fares and less distance, it is more practical and economical to take a 4 - 5 day weekend in Cabo than a full week++ in Hawaii for a winter getaway. (We prefer Hawaii for summer with our college kids where there is less access to alcohol and more legal and healthcare protections if something goes wrong.)
> 
> We are now curious to try this resort since we are new owners in Vistana (WKORVN).  I have few questions:
> 
> ...



1) Yes, they have balconies. See attached photo. 

2) I think the Regina/Baja Point resorts are totally separate. This is the conversion of the former Westin hotel that was damaged during the hurricane several years ago and rebuilt as a VSE owned and managed resort. See attached photo of the buildings. Our studio is in the building on the right in the photo.

3) I have no idea. We are on a Vistana preview package, but the resort does not seem crowded, so not sure if  VSE might opt to try to fill rooms with II getaways.

4) I have this same question. Hope to learn the answer when we endure our sales presentation today.


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## Sea Six (Feb 12, 2018)

Is it true that swimming in the ocean is not allowed?  What is there to do?


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## maddog497 (Feb 12, 2018)

Sea Six said:


> Is it true that swimming in the ocean is not allowed?  What is there to do?


Interested in this as well.

Sent from my LG-H873 using Tapatalk


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## GregT (Feb 12, 2018)

Jim, can you post pictures of the room itself?  That's a great view you have from your balcony and I appreciate the positive comments on this resort.  Enjoy you trip and I'm sure you will be buying StarOptions soon.

Best,

Greg


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## JIMinNC (Feb 12, 2018)

Sea Six said:


> Is it true that swimming in the ocean is not allowed?  What is there to do?



The surf is indeed rough and there are rocks, but I’ve seen a number of folks in the surf in the small area that is rock free. 

As for things to do, the pools are terrific, multiple levels and a swim up bar. Beach umbrellas and chairs are free to guests. We went into Cabo San Lucas yesterday for the whale watch and had lunch at The Office, a great beach restaurant at Medano Beach. We’re doing a Sunset catamaran sailing cruise this evening. There are many beautiful golf courses, but we probably won’t have time to play on this trip.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 12, 2018)

GregT said:


> Jim, can you post pictures of the room itself?  That's a great view you have from your balcony and I appreciate the positive comments on this resort.  Enjoy you trip and I'm sure you will be buying StarOptions soon.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Greg



Will do tonight. Already have the pics, just need to post.


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## DavidnRobin (Feb 12, 2018)

Does the studio have a Q or K bed?


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## CalGalTraveler (Feb 12, 2018)

Is the resort inside a gated community?  One of the things I enjoyed about HGVC FA Cabo is that I could feel safe running on the roads and trails in the adjacent golf course community (which also shared with the Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar). The staff placed towels and chilled water bottles out for early morning runners.

Anything similar at this resort?


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## dioxide45 (Feb 12, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> 4) How many staroptions does this unit require?


The points chart is available on Vistana.com and can also be found in post #87 of this thread. It looks like it would be 67,100 for a week.


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## dioxide45 (Feb 12, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> Does the studio have a Q or K bed?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


According to the villa page on Vistana.com it is a King, though it would be good to get confirmation from someone there. The queen in the studio is the one downer about the studios at Lagunamar.

https://www.vistana.com/destinations/the-westin-los-cabos-resort-villas-spa/villas/300#studio-villa


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## DavidnRobin (Feb 12, 2018)

dioxide45 said:


> According to the villa page on Vistana.com it is a King, though it would be good to get confirmation from someone there. The queen in the studio is the one downer about the studios at Lagunamar.
> 
> https://www.vistana.com/destinations/the-westin-los-cabos-resort-villas-spa/villas/300#studio-villa



Agree - the Q bed is why we do not stay in the studio side of WPORV


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## dsmrp (Feb 12, 2018)

Sounds nice!  I'm glad to have gotten an II exchange in November for a 2 bdrm, for me half the star options cost than VSN!
I looked in VSN over a month ago, but don't recall seeing studios available, or even those not yet reservable.
VSN showed only 2 bdrm units.  Hope they make more available later;  or is most of it all going to Adventuras program?


