Villa Del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa Cabo San Lucas

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9916 reviews

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  One of the best all-inclusives we've stayed at anywhere in North America.

  Anyone who bases their review on the whole big picture would likely rate Villa Del Palmar as excellent. Of course it's not perfect; there are some minor annoyances. For example, the flies and wasps in the outdoor dining room; the inefficient system for seating diners; the lack of kayaks or SUPs to take out by yourself, and the overly-loud music by the activity pool and at the shows. But overall, this resort is a slice of paradise. How so? * The weather, at least in January, is perfect: high temperatures in the mid-seventies, few cloudy days, and relatively low humidity. (Hint: Bring a sweater for the cool evenings.) The beach on Medano Bay, which is a couple of miles long, is the cleanest we've seen anywhere in the world; you have to look hard to find even a tiny piece of seaweed, coral, or garbage. The sand is a light golden brown. The ocean is quite calm, especially in the mornings, and the beach is one of the few in the area that's swimmable. There is a roped-off section on the sand that keeps the local vendors from bothering hotel guests. * Our room was a tastefully decorated junior suite with a modern kitchen, comfortable bed, patio and indoor dining tables, and living room with a couch and 2 easy chairs. The utilities worked perfectly. Rooms on one side of the hotel have ocean views while on the other side they have panoramic mountain and city views (which we preferred). * The service was superb. The housekeepers kept our room spotlessly clean. Any requests or complaints we made were addressed immediately in a professional manner. Servers by the pools and beach were continuously inquiring if we'd like any food or drinks. All staff members were friendly and attentive and, with the exception of the housekeeping people and gardeners, spoke good English. * The resort never felt crowded and we rarely had to suffer through a long line-up for any restaurant or activity. All areas felt very safe: the grounds are fenced and there are security guards at all entrances. * The activity pool and adult pool are clean and large enough for swimming lengths. Although the no-saving-lounge-chairs rule was never enforced, we didn't have any trouble finding loungers under an umbrella. The gardens around the resort feature interesting desert landscaping and are immaculately groomed. * The food in all the restaurants was as good as we've had on most cruise ships. There were no “luxury” foods such as lobster, caviar, escargot, or fresh northern berries but what was served was well cooked, artistically plated, fresh, and nutritious. The buffets had lots of variety and food choices were different on each night of the week. Some dishes had unusual (but not unpleasant) tastes, but that's to be expected in a foreign country. Bottled water was available in every restaurant. The only negative was the wasps and flies in the Bella California restaurant which is outdoors by the beach. Our recommendation: Ask for a table as far away as possible from the buffet area, or eat in the indoor Sports Bar. * The daily pool games and exercise sessions, 4 pickleball courts, and a great gym kept us as busy as we wanted to be. There were no quiz games, craft classes, or lessons like you find on cruise ships, -- which suited us just fine. * The evening shows were amazing and far better than we've seen on any cruise ship. The resort has hired professionals who dance and sing (lip-synced) in a different show on 6 days of each week. Their costumes are spectacular. During the daytime, these same people run the resort's activities program. The only problem with the shows is that the musical accompaniments are overly loud and it's difficult to hear the song lyrics. Our advice: Wear foam ear plugs. * Villa Del Palmar is within walking distance (along the beach) of the Cabo San Lucas marina and downtown shopping area. Walking in the opposite direction takes you to a long stretch of quiet beach not fronted by hotels or residences. There is a Walmart located 15 minutes (walking) away after crossing a busy highway. * The TV in the room has lots of English language channels (BBC, CNN, Fox, ESPN, Animal Planet, etc.). We very much enjoyed our two-week vacation at Villa Del Palmar. We'll be back!

  Jan 16, 2026
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  Poolside

  Jose was an awesome waiter by the pool. Fast friendly and attentive.

