We just got back from a kid free vacation to celebrate our anniversary and ohhhh my we got spoiled!

I am honestly not sure I’ll EVER get over the fact that we can travel to these stunning places for a FRACTION of the cost!

We sort of accidentally stayed at 3 hotels during our latest stay and got a really good feel for each of them, but they all come with very different vibes (and also very different price tags).

If you’re trying to experience Cabo on a budget, you might be thinking it’s out of reach, but with a bit of savvy reward travel intel, you can book luxurious stays like this using points.

Psst. You can check out our FREE Points 101 Guide or book a 1:1 week long consult with me and I can walk you through this exact thing step by step! It’s one of my favorite things to do!!

Key Takeaways:

• The Waldorf is true 5 star luxury, but you’re going to pay the premium!
• Overall best for families is no doubt the Hilton Los Cabos
• Fun fact: Most beaches in Cabo are not swimmable (read more to find out why!)
• If views from your room are important to you, The Cape is going to be your new favorite spot!

The Cape: Perfect Mid Range Choice

Bookable with Hyatt Points

The Cape is an exceptional choice for those looking to indulge without breaking the bank, as long as you’re booking with points!

Using your Hyatt points, you can book a night here for on average 30,000 points a night (transferred from our hands down favorite travel rewards card), but the cash price while we were there was around $600 a night! YIKES!

Design-Forward Aesthetics

We fell in love with The Cape’s modern vibes and I’m sure you will too.

The hotel’s architecture and interior design are super sleek and sophisticated, offering a refreshing take on the classic beach hotel experience. If you’re someone who appreciates aesthetics, this is the place to be without a doubt! The decor is modern and fresh and subtle cool, Mexico beach vibes.

Oceanfront Rooms and Stunning Views

Okay, but here’s where this place really shines – Every room at The Cape faces the ocean, ensuring you wake up to breathtaking views each morning. Total Insta-worthy shots. If you can get upgraded to a Deluxe room, your porch will have a porch swing, which I could have just spent HOURS on.

While the food prices at the hotel are on HIGH (think $39 for a burger at the pool 😳), the stunning views definitely help make up for it. Although we can teach you alllll the ways to travel for nearly free, it is important to budget for the resort priced food at these nicer hotels!

However, speaking of food, a little pro tip – if you have it in your budget to splurge and do the 5 course chef’s tasting menu at Manta on site, it is A MILLION PERCENT worth it!! Hands down – best food we had on the entire trip. It was an incredible Mexican Asian fusion and I simply can not stress enough how incredible it was!

More Adult Atmosphere

The Cape encapsulates the contemporary Cabo vibe. We also loved it because the resort didn’t feel huge or spread out at all. I love to feel relaxed on trips like these and sometimes if the resort is too large, it can feel overwhelming.

During our stay, we noticed that the hotel had a very chic, adult-oriented atmosphere. We only saw one child during our visit, making it ideal for couples or solo travelers seeking a modern retreat. So something of note!

Waldorf Astoria: A Couples Paradise

True 5-Star Luxury

Whew, y’all. Talk about a place we could NEVER afford to stay.

This place books for $1500 per night, but again, the beauty of points – we were able to book this for FREE using a combination of Hilton Free Night Certificates and one night at 120,000 points. These came from elevated offers on the Hilton Honors American Express Card and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card!

Specific hotel card sign ups can be an important part of your points strategy (especially when it comes to hotels like Hilton and Marriott, where the points redemptions are MUCH higher!)

This hotel exudes elegance and offers a classic Mexican feel, elevated to the utmost level of sophistication. In other words, fancy schmancy to the Nth degree!

Related Post: Here are our FAVORITE boutique hotel recommendations in Mexico!!

Elegant and Classic Mexican Feel

The Waldorf combines traditional Mexican charm with modern luxury and is everything you would think of when you consider five star service. You won’t lift a finger here and they really have thought of your every need.

The elegant decor and careful attention to detail create an ultimate bougie vibe we all love.

Elevated Experience

This hotel is absolutely perfect for a couple’s getaway…nothing better than uninterrupted time together!..especially to the tune of, we didn’t pay $1500 a night!

However, be prepared: the food prices here are STUPID expensive. Everythinggggg. Again $39 burgers at the pool, $24 cocktails, plan to spend $150-200 minimum for at a dinner at Don Miguels on site. So just budget accordingly.

The Waldorf does offer a complimentary golf cart that takes you through the tunnel to bring you into town if you would like to eat outside the property. However, the resort truly does feel like an oasis…so admittedly, it was hard to leave!