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## JIMinNC (Feb 13, 2018)

DavidnRobin said:


> Does the studio have a Q or K bed?





dioxide45 said:


> According to the villa page on Vistana.com it is a King, though it would be good to get confirmation from someone there. The queen in the studio is the one downer about the studios at Lagunamar.
> 
> https://www.vistana.com/destinations/the-westin-los-cabos-resort-villas-spa/villas/300#studio-villa



Studio does have a king. In fact, when we did our presentation today, they showed us a 2BR Premium and a 3BR - all the bedrooms in all the units appear to have kings - a king in each bedroom in the 2BR and three kings in the 3BR lockoff. The third bedroom in the 3BR is the studio/lockoff.

As dioxide45 noted, the studio is 67,100 during peak season (week 1-23 & 44-52), 51,700 during weeks 24-33 & 41-43, and 37,000 during weeks 34-40.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 13, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> Is the resort inside a gated community?  One of the things I enjoyed about HGVC FA Cabo is that I could feel safe running on the roads and trails in the adjacent golf course community (which also shared with the Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar). The staff placed towels and chilled water bottles out for early morning runners.
> 
> Anything similar at this resort?



It is not inside a gated community, but there is a guard gate at the entrance to the resort. The resort has an access road that is directly off of the main road. This is the same road used to access Raintree Vacation Club and Baha Point. So there is not a community that could be used for walking/running, but there is security for the resort itself.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 13, 2018)

GregT said:


> Jim, can you post pictures of the room itself?



Attached are two views of the studio, plus a closer shot of the kitchen area. That's a three seat counter on the right side of the kitchen photo. The sofa in the studio is a sleeper sofa.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 13, 2018)

Here are two more photos I snapped with my iPhone during our presentation today - the kitchen area on the 2BR Premium and the balcony of the 2BR Premium, complete with a private hot tub. That's a four seat table on the balcony. The 2BR Premium is 176,700 StarOptions during high season.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 13, 2018)

I'll add that the Westin Los Cabos is a great place for people who love to watch humpback whales. Over our first two full days, we've seen many young humpbacks breaching and tail slapping in the waters just offshore. Almost every time we're looking out at the water, we'll spot a whale blow within a couple of minutes. There appear to be a lot of mothers with their calves. We were told by two different people on boats down in Cabo San Lucas that the area in front of the Westin is called "The Nursery" because it is fairly shallow and protected and is a place mother humpbacks bring their young until they are ready to venture out into deeper water. Based on what we've seen, that seems to be true.


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## GregT (Feb 13, 2018)

These are great pictures and the Studio looks terrific -- thanks for posting this!

Best,

Greg


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## JIMinNC (Feb 14, 2018)

For what it's worth, here's the "great deal" we were offered during our required sales presentation on Monday:

They are selling StarOptions in Westin Aventuras, which includes the Los Cabos and Cancun resorts now, but will eventually include Puerto Vallarta and other "future" Latin American Vistana resorts. They offered 148,100 StarOptions EOY for about $29,000. Alternatively, they pitched 81,000 EOY at about $16,000. Their last offer was $8,800 for 44,000 SOs EOY. We never got to the point of discussing maintenance fees before he figured out we weren't buying and sent us on our way, so I never learned what Aventuras maintenance fees were. He implied they were lower than the other Westin MF, so he said that would be a reason to buy in Aventuras.

I asked why should we spend that much when we could buy 148,100 EY at Kierland Villas for less than half of what they were selling an EOY package for, or 81,000 at SVV Bella/Key West for $1500 or so. The only real counter they offered - other than the standard "we exercise ROFR on most units that go on resale" line - was a pitch that by buying from them we would get four certificates that would allow us to buy 110,000 StarPoints each for a discounted price, allowing us to go to SPG hotel properties around the world. He used the value of those stays to try to justify the purchase of the 44K package.

Once it became clear we weren't biting, the manager floated the idea of an Explorer package to get us to return, but we said we already had our trips planned for the next 12-18 months, so it would probably be 2020 before we could benefit from a Los Cabos Explorer package. At that point, he terminated the presentation without even bringing in the Explorer sales person.

