15 Best Boutique Cabo Hotels: Budget to Beachfront

There’s no shortage of fabulous places to stay in Cabo.

Los Cabos in the state of Baja California Sur has a rep as the most expensive resort destination in Mexico.

A dizzying array of luxury hotels like the Montage Los Cabos, Chileno Bay Resort, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal and One&Only Palmilla will pamper you in complete and utter style.

But if you don’t want to drop a wad of cash on your accommodations in Cabo, you don’t have to.

Because, while harder to find, there are still some amazing smaller boutique Cabo hotels that are easier on the wallet. The cost of your Cabo vacation doesn’t have to drain your piggy bank.

Some of these hotels are really cool too! (We know! We’ve stayed at many of them when vacationing in Cabo over the years.)

So here’s our curated list of independent, unique and boutique hotels in Cabo.

You’ll find a mix of what we call “affordable luxury” boutique hotels, as well as some surprisingly cheap hotels in Cabo that are also quite charming.

15 Best boutique Cabo hotels

All of the following hotels are located right in the Los Cabos area – in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo, or along the Tourist Corridor connecting the two towns.

Some are small urban inns that aren’t beachfront.

But a few are actually hotels with a swimmable beach at their fingertips (which is rare for Cabo, as many of its beaches, while stunning, are not safe for swimming).

One is even a super cool treehouse hotel!

Okay, let’s check out these boutique hotel gems in Cabo.

Best Cabo San Lucas boutique hotels

If you’re looking for a quaint hotel with authentic Mexican charm, look no further. 

Casa Bella Boutique Hotel has 14 richly colored rooms with chunky, rustic wooden furniture and brightly hued accents that make you feel like you’re in a friend’s cozy home – that just happens to be in Mexico.

Speaking of cozy, you can rent the entire hotel for weddings or events – you’ll all feel like you’re staying at your own Mexican hacienda. And trust us, it’s the stuff dreams are made of.

The hotel is situated around a beautiful outdoor flower-filled patio and has a small inviting pool, so you’ll never need to leave unless you want to.

And if you do, it’s only a short walk to the buzzy Cabo San Lucas Marina, yet you’ll feel miles away while in this calm oasis.

2) Hotel Los Milagros – $

Right in the heart of Cabo is Los Milagros, a 12-room, family-run piece of paradise.

Even though it’s in the thick of it all, there is peace and tranquility here at every step. It’s one of the best small hotels in Cabo San Lucas for a low-key stay in blissville.

Once you enter the courtyard surrounded by tall palm trees and vibrant flowers, you’ll feel like you’ve entered a sanctuary. And you have. 

3) Bahia Hotel & Beach House – $$$

If your idea of a vacation is lounging in a hotel where chic and approachable collide, the Bahia Hotel & Beach House will be your dream spot. It’s one of the coolest hotels in Cabo.

The hotel isn’t beachfront, per se – it’s set back a block and a bit from Medano Beach (Cabo’s most popular beach).

But its hipper-than-hip private beach club on its own private beach area there, aptly named the “Beach House,” is front row and center waterfront.

As a guest, you’ll have full access to the SUR Beach House and all its sexy loungy-ness, so you won’t have to choose between having a pool day or a beach day. Can you say spoiled?

The hotel and beach club’s neutral palette showcases the gorgeous blue and unique landscape Cabo is known for.

Unlike some beach clubs in Cabo, the Bahia Hotel’s beach club is unpretentious and gives off sophisticated but easy-going vibes with its daybeds and swim-up bar palapa.

And when you get tired of drinking rosé on the beach (is that possible?), there are tons of water sports you can try out on Medano Beach.

Bahia Hotel & Beach House: Check rates and availability

4) Cabo Inn Hotel – $

Have you ever stayed in an old brothel? (We’re going to go with no to that question.)

Well, now you can. Built in 1955 and originally used as a brothel, this property was rebranded in 1981 as the hotel it is today.

But impressively outshining its history, the Cabo Inn Hotel today offers two open-air rooftop rooms with palapas and private hot tubs.

These unique indoor-outdoor rooms have a traditional Mexican feel with private patios and mosquito netting over the bed. Since it’s outside and the Cabo Inn Hotel is in the middle of downtown, it can get a bit noisy, so come prepared with earplugs.

If that’s a little too authentic for your vacation style, they also have cute but simple queen rooms to choose from. The rooms are bright with colorful painted walls and fun Mexican art.

There are hammocks strewn about the property and so many plants it feels like the jungle.

Best San Jose del Cabo boutique hotels

5) Hotel El Ganzo – $$$$

Ok, real talk… We kind of have a love affair with the Hotel El Ganzo.

