My boyfriend, Uriel, and I recently visited Cabo San Lucas, where we stayed at the Corazón Cabo Resort and Spa. I’m an American living in Mexico City, and he’s Mexican.
The resort invited us to stay for a weekend to celebrate his birthday; the day we arrived was his big day. Despite being in Mexico, as a tourist destination, the resort caters to gringos and, for Uriel, who has lived his whole life in CDMX, the sudden switch to English as the predominant language was a new experience for him.
“Do you need help with your bags?” the attendant asked as we stepped out of the car. “Are you checking in?” the front desk worker asked. The woman beside us was German, and the elderly couple behind us was American. The man talking to the concierge was getting his answers in English.
Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure
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Suddenly, Spanish was no longer Uriel’s background language. “Buenos tardes” and “Hola” were not the common greetings when someone got on the elevator. It was “Good afternoon” and “Hello.” Waiters and tour guides asked, “English or Spanish?” The local ATMs even offer the option of getting dollars instead of pesos; both currencies are accepted in several places.
But language wasn’t the only change for us. Suddenly, instead of our small apartment in North America’s biggest city, we were treated like VIPs.
A tray of mezcal cocktails waited in our room as a birthday gift for Uriel. The room overlooked both pools and had a stunning view of the ocean. Some rooms have a hot tub on the balcony. Staff had prepared an intimate sunset dinner at Rooftop 360, their open-air bar at the top of one of the towers, and presented him with a devil’s food cupcake with a giant candle after the meal.
As part of his birthday celebration, the resort had also arranged for us to go “snuba diving,” a mix of snorkeling and scuba that freed divers from carrying a tank in exchange for one kept on a raft above the site, to get an up-close view of the many multicolored and beautiful fish. A candlelight concert completed the itinerary.
Since he’d been in landlocked CDMX, swimming in the ocean was a relatively rare experience for Uriel. With the renowned Medano Beach merely steps away, we made the most of it. While the sun was hot, the water was cool and refreshing; if you moved a little further down the beach, it wasn’t nearly as crowded and there was plenty of room to spread out in the sand.
Want to go whale watching? The resort can assist. Hungry? They’ve got three restaurants and a coffee shop for breakfast and snacks.
But if you want to get outside of the resort, there’s a plethora of options nearby – especially seafood and tacos. Tacos are like the beach. What’s not to love?
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Living near Zona Rosa, Mexico City’s gayborhood, we’re accustomed to seeing gay and lesbian couples holding hands and queer folks on almost every block. The resort, on the other hand, was filled with families and opposite-sex couples. That’s not to say we didn’t see community members, including an adorable (and talkative) elderly gay couple from Minnesota who sat by the pool all day soaking up the sun. Groups of gays roamed in packs on the beach.
But in a resort packed with seemingly straight people, no one made a peep about the gay couple. When we staged a photo at the infinity pool, trying to get the right shot, a woman quickly offered to take photos. Unprompted, the snuba instructor asked if we were a couple before we set out on the boat.
We finished our stay with a candlelight concert on the resort’s roof. With two bars offering drinks and comfortable seats, listening to a pianist play ABBA hits (or Coldplay if you went to another performance) has never been so enjoyable. The sea breeze and dozens of candles made it even more romantic and special.
Going back home, Cabo’s small airport and easy ride from the resort, made the return trip easier. And who wants to cap off the perfect vacation with a stressful return?
So, if you’re looking for the perfect quick getaway to celebrate your or a loved one’s birthday, Corazon Cabo has you covered. Rest, relax, and have some fun with their luxurious accommodations that won’t break the bank. You’ll feel like a VIP, too.
