What you need to know about staying at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos

Ten years after world-famous sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Hollywood powerhouses Robert De Niro and Meir Teper entered the hotel space with the opening of Nobu Hotel Las Vegas (a hotel-within-a-hotel concept at Caesars Palace), the Nobu empire has continued at full force.

Today, Nobu Hotels has over 30 one-of-a-kind properties around the world and in development, from the beaches of Miami to the trendy Moroccan city of Marrakech to an upcoming property in New York City. But of those, few are as well known as the brand’s outpost at the tip of the Baja California peninsula: Nobu Hotel Los Cabos.

A magnet for the world’s trendy set, (wannabe) influencers and the food-obsessed, Nobu Hotel Los Cabos has taken social media by storm since it opened in 2019, thanks to its contemporary, Japanese-inspired design reflecting its desert location — and the Nobu restaurant itself.

Having been “influenced,” I went to Cabo to see if the resort actually lived up to the hype and to get a better understanding of one of the world’s trendiest hotel brands.

Here’s what you need to know about staying at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos.

What is Nobu Hotel Los Cabos?

Nobu Hotel Los Cabos is a beautiful, massive resort in a private complex near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, about an hour away from the area’s Los Cabos International Airport (SJD). The resort packs a big punch, with rooms and residences of all sizes, multiple pools, a spa and a handful of restaurants and bars, including the ultra-popular eponymous restaurant Nobu Los Cabos.

Though the resort feels more geared toward adults, it is family-friendly, offering a kids club to entertain younger guests. Over my two-night stay in July, I encountered people from all walks of life and folks on honeymoons, bachelorette parties and family vacations. The resort is also pet-friendly, so even four-legged guests can enjoy the fun, including pool areas, with the exception of actually getting in the water.

It’s also important to note that, like most resorts in the Cabo area, it’s unsafe to swim in the ocean here.

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How to book Nobu Hotel Los Cabos

Cash rates at Nobu Los Cabos fluctuate throughout the year, with the lowest rates starting around $350, plus taxes and fees.

Folks who have an American Express credit card and book through The Hotel Collection for two or more nights receive elitelike perks, including a room upgrade (when available) and a $100 property credit.

Or, as a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Leaders Club members can earn or burn points and get perks like potential upgrades and breakfast for two when booked directly through the program.

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The property is beautiful … and confusing

While most Cabo resorts are located off the busy main road, Nobu Los Cabos is way off on its own and requires a drive down some roads that had me wondering, “Where am I?” But once I got past the winding roads, through the main gate (where I was told “Welcome home!”) and to the hotel’s gate, I was introduced to a stunner of a resort.

Across the complex, which contains a handful of buildings, I found beautiful Japanese-inspired art and architectural elements (like a Zen garden flanking the entrance and lobby), vast landscaped areas with gorgeous cactuses and desert plants, and seemingly countless places to stop for a photo. This place was clearly designed to stop people in their tracks — and I certainly found myself amazed by the beauty of it.

That said, I also found the layout very confusing to navigate, especially on the first day. The lobby is perched above the majority of the resort and requires a trip down an elevator or stairs to get to the main resort areas (like the pool and many restaurants). Without being given a map at check-in, I truly struggled to find my way around and eventually had to ask for a map. Over the course of my stay, I frequently had to ask for directions (and was asked for directions by other guests).

Mind you, it’s a beautiful place to get lost in, but I’d factor in spending a little more time than expected getting from point A to point B, just in case you take a wrong turn.

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The new residences are perfect for long stays or groups

For my two-night trip, I stayed in Nobu Residences Los Cabos, a brand-new addition to the resort that gives guests more space and home-inspired amenities, including kitchens with top-of-the-line appliances and a washer and a dryer. Unlike most residences at hotels, these accommodations are not for rent or lease; rather, they’re reserved for hotel guests who want to spread out or stay for extended periods.

Since I was traveling with my mom, we had a two-bedroom Ashai residence that came in at over 2,000 square feet — and let me tell you, I very much wish this apartment was where I actually lived. The living room, pictured above, had a beautiful design and was super comfortable, plus all the TVs had streaming capabilities and the ability to cast directly from my phone.

Even though we weren’t there long enough to cook, the kitchen had everything we could need to make a meal happen, including retro Smeg appliances. The room’s personal concierge can even have grocery orders delivered to the room ahead of time.

The best part (for me, at least) was a high-tech, built-in Smeg coffee maker that quickly made a perfect Americano that I was able to dilute with water and ice from the freezer for an at-home iced coffee.

