Why Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal Is The Ultimate Culinary Paradise

Ahead of my recent trip to Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, I had done enough research to get a decent grasp of what to expect—or so I thought. Because no matter how many glowing accounts you’ve read or heard, they don’t come close to actually staying here. Even entering the resort grounds is a transcendent experience, as your car pulls past a security gate and through a long and dramatically dark tunnel hollowed out from a mountain. Your eyes don’t have a choice but to hone in on the bright light at the end, a sign of all the good things ahead.

As soon as you’ve set foot on the property, your senses are immediately heightened. As someone who’d been cooped up in her Brooklyn apartment with a major case of the winter doldrums, I couldn’t get enough of the briny air, the clear sun warming my skin, the thirst-quenching welcome margarita, and the staggeringly beautiful golden rock formations and tumbling turquoise ocean.

All of the 115 rooms, suites, casitas, and villas—many of which are perched cliffside to blend in with the natural surroundings—come with over-the-top perks like private plunge pools, sublime views of the Pacific Ocean, and a handmade decanter of Clase Azul tequila that’s yours to keep. The award-winning spa, too, is in a league of its own. After a cleansing foot ritual—every treatment here commences with one—my therapist guided me to a private pod that practically floated on the facility’s waterfall saltwater pool, then unfurled my stubborn knots and stiff muscles with a combination of fresh herbs, warmed whole lemons, and wooden rods inspired by generations-old Mexican healing traditions.

More than the serene surroundings, beyond-spacious accommodations, gracious service, and restorative massage, it’s the exceptional food and drink I still think about. As with any resort of this high caliber, you expect one noteworthy bar or restaurant—maybe two. What I wasn’t expecting to discover, however, was a bonafide culinary paradise.

Standouts include Agave Study, an exhaustively researched library of agave spirits unveiled last year that includes lesser-known ones like sotol. (Definitely book a tasting.) Later this year, Agave Study will debut its own signature mezcals created in partnership with Koch El Mezcal.

Even if you haven’t been to the property, chances are you’ve heard of El Farallon, the stunning cliffside restaurant famed for its freshly-grilled fish plucked right from the Pacific (think amberjack, red snapper, yellowfin tuna) and its Champagne Terrace, which pours world-class fizz including Krug and Ruinart by the glass. In stark contrast to other Cabo resort restaurants that mostly cater to its guests, I was informed that a whopping 70 percent of diners come from off-site.

Above all else, it’s the unique culinary programming and events held throughout the year that can make the difference between a wonderful experience—really, there’s no bad time of year to visit—and a truly unforgettable one. I was in town for this year’s inaugural Festival of Flavors, a series of immersive culinary weekends spotlighting a Michelin-starred Mexican chef and filled with events including tequila tastings, cocktail-making classes, and multi-course wine pairing dinners.

Val Cantú of San Francisco’s lauded Californios was the featured chef, and in town to show how Mexican chefs like himself around the world are reimaging their native cuisine in fresh, bold ways and flexing its limitless possiblities. His four course supper complete with canapes and dessert included original creations heavy with local touches such as a saffron-perfumed, mixed seafood campechana and my favorite, a grilled striped bass taco, prepared “al pastor” with sweet pineapple.

The meal reminded me why I prioritize food and drink when I travel. While a beachy setting, luxurious rooms, and pampering spa are all well and good, eating and drinking are, by far and away, the best way to gain a deeper appreciation for cultures outside of your own and the world around you.

Below are details for the two remaining Festival of Flavors events this year:

• Chef Carlos Gaytán (April 13-16): Gaytán is the first Mexican-born chef to earn a Michelin star, and currently the chef and owner of the world-renowned Tzuco in Chicago.
• Chef Enrique Casarrubias (November 9-12): Casarrubias is the second Mexican Chef to earn a Michelin star in France, and helms the acclaimed restaurant Oxte, just steps from Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.