We would love to return to Westin Los Cabos again during this time of year. The studio at 67,100 SOs would be perfect for the two of us, but post #17 above from dsmrp is not the first time I've read here on TUG that studios at Westin Los Cabos haven't been available for VSN bookings. Studios can easily be booked for cash on Westin.com and they are obviously using the studios for the VIP promo packages, so maybe VSE is opting to use all of their studio inventory for those purposes, rather than making them available to VSN owners. It appears there are no 1BR units at Westin Los Cabos - only 2BR, 3BR, and studios. If studios become available in the future for VSN bookings, the Westin Los Cabos would certainly add to the appeal of adding some StarOptions to our Marriott and HGVC ownerships.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 16, 2018)

Wow. What a great five nights at the Westin Los Cabos! Just got back to NC last night.

Interestingly, when we were leaving waiting for our airport transportation, the Concierge offered us another 4-night package to return to the Westin within 18 months. This time, instead of the $299 offer we used this week, it was $449, but that's still a wonderful deal for this beautiful resort. We put down a $99 deposit with the balance to be paid upon booking. Now that we own at HGVC, we may combine the four nights at the Westin with a three-night HGVC booking at Fiesta Americana Los Cabos and stay for a full week, so we can compare the two resorts.

And to top off a great week, our new Marriott Maui Ocean Club resale week was transferred into our account last night!


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## vice (Feb 16, 2018)

Jim, Thank you for getting me excited about Westin Los Cabos. I was also looking for a Hawaii alternative that had beach, pool, golf, whales, and good weather in winter without the extremely long flight from the east coast.


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## CalGalTraveler (Feb 16, 2018)

@JIMinNC How did you get the $299 travel package? We have gotten snail mail offers for Maui but they state that you are not eligible if you are an owner.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 16, 2018)

CalGalTraveler said:


> @JIMinNC How did you get the $299 travel package? We have gotten snail mail offers for Maui but they state that you are not eligible if you are an owner.



We received a snail mail mailing last spring offering the $299 4-night Los Cabos package. I've assumed that came from direct mail marketing to my wife's SPG account. We are not currently Vistana owners, so any owner prohibition would not apply to us.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 16, 2018)

vice said:


> Jim, Thank you for getting me excited about Westin Los Cabos. I was also looking for a Hawaii alternative that had beach, pool, golf, whales, and good weather in winter without the extremely long flight from the east coast.



It is truly a great place and great location. In Maui, we've never seen as many whales from our balconies as we saw in five days at the Westin Los Cabos. They truly do love the area right there in front of the resort.

The golf courses also looked great, and we definitely will plan to play on our next trip. We just decided this time to focus on learning all we could about the area.

They have two main pools - a bigger one with a waterfall for families and, one level farther up, an adults pool with a swim-up bar (and great margaritas - two-for-one happy hour from 1pm until 2pm). These infinity pools are really beautiful. There's an even smaller, quieter adults pool one level above the pool with the swim up bar. I've attached two photos of the bar and the main adults pool. There's also a large hot tub between the two main pools.

They also have a great breakfast buffet. My wife's SPG status got us a free continental breakfast every morning, but we could upgrade for $5 US each to the full hot breakfast buffet with omelet and waffle station.

I was really surprised how low the resort occupancy seemed. The restaurants were not crowded, nor were the pools and beach. On the way out, the bell manager asked that we review the resort on TripAdvisor because they need to boost their business. They've only been open about 8 months and have a lot of units/points unsold, so it may not be surprising that occupancy is still low. But I'm wondering if the negative press and travel warnings about Mexico (some of which I'm wondering if they are politically motivated) are hurting tourism there? Having never been to Mexico, we didn't know what to expect either, but the Mexican people were absolutely wonderful and so helpful and friendly. We never felt unsafe anywhere we went in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo.


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## dsmrp (Feb 16, 2018)

Thanks Jim for the pictures and descriptions of this resort.
As I said, I got an II exchange in November and am looking forward to this more than ever.
II has 2 bdrm units available, but those are in the lower season summer or early fall.

I will have to go back in the winter time (2020 LOL) to see the whales.
I never seem to be going to Hawaii at the right time to see them.


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## Karen G (Feb 16, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> On the way out, the bell manager asked that we review the resort on TripAdvisor because they need to boost their business.


Be sure to post a review on TUG, too!


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## JIMinNC (Feb 16, 2018)

Karen G said:


> Be sure to post a review on TUG, too!



I plan to. Maybe tonight.


