10 Best Boutique Hotels in San Jose Del Cabo (For Couples)
Wondering where to stay in San Jose del Cabo for a romantic boutique escape?
You could book an adults-only all-inclusive. But the real magic lies in Cabo’s more intimate boutique hotels. Most of the best ones are in San Jose del Cabo – the prettier, artsier sister town in the Los Cabos resort area.
We’ve been visiting Cabo for 20+ years and have stayed at (and inspected) more hotels than we can count. The ones that win us over? The smaller, quirkier places with loads of charm and character.
Below is our guide to the best boutique hotels in San Jose del Cabo for couples. Many are adults-only; others simply feel that way. (And good news: They’re often easier on the wallet than the big luxury resorts.)
From a unique treehouse-style hideaway to art-filled boutique digs with a swimmable beach (yes, really!), read on.
🏨 Best boutique hotels in San Jose del Cabo for a romantic stay
Our top 3 picks for couples (if we had to choose):
- OMG we’re sleeping in a treehouse: ➡️ Acre: Stylish, elevated and utterly unique ($$$)
- Right in the historic heart of town: ➡️ Casa Natalia: Romantic rooms and candle-lit dinners at Mi Cocina ($$)
- With a beach you can actually swim at: ➡️ Hotel El Ganzo: Art-forward, with a knockout rooftop pool and ocean views ($$ to $$$)
💵 Hotel rate guide
Here’s the rough average nightly room price (in USD) for the hotels covered here, in high season (e.g., January and February):
- Under $200 = $
- $200 to $300 = $$
- $300 to $500 = $$$
For the best hotel deals, plan your trip to Cabo outside the winter high season (like late spring or fall).
The hotel ratings shown below are according to Expedia.
1) Hotel El Ganzo – $$ to $$$
The coolest creative stay in San Jose del Cabo, El Ganzo is a boutique hotel with a safe swimming beach – the only one here on our list. Just hop in the free little water taxi to El Ganzo Beach Club, where you’ll find loungers and cabanas, plus a casual toes-in-the-sand resto.
Back at the hotel, the rooftop infinity pool is a stunner. And since the hotel is adults-only, you can smooch in the glass hot tub without little eyes looking on.
We’ve stayed here several times – see our full review – and love how the hotel itself is the art, with wall, floor and door murals painted by visiting artists.
You can’t walk to downtown San Jose del Cabo from here, but it’s a quick and inexpensive Uber ride to all the restaurants.
Hotel El Ganzo
- Rating: 9.4 out of 10
- Price: $$ to $$$
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
2) Acre Resort Los Cabos – $$$
We’re still buzzing from our recent stay in a “treehouse” at Acre Resort Los Cabos – see our full review!
We’d dined before at Acre Restaurant (its farm-to-table dining is worth the hype!) and peeked inside one of their 13 treehouses. So we were seriously excited when we finally got to sleep among the trees.
Acre is a world unto itself – 25 acres of lush palms and gardens snuggled in the foothills just outside of town, with:
- An organic farm
- A small sanctuary for rescued animals
- A boutique hotel (with villas and those now-famous treehouses) woven through it all
Perched on sturdy stilts, the adults-only treehouses are built with slatted tree branches, giving off an elevated glamping vibe.
Each has a king bed, WiFi, a balcony and an outdoor shower. Some even have A/C – necessary if you stay in the hot summer months.
Throw in a palm-fringed pool and day passes at Veleros Beach Club on El Ganzo Beach (right beside Hotel El Ganzo’s Beach Club) and you’ve got a pretty magical hideaway.
Acre Resort
- Rating: 9.2 out of 10
- Price: $$$
- Check rates: On Expedia
3) La Marina Inn – $$
We stumbled across this 3-star cutie while staying (again!) at the waterfront Hotel El Ganzo (see #1).
It’s literally across the street, but tucked back far enough that we’d somehow missed it on past visits.
The name of the bar/restaurant, George’s Restaurant, drew us in. When George (the other half of this writing partnership) spotted his name on the sign, we just had to investigate – restaurant, hotel, the whole shebang. (Pssst! The resto gets great reviews!)