  Jan 16, 2026
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  Please read (important )- bad management, drugs, timeshares

  Villa del Palmar Review – Our Actual Experience My fiancé and I were originally scheduled to arrive at Villa del Palmar on January 7, 2026, but due to an issue with our United Airlines flight, we were forced to delay our arrival until Thursday, January 8, 2026. We were visiting as part of a timeshare presentation package, which included five complimentary nights provided by the resort. Approximately one month prior to arrival, I also purchased two additional nights for roughly $500 under their all-inclusive package. The rescheduled flight was seamless, and the airport transfer itself went smoothly. However, upon arrival at the airport, there were numerous individuals aggressively selling excursions and timeshares, many falsely presenting themselves as being affiliated with the resort. Important tip: Do not speak with anyone except your assigned resort driver. Check-In & Initial Experience Upon arrival at the resort, the environment felt extremely chaotic. There were large groups checking in simultaneously, and it quickly became clear that Villa del Palmar is used as a staging property for timeshare presentations. Guests are later transported by bus to a different, newer resort for the actual presentation. Guests are issued three different wristbands: • Purple – Promotional/timeshare package guests • Light Blue – Members • Green – Elite members Anyone without a purple wristband is considered an owner under another tier. Immediately after check-in, guests are escorted to a timeshare concierge, who schedules the presentation. Ours was set for 8:50 AM the following morning. At this point, the experience quickly shifts from vacation-oriented to sales-driven, which is important for future guests to understand. Room Assignment & Management Issues After a brief presentation, we were taken to our room, which was located on the backside of the resort overlooking a parking lot. It was clearly a lower-tier room, which I expected given the promotional package. That said, the room itself was clean, freshly painted, spacious, and acceptable. The major issue arose when I approached the front desk to request that the extra night I had already paid for be applied due to our delayed arrival. I was told repeatedly that nothing could be done, despite the resort appearing to be only 70–80% occupied. I was redirected to the timeshare concierge, where I received the same response. The only option offered was to pay the full market rate, which I declined. It was extremely frustrating that management could not accommodate a reasonable request for a guest they were actively trying to sell a timeshare to. This lack of flexibility and customer support raised serious concerns. Timeshare Presentation Experience The following day, we attended the presentation. It became obvious that guests are profiled based on income, travel history, and responses. Some guests were dismissed quickly, while others—including us—were taken into private offices. When we clearly declined the timeshare, the process did not end. We were repeatedly passed from one representative to another, each attempting to “close” the deal. I stated clearly and consistently that timeshares are not good investments, particularly given the upfront costs and long-term obligations. While the initial representative was not overly aggressive, the process became increasingly uncomfortable and misleading. We were told transportation had been arranged when it had not. Statements were made that were later proven untrue. Escalation & Unacceptable Conduct Following a personal disagreement between my fiancé and me, I requested a temporary separate room to allow things to cool down. Despite having available rooms, the resort charged nearly $400 for this request. This charge will be disputed. The most concerning incident occurred the following day when a manager on duty entered my fiancé’s room, threatened to call the police, and demanded she leave the property within 30 minutes. This interaction was unprofessional, intimidating, and completely inappropriate. Additionally, false accusations were made regarding alcohol consumption, which were untrue. Being threatened with removal from the resort under these circumstances was alarming and unacceptable. Safety & Environment Concerns Despite being repeatedly told this is a “family resort,” multiple staff members—including bartenders and a bellman—attempted to offer illegal drugs during our stay. This occurred in multiple locations on the property and was deeply concerning. The Bellman, Bella California (added picture below where they sell cocaine ) and sports bar is where they will try to sell you cocaine and marijuana.!!! Final Thoughts Cabo itself is beautiful, and we ultimately relocated to another resort where we enjoyed the remainder of our vacation. However, I would never recommend Villa del Palmar. Poor management, misleading sales practices, lack of guest support, intimidation tactics, and serious safety concerns overshadowed the entire experience. We are seasoned travelers, having visited over 100 countries combined, and this was one of the most disrespectful and unsettling resort experiences we have ever encountered. This review is written so others can make an informed decision and avoid experiencing the same treatment. I will personally be in contact with the resort owners and senior management to have this addressed especially this horrible manager on duty. He needs to be dismissed meaning no longer working at the property. I added a photo of the show that this is a real review. I’m extremely upset of how we were treated. And then I’m not gonna let this go. The owners and senior management will be contacted.

  Jan 16, 2026
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  Great time

  Chloe and Alana. Are very talented girls and personable. They came to us after the show to make sure that we enjoyed it and they’re their first thing in the morning at the pool working hard as is all the crew.

  Jan 16, 2026
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  Activities Crew!!

  The activities team by the pool was my favorite part of my visit. Tony and Rodo were so amazing and kind, I hope they are recognized for their contribution to my trip. Franchesca is also amazing, her dancing in the shows was excellent!

  Jan 15, 2026