Downtown and Marina

Under US$50

Near the bus terminal, Hotel Casa Blanca (Revolución at Morelos, tel. 624/143-5360, US$40) has 20 adequate rooms with king-size beds and air-conditioning.

In the same vicinity, Olas Hotel (Revolución at Gómez Farías, tel. 624/143-1780, fax 624/143-1380, US$50) feels more like a hostel, with 35 rooms (some with one king-size bed, others with two single beds). Amenities include cable TV, fan, fridge, microwave, and patio.

Budget travelers might also check out relative newcomer Hotel Oasis (US$35–45), across from the CCC (Centro Comercial California), on the west side of Mexico 19 just north of the junction with Mexico 1.

US$50–100

You can easily walk to the marina and the Puerto Paraíso mall from the two-story Cabo Inn Hotel (20 de Noviembre btw Vicario/Mendoza, tel. 624/143-0819, U.S. tel. 619/819-2727, www.caboinnhotel.com [1], US$50–70), but with the central location comes a whole lot of noise, and readers have shared disappointing experiences in staying here. Here are some factors to consider before you book: Its 22 rooms are mostly small and dark, especially the ones without windows. Beds have foam mattresses and baths have curtains instead of doors. Air-conditioners are old and often loud. Some rooms have refrigerators.

Two rooftop palapa rooms give travelers a sense of the real Baja; one has its own whirlpool tub and both come with bug nets over the beds. There is a full kitchen and shared TV in the common area, as well as a very tiny “social” pool. The managers do ask guests to adhere to a number of house rules, which are reasonable, but the tone in which they are presented may not sit well with some travelers. The owner has installed wireless Internet throughout the property. Credit cards are accepted for advanced reservations only; you’ll need cash if you show up unannounced.

Siesta Suites Hotel (Zapata btw Guerrero/Hidalgo, tel. 624/143-2773, toll-free U.S. tel. 866/271-0952, www.cabosiestasuites.com [2], US$60–75) completed a top-to-bottom remodel in 2007. Highlights include granite counters, new bath fixtures, and new queen beds. In business since 1992, it is owned by a couple originally from Southern California who converted an old apartment building into the hotel. Several of Cabo’s best restaurants are steps away. The hotel has 15 suites with kitchenettes (including microwaves and toaster ovens) and separate bedrooms and five hotel-style rooms. All are air-conditioned and come with satellite TV. Repeat guests enjoy the sundeck, BBQ, and “social” pool; secured parking is another plus. Wi-Fi for guests costs a onetime US$5 fee but does not reach to all the rooms, and several PCs in the lobby are available to guests and the public for US$3 an hour.

The Hotel Los Arcos (Vicario and Revolución, tel. 624/143-0702, hotelplazalosarcos [at] hotmail [dot] com, US$55) opened in December 2005 with 32 clean rooms in a two-story building with cable TV, air-conditioning, and wireless Internet.

The centrally located and well-worn Hotel Mar de Cortez (Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas at Guerrero, tel. 624/143-0032, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/347-8821, www.mardecortez.com [3], US$50–67) has seen better days, but it is much loved by its loyal patrons, many of whom return for the same week year after year, and still manages to stay full in the high season. The prices haven’t gone up in the last five years. Its muy tranquilo setting provides a welcome respite from the noisy, crowded streets of downtown Cabo San Lucas—yet puts guests conveniently close to all the action (except the beach, which is a 20-minute walk).

Clean, air-conditioned rooms each have one queen and one twin bed, some with a bit of a slope, and dimly lit baths. There are no TVs and no phones, but there is free Wi-Fi. Guests can rent a small refrigerator for US$10 per day. Enjoy the small pool and patio area, which are shaded by date palms, or dine in the on-site restaurant and outdoor bar.