La Marina Inn has 24 recently renovated rooms with polished Mexican tile floors:
- Most have two queen beds.
- Two rooms have a king-size bed each.
- Two suites feature a kitchen or kitchenette.
- Top floor rooms each have a balcony overlooking the pool.
Room Tip: Get one on the top floor – you’ll avoid hearing people above you. And when packing for your trip, throw in a sleep mask, as the rooms don’t have blackout curtains.
Amenities?
- There’s an (unheated) outdoor swimming pool in the hotel courtyard.
- George’s bar/restaurant serves steaks, pizza, burgers and the like – and they’ll happily cook your own fresh catch.
What we like best? You get complimentary access to Hotel El Ganzo’s boat taxi to El Ganzo Beach.
Thanks to its location near the Puerto Los Cabos Marina, it’s popular with sportfishers. But it appeals equally to adults wanting a clean, comfy base with easy access to El Ganzo Beach and its beach clubs.
Note that the hotel isn’t walking distance to the historic center of San Jose del Cabo (only a quick Uber ride away, though).
La Marina Inn
- Rating: 9.2 out of 10
- Price: $$
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
4) El Encanto Inn & Suites – $
Talk about life coming full circle.
When owner Blanca Pedrin bought El Encanto Inn & Suites, she turned what was once her childhood home into one of the best places to stay in San Jose del Cabo. Its location in the historic district puts you steps from the free Thursday night Art Walk and all the town’s standout restaurants.
The hacienda-style property itself is a little oasis – filled with native flora, tropical birds, archways and chandeliers. It’s peaceful, pretty and perfect for switching into vacation mode.
The onsite spa and sizeable outdoor pool don’t hurt either.
Pssst! Light sleeper? Stay in the main building, not the annex building, which has a noisy bar next door. (Or bring ear plugs.)
El Encanto Inn & Suites
- Rating: 9 out of 10
- Price: $
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
5) Casa Costa Azul Boutique Hotel – $$
Hidden away just outside of town, the beachfront Casa Costa Azul feels like one of San Jose del Cabo’s best-kept secrets. (Even some taxi and Uber drivers don’t know it’s there!)
With just 14 rooms, this family-run boutique hotel is intimate, immaculate and beloved by guests. The owners are wonderfully friendly and hospitable too.
What you’ll love:
- Charming Mexican décor with dark-wood furniture
- Spacious balconies overlooking the Sea of Cortez
- A petite ocean-view infinity pool
- Complimentary homemade breakfast
- Free Wi-Fi
Wake up to surfers carving the waves (and whales breaching in season). Then at dusk, settle onto your balcony with a glass of wine and watch the silver moon rise over the water.
Note: There’s no elevator, so if you stay on the fourth floor, you’ll get a built-in vacation workout! And the beach in front isn’t swimmable.
Casa Costa Azul Boutique Hotel
- Rating: 9.8 out of 10
- Price: $$
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
6) Tropicana Los Cabos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton – $
Right in the heart of San Jose del Cabo’s historic district, the Tropicana Hotel has deep roots in town. Built in 1956, it was long known for its landmark restaurant, Josefinos – where we’ve happily sipped more than a few margaritas over the years!
After a multi-year closure, the property reopened in late 2024 with a fresh new look. We popped in for a tour recently and were totally blown away by the transformation.
Now part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection of independent hotels, the 70-room Tropicana blends boutique character with polished luxury. Expect:
- Gleaming red clay tile floors
- A warm colonial aesthetic
- Nightly high-season rates starting around $170 USD – terrific value for this level of quality
There are two on-site restaurants. One was buzzing when we stopped by, serving fresh “field-to-table” cuisine.
Add to that a palm-fringed courtyard pool, and you’ve got a little oasis of calm.
For beach time, the Veleros Beach Club (on El Ganzo Beach) is just a short Uber ride away – the Tropicana can book your sun beds or cabana, which come with a free mocktail on arrival plus food-and-drink credits.
One recent TripAdvisor review summed it up best: “It combines the charm of an inn with all the amenities of a Hilton hotel. Perfecto.” We couldn’t agree more!
