My first visit to Los Cabos and the southern tip of Baja California was more than 40 years ago. At the time the region was raw, untamed, underdeveloped, and very sleepy. Los Cabos was the name for the greater area which included San Jose del Cabo. It had a two-lane road that connected the traveler from the airport to the famous fishing town of Cabo San Lucas.
The journey from the small airport took the traveler along the northern edge of San Jose del Cabo, followed by an hour’s trek on a very rural two-lane road flanked by the Mexican desert. It reached down to the water’s edge and rose to the base of rugged rock mountains that guarded the inlands. The desert was vast, raw, rugged and uninterrupted. It was quiet and calming. Cows would roam without interruption and often the remnants of an unfortunate collision would lie roadside. The site of whales cruising the currents, iguanas perched and basking atop massive rocks, and ocean birds soaring effortlessly in the constant ocean winds provided an allure to this magical place.
A Place of Warm Welcomes and Endless Sun
The region, 40 years ago, was little in the way of luxury. The Los Cabos people were sweet, unassuming, very pleasant, and accommodating. Always adorning a big welcoming smile. This was a very special place. A place that offers amazing water sports, game fishing, dessert activities, golf, tennis, wonderful coastal Mexican culture, history, and of course limitless sun.
The Birth of a Dream: Crafting Luxury in Cabo
My first opportunity to craft architecture was in 1992 when I met a wonderful young man who had just acquired a parcel of land that ran from the highway to the ocean. The young man was Mexican, tall, handsome, and well educated. However, he was uncertain what would be best to build on the land.
Capturing Cabo: A Vision in the Sand
We embarked to the site with sunglasses, ball caps, and a cooler of cold cerveza. Sitting on a blanket of white untamed sand, we sat and discussed. The sand provided a perfect canvas to draw a plan. We wanted to capture the beauty of the site, harness the winds, and temper the sun. Additionally, we aimed to embrace the amazing views and spectacle of the powerful blue waters, which reached East, West, and as far as the eye could see.
A Celebration of Nature and Architecture
Luxury was our goal; to capture an authentic Cabo experience which celebrated the desert landscape, the diverse flora, the stones, sand, and colors. The high contrast of rugged desert and mountains with the precision of well-manicured green ribbons of the world-class golf in the region. We wanted to honor the materials of the region, the craftsmanship of handmade forms, simple building forms, and soft off-white colors with minimal accent colors. Sophisticated, clean, alive, and fresh were also on our minds.
The hope was to create a place and a new destination that was void of fussiness. It would be a collection of structures that was individually and beautifully crafted. Additionally, they would feature interesting intersections, found gardens and spaces, intimate spaces between, narrowed sightlines and vistas, larger open spaces, and cascading landscapes naturally true and wonderfully expressed. Our attitude was to design a place for the individual. The resort doesn’t just prescribe the experience but allowed the guest to define their memories and special moment – a place just for you.
Every step of our work was to celebrate life, awaken guests, and to capture what is uniquely Los Cabo in many ways. Through building, landscape, interiors, and nature, we would illuminate the region in powerful ways.
A Resort that Redefined Luxury: Las Ventanas al Paraiso
When the project opened, Las Ventanas al Paraiso (The Windows of Paradise) redefined luxury beach resorts. Although small with 60 rooms, the impact of this jewel changed Los Cabos forever. It attracted the luxury and celebrity crowd. Las Ventanas became the benchmark of luxury with world-class services from Rosewood Hotel. There were sensitive and sophisticated architecture, extraordinary pools, and beautiful landscaping. A collection of memorable art and sculpture, fabulous adventurous food and drink, and an unstoppable ever-changing ocean that feeds the soul every second of every day.
Creating Unforgettable Moments in Hospitality
We believe great hospitality is all about creating moments that a guest enjoys and will remember for their entire life. A great resort surprises you, makes you feel whole, and empties you of the heaviness and burdens of life. A great resort should also heal and satisfy through thoughtfulness.
A Legacy in Cabo: Shaping a Global Luxury Hotel Destination
Since the first great resort, Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects has crafted over 30 Latin American resorts and hotels and 10 resorts in the Los Cabos region. Cabo is no longer quiet and sleepy. It has emerged as a global destination. It has been a privilege and honor to have played a small role in transforming this resort destination, where the southern tip of Baja California falls into the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Que te viajes buen!
– written by Nunzio DeSantis, AIA, Founding Partner at NMDA
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