We’ve stayed here three times now. It’s in a great location, and we think it’s simply one of the best Cabo boutique hotels!

Picture this: A boutique gem with 70 rooms, oozing with artsy vibes and more attention to detail than a painter perfecting a masterpiece.

Speaking of art, there are live art installations, an in-house recording studio and live musicians playing onsite. This is “boutique hotel” meets “edgy independent art and music space.”

But the real pièce de résistance? A rooftop infinity pool with a glass hot tub providing iconic views of pink sunsets.

6) La Marina Inn – $$

We stumbled across this 3-star gem on our latest visit to Cabo, when we stayed again at Hotel El Ganzo (#5 above).

La Marina Inn is across the street from El Ganzo, but set further back, so we’d never noticed it before on previous stays here.

The name of the bar/restaurant, George’s Restaurant, drew us in. When George (the other half of this writing partnership) spotted that sign, we just had to check it out – and do a tour of the hotel.  

Anyway, the hotel has 24 recently renovated rooms with polished Mexican tile floors.

Most have two queen beds. But there are also two rooms with a king-size bed each. As well, there are two suites featuring a kitchen or kitchenette.

Tip: Get a room on the top floor, as you can hear people above you if you have a ground floor room. Also, top floor rooms have a balcony (overlooking the pool). And when packing for your Cabo trip, throw in a sleeping mask, as the rooms don’t have blackout curtains.

There’s also an (unheated) outdoor swimming pool in the hotel courtyard.

As for George’s bar/restaurant, it serves steaks, pizza, burgers and the like. And if you bring your own freshly-caught fish, they’ll cook it up for you.

What we perhaps like best about this boutique Cabo hotel, however, is that you have complimentary access to Hotel El Ganzo’s boat taxi service to El Ganzo Beach.

Being so close to the Puerto Los Cabos Marina, the hotel reels in a lot of sportfishers.

But it also appeals to adults looking for a cute, clean and comfortable stay, with easy access to El Ganzo Beach and its beach clubs.

7) Casa Natalia – $$

Right in the historic heart of San Jose del Cabo’s old town sits Casa Natalia, an oasis in paradise.

All 18 sunny and spacious rooms are decorated with traditional Mexican wares, like Otomi embroidery, rich woods, and rustic chic rattan. Each room is different, with works of art from local Cabo artisans.

If you treat yourself to a spa suite, you can bask on your private large terrace, complete with a hot tub and hammock.

So if you’re thinking: “Hot tub? Who needs a hot tub in Mexico?” then opt for a different room. But if you go in January, you’ll be thankful for a hot tub at night.   

Most of the other guest rooms have terraces with hammocks.

And the hotel has a small pool.

Although not beachfront, Casa Natalia is perfectly situated for Art Walk, where you can wander from gallery to gallery, sipping wine and meeting the artists.

There are two onsite eateries at this boutique Los Cabos hotel.

Mi Cocina is divine and focuses on local, organic and sustainable seafood and fish. It’s often touted as one of the best restaurants in San Jose del Cabo.

8) Acre Resort Los Cabos – $$$$

Ever dream of living the Tarzan life in a treehouse? Well, that is what Acre Resort is known for – besides its incredibly drool-worthy farm-to-table restaurant.

Acre is for sure one of the most unique boutique hotels in Cabo, set on 25 acres of verdant greenery in the town’s foothills.

The property is part home for rescued animals (you’ve got to meet Burrito the donkey), part farm, part boutique hotel and 100% all-around vacation paradise.

There are a few villas.

But the main reason to stay here? The 13 treehouses hovering high on solid stilts, surrounded by majestic palm trees that seem to touch the sky.

They look rustic. After all, they are treehouses.

But then you step inside your nest and find all the amenities you would in a luxe hotel, minus the air conditioning.

There are screens, a king-sized bed with a mosquito net, high-speed free WiFi access, a private terrace to sip Acre’s own mezcal and an outdoor shower so you can get sudsy under the stars.

There’s also a beautiful pool ensconced among hundreds of palm trees.

9) El Encanto Inn & Suites – $$

Talk about life coming full circle.

Situated in the historic district of San Jose del Cabo, it’s a hacienda-style boutique hotel, nestled in a beautiful oasis bursting with native flora and tropical birds.

Replete with sweeping chandeliers and interesting architectural archways, its secluded and peaceful atmosphere makes it ideal for de-stressing, as you should on vacation.

The onsite spa and sizeable outdoor pool don’t hurt either.  

10) Marisol Boutique Hotel – $$

Located in the main hotel zone of San Jose del Cabo, this intimate little boutique hotel has just seven rooms.

The rooms are individually decorated. But they’re all contemporary and pleasing, with cool tile floors, Mexican blankets at the end of the bed and small balconies.