Friendly and attentive service makes for a memorable stay at Los Milagros Hotel (Matamoros 116, tel. 624/143-4566, U.S. tel. 718/928-6647, www.losmilagros.com.mx [4], US$85), which has a dozen large rooms with air-conditioning and private baths; a few rooms include kitchenettes as well. There is a cactus garden on the roof, a tiny pool in the courtyard, and free Wi-Fi.

Now owned by The Villa Group (www.villagroupresorts.com [5]), Hotel Santa Fe (southwest corner of Zaragoza and Obregón, tel. 624/143-4401, toll-free U.S. tel. 877/845-5247, gerenciasantafe [at] prodigy [dot] net [dot] mx, US$40–80) is a well-maintained property with 46 studios surrounding a pool. Each studio has a sliding glass door, tile floor, renovated bath, kitchenette, and relatively new furnishings as well as air-conditioning, satellite TV, and phone. Amenities include wireless Internet, off-street parking, 24-hour security, a small counter restaurant with outdoor seating (7 A.M.–7 P.M. daily), laundry, and a mini-super (7 A.M.–7 P.M. daily). A free beach shuttle service is provided.

One block off the marina, on the second floor of Plaza de la Danza, Viva Cabo Hotel (Blvd. Marina, Plaza La Danza, tel./fax 624/143-5810, US$90–100) has eight studios, each with two double beds or one king, kitchenette, air-conditioning, and satellite TV. Guests have access to a pool and fitness center next door.

US$100–150

Close to downtown but also within easy walking distance of Playa El Médano, Marina Sol Condominiums (tel. 624/143-3231, toll-free U.S. tel. 877/255-1721, www.marinasolresort.com [6], US$110–140) has basic one- and two-bedroom condos arranged around a pretty courtyard and swimming pool. A wheelchair-accessible room is available. The lobby has several independently operated businesses, including a convenience store, day spa, and laundry service.

On the east side of the marina, next to the Marina Fiesta Hotel, between downtown and the beach, the Marina Cabo Plaza condominium hotel (Blvd. Marina 39, tel. 624/143-1833, www.marinacaboplaza.com [7], US$100/day or US$700/week) has 63 rooms with tiled floors and balconies with impressive views of the marina below. Guests share a swimming pool.

US$150–250

Elegant Casa Bella (Hidalgo 10, tel. 624/143-6400, U.S. tel. 626/209-0215, www.casabellahotel.com [8], Oct. 1–July 31, US$160–190) brings a San José del Cabo feel to downtown Cabo San Lucas. Its 11 rooms are set in a restored colonial-style home across from the town square and Mi Casa restaurant. Rooms have ornate wooden doors, antique-style furnishings, oversized tiled showers, and remote-control air-conditioning. An enclosed patio has a small pool with several chaise lounges. You will be hard-pressed to find this kind of intimacy and elegance so close to the marina and nightlife anywhere else in town.

It’s impossible to miss the sprawling Wyndham Cabo San Lucas Resort (formerly Tesoro Los Cabos Hotel) (tel. 624/173-9300 or 800/716-8770, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/543-7556, www.wyndham.com [9], US$65–130 European plan or US$183–194 American plan) on the west side of the marina. It is the most basic all-inclusive resort you’ll find in Los Cabos, but new management as of January 2011 may be planning to change that. As of this writing, all 286 rooms have air-conditioning, phone, and refrigerator, and the hotel has a beach club on Playa El Medano. Hard beds, low water pressure, and inattentive service rank among the top complaints.

Not quite as large as the Wyndham, but still an imposing presence on the marina, is the Marina Fiesta Resort & Hotel (tel. 624/145-6020, toll-free U.S. tel. 866/998-3767, www.marinafiestaresort.com [10], US$240–380). This property gets high marks for a central location, but the noise coming from nearby bars and round-the-clock construction has bothered many recent guests. Amenities include a swimming pool and views of the marina, but guestrooms could use a cosmetic overhaul. The timeshare pitch comes on strong from the moment you walk in the door. The resort seems overpriced at its current rates.