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## okwiater (Feb 16, 2018)

JIMinNC, thanks for sharing so many details about your stay at Los Cabos! We live on the east coast too and are excited about this new destination. The photos look fantastic.



JIMinNC said:


> But I'm wondering if the negative press and travel warnings about Mexico (some of which I'm wondering if they are politically motivated) are hurting tourism there?



Possibly. But it’s important to keep in mind (and to inform or remind other travelgoers!) that the State Department has classified Mexico as a “Level 2” country, which is the same as Spain, France, and the UK. No need to speculate about political motivations for the travel warnings (also, doing so may run afoul of forum rules.)


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## Tucsonadventurer (Feb 16, 2018)

This looks amazing.Thanks for the pictures. I am surprised that interval rates it premier . It certainly looks like it deserves an elite rating. .


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## JIMinNC (Feb 16, 2018)

Karen G said:


> Be sure to post a review on TUG, too!



Review submitted!


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## alexadeparis (Feb 16, 2018)

Here are the points charts for both phases at the Westin Los Cabos (ignore Lagunamar at the top)


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## JIMinNC (Feb 17, 2018)

alexadeparis said:


> Here are the points charts for both phases at the Westin Los Cabos (ignore Lagunamar at the top)



Note that my comments in this thread relate to the first chart for the Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas and Spa (the renovated former Westin hotel). The second Los Cabos chart on that page is for the adjacent Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas and Spa - Baja Point. That's the former Grand Regina resort whose owners have recently been offered the opportunity to become Vistana members, which was discussed in this thread -- https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/bajapoint-los-cabos-conversion-to-vistana.266195/


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## Karen G (Feb 17, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> Review submitted!


I just read your review & it's a great one! Thanks for writing it.


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## JIMinNC (Feb 17, 2018)

okwiater said:


> Possibly. But it’s important to keep in mind (and to inform or remind other travelgoers!) that the State Department has classified Mexico as a “Level 2” country, which is the same as Spain, France, and the UK. No need to speculate about political motivations for the travel warnings (also, doing so may run afoul of forum rules.)



Valid point that the actual travel warning status for most of Mexico is not that much different than other places. But based on comments I’ve read and heard online, from friends, and in the media, I think there is a *perception* by a lot of folks that the security/risk environment in Mexico resort areas is a bigger issue than it really is. It’s less important whether that perception is caused by politics, sensationalized media reporting, or something else. But it may be hurting tourism. Even outside of the resort, we were somewhat surprised that restaurants and other activities in Los Cabos did not seem any busier than they were, in what should have been a peak season.


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## travelhome (May 30, 2018)

Thanks for the great reviews and pictures.

We just exchanged into this resort for late August, so no whale watching... :-(

Do you know where to find a resort map? Our unit will be 1316. Is this at a good ocean view location or somewhere being blocked by other buildings?


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## carpie99 (May 30, 2018)

travelhome said:


> Thanks for the great reviews and pictures.
> 
> We just exchanged into this resort for late August, so no whale watching... :-(
> 
> Do you know where to find a resort map? Our unit will be 1316. Is this at a good ocean view location or somewhere being blocked by other buildings?



Every room has a clear ocean view ... it is beautiful there.


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## travelhome (May 30, 2018)

Great! Fingers crossed, as I read reviews that some of the rooms in one side of the building would be blocked by another resort next to Westin. 

If unit 1316 is at 13th floor, we should be fine. If it is at the 3rd floor,  not sure ..... but may also depend on where the unit is located on that level...


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## JIMinNC (May 31, 2018)

travelhome said:


> Great! Fingers crossed, as I read reviews that some of the rooms in one side of the building would be blocked by another resort next to Westin.
> 
> If unit 1316 is at 13th floor, we should be fine. If it is at the 3rd floor,  not sure ..... but may also depend on where the unit is located on that level...



Our unit was 7th floor and was 1732. So based on that, 1316 will be 3rd floor. Not sure where in the building 1316 is located, but all suites do face the ocean.

How do you know your room assignment already? I was under the impression that actual room assignments are not made until right before check-in since all of the units at Westin Los Cabos are in the Aventuras Trust and Vistana controls the inventory. If this was an exchange, I would be surprised if the unit you get is the exact unit that was exchanged.