Tropicana Los Cabos
- Rating: 9.6 out of 10
- Price: $
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
7) Drift – $
Prefer mod over colonial charm? Meet Drift!
It’s the only industrial-style boutique San Jose del Cabo hotel, with 29 rooms featuring raw stone, polished concrete and desert-toned neutrals. (Note: There’s no elevator to the upper floors.)
With sleek lines and dune-colored linens, it’s a minimalist’s happy place.
Just know that it’s right in the center of town, so you might hear music from neighboring bars some nights as you’re trying to “drift” off to sleep (we couldn’t resist).
Drift San Jose del Cabo
- Rating: 8.8 out of 10
- Price: $
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
8) Marisol Boutique Hotel – $
Located in San Jose del Cabo’s main hotel zone, this intimate seven-room boutique hotel offers a comfortable stay close to everything.
Rooms at Marisol Boutique Hotel are individually decorated. But they all share a clean contemporary look, with cool tile floors, Mexican blankets at the foot of the bed and small balconies.
While the nearest beach is only a block or so away, it’s not swimmable. If you’ve rented a car for your Cabo vacation, head to beautiful Palmilla Beach, just a 7-minute drive away.
Perks you’ll appreciate:
- In-room flat-screen TV, coffee and tea making facilities, toaster and mini-fridge (useful for stocking items from the La Comer grocery store, just a few minutes’ walk away)
- Complimentary beach chairs, towels, umbrellas and coolers
- Super fast WiFi
For couples who’d rather skip the usual resort prices, this hotel offers excellent value for a boutique stay in Los Cabos.
Marisol Hotel Boutique
- Rating: 9 out of 10
- Price: $
- Check rates: On Booking.com
9) Hotel Casa Natalia – $$
Tucked into San Jose del Cabo’s historic district, Casa Natalia is one of the best hotels in San Jose del Cabo for a romantic stay. This lovely 19-room escape (just for adults) wraps around a palm-fringed courtyard with a sweet little pool, while its art-filled rooms channel upscale-boho charm.
And don’t miss dinner at Mi Cocina – it’s date-night gold!
The hotel partners with the El Ganzo Beach Club (mentioned in #1), giving you 50% off beach chair and umbrella rentals – and you can apply a big chunk of that toward food and drinks.
Casa Natalia
- Rating: 9.4 out of 10
- Price: $$
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
10) Six Two Four Urban Beach Hotel
Six Two Four Urban Beach Hotel sits in a quiet pocket between the golf course and the shoreline (a 15- to 20-minute walk away from the old town). Its style skews more “urban cool” than “beachy,” with a crisp black-and-white palette accented by bold pops of color.
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 anyway, even though it’s only a 5-minute walk away).
There are 17 rooms to choose from. Most have private patios or balconies and overlook the lush green golf course.
Six Two Four Urban Beach Hotel
- Rating: 9.2 out of 10
- Price: $
- Compare rates: On Expedia and on Booking.com
See our other area accommodation guides
- Where to Stay in Cabo? 7 Areas and Best Resorts
- 10 Amazing Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts
- 11 Unique Boutique Hotels (Beachfront Ones Too!)
- 9 Cheap (and Cheerful!) Hotels in Cabo San Lucas
- 21 Cabo Resorts With Swimmable Beaches
- One & Only Palmilla: There’s Only One!
- We Slept in a Treehouse at Acre – and It Was Magical!
- Hotel El Ganzo is an Oasis of Creative Cool
- Review of Bahia Hotel and Beach House (Very Hip!)
- Where to Stay in Todos Santos: 11 Coolest Hotels
Our favorite resources for planning a trip to Cabo
Resorts: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel in Cabo – or at least a decent one. (We especially like their flexible cancellation policy!) Expedia is also worth checking for discounted hotel rates in Cabo.
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Tours: For the best local guided tours in Cabo, see Viator and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car in Los Cabos is one of the best ways to explore. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation and travel security.
Need more help?
- See our Start here page. It lists everything we’ve written on Cabo.
- Also check our ultimate Cabo travel guide and our article on Planning your Cabo vacation: What you should know.
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