by Sophie Azouaou

We landed late afternoon on a balmy day and were welcomed by Salvador. He was eagerly waiting for us with cold drinks and jasmine scented towels, presented on a delightful Mexican ceramic tray. The excitement had begun. We arrived at Capella through a private tunnel called Dos Mares.

The unexpectedly mountain carved entrance spoke of mystery. We felt we had left the world behind and had entered a world of magic and beautiful fantasy.

As the story goes, owners the Diaz family wanted to access their beautiful beachfront land. The only way to do so was to carve through the mountain. The best engineers were hired and the magical resort was conceived.

Our Estrella suite with its plush bed, fit for a queen, was awaiting us. The enchanting private outdoor terrace boasted an infinity edge pool with fire pit and breathtaking ocean view. We settled in our private quarters and ventured downstairs.

Capella “ the double constellation” rests on the southernmost tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. With 24 mountainside and oceanfront acres, its grandeur complements the beautiful and legendary rock known as Land’s End. The private hideaway is within 10 minutes from Los Cabos Marina. Guests can embrace the “Cabo culture” with its colorful shops and authentic Mexican cuisine.

General manager and veteran in the hospitality industry, Peter Bowling is the wizard behind the perfectly orchestrated resort.

Bowling has held executive positions at some of the Caribbean’s finest resorts, including The Royal Pavilion in Barbados and the Cotton House Hotel in Mustique. We sat with him, anxious to hear more about Capella Pedregal.

Peter was quick to share the uniqueness behind the resort: “The 66-room Capella Resort and Spa is our flagship beach resort for the Capella brand. Our property amenities are wide-ranged and include 4 pools, 3 inviting bars, a private library, a world class Spa, full service beauty salon, fitness center, and gourmet, cliff-side dining.”

“We really got our vision from the unique, natural décor with the mountain backdrop and pristine blue water from the Pacific Ocean. Guests who come wish to rest and indulge in our sanctuary. We are in essence a true lifestyle resort,“ he said.

“Excellence in service is a crucial element and the very soul of our resort. Before the opening, 1,400 employees were interviewed to get to the 350 finalists. We carefully selected them, and they went through an intense training program and orientation. We cannot afford to make a mistake with our guests’ precious time.

“Our motto is based on the concept that guests can’t get back the time they lost. We cater to their needs, if they want to have breakfast at 3pm, we will do it. The word “No” is not part of our vocabulary,” he shared.

Later, we met with acclaimed executive chef Marco Bustamante. Marco heads all 3 dining establishments at Capella.
The fine dining Don Manuel’s, El Farallon is stunning, nestled in the rock and provides superbly fresh caught seafood daily.
Guests can enjoy coastal cuisine at the more casual Beach Club.

His fine dining experience in five diamond and Michelin-rated establishments has raised the bars in Mexican dining in Cabo San Lucas.

Bustamante peruses local markets in search of the purest and freshest of ingredients to craft four and five-course menus that change weekly.

A poet at heart, Bustamante cuisine tastes of fresh romance, eloquent love and lingering spices.

On our last day Vanessa Infante General Manager, gave us a tour of the 12,000 square feet Auriga Spa. The Spa is a blissful oasis with treatments based on the cycles of the moon.

We experienced one of their flagship treatments: the rose crystal lymphatic facial. With feather soft strokes our face was deep cleansed, exfoliated and rejuvenated. The gentle rose smell was pleasurably intoxicating. Some other favorites are the New Moon and Full moon treatments.

With personalized airport greeting, an enchanting location, unique in-room amenities, maid service at your disposal and fine romantic dining, Capella Pedregal embodies pure luxury.

Peter Bowling whose vision was to create an incredible experience paired with a community feel, “a home away from home” for his guests, has indeed achieved his goal.
For the rest you just have to go see for yourself. You can make reservation via their own travel agencies, by calling the resort’s reservation team or visit their website.

 

Special thanks to Peter Bowling, Vanessa Infante, Marco Bustamante, Fernando Flores, Cleo Garduno, Irene Lopez, Ricardo Arroyo and Tonya Fleetwood.

LINKS

Sophie the author

Capella

Estrella Suite

Baja Peninsula

Peter Bowling


Don Manuel’s

El Farallon

Beach Club