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## travelhome (Jun 3, 2018)

Thanks for the info!

In my exchange confirmation from II, it says "unit 1316". I was also surprised to see that it was so specific.  But it was listed there....

I hope we could get a higher floor at check-in. Late August may not be a high season, right?


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## Maui_ed (Jun 3, 2018)

Is there a grocery store nearby, or is grocery delivery available?


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## dioxide45 (Jun 3, 2018)

travelhome said:


> Thanks for the info!
> 
> In my exchange confirmation from II, it says "unit 1316". I was also surprised to see that it was so specific.  But it was listed there....
> 
> I hope we could get a higher floor at check-in. Late August may not be a high season, right?


That may not mean they keep you in that unit. Many II confirmations will list the specific unit. I think Royal Resorts also listed the specific unit. It is just the unit that was actually deposited.


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## travelhome (Jun 3, 2018)

Good to know. Thanks! So we may get a different unit, hopefully at higher floor.


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## geist1223 (Jun 4, 2018)

Maui_ed said:


> Is there a grocery store nearby, or is grocery delivery available?



I have never stayed there but I have stayed at the RVC/Club Regina next door. The simple answer is no. You are several miles from a regular grocery store. You can take a taxi, rent a car, or if adventuresome you could walk the mile or so to the Highway and take the local bus. You are slightly closer to San Jose del Cabo than Cabo San Lucas. As for delivery I have no idea as we always rent a car in Los Cabos and so driving to the grocery store is no big deal. Sometimes you can work a deal with your ride from the airport to the Resort to stop by a grocery store.


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## TravelTime (Jun 4, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> It is truly a great place and great location. In Maui, we've never seen as many whales from our balconies as we saw in five days at the Westin Los Cabos. They truly do love the area right there in front of the resort.
> 
> The golf courses also looked great, and we definitely will plan to play on our next trip. We just decided this time to focus on learning all we could about the area.
> 
> ...



From what I have read, tourism to Mexico is at an all time high, but so is the development of new resorts. All the major resort companies all over the world are expanding in Mexico. So another possible explanation for low occupancy is increased hotel rooms and hotel competition. Plus high season in Christmas through Easter so if you go outside that period, occupancy will be lower.


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## JIMinNC (Jun 4, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> Plus high season in Christmas through Easter so if you go outside that period, occupancy will be lower.



We were there in Mid-February, so that is prime time high season. That's why I was surprised that the resort did not seem crowded at all. As we were leaving, when we mentioned we loved the resort and our stay, the lead bellman even asked us to do a TripAdvisor review to help them get a boost as things were slower than they would like.


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## Luckytimer (Jun 4, 2018)

What about wheelchair accessibility?  Do they have handicap suites?


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## TravelTime (Jun 4, 2018)

JIMinNC said:


> We were there in Mid-February, so that is prime time high season. That's why I was surprised that the resort did not seem crowded at all. As we were leaving, when we mentioned we loved the resort and our stay, the lead bellman even asked us to do a TripAdvisor review to help them get a boost as things were slower than they would like.



I am guessing there is a lot of competition among resorts in Cabo. And so many more are being built in the next few years. Westin Los Cabos is new so perhaps not many people know about it. So a nice TripAdviser review would be lovely for you to write. Your review and photos here on TUG has certainly interested me to visit the resort if we return to Cabo.


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## JIMinNC (Jun 4, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> So a nice TripAdviser review would be lovely for you to write. Your review and photos here on TUG has certainly interested me to visit the resort if we return to Cabo.



Already done. Did the TripAdvisor review right after the TUG review.


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## post-it (Aug 10, 2018)

Thank you for all of the lovely pics and review of the Westin Cabo.  I just booked a 2 bd with Interval Accomodation Certificate for only 199.00, late September.  States unit #1847.   Looking forward to this resort.  We normally don’t rent a car in Mexico, can anyone recommend a good airport transfer company?


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## geist1223 (Aug 11, 2018)

We normally rent our cars through Hertz. Online from the USA before we go.


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## Coloradorunner (Aug 11, 2018)

We didn’t really like this resort. You can’t swim in the ocean. You can’t take long walks on the beach. There was construction. There are no nearby restaurants or shops. You can’t go for a run. We’ve stayed in some luxurious Mexican all inclusives, so I didn’t think this compared. 