Family Friendly (ish)

Families are welcome, but the steep food costs might make it less ideal for those traveling with children. We honestly would probably not bring our children here, just because of the food prices alone! Or maybe we would, but just make sure to stash a bunch of Uncrustables in the mini-fridge…kidding, NOT kidding!

However, there is a complimentary kids club for those 4 and up which would give you some kid-free time if you did decide to bring your little ones.

Food and Drink Perk

With Hilton Gold status (again an included perk from Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card– the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card comes with a sizable welcome bonus, enough to book one night at this upscale property!) you get a complimentary continental breakfast, but I actually highly recommend upgrading to the full buffet for $20.

It’s delicious and really worth it for the amount and quality of the food included.

You also get complimentary chips, guacamole, and Coronitos delivered to your room around 4:30 every day which is so fun! Orrrr you can upgrade to margaritas for $10 which may be fun to mix it up if you’re celebrating a special occasion! (Really Margaritas in Mexico, are ALWAYS a yes)

Farallon on site is essentially the most iconic restaurant experience you can have in Cabo and is a total splurge meal (and also worth it!) But if you’re wanting those sunset views, you’ll need to make reservations farrrr in advance for that.

Despite the high cost overall, the experience is top-notch for a couples getaway, making it worth every dollar (or point 😉) spent.

Hilton Los Cabos: Perfect Balance for Families

Great Value with Hilton Points

Our third stay, the Hilton Los Cabos, was somewhere where we have stayed before and will absolutely stay again! It offers a balanced experience of comfort and value that is perfect for families.

There are so many unique features about this hotel that make it the perfect spot to come back to over and over in Cabo San Lucas.

In one word, I would describe it as “approachable”. It doesn’t feel so fancy you feel out of place, but you still feel like you’re on a gorgeous property.

At 80,000 Hilton points per night and $0 in resort fees, it provides a luxurious yet affordable option for travelers looking to enjoy Cabo, but not drop over $1k daily. However, the going cash rate is still $500-600 a night which just makes me feel SO GOOD at the money we saved.

I’ll admit it’s not complete 5 star level service like the Waldorf, but it’s still really is a fantastic property and wonderful service!

Good Service, Reasonable Prices

While not as fancy schmancy as the Waldorf, the Hilton Los Cabos still delivers excellent attention to detail and amenities.

The food is delicious and much more reasonable priced – and by “reasonable”, I mean it’s still resort costs for food, but not bonkers prices like the Waldorf. Here the burger at the pool was $24…see what I mean?! MUCH more reasonable!

Again, with that Amex Hilton Surpass you get complimentary continental breakfast or you can upgrade to the full buffet for $15, which I highly highly recommend because it’s a better buffet even than the Waldorf! Our kids are STILL talking about the breakfast buffet at the Hilton Los Cabos 3 years later!

Ideal for Families

Of note, the Hilton has a complimentary kids club like the Waldorf for ages 4 and up.

There are also 3 pools here – one adults only pool, one main pool, and one kids pool. And no primary colored pirate ships here! What I love about the Hilton Los Cabos is that it is family friendly…but TASTEFUL. My kind of aesthetic hotel dreammmm.

With 3 restaurants on site that are much more reasonably priced than the Waldorf, you’re for sure likely to find something you and your whole family can enjoy without breaking the bank.

Also, one of the standout features of the Hilton Los Cabos is its location on one of the only swimmable beaches in Cabo. It sits on a small cove that provide the perfect more clam, shallow waters for kids to play!

Wait – Why Are the Beaches in Cabo Not Swimmable?

Most of Cabo’s beaches are off-limits to swimmers because the Sea of Cortez boasts strong waves and some powerfulllll undercurrent. Cabo’s coastline is known for its huge waves and strong undertows, making many beaches unsafe for swimming.

You’ll see what we mean once you get there- the waves are insane!

However, the Hilton Los Cabos is located on a safer stretch of beach in a little cove, providing a rare opportunity for young families to enjoy the ocean without worry.

We took this trip in late May, which was lovely and not too hot yet at all. However, our favorite time to visit Cabo San Lucas is in March! The most perfect Mexico beach weather…warm in the sun during the day, needing a light sweater in the evenings.

Choosing the Right Stay for Your Cabo Adventure

We had an amazing time at each of these resorts, and I think they all have their place in an amazing vacation for you depending on your situation.

By leveraging hotel points, you can enjoy these incredible stays without the hefty price tag, making your dream Cabo vacation a reality!