My husband and I stayed at this resort from 5/23 to 5/29. Someone had recommended that we sit throught the timeshare presentation for the freebies so when we were first approached at the airport, we signed up, paying $72 (equivalent to 4 airport shuttle tickets, we paid because they said we would get our money back at the presentation) We also didn't know but we signed up with another resort but they gave us free roundtrip taxi tickets to their resort.
Anyways, after we checked in, my hubby ignored the women in the Sunset Beach lobby hawking timeshares and checked into our rooms, the golf carts there are convenient, they loaded up our huge suitcases in the passenger seats and I thought they were going to fall out going downhill but didn't. Since we arrived in the evening and didn't want to leave the resort, we had dinner at the La Nao, they have Mexican buffets on Monday nights. They have quite a huge selection at the buffet, including wide varieties of deserts. They even had a taco and quesadilla station which the beef taco was the best.
The next morning we took the golf cart to the lobby, when you call to ask for a golf cart to pick you up they will ask you where you're headed, if you want a taxi, they call them right away so you never have to wait long. (They even hold up the shuttle that goes to Rose, their sister resort downtown if you tell your golf cart driver that you are catching the shuttle, not recommended to wait till last minute to catch the shuttle but since they are very customer-oriented, they go out of their way) Back to the subject, when we got to the lobby, since it was only 8am, a man asked to see our taxi coupons, we thought nothing of it and handed it to him, little did we know he's hawking the timeshare at Sunset Beach and tried to pursuade us to not go to his competition. We finally went with him because he matched everything we were going to get plus a snorkeling trip. After sitting through 2 and a half hours of sales pitch, with free buffet style breakfast, we said NO and got our freebies: blanket, a bottle of tequila, $100 dinner certificate, snorkeling trip for 2 (later found out it's $35/person if you book it yourself) and free shuttle back to airport AND they gave us $72 that we paid the other resort person. I'd say it's a great deal just be sure to say NO. You can also buy discount certificate at the activities desk if you want any spa services, we took advantage of it and bought ourselves a couples' massage. (You can only buy $100 which we paid $62 for). The spa is serene and beautifully designed, it's free to use if you are an owner, if not, they charge $15 to use the facility. Since we booked a massage we could use the wet areas for the day. I highly recommend it even though it's pricey but well worth it. The fitness center is state of the art and free to use. We got plenty of exercises just walking up and down the hill to the pools, the beach, restaurants, etc. We took the shuttle to Rose several times, some people complained of the walk to downtown but it didn't bother us at all, we enjoyed the exercise. We walked from Cabo Wabo back to the Rose in 15 minutes. Speaking of which, we had the best scallops at Cabo Wabo. I highly recommend it. And I also recommend the Los Ajos, across from the mall Puerto Paraiso (Marisco Mazatlan is right behind it, another good place both frequented by locals). Los Ajos has $8 buffet which is really good, more homecooking style than gourmet. Another place we love is El Patio, not far from Los Ajos, the wait staff are personable and friendly. We tried Mocumbo but wasn't pleased. Most of the time we just ate at Sunset Beach, I don't recommend getting scallops at La Nao though, they were tough, I ordered that on their "Mermaid Seafood night" Thursday, the rest of the food were great though. The steak is better at The Bistro, downstairs from the lobby.
The free snorkeling trip was with the Oceanus a party boat, they had an open bar and the wait staff came through so many times. We went by the arch and then to the snorkeling area which took 1 hour 15 minutes. Snorkeling was ok (but we're comparing it to the snorkeling we had in Hawaii which set the bar so much higher. If this is your first time snorkeling, you would enjoy it.)
Since it was Memorial Day weekend, downtown got more crowded and Rose got rowdier, lots more activities going on so we were glad we stayed at Sunset because it was quiet the whole time. We're not into the crazy, drunken party scene anymore so it was perfect for us.
The rest of Sunset Beach basically echos what most people say, quiet beaches, cooler temps, beautiful pools, can't swim in ocean, friendly staff, clean, etc. After our week was up, I wish I could be an owner so I can come back every year. This was a wonderful place to de-stress and relax. Looking forward to going back.

The rooms are really nice although the property is way TOO LARGE. Golf carts driven by hotel workers have to drive you everywhere. Not recommended for elderly or small children.

My husband and I stayed at Sunset Beach for five days and four nights, May 17 -21, and our experience was flawless. We took another reviewer's advice and called Sunset Beach a day in advance to reserve a van from the airport for $17 each. It was a very comfortable ride and our driver was a great guy.

We checked in to the hotel with Umberto, who was kind and helpful. We were directed to the "Hostess" table in the lobby to receive free drink coupons. This is where they hit you up with the timeshare routine. We responded with a firm "no thank you" and we weren't bothered again by anyone. We took a cart to our master suite in the Guadalupe Villa and absolutely loved our room (3031). It was clean, beautifully appointed, spacious and comfortable. We had a large patio with direct views of the Pacific. Sunsets were spectacular.