This is just my different view for people reading this post and having really high expectations. 

The only other Mexican timeshare we’ve stayed in was Lugunamar in Cancun and we liked it a lot better because you could at least easily get to shops and restaurants.


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## geist1223 (Aug 11, 2018)

When we go to Cabo we always stay at 2 to 3 different timeshares. Such Club Regina/RVC (next door to Westin), Coral Baja (WM), Solaris (AI), and now next Spring we are adding Cabo Azul to the mix. Different and enjoyable experiences at all. We have dropped Grand Mayan because of their ridiculous fees. If you stayed at one of the numerous timeshares in the San Jose del Cabo area you could walk or run for miles on the Beach. You would have access to all the stores and restaurants you could desire. Staying at one of the timeshares on the Corridor might not be all the exciting for many. Though in Janaury or February we greatly enjoy the Club Regina/RVC as the whales play right off the Resort. We avoid Cancun and Cabo San Lucas as they are too crowded, noisy, and dirty.


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## post-it (Aug 11, 2018)

geist1223 said:


> When we go to Cabo we always stay at 2 to 3 different timeshares. Such Club Regina/RVC (next door to Westin), Coral Baja (WM), Solaris (AI), and now next Spring we are adding Cabo Azul to the mix. Different and enjoyable experiences at all. We have dropped Grand Mayan because of their ridiculous fees. If you stayed at one of the numerous timeshares in the San Jose del Cabo area you could walk or run for miles on the Beach. You would have access to all the stores and restaurants you could desire. Staying at one of the timeshares on the Corridor might not be all the exciting for many. Though in Janaury or February we greatly enjoy the Club Regina/RVC as the whales play right off the Resort. We avoid Cancun and Cabo San Lucas as they are too crowded, noisy, and dirty.


Our last Cabo trip we stayed at Cabo Azul which was awesome for walking beach, many things in walking distance, but for the interval booking price for a 2 bd we'll just have to figure out the shuttle and bus system.  Looking forward to the trip for sure.


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## geist1223 (Aug 11, 2018)

The Bus system is very simple and inexpensive. You simply go stand long the Highway and wait for one to come by. Though it is about a mile walk down to the Highway. Then a mile walk up hill when you return. In September it is still pretty hot. The folks at the Resort can tell you where to wait on the Highway and how many pesos. Best to have correct change. Not having stay at the Westin we can not say if it has an active shuttle system. Most people quickly find that when staying on the Corridor you need a rental car. Through Hertz it is common to get a small car for less than $10 USA per day. We also turn down the extra insurance that will cost more than the rental.


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## JIMinNC (Aug 11, 2018)

Coloradorunner said:


> You can’t swim in the ocean. You can’t take long walks on the beach. There was construction. There are no nearby restaurants or shops. You can’t go for a run. We’ve stayed in some luxurious Mexican all inclusives, so I didn’t think this compared.



When were you there? There was no construction there in February and the renovations seemed 100% complete.

The ocean isn't really swimmable as you say, but no issue for us. We actually did spend a hour or more walking on the beach one morning. We walked to the right past the large rock outcropping and walked down past the Baja Point resort, the golf course, other condos, and could have walked at least another mile or much more it appeared (see pictures below). There is a very nice restaurant on site with great views, El Cireulo, and another downstairs by the pool. Other great restaurants are just a cab ride away. We've never cared for the all-inclusive experience, preferring to sample the best local restaurants (as always, YMMV).


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## darius (Aug 11, 2018)

Jim,   

We had a great experience there as well - and used cabs to get around easily too.    We agree, that El Cireulo is very nice, and outstanding views.    There are so many restaurants that are easy to get to with a cab we felt that this location was perfect for Cabo.  

Overall, great resort and look forward to visiting again!

Darius





JIMinNC said:


> When were you there? There was no construction there in February and the renovations seemed 100% complete.
> 
> The ocean isn't really swimmable as you say, but no issue for us. We actually did spend a hour or more walking on the beach one morning. We walked to the right past the large rock outcropping and walked down past the Baja Point resort, the golf course, other condos, and could have walked at least another mile or much more it appeared (see pictures below). There is a very nice restaurant on site with great views, El Cireulo, and another downstairs by the pool. Other great restaurants are just a cab ride away. We've never cared for the all-inclusive experience, preferring to sample the best local restaurants (as always, YMMV).
> 
> ...


