CABO SAN LUCAS’ HISTORICAL
LOVE AFFAIR WITH – THE RICH & FAMOUS

THE RICH & FAMOUS – HISTORICAL (GENERAL INFORMATION)

Why is Cabo so popular with Hollywood? Cabo San Lucas is a destination that actually became a hideaway for the biggest celebrities in Hollywood, royalty, ultra wealthy, and politicians from around the world over fifty years ago!  Cabo was visited by celebrities like John Wayne, Desi Arnez, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Jacques Cousteau, Ernest Hemingway, and many, many others as early as the 1940’s and especially, beginning in the 1950´s. 

Word spread quickly through word of mouth, recommendations, or inviting peers to accompany those already familiar. In general, Cabo San Lucas garnered so much attention by the famous due to being extremely private, secluded, only a short flight of three hours from Los Angeles, relaxing, excellent climate, superior service in hotels, reasonably affordable, and not an easy place to get to for “paparazzi” and the general public in those days.  Guest services at the only three resorts available were exceptionally better than most in Mexico however remote the destination was. 

Visitors fell in love with Cabo, which represented an under-populated destination contrary to the frenzying growth of an overly exposed and overcrowded Acapulco, Mexico during the same time in the 1950’s.  Cabo San Lucas and the inherent slow pace in this type of Mexican destination provided the perfect escape for those wanting to escape the limelight, pressure, and being constantly “on the go…”  In comparison to today, Cabo San Lucas has grown in popularity with the elite visitors yet the reasons as to why remain the same. 

Cabo San Lucas was secluded at that time, traveled to by those who could either fly in on private propeller planes landing on small dirt airstrips or, for those who sailed in on their private yachts.  Only three hotels offered hotel room accommodations: the world-famous and iconic Palmilla, The Cabo San Lucas Hotel and, The Twin Dolphins.  Each of these three hotels provided their own access for air passengers, merely a few hundred yards away from the property.  Refueling for airplanes in those early days meant either bringing extra aboard the plane or flying to “mainland Mexico” in a short flight across the Sea of Cortez.  Surprisingly today, one rustic airstrip continues to be used by some of the wealthy usually owning, residing, or frequently visiting Cabo San Lucas, and of course aware of its existence just minutes outside of town. 

In the 1950’s, the three all were considered boutique hotels, relatively small with quaint features yet possessed exceptional services while offering both privacy and secrecy.  There were no paved streets in Cabo San Lucas at that time; adventuresome dirt roads on either horseback or donkeys on land were possibly uncomfortable but accessible.  More commonly, sea excursions aboard rustic boats called “pangas” were used to fish and travel to little coves, beaches, or bays.  Ironically, “pangas” are still the most popular mode of transportation by water for a variety of reasons such as easier storage, used today by locals, fishermen, tourists, and an economical method of travel in and around Los Cabos for tourists today.

Which great American writer loved Cabo? Even before Hollywood discovered Cabo San Lucas, Ernest Hemingway made an extended trip lasting a number of months voyaging on land or by “panga” boat up the Sea of Cortez.  The adventure inspired him to document everything in a personal journal about his Mexican experience in a surreal environment.  Encountering sea life of all types, whales, untouched chains of islands, and remote populations of isolated towns had not been recorded before. The written work provides insight into Cabo San Lucas, the Baja Peninsula, the Sea of Cortez, and the region observed by one of the greatest American writers. The journal was not published at first as Hemingway preferred to keep the experience to himself. Eventually, journal was published some years ago and can be purchased today yet not widely sold in bookstores.   In fact, Hemingway made many return trips back to Cabo San Lucas during his lifetime. 

Who studied the waters around Cabo? “The Aquarium of the World…” was penned as one of the most accurate and descriptive nicknames describing Cabo San Lucas. Jacques Cousteau, nearly five decades ago, was passionate about the abundance of underwater life found in the ocean and sea around Cabo San Lucas. He frequented the region numerous times during his career as the first to study, document, and explore the depths. Additionally, Jacques Cousteau discovered indigenous species unique to the Sea of Cortez which had not known to exist.  His studies included detailed analyses of the only living corral reef in the Northern Western hemisphere running along what is now called “The East Cape” and continues north for miles. 