We enjoyed being on the Pacific side of Baja where the temperatures are cooler and there are breezes. We also enjoyed being a few minutes out of town and off the beaten path. Much more peaceful and private.

The service everywhere in this hotel was unsurpassed. I'm known for having high standards for service, and couldn't find fault with anyone I encountered at this hotel. The staff was remarkably attentive and kind.
The best service I've ever had anywhere.

The hotel is laid out in many buildings on the side of a large hill (mountain?). You either get your exercise walking uphill and downhill to get around or you hop on one of the many golf-cart type vehicles that drive by regularly. We tipped the drivers a dollar or two, but some riders didn't tip. We also tipped our maid every day.

The three pools and jacuzzis are wonderful. The beach is pristine. No vendors bothering you like they do on Medano Beach closer to town.

The restaurants on site are good. All have wonderful views of the ocean and offer indoor and outdoor seating. On the 4th floor of the main bldg. where the lobby is, you'll find Frida, which is a high end dinner only restaurant and you'll find The Bistro which is a casual lunch and dinner restaurant. Watch for the server, Fred, in The Bistro, he's a real character! Breakfast, lunch and dinner are offered at La Nao found at the bottom of the hill near the beach. For dinner you can enjoy the buffet du jour for $30 or order off the menu. There's a breakfast buffet for $16 or you can order off the menu. Pedro and Valentin in La Nao are wonderful.
La Nao also provides live music with dinner such as guitarists or a pianist.
The Manila Bar next door is also very nice. Restaurants close at 11:00 p.m. but suite service (room service) is available 24/7.

If you want to save on food, use the deli/grocery store found near the main lobby. They sell snacks, candy, beverages, booze, sandwiches, salads, etc. at reasonable prices.

Going into town is a breeze with the free shuttle service that is provided on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Comfortable, air conditioned shuttles take you from Sunset Beach to the Pueblo Bonito Rose, their sister property, on Medano Beach. Make your shuttle reservations with the Concierge Desk. Downtown Cabo San Lucas is about 6 blocks from the Rose. If you don't want to walk the six blocks, a cab drive from the Rose to any part of downtown is $6. We enjoyed the marina area, the mall (Puerto Paraiso), Cabo Wabo, Hard Rock, and Squid Roe. I would recommend the restaurant, Mi Casa, for traditional mexican food, and Marisco's Mazatlan for seafood. We also enjoyed Maragaritavilla. You can stop at the Plaza de Mariachis for $1.50 Corona or Pacifico and good people watching.

As you walk down the beach, along the marina or through town, you'll be approached dozens (hundreds) of times by street vendors and store vendors hawking their wares. Be prepared to say "no thank you" over and over and over again. When you find something you like, negotiate. Most vendors will come down from their original price, although, not as much as you might like. You'll find few genuine bargains.

Watch out for the "sidewalks" in town. The sidewalk often changes in front of each little store. It may be higher or lower, flat or with ankle twisting holes, cobble stones or concrete.

A word about the Rose - A lot of Sunset Beachers take the shuttle in to the Rose and use their beach because you can swim at that beach. You cannot swim at the beach at Sunset. The undertows on the Pacific side are just too strong. There are several bars/restaurants, including the famed "Office" on the beach just down from the Rose. The service at the Rose was nothing special in my opinion and the rooms and balconies are small in comparison to Sunset Beach. The Rose is starting to show it's age in some ways. But there is a constant hustle-bustle there that you won't find at Sunset Beach, and it's a younger crowd.

To close this review, I'll say that I hated to leave Sunset Beach and Cabo.
It was the most perfect vacation of my life. We'll definitely be back!

My family (husband and two kids, 1 and 4 years old) and I spent a nice week in Cabo from May 2 to May 9, 2005. We had a really nice time! It was our first visit there.

I spent a lot of time reading reviews before we left. I wanted to get a feel for what our place would be like as well as Cabo. I found the reviews quite useful, so I thought I'd share my experiences.

First things first. If you have arrangements to get to your hotel, make sure to walk straight outside the airport doors to look for your rep. Don't let the many people trying to get you to go with them on the inside stop you. They may even say the right things about who and how much your airport transportation is. They just want to sign you up for a timeshare presentation and try to "get your ride for free". Even knowing this from another's helpful review, you can easily get stopped if you just don't keep walking out those doors quickly! That's a little hard to do while pushing a stroller, herding a 4 yr. old and leading your husband who's pulling the suitcases. Once you actually get out of there, it's a relief.

The Pueblo Bonito at Sunset Beach is great. It's a wonderful place for families and those not looking