There are traditional holidays, and then there are EPIC holidays. The latter often includes a unique destination that sets the scene for a lifetime of memories. Such a destination is Costa Palmas, a 1,500-acre resort and residential community on the East Cape of Mexico’s Baja California Sur Peninsula. What makes for ongoing epic holidays? The unveiling of dazzling new features year after year.
The Heart of Costa Palmas Equals Home
Costa Palmas revels in the holidays. “The resort is decorated to the hilt,” Costa Palmas Managing Director Michael Radovan says. One of the places where holiday spirit is in full swing is Costa Palmas members-only marina, the heart of the resort. South Baja has a vibrant boating community, and with this in mind, a concentrated focus has been placed on the 250-slip marina. Along with high-touch service, the marina has been dredged below five meters, making it accessible to large motor yachts and sport fishing boats. It’s also home to Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club.
Ready to stay a while? Costa Palmas has properties befitting every personality, from hotels and hotel condo residences to standalone homes. Where to check in now for rest, relaxation, and tranquility: at Four Seasons Resort & Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas on the marina. Fall in love with Four Seasons and want something more permanent? Four Seasons Peninsula Residences are the ticket.
Two more hotels with hotel residences are in the works, too. The luxurious and eye-catching Amanvari Resort & Residences is set to open in 2024. Following on its heels in the summer of 2025 will be Casa Blake, Costa Palmas’ first hotel brand. “With its high energy, it fits with Marina Village’s international vibe,” Radovan says. Indeed, Casa Blake will be operated by David Bowd’s Salt Hotels, a collection of some of the most iconic boutiques in the world. Such partnering has caught the attention of buyers with brisk sales of Casa Blake’s 118 condo residences, including studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Pricing begins at $700,000 and goes up to $4.5 million. An additional beach club dedicated to Casa Blake is also in the works.
Nirvana for boat owners are standalone home sites designed with them in mind. Dream-worthy are 28 sites dedicated to Beachfront Yacht Villas. Set on half-acre up to an acre and a quarter lots, the villas feature hundred-foot docks beside each home. This design leaves views of the Sea of Cortez unobstructed and makes it easy to hop aboard one’s watercraft and take to the water at a moment’s notice. As for the villas themselves, the custom-built properties range in size from 8,000 to 12,000 square feet.
Nearby on the peninsula are the Marina Villas, a row of traditional boathouses starting at 5,000 square feet. Backyards feature a deck, patio, swimming pool, and 40- to 75-foot boat docks. A perk: Costa Palmas can manage the entire project from concept to build.
Amenities Aplenty
A private gym, kids’ club, multiple pools, bars, restaurants… These await at Costa Palmas Beach Club. Oh, and there’s nature, too. “It’s surrounded by a freshwater estuary, which in the mornings and evenings feels like a bird sanctuary,” Radovan says. On the horizon is the launch of a “sister yacht club,” set to handle Costa Palmas’ ocean programming. In the works for residents of Beachfront Yacht Villas and Marina Villas is New East Beach Club.
The Gift of Adventure
Activities tailored for all ages, skill sets, and personalities are another reason multiple generations flock to Costa Palmas. Providing the perfect tableau for activities like ATV Polaris Adventures, hiking, mountain biking, and one- to three-night private treks is the Sierra de la Laguna Mountain Range.
And then, there’s the ocean. “The waters of the Sea of Cortez are calm, warm, and teeming with activity,” says Radovan, who calls the Sea of Cortez the ‘star of the show.’ Taking advantage of this are activities ranging from Hobie Cat sailing and kitesurfing to whale watching, spearfishing, snorkeling, and kayaking. Feel like ziplining? Or exploring the Sea of Cortez Island? Costa Palmas’ Aventura team can bring boundless curated experiences to fruition.
How do activities amp up during the holidays? Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club members into golf take to Costa Palmas Golf Club’s Robert Trent Jones II-designed world-class, 18-hole championship course to hone skills in preparation for a holiday tournament. Friendly competition also gets underway during a holiday pickleball tournament.
While on the water deep-sea fishing or boating, one might just spot a certain celebrity: Santa Claus. “He arrives by water,” Radovan alerts. “Sometimes aboard a 29-foot Hinckley Talaria, other times by jet ski, or on a surfboard.” If the jolly fellow’s journey has made him work up an appetite, there is more than milk and cookies to be had at Costa Palmas. Kris Kringle can easily grab a reservation at one of Costa Palmas’ 12 dining venues.
Dining That’s Always a Special Occasion
From The Nursery to Four Season’s estiatorio Milos, and the marina’s Mozza Baja from Nancy Silverton, Costa Palmas dining venues are just right for holiday celebrations. Setting a dreamy scene for culinary memories is The Nursery. Candlelight beckons from tables tucked amidst a jungle of native trees and bougainvillea. Luring from an outdoor clay oven and a parrilla grill is fresh Baja fare. Delivered to the table are dishes with an Argentinian twist from Executive Chef Gonzo Cerda. Adding extra visuals — views of the sea.
Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas features five restaurants, including estiatorio Milos, where Chef Costas Spiliadis’ much-lauded Mediterranean seafood winds its way into diners’ hearts. Inspired tastes of Mexico come by way of three venues from Chef Maritza Cortez: the refined Casa de Brasa, the on-site cevicheria El Puesto, and, on the resort’s golf course, the 19th Hole food truck. More flavors await at Limón, where grill-to-table dishes (Hello, Mexican barbacoa!) are served in a secluded lemon grove. Merely need a quick bite? Ginger’s café is the ticket.
Those craving wood-fired pizzas can be sated in the marina at Nancy Silverton’s Mozza Baja. The venue stretches beyond pizza, though, with dishes that blend the tastes of the East Cape with Southern California.
Building anticipation for foodies: eight additional restaurants slated for Costa Palmas.
Tripping the Night Fantastic
A hot spot for ringing in the New Year is Chikki, Costa Palmas’ private nightclub, with its collaborative design from Martin Brudnizki and artist Celso. “It’s been a smash hit,” Radovan says. Floor-to-ceiling mosaic tiles that speak to Mexico’s folklore keep imaginations in high gear. As the countdown to 2023 gets underway, a deejay will rev up energy, followed by a live band playing as fireworks light the sky.
2023. 2024. 2025… The evolution of Costa Palmas continues.