Throughout the under-populated and under-developed Baja Peninsula now, travelers by flight have no alternatives but to land on manmade dirt air fields.  However, the entire peninsula is still reasonably adventuresome regardless of the mode of transportation.  The reasons vary as to why the Baja Peninsula as a whole is seemingly remote but inhospitable environments, lack of interest, isolation, and overall disregard by Mexican officials whom do not consider it to be a part of Mexico. 

Why is The One&Only Palmilla “the place to stay?”  The One&Only Palmilla is rated a diamond (higher than 5 Stars).  The tradition, reputation, fame, privacy, exclusivity, and beach views are all wonderful but why does every, single visitor love the hotel regardless of who they are?  Service, service, service!  Each guest receives exactly the same hospitality.  Staff attends to clientele before their arrival planning to the very last detail and even memorizing names of guests!  Repeat clients in Cabo San Lucas usually come from The One&Only Palmilla because of the hotel as much or more than the destination itself. 

Provided are 24-hour butlers are assigned specifically to individual guests, concierge services benefit guests with preferred treatment around the destination, agendas for dining or activities are arranged in advance of guest arrivals, individual airport arrival pick-ups, and airport departure drop-offs in luxury SUV transportation. The average amount of personnel servicing and attending to guests’ needs today in hotels or resorts worldwide is a mere, .07 per room!  The One&Only Palmilla Hotel supplies a guest service average of over, 6.0 staff per room!

Why is Palmilla the most famous area in all of Mexico?  Palmilla is an area of Los Cabos located at kilometer 7.5 along The Tourist Corridor.  The One&Only Palmilla Hotel is located within only one section of the Palmilla properties. Actually, a large amount of privately owned land makes up the Palmilla properties and only recently being developed. 

Palmilla is considered the most valuable, expensive, attractive, illusive, exclusive, and famous property in all of Mexico. Palmilla consists of numerous residential communities, a beach, a golf course, developments, new plazas called Las Tiendas de Palmilla (The Shops of Palmilla) and El Faro (The Lighthouse), villas, mansions, a private club, and all is privately owned.  In fact, the plazas are the only parts of Palmilla open to the general public. 

Parcels of land in Palmilla are individually owned by rich Mexican families for generations whom eventually sold off small pieces at a time to developers. Wealthy American investors or developers generally from Southern California or Texas own large areas and proactively building up their property.  Living communities in Palmilla are multi-million dollar homes. Villas del Mar (translated as ‘Villas of the Beach’) is one popular residence of ultra-exclusive villas atop of a mountain, among others in construction.  U2, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Brad Pitt, Billy Crystal, and others now stay at Villas del Mar.

The Palmilla is the only hotel of the three original resorts still in operation yet has incurred recent modernizations, an expansion, and numerous additions for the better.  In 2002, with over fifty years of tradition, The Palmilla officially had a name change to, “The One&Only Palmilla.” The One&Only brand name distinguishes a collection of ultra-elite hotels or resorts located in various destinations around the world owned by the Kirschner Group. The recent purchase of The Palmilla Hotel by Kirschner based in New York meant a temporarily closure of sections around the property during a dramatic overhaul. 

Upon the purchase of The Palmilla, a $90 million dollar renovation to the resort involved upgrades to rooms, an additional wing of accommodations, property grounds expanded, a private wedding chapel, and two on-site restaurants developed by world famous executive chefs.  The Palmilla tradition of catering to the rich and famous is stronger than ever today.

The re-grand opening event at the renamed One&Only Palmilla hosted recognized personalities such as: Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, and literally hundreds of other famous, politicians, diplomats, sultans, kings, or wealthy from around the world in an exclusive 50th birthday party celebration for John Travolta.  The birthday cake alone was valued at $50,000 dollars, a creation by one of the most famous bakery chefs in the world, and a star in the world of culinary arts. 

Exclusivity, privacy, and secrecy far away from the limelight and “paparazzi” is what matters to the rich or famous.  Cabo not only offers the aforementioned but it is a practiced policy since the 1950’s which has earned the destination an extremely positive reputation for adhering to confidentiality. It is as likely to see a celebrity at the Los Cabos International Airport as it is to meet someone selling timeshare.

Picture taking tourists do not recognize nor think to look for actors and actresses shopping for souvenirs but they are. The local population of Mexicans, Americans, Canadians, Japanese, Swiss, French, and others find it to be the standard-quo, paying little attention.  So, the wealthy or famous are free to do as they please regularly visiting clubs, bars, tours, and activities with the average person.