Casa Bella
If you are a not resort person and are looking for something with Mexican charm this family run hacienda style boutique hotel in heart of Cabo San Lucas may be the place for you. The service is ultra-friendly with added touches such as bringing your coffee when they see your room light go on early in the morning.
We were upgraded to a one bedroom apartment with a living area and kitchenette. The room is decorated in a mix of Asian and Mexican which is both quirky and charming.
The shower is huge but with just one shower head – I don’t know what all the extra space is for. And despite the size of the bathroom there is no bathtub. The kitchenette has a microwave, refrigerator and sink. Don’t plan on cooking in this kitchen.
The bedroom, the only air-conditioned room in the apartment, is quiet and the mattress is firm but comfortable. Others have complained about noise from neighboring bars but we slept with the windows closed and the air-conditioning on in mid-July and had no problems with noise.
Although coffee was brought to our room each morning there was no breakfast service. I’m not sure if this is a time of year thing.
The location was perfect for walking to restaurants and to the Dive Cabo dive shop.
Restaurants
Las Mariscadas – Recommend by the folks at Casa Bella, this local eatery has good seafood in a casual setting. On a Sunday evening the soccer match, US versus Mexico in the Copa Gold Cup Finals, was playing. Mexico won 1-0. Service is friendly.
We started with the fish ceviche, a generous portion of fresh fish in a simple citrus preparation.
For mains the Chef’s Special with octopus and shrimp in a chilli sauce. Great chili flavor without being too spicy. Don’s whole snapper was fresh but a tad overcooked. Both were served with rice, barely sautéed vegetables and tortillas.
Invita Bistro – This upscale Italian restaurant next door to Casa Bella serves classic Italian dishes with several seafood options in an open classic yet modern dining room. Service is more formal but friendly and helpful.
We started with octopus salad. A simple dish of cooked sliced octopus drizzled with olive oil.
For mains we tried the clam linguini special with a choice of homemade fettucine. While the pasta was fresh and flavorful it lacked the clam seafood flavor we were expecting. The clams were chopped quite fine and if there weren’t two big shells on my plate I might not have known there were clams in it at all.
Don’s snapper special was a well-cooked fillet with a side of homemade fettuccine topped with two large shrimp. All nicely done.
Bajo de la Luna – An upscale steak and seafood restaurant with Mexican influences. The open air patio is pleasant when the weather is good. Even with the temperature a little warm they have large fans that keep the air circulating if there is no natural breeze. Service is more formal but friendly. They do ask you a tad too often if everything is OK. (Tripadvisor reviews keep managers on their toes these days.)
We started with the Peruvian ceviche. With the addition of corn the generous portion made with fresh fish had balanced flavors. All mains come with a soup course. On this evening it was a cream of carrot, which although tasty was too heavy on a warm evening for my tastes.
For mains we tried the seared tuna special, fresh and everything it should be. What the shrimp ajillo lacked in size they made up in quantity. A tasty dish in a chili-yet-no-too-spicy sauce. All in all this is a quality restaurant in a pleasant setting.
Breakfast at Barriles – On our first morning of diving we need to get breakfast just after 7 and although places say they are open at this hour kitchens really don’t open until 7:30 or later. While Mama’s told us it would be a thirty minute wait, Barriles across the street, said it would be only 10 minutes. At Barriles they quickly got us coffee and the wait wasn’t longer than the 10 minutes they promised.
Breakfasts here are good, not fabulous. The fruit is fresh and sweet and the eggs are hit or miss. I ordered them over easy both mornings we ate here. The first time the eggs were flipped but the yolks broken and the second time they were served sunny side up. I give the restaurant higher marks for being flexible and offering an early breakfast.
Breakfast at Mama’s – Highly rated for their breakfast. They themselves claim they have the best breakfast in Mexico. I don’t if this is true, but it is very good. We had the huevos rancheros and an egg white omelet, both well prepared with quality ingredients. This is not a fussy place but do they have an extensive selection of good breakfast choices.
Their open air dining room is a pleasant place to enjoy your breakfast. Colorful Mexican table clothes brighten the high-ceilinged brick-walled room and give the place a certain charm. Just don’t expect breakfast at 7. Despite the sign the kitchen doesn’t open until after 7:30. We were the only customers in the place at around 8 on a Thursday morning in mid-July.
For links to all the posts on diving destinations see the Diving page.