In the main bedroom, there was a balcony overlooking a golf course, a Simmons bed, a little desk area with a charging station and automatic curtains controlled with a remote control.

There was also a walk-in closet with drawers, hangers, terry robes, a high-end steamer and a safe.

But the star of the show was the bathroom, which featured an onsen teak soaking tub set against a stone wall, where I enjoyed one of the best soaks ever — except for the fact that the automatic lights kept turning off, leaving me with a little more mood lighting than I was hoping for. Right outside the tub was a shower, as well as dual sinks and a separate room with a fancy Japanese-style toilet with an electric bidet and, my favorite amenity, heated toilet seats.

The second bedroom had two king-size beds and, pictured above, a truly beautiful and sleek wooden desk set up. There was no walk-in closet, but we had plenty of storage in the standard sliding-door closet. Though the bathroom was slightly smaller, it also had an onsen soaking tub to relax in.

Off the living room, the main balcony had a comfy seating area and a large grill to cook on. The views here looked onto the golf course, but it’s worth noting that the course is private and only available for use by owners of homes within the private community.

Though it was a lot of space for just two people for two nights, the residence was truly so comfortable and practical. I couldn’t stop thinking about how great one of these one- to four-bedroom spaces could be for a bigger group sharing a space or a family on an extended vacation. Average rates for the residences start around $1,600 per night.

The only downside of the experience was that the residences were quite a distance from the pools, meaning it was a bit of a journey to get to where most of the action was. But hey, if that’s a problem, consider booking one of the residences with its own pool.

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All the rooms are fantastic (and have that incredible tub)

Even if you don’t need as much space as the Residences offer, you can’t go wrong with any of the room types at Nobu Los Cabos. Entry-level rooms start at over 500 square feet and work their way up to suites with various configurations and amenities, like private pools.

Next time I visit, I’d love to stay in a swim-up room so I could simply slide open the door and jump right into the pool seen above.

If you’re as bathtub obsessed as I am, don’t fret: Every room type has that beautiful teak soaking tub.

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The food and drinks live up to the hype

At Nobu Los Cabos, there are an open-air coffee shop in the lobby area, six bars (including a handful of restaurant bars) and eateries ranging from a casual spot only open for breakfast called the Restaurant to the Ardea steakhouse to the upscale Mexican eatery Pacific to a brand-new Mediterranean restaurant perched above the Residences called Muna. There’s, of course, chef Nobu’s namesake restaurant, too, plus a restaurant, bar and pool club venue called Nami Restaurant and Beach Club, which has a small infinity pool overlooking the ocean, tables and private cabanas.

For times when sleeping in sounds better than venturing to a restaurant or when the midnight munchies hit really hard, you can take advantage of the property’s 24-hour room service. Just know that when it comes time to sign, a 15% service charge is added to all bills.

Here’s a quick overview of my dining experiences.

Nobu Los Cabos Restaurant

Depending on who you ask, Nobu restaurants are either the crème de la crème of Japanese dining or simply a place to be seen — and I felt that both of those types of people were dining around me in the beautiful indoor-outdoor dining space of Nobu, which has tables facing out to the sea. (Note: The restaurant is open to non-guests as well, so it’s common to see people who aren’t staying at the resort eating there.)

I was perfectly happy with my meal and very much enjoyed the Instagram-famous creamy-yet-crispy rock shrimp ($41), a gorgeous shiitake salad with spicy lemon dressing ($30), a few pieces of nigiri (tuna, yellowtail and salmon) and spicy edamame ($13). But my favorite dish was the seared scallops in a creamy sauce with jalapenos ($35) that practically melted in my mouth and had just the right punch of heat.

If you want to eat at Nobu, make sure you have your concierge secure a reservation for you — and order plenty to share because the menu has so many options, you’ll want a bite of everything.

Muna and M Bar

Before dining at Muna, the newest restaurant on the property, we made a detour to M Bar, the rooftop sister bar attached to the restaurant found in the Residences (but open to all). The space was chic and full of texture and patterns, plus it offered gorgeous views of the coastline.

Saving our appetites for dinner, we skipped food and went straight for the drink menu. I opted for the Ficus Indicia, a brightly colored concoction of Patron Silver, pink prickly pear, coconut water, lemon, sage agave and habanero bitters ($22) that was refreshing with a little spicy kick that I loved. My mom chose the Graviola, a clear drink served in a coupe made with Grey Goose, clarified soursop, lemon juice and simple syrup. Don’t forget to snap a picture of the latter’s gold foil-topped ice cube — that’s the picture the people want.

