Thanks to a strong collaborative effort among local businesses, government officials and the people of Los Cabos, the destination is putting the devastating wrath of Hurricane Odile into the distant past. Last September, Los Cabos suffered $1 billion in damages from the Category 3 storm. Cabo San Lucas took a direct hit with 125 mph sustained winds, the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in the Baja California Peninsula.
“The destination was able to handle the impact and recovery of Hurricane Odile very well with the help of the federal government and by the people of Los Cabos coming together,” says Enrique Turcott, president of the Los Cabos Hotel Association. “All of the hotels and their employees did an amazing job at beginning the cleanup and the rebuilding process very soon after the storm in an organized and timely fashion. Through this hard work and dedication the destination has been able to recover very quickly.”
Many groups also showed their support for Los Cabos by rescheduling programs that were planned from October 2014 through May 2015, according to Turcott. Other groups were relocated to hotels that experienced less damage and were ready to open a few weeks after the storm.
According to Turcott, the destination is well on its way to normalcy. The Los Cabos International Airport reopened just a few weeks after the storm. January 2015 was the second best on record for the Los Cabos International Airport in regard to air traffic. Airlift to Los Cabos is also increasing this year with additional direct flights from many major U.S. markets, including Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Seattle; Salt Lake City; San Diego; and New York City. United Airlines also launched service from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Cabos in March.
“For the Los Cabos Tourism Board and the Hotel Association, the main message is to let everyone know that the destination is open and getting back to 100 percent at a very fast pace,” Turcott says.
Most of the hotels have reopened and many of those that are still closed are taking the time to make additional renovations.
“The properties that are not yet reopened have been keeping guests informed via various tools such as their social channels, websites and newsletters, and by doing this are building anticipation for guests to return to an even better resort than before,” Turcott says.
There are many properties recently reopened or scheduled to reopen later this year. Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Golf & Spa Resort and Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos are already back in operation.
For the Fiesta, the resort remained closed for two months following the hurricane.
“We reopened back on Nov. 15 with a full buyout of a repetitive group,” says Karina Jajan, the property’s director of sales. “This was their third year with us and ‘the best ever,’ as informed by our client. They have already booked for this year.”
According to Jajan, the property had several programs planned to be held during the time the resort was closed.
“Fortunately, all the planners were willing to work with us and move dates,” she says. “Just two groups were relocated to an alternative resort of the same company (Posadas) and we lost only one group, which, despite their efforts to move the dates, had to stay in the U.S., as the airline couldn’t move the dates of their flights.”
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The Resort at Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas, formerly known as the Capella Pedregal Hotel Cabo San Lucas, reopened at the end of January with 66 rooms and suites and 22 residential-style villas, while in March, Marquis Los Cabos Resort & Spa reopened its doors. One & Only Palmilla Los Cabos welcomed back guests starting in April. Other spring and summer scheduled reopenings include Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos and Hyatt Place Los Cabos, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Esperanza Resort and Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, which is slated to reopen in June. Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa will reopen this summer and The Westin Resort & Spa’s reopening is set for September.
Other future hotel reopenings include Melia Cabo Real, slated for a December unveiling. Also, the Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa, a Cabo San Lucas property that debuted in 2011, is planning to complete its third and final stage this fall with the addition of 90 guest rooms and a new spa.
“The next two years are going to be very exciting ones for the destination,” Turcott says. “Throughout the course of 2015 and 2016, Los Cabos will add nearly 2,000 new rooms to the destination’s inventory, making Los Cabos even more equipped to host large groups and to provide them with even more options.”
This summer, the Thompson Cabo San Lucas is slated to open with 140 rooms. Looking ahead to 2016, additions will include the 196-room Park Hyatt.
The all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel is under construction and will offer 601 guest rooms. Also in the works is an adults-only, all-inclusive option, Le Blanc Spa Resort, with 250 guest rooms. The VieVage Los Cabos, an Auberge Resort, will be located within the Chileno Bay development, and also under construction is the Mar Adentro by Encanto, a 160-room luxury property in San Jose del Cabo. Looking toward 2017, the Solaz, part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection, will open with 120 guest rooms along the Corridor.
“There are many new properties that will focus on the luxury sector, helping attract groups seeking a truly high-end experience,” Turcott says.
This June, the JW Marriott Los Cabos will open with 299 beachfront guest rooms and suites, as well as the destination’s largest event space, totaling 37,651 square feet. There will also be a spa that will offer the ancient Mexican ritual Temazcal experience. The 45-room Griffin Club will open as a boutique hotel within a hotel.
The resort is the latest addition to the upscale Puerto Los Cabos master planned gated community, a 2,000-acre development that offers a private marina and an 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, with nine additional holes planned for the future.
“Located just seven miles from Los Cabos International Airport, Puerto Los Cabos will be a great destination for groups,” Turcott says.
Currently, groups can book Secrets Puerto Los Cabos, an adults-only, luxury all-inclusive property located within Puerto Los Cabos.
Turcott says the destination is finalizing its 2015 advertising, marketing and public relations program, with a large focus on meetings and incentives. In November, Los Cabos will host its annual VIP Summit, which will bring together many of the industry’s key travel partners as Los Cabos proves it is truly back in business.
