Los Cabos Villas Where the Desert Meets the Sea
What a Week Here Actually Costs
10 guests · 5 bedrooms · 7 nights at Palmilla in February at $5,250 a night
Villa rate
7 nights x $5,250
$36,750
Taxes
20% VAT and state lodging tax on the villa rate, plus about $27 a guest in state visitor fee
$7,620
Fees
Booking fee, damage waiver, departure clean
$199
Chef
Housekeeping is included, a private chef for three meals at about $600 a day
$4,200
Staff gratuities
About 10% of the rent, pooled at the end of the week
$3,675
Food & dining
Groceries $75 pp/day, 2 dinners out at about $125 pp
$7,750
Transfers & getting around
Van from SJD for 10 both ways at about $300, plus about $200 in Ubers for nights out
$500
The number the family pays
$6,069 per person · 65% above the villa rate
$60,694
Plus a refundable damage deposit set by each house, not included above.
These are our costed estimates for a villa of this class, not a quote. Send us the brief and we'll cost your actual house.
Cost Your Own WeekSubject to Villa Type
Housekeeping: Usually Included
Most of our Cabo houses have housekeeping six or seven days a week, usually from about 8am to 5pm, and at many the housekeeper makes breakfast too. Ask what yours includes.
Chef Extra
A private chef for a group of 10 runs about $600 a day for three meals, with the food on top.
Tips aren't in the rate. About 10% of the rent, pooled at the end of the week, is normal. The 16% VAT and 4% state lodging tax are in the costing above, and so is Baja California Sur's visitor fee of about $27 a guest. Damage deposits are set house by house, often $2,500 to $3,000.
Flights
Can You Get There From Where You Live?
Your Nearest Metro
Nonstop from Atlanta on Delta, daily. About 4 hours 40 minutes.
Nonstop from Austin on Southwest, with Delta and American in season. About 2 hours 40 minutes.
One connection from Boston, via Dallas-Fort Worth or Atlanta. About 8 to 10 hours total.
Nonstop from Calgary on WestJet, about twice a day, and from Edmonton on WestJet or Porter. About 5 hours.
Nonstop from Charlotte on American, one to three times a week in season. About 4 hours 50 minutes.
Nonstop from Chicago O'Hare on American or United, two to three times a day. About 4 hours 55 minutes.
Nonstop from Dallas-Fort Worth on American, about five times a day. About 3 hours 5 minutes.
Nonstop from Denver on United or Southwest, several times a day. About 3 hours 5 minutes.
Nonstop from Detroit on Delta, from December to April. About 5 hours 30 minutes.
Nonstop from Houston on United from Bush, or Southwest from Hobby. About 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours.
Nonstop from Las Vegas on Southwest, daily, and from Salt Lake on Delta. About 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.
Nonstop from LAX on four airlines, about seven times a day. About 2 hours 35 minutes.
One connection from Miami & Ft Lauderdale, via Houston or Dallas-Fort Worth. About 7 to 10 hours total.
Nonstop from Minneapolis on Delta or Sun Country, in season from November. About 4 hours 40 minutes.
Nonstop from Montreal on Air Canada or Air Transat, weekly in season. About 6 hours 35 minutes.
Nonstop from JFK on JetBlue, daily, and from Newark on United. About 5 hours 40 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes.
One connection from Orlando & Tampa, via Houston or Atlanta. About 7 to 10 hours total.
One connection from Philadelphia, via Charlotte or Dallas-Fort Worth. About 7 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours total.
Nonstop from Phoenix on American or Southwest, about six times a day. About 2 hours 15 minutes.
Nonstop from San Diego on Alaska or Southwest, and from Orange County on Southwest, daily. About 2 hours 15 minutes.
Nonstop from San Francisco on United or Alaska, about three times a day. About 3 hours 10 minutes.
Nonstop from Seattle on Alaska or Delta, and from Portland on Alaska. About 4 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 25 minutes.
Nonstop from Toronto on Air Canada or WestJet in season, with Porter from November. About 5 hours 50 minutes.
Nonstop from Vancouver on WestJet or Air Canada, two to three times a day. About 4 hours 35 minutes.
Nonstop from Washington Dulles on United, four or five times a week in season. About 5 hours 40 minutes.
Los Cabos International (SJD) serves all our houses here. Palmilla is about 25 minutes away. Pedregal, at the Cabo San Lucas end, takes 40 to 55 minutes and longer in the evening rush.
What Governs the Arrival Day
Uber can't pick up at the airport, so book a van to meet you. A van for 10 runs about $300 for the round trip to Palmilla. Visitors over 12 also pay the state visitor fee online before arrival, about $27 each.
Most groups skip the rental car. Uber and DiDi work well along the coast for dinners out, and a car only makes sense for a day trip up to Todos Santos.
Schedules change. We check yours before anyone books.
Best For
- Groups who want a short flight, with nonstops from most big cities in the West and Midwest
- Golfers, with Nicklaus courses at Palmilla and Puerto Los Cabos
- Whale watching from mid-December to mid-April
- Big groups, with houses sleeping up to 25
Not For
- Swimming off any beach you like, since the Pacific side is too rough
- Groups who want lush green scenery, since this is desert
- Late summer and early fall, when hurricane season peaks
When to Go
High Season
Mid-December to mid-April, with the best whale watching in January and February
Festive Window
About Dec 19 to Jan 3, minimum 7 nights at most houses
Low Season
July to October, about a fifth less than February, with hurricane season peaking in late August and September
Minimum Stay
7 nights over the festive window · 3 nights most of the year
Where to Stay in Los Cabos
Palmilla
About half our Cabo houses, inside the gated Palmilla community on the Sea of Cortez, with a calm swimming beach and Nicklaus golf. Most five-bedroom houses run about $4,700 to $6,300 a night in February.
Pedregal
The gated hillside above the Cabo San Lucas marina, close enough to walk into town. The Pacific beach below is too rough to swim, so groups head to Médano. Five-bedroom houses start at about $2,100 a night in February, and the biggest sleep up to 20.
Puerto Los Cabos
Seven houses in the gated marina community east of San José del Cabo, the closest to the airport. Five-bedroom houses run about $2,100 to $2,900 a night in February.
Pairs Well With
Planning a Trip to Los Cabos?
Tell us the group and the dates. We'll come back with the houses that fit and what the week costs.
Request a Costed Shortlist