A little piece of heaven on the shores of the Sea of Cortez.

If you’re looking for a secluded beach hideaway that will cater to your every whim, pack your bags and head to the One & Only Palmilla. Perched high up in an idyllic enclave with unrivaled views of the coastline, Palmilla is the ideal holiday destination to relax, pamper and re-energize.

Originally built in 1956 by the son of the former president of Mexico, this resort hosted Hollywood royalty such as Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, John Wayne and Phil Harris. Today, a new set of Hollywood stars such as Jennifer Aniston and Chelsea Handler, fly their private aircraft here to frolic in this tropical paradise.

With a variety of activities on offer, you can enjoy cocktails by the adult only infinity pool or take a stroll down to the beach where you can enjoy watersports or simply relax in one of the plush beach lounges. For those seeking their little private mecca you may rent your own cabana. Your every need is taken care of by the many waiters who seem to magically appear out of no-where.

If you’re an adventure enthusiast, One & Only Palmilla also offers top-tier excursions, including a camel safari at a nearby beachfront ranch, fishing tours, sunset cruises and cooking sessions at the resorts herb garden along with tours to local farms. The resort yacht, an Azimut 40S, can be chartered for snorkeling trips or a romantic dinner at sea. And let’s not forget about the near-by Palmilla golf course whose resident P.G.A golf instructor, Robert “Radio” Regney, will perfect anyone’s athletic golf swing.

For the foodie lover, where do I begin? There is a great restaurant selection starting with my favorite; Agua by Larbi which serves up dishes with a blend of Mexican flavors and Mediterranean influences. The sweeping views and cliff edge dinning make this the most romantic restaurant of all.

Then, there’s Seared, from Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Complete with a glass-enclosed curing room— where prime cuts like Wagyu beef filet mignon and Korubuta pork chops are displayed like works of art— I would say it’s on par with steak meccas in the world’s top cities. Vongerichten also recruited Chef Yoshiaki Akaike from Japan to run the show at Suviche, a sushi restaurant with floor-to-ceiling ocean views and imaginative nigiri pairings like seabass and pecan and tuna with black truffle. The restaurants flow together along with the One&Only Lounge that serves up a range of imaginative cocktails as well as some of Mexico’s top tequilas and mezcals.

Being a spa lover, I enjoyed spending time at the tranquil 22,000-square-foot spa, with an alluring combination of indoor and outdoor space, that provides a Zen-like respite from the resorts hard-to-resist eating and drinking! The spa menu is a combination of traditional and holistic treatments that are performed in private spa villas.  Each is set within its own secluded landscaped courtyard and many complete with plunge pool, rain shower and swinging day bed. There’s also a hair salon; OBO Salon – ROIL by celebrity hairstylist, Amanda George, stocked with top-quality product line Oribe, as well as an exclusive men’s salon, Barber&Blade, that’s an upscale take on the traditional barbershop experience.

When my perfect week came to an end, I was finding it hard to leave this magical paradise I called home for a week. I guess that means I’ll definitely have to come back!

You may also like

Comments are closed.