One & Only Palmilla Review (2026): Is this the Best Luxury Resort in Cabo?
Overall: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Food: 7/10
Design: 8/10
Service: 10/10
Location: 9/10
Kids' Club: 9/10
One & Only Palmilla sits on a bluff between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, overlooking one of the only genuinely swimmable beaches in the Corridor. We came for spring break with our 5 and 8 year old girls and left convinced it's the best family resort in Los Cabos — not because it's the flashiest or most designed, but because everything actually works. The service is the best we've experienced anywhere. The kids' infrastructure is genuinely thoughtful rather than performative. And the beach is the deciding factor for families in Cabo, where swimmable coastline is rarer than it should be.
One of the many stunning sunsets we witnessed at One and Only Palmilla
The Pros
Walking to lunch at Agua restaurant
Traditional Mexican colonial architecture on a stunning stretch of coastline. Two beaches, both swimmable. Service that sets the standard for what a luxury resort should feel like. A kids' club that's actually worth using. Breakfast included. Almost all kids' activities included in the room rate, which adds up to meaningful value at a property at this price point.
The Con
The dining is the weak point. Not bad — just not at the level the rest of the property sets. Budget some meals off-property.
Arrival
The entrance — palm-lined, lush, immediately calm — sets the tone. Check-in was seamless: cold towels, a welcome drink, and an introduction to Perla, our personal butler, who turned out to be the quiet backbone of the entire stay. There was also a traditional blessing ceremony performed on arrival, the kind of detail that sounds like a brochure line until it actually happens and sets a genuinely different mood for the trip.
Sunrise from the patio of our oceanfront room
Beaches
Two beaches on property, both sandy, both swimmable — which is the thing that separates Palmilla from most of the Corridor. Swimmable beaches in Cabo are genuinely rare and this is a major practical advantage for families.
Palmilla Beach is the family beach — more active, more vendors, paddleboarding and wakeboarding included in the room rate. The water entry is calm and the sand is noticeably softer than most beaches in the area. Our kids spent the majority of the trip here.
Turtle Beach at One and Only Palmilla
Turtle Beach is quieter and more naturally dramatic, with rock formations and — in season — frequent whale sightings offshore. More of an adult beach in atmosphere, good for a quieter morning away from the family pool scene.
Pools
Two pools, one for each mood.
The family infinity pool next to Agua restaurant is where we spent most of our time. Shallow areas throughout, pool toys provided, and a gelato cart that appears daily from 1-4pm — a detail our girls planned their afternoons around. The setting with the ocean beyond is genuinely beautiful.
Family Pool at One&Only Palmilla
The adults-only pool is next to Turtle Beach and the Breeze restaurant, with a swim-up bar. Worth knowing about for an afternoon without the kids once the kids' club has them occupied.
Adult Pool at One and Only Palmilla
Location
Beautiful grounds at One and Only Palmilla
Set on a bluff between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, about 20 minutes from the airport. The position gives it access to the best of both towns without being in the thick of either. The beach location — on Palmilla, one of the Corridor's only swimmable stretches — is the most important practical detail for anyone booking a family trip to Cabo.
The Room
We stayed in an Oceanfront Room — spacious, elegant, and unmistakably Mexican in the best sense. Handcrafted wooden furniture, colorful tiles, a private terrace looking directly out over the Sea of Cortez. The outdoor daybed on the terrace was used every morning with coffee and every evening for the sunset. The bathroom had a deep soaking tub and rain shower. Turndown service came with a different locally made gift each night, which our girls looked forward to more than they probably should have.
There’s a reason this place is amazing for families—everything is set up to ensure kids had the best vacation ever.
Kid’s Club/Amenities
Kids Only Club at One and Only Palmilla
Kids' Club
The kids' club is the reason to choose Palmilla over other luxury resorts in Cabo if you're traveling with children. It's not a holding pen — it's genuinely programmed. Activities ran throughout the day during our spring break visit: pizza making, tie dying, decorating picture frames, and more. Our 5 and 8 year olds tried everything they could fit into the schedule.
Almost all of the activities are included in the room rate, which is meaningful at a property at this price. The welcome bags on arrival — hat, water bottle, t-shirt, crayons — were a small thing that landed well with both kids. The family pool also runs kids-specific programming alongside the gelato cart.
This is the single strongest argument for Palmilla over comparable Cabo properties. The kids' club score of 9/10 is earned.
Breeze Restaurant
Dining
Entryway to Agua Restaurant
Honest assessment: the on-property dining is good but not great, and the best meals we had in Cabo were off-property. That said, here's what's worth knowing about each restaurant:
Agua — The standout on property. Open-air, modern Mexican cuisine, sunset views that are genuinely spectacular. The setting alone is worth a dinner here even if the food doesn't quite match it. Go for dinner, not lunch.
Breeze Café — Where we had breakfast every morning, included in the rate. Fresh smoothies, good chilaquiles, relaxed poolside atmosphere. Exactly what you want for a family breakfast before a beach day.
Suviche Restaurant
SEARED by Jean-Georges — A steakhouse. Competent, not the reason to come to Mexico.
Suviche — Asian-influenced, ocean views, decent but not exceptional food. We had an extraordinary whale show off the coast during our dinner here, which made the meal considerably better than it would have been otherwise. The setting earns it a visit; order carefully.
Hoshi — A sushi counter also overlooking the ocean. We didn't try it — they don't allow children under 10.
For off-property dining, see our full Cabo guide here.
Service
The best service we've experienced at any resort, anywhere. The entire staff operates with a warmth that feels genuine rather than trained. Perla, our butler, anticipated things before we asked for them and handled everything that came up during the week without a single fumble. A 10/10 is not something we give lightly — this earned it.
Is One & Only Palmilla Worth It?
For families, yes — it's our pick for the best resort in Los Cabos. The combination of swimmable beach, genuinely excellent kids' club, exceptional service, and included activities justifies the price better than comparable properties in the area. The dining gap keeps it from a perfect score, but that's solved by eating off-property two or three nights, which you should be doing in Cabo anyway.
If you're deciding between Palmilla and another Cabo property, read our One & Only Palmilla vs. One & Only Mandarina comparison here and our full list of best luxury hotels in Mexico here.
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One & Only Palmilla vs. Mandarina