At Muna (accessed via an automatic door), dinner did not disappoint (and neither did the light, airy decor of the establishment). Our meal began with a complimentary tray of little breads from various countries around the Mediterranean, which set the bar exceptionally high.

Pretty much everything that followed lived up to expectations, including a ricotta and feta dip with beets for $30 (perfect to beat the heat outside), the jumbo shrimp and lobster “arroz meloso” (or creamy rice) and, the star of the meal, seared king scallops with fermented lemon, saffron bearnaise (basically a hollandaise) and Spanish chistorra (a type of cured sausage from the Basque Country) for $49.

If you’re a wine connoisseur, Muna has an extensive wine list.

Playa Bar

I ate so well during my entire stay at Nobu Los Cabos, but I’ve got to admit that my favorite meal and drinks were both unexpected surprises from Playa Bar.

First, at the swim-up pool bar (where I decided to not take my phone due to some kids playing, so sorry for no pictures), we made a simple request: a spicy margarita and a pina colada. The bartender took that simple request and treated our drink orders (both $20) like works of art. The pina colada was seriously the best I’ve had in my life, perfectly sweet and creamy and topped with a floater and toasted coconut. Meanwhile, the spicy margarita had my lips burning and tears in my eyes, but that’s exactly how I wanted it.

After ordering a second round of drinks (we would’ve stayed for a third, they were that good), we had an avocado pizza with jalapeno ricotta cheese, agave serrano chili, lime and cilantro ($33) alongside chips, guacamole and salsa ($22) at our pool chairs. It was the perfect snack, refreshing and not too heavy, to accompany those delicious cocktails.

The 1 dining downside: The lack of a communal bar

While the dining scene was exceptional overall, my one gripe with Nobu Los Cabos was that there didn’t seem to be a main communal lobby bar to enjoy. Instead, most of the bars were either around the pool or attached to a restaurant, leaving strange blocks of time when the restaurant was closed to change service or the pool had started to wind down so that it felt like it was time to wrap up rather than order a drink.

There are times on vacation when you want a place to relax and enjoy a cocktail during those in-between moments or after a meal. With such a gorgeous resort, there should be an equally gorgeous bar that’s easy to find and open throughout the day.

Related: Why I love hotel bars, especially when I travel solo

There are 2 spas

Is a beach vacation complete without a visit to the spa? For me, no. Luckily, there are two spas at Nobu Los Cabos: the Esencia Wellness spa, which I visited for a treatment, and the brand-new Esencia Onsen Spa at the Residences, which offers a Japanese onsen experience, as well as ceremonies that really take wellness to the next level.

I opted for the Japanese Silk Nobu Signature Treatment ($580) at the Esencia Wellness spa. The treatment, which lasted 105 minutes, featured a full-body exfoliation followed by a relaxing shower in the treatment room, a soothing massage with hot volcanic stones (I was afraid it would be too hot, but it was just the right temperature) and a face mask.

My massage was perfect — and I felt the most relaxed I had felt in a very long time. A few days before my stay at Nobu, I had been on a very intense deep-sea fishing trip that had left me painfully sore, and the massage worked out all that pain. I admittedly did feel a little rushed before and after the experience, but the staff was still super friendly, so I think they were just exceptionally busy that day.

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It’s not just full of influencers

I’m not joking when I say that this resort is a social media darling. I genuinely was worried that people trying to get that perfect shot or TikTok video or dress to outshine everyone else at the resort would make the experience annoying, if not hilarious. But honestly, that wasn’t the case.

Yes, everyone was dressed better than guests at any other resort. Yes, people (including myself) were taking pictures and posing with the beautiful landscapes. And yes, I did see a few people take that to the next level, but it was never annoying and everyone seemed genuinely kind and happy to be there.

Sometimes, things get attention online for all the right reasons — and I’d have to say that this is one of them.

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Checking out

After two nights at Nobu Los Cabos I was well-fed, relaxed and, well, not ready to leave. Maybe it was because I visited in late July when Cabo is extremely warm, but I was shocked by how laid-back the experience felt, and I felt in awe of the gorgeous (and massive) property.

Sure, it was full of jet-setter types in designer swimwear, but it was also full of families having fun, folks of all ages and kind staff keen to help everyone out. The rooms and residences are stunners, too, so you can rest easy knowing that when it’s time to head back to the room and say goodnight to everything the resort has to offer, you’ll catch plenty of z’s.

If you find yourself there, don’t forget to order a spicy margarita for me.

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