Each also has a flat-screen TV plus coffee and tea making facilities, a toaster and a mini-fridge (useful for stocking items from the La Comer grocery store, which is just a few minutes’ walk away).

Marisol Boutique Hotel is spickety clean, the A/C works well and it has super-fast free Wi-Fi.

While you’re just a block or so from the beach, it’s not one where you can swim.

If you’ve rented a car for your Cabo vacation, the closest swimming beach is beautiful Palmilla Beach. It’s only a 7-minute drive away. (Or you can take Uber to get there.)

For beach lovers, the hotel provides complimentary beach chairs, towels, umbrellas and coolers for your use.

You also need wheels to get to the good restaurants in San Jose del Cabo.

And you might want to pack ear plugs if you’re a light sleeper, as some TripAdvisor reviewers have mentioned that the rooms aren’t completely soundproof.

But all of this is a small compromise for the hotel’s great value.

11) Drift – $$$

Tagged as one of the town’s best-kept secrets, Drift is a hidden treat in the heart of the historic district.

It’s the only industrial-style boutique San Jose del Cabo hotel and has 29 rooms with raw stone features, polished concrete and neutral colors. The décor was inspired by the textures of the desert, and it shows.

With clean sweeping lines and dune-colored linens, it’s a minimalist’s dream hotel.

12) Six Two Four Urban Beach Hotel – $$

This small modern retreat is situated between a golf course and the beach.

Its décor is less beachy and more urban (hence the name, Six Two Four Urban Beach Hotel). It’s black and white with hints of color that make it stand out in a sea of hotels in the area.

With a large pool surrounded by chaise lounges on the ground floor, you may decide to forgo relaxing on the beach (which isn’t swimmable), even though it’s only a 5-minute walk away.

Other best boutique hotels in Cabo on the Corridor

13) Mar del Cabo – $$$$

When it comes to Cabo luxury hotels, Mar del Cabo isn’t a 5-star property.

It doesn’t claim to be, though. (For 5-star luxury, you can stay at its sister all-inclusive hotel next door, the Grand Velas Los Cabos.)

But Mar del Cabo costs a whole lot less – and it sure is pretty!

Take one look at this boutique Cabo hotel on the beach, and you might mistake it for a hotel in Greece. It’s all white, with sapphire blue tiles and fuchsia bougainvillea cascading down your private balcony. 

The 48 suites each have a mini-kitchenette, a living/dining area and a bedroom. But it’s unlikely you’ll spend much time there with the oceanfront spa just waiting for your arrival.

The air-conditioned rooms have ocean, partial ocean or garden views.

All feature Mexican handicrafts that provide that pop of color in an all-white-hued room. The only exception is the kitchenette, which is covered in colorful handmade tiles and equipped with a coffee machine, mini-fridge and microwave.

14) Cabo Surf Hotel – $$$$

The family-owned Cabo Surf Hotel is the best beach boutique hotel in Cabo for surfing lessons. Since it’s situated on a surfing beach, Playa Acapulquito, one of the cool things to do here is learn to surf.

If surfing isn’t your thing, you can learn to paddleboard or just hit the fitness center. Or, for the ultimate in treating yourself on vacation, ask the front desk to organize a spa day for you.

And if you prefer a pool to the ocean, you’ll still be spoiled for choice with two infinity pools and a hot tub with ocean views.

A restaurant and bar on the beach make it super easy to spend days on end there. But if you’d like to venture out, there are more restaurants, cafés, bars and a grocery store within a few minutes’ drive.

The 36 eco-friendly rooms have a beach-chic vibe.

15) The Cape, a Thompson Hotel – $$$$

This is the largest of the Los Cabos boutique hotels on our list.

But even with 161 rooms, The Cape, a Thompson Hotel never feels crowded.

It could be because each room offers breathtaking ocean views and a glimpse of the legendary El Arco (the Arch of Cabo San Lucas). Or because some have plunge pools and others have copper leaf soaking tubs, so no one leaves their rooms.

The rooms are that good.

They are a captivating blend of mid-century Latin American décor with intense black accents.

Our terrace, where we spent a lot of time sipping bespoke mezcal cocktails on our swinging daybed, was completely black – the walls, the floor, the ceiling all black. It sounds a bit over the top, but it was super chic.

Final say on the best boutiquey nice hotels in Cabo

See! We told you there is no shortage of fabulous boutique Cabo hotels! 

But these are the best of the best hotels, without you having to take out a second mortgage to stay here. 

Photos: 10, 12, 20, 28 © Janice and George Mucalov, Cabo Visitor | 1 Hotel El Ganzo | Remaining photos courtesy of the respective boutique hotels