Esperanza, Auberge Collection

Esperanza is located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, four miles outside of Cabo San Lucas, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. The setting is spectacular and the resort itself is luxurious and exclusive, the sort of place where you just might spot a vacationing Hollywood star. It's no surprise, then, that privacy and seclusion are among Esperanza's biggest draws. There are no standard rooms here — just fifty-seven casitas and luxury suites, all with private terraces and ocean views. The décor is nothing to write to Wallpaper about, just a comfortable, contemporary Baja look, with plenty of stucco and exposed beams, and a smattering of works by local artists. No need to complain to your agent either — the linens are the obligatory Frette, presumably in compliance with some Screen Actors Guild regulation. The restaurant offers an improbably beautiful view, as it is carved into the bluffs of Punta Ballena (Whale Point) overlooking the truly pacific (as opposed to Pacific) Sea of Cortez. Breakfast is served on a seaside terrace, La Terraza Americana serves the inevitable array of American style cuisine, and, not to be outdone, the Palapa Bar offers drinks with an ocean view, and a prodigious selection of tequilas. Whale-watching, perhaps unsurprisingly in a place called Whale Point, is an option, as are all manner of other seafaring activities, from sailing to surfing. Land-lovers may prefer a day of spa treatments or yoga classes, a spin through the open-air art gallery, or a visit to either the historic town of San Jose del Cabo or the less historic nightlife of Cabo San Lucas.