This article is from the February 2004 The Mexico File newsletter.
Back to Articles List

Posada La Poza – Slice of Heaven at the End of a Dirt Road

by Ann Hazard

Photo Credit: Terry Hauswirth 

Ann Hazard, a frequent contributor to Mexico File, is the author of Cooking with Baja Magic, Cartwheels in the Sand, and the more recently released Agave Sunsets. She has also written over 100 articles on Baja, Mexico, and Mexican cuisine. Visit her at http:\\bajamagic.com. 

There’s a saying in Baja that the worst roads always lead to the best places. There’s always a deserted beach involved. Privacy, beauty and ample wildlife are essential. Camping is the order of the day. Rarely is there a world-class hotel at the end of one of these very bad roads. There are a few scattered up and down the peninsula, but not many.  

Baja California Sur’s newest luxury outpost has only seven rooms. It’s located in the artist colony of Todos Santos – 1.9 kilometers west of town on a predictably deserted stretch of beach, at the end of a bumpy, twisty, rock-strewn dirt road. Owned by a retired Swiss banker (who also happens to be a superb chef) and his Czech artist wife, it is an intensely personal place – a tropical palm-filled oasis of style and tranquility that’s only an hour away from Cabo San Lucas.  

The most popular form of entertainment here is relaxing on a chaise lounge and watching the 70 species of birds as they frolic in the lagoon. Pelicans soar by, riding the warm air currents. Occasionally they dive bomb, scooping fish out of the water. Frigate birds glide along the surface, touch down like seaplanes, snatch up a shrimp, fish or crab and sail off. Least terns, cranes and ducks share the waters with them. The cries of the birds blend with the pounding of the surf, the steady splash of the pool’s waterfall and the hum of dragonfly wings.  

What else is there to do? Well, if you’re hungry or thirsty, the bar and restaurant are only steps away. If you’re feeling curious, take a walk through the gardens and try to identify the different types of flowers, trees and cacti. Hot? Jump in the saltwater pool. Want exercise? Take a walk through the jungle to the beach or work out at the gym next to the lagoon. Borrow a mountain bike and explore nearby beaches. Todos Santos is known for its secret surf spots and its art. At last count there were over 600 expatriate artsy types living in and around town. It’s easy to lose an afternoon wandering through the town and exploring the galleries. At sunset, go back to the hotel, climb up to Whale Deck and count whale spouts, with a romantic candlelight dinner afterward. 

This time of year standard rooms are $150 per night. Junior suites are $225 and the honeymoon suite is $480. Rates are lower in the summer months. Posada La Posa is located one hour south of the La Paz Airport and an hour and a half from the Los Cabos Airport. For more information, visit www.lapoza.com or call 001-52-612-145-0400.