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## blondietink (Aug 15, 2018)

We tend to cook in our villa most of the time due to food allergies.  Any close good grocery stores?  Usually whatever store is on site doesn't have much variety along with high prices. I don't want to spend a lot of time searching out groceries.


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## geist1223 (Aug 15, 2018)

This Resort is on the Corridor between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. It is hard to enjoy without a car. The are 2 major grocery stores in San Jose del Cabo by the traffic circle you will travel when going from the Airport to the Resort.

I doubt that young children will enjoy this Resort. For the older 2 of the 3 children they might be able to go on the Camel ride or swim with the Dolphins in the Harbour at San Jose del Cabo. I am not sure ofm the age limitations.

There are a few resorts that have large areas for children. One that comes to mind is Royal Solaris. But it is an All Inclusive. Children have to be older than 5 to be ledt in the children's area. Younger than that and the parent have to hire a minder.


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## CalGalTraveler (Aug 17, 2018)

re: Groceries. A Tugger mentioned that the local Walmart will deliver to some of the hotels in the corridor.  You should check with your hotel.


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## post-it (Sep 16, 2018)

Heading to Westin Cabo this week, is the water filtered for drinking or not?  We did fine at another Cabo location and also in Cancun.  For the most part we drink bottled water, but brushing teeth and ice, washing fruit etc.


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## JIMinNC (Sep 17, 2018)

post-it said:


> Heading to Westin Cabo this week, is the water filtered for drinking or not?  We did fine at another Cabo location and also in Cancun.  For the most part we drink bottled water, but brushing teeth and ice, washing fruit etc.



I believe it is. We had no issues.


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## 1songbird (Sep 20, 2018)

We are here now. We were told NOT to use the water in our villa. It is safe to use the ice maker as it has a filter. We have a 2 bed/2 bath and we had 4 bottles of water in the villa when we checked in. Fortunately, we stopped and bought water and other essentials on the way here.


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## JIMinNC (Sep 20, 2018)

1songbird said:


> We are here now. We were told NOT to use the water in our villa. It is safe to use the ice maker as it has a filter. We have a 2 bed/2 bath and we had 4 bottles of water in the villa when we checked in. Fortunately, we stopped and bought water and other essentials on the way here.



We didn't _drink _the water in our villa at Westin Los Cabos, but had no issue with the small amount used to brush teeth. For drinking we drank bottled water or just the ice in drinks from the bars. Didn't need to cook or use the water in any other way.


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## SeattleJohn2 (Oct 31, 2018)

Hello Tuggers  - this thread is a little old but wanted to post on it before starting a new thread. Has anyone stayed at the Baja Point property? I have a 3-BR LO for my family and just now noticed it said "Baja Point" in small letter under the villa description. The resort looks great and the rooms seem very nice. Just curious how far it is to the main action at the Westin, specifically the pool, restaurant, etc. 

Also while I'm asking, what's the best way to get to/from airport and around the area with a family of seven. I was considering renting a minivan but thought I'd check with the experts first. Is it possible to hire a local driver for a few days? 

Thanks!


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## Karen G (Oct 31, 2018)

SeattleJohn2 said:


> Also while I'm asking, what's the best way to get to/from airport and around the area with a family of seven. I was considering renting a minivan but thought I'd check with the experts first. Is it possible to hire a local driver for a few days?
> 
> Thanks!


 Renting a minivan would likely be a good idea for the size of your group. If you decided you wanted to hire a local driver, we've
used Danny Boy and had a good experience. His website is http://www.dannyboycabo.com and you can contact him for his rates. You can also read
reviews about his services on trip advisor.


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## geist1223 (Oct 31, 2018)

There is a thread on the Mesico area that will provide you a bunch of info.


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## Mulege (Nov 6, 2018)

blondietink said:


> We tend to cook in our villa most of the time due to food allergies.  Any close good grocery stores?  Usually whatever store is on site doesn't have much variety along with high prices. I don't want to spend a lot of time searching out groceries.



There Is a Costco in Cabo. You can get a free one day membership if you don’t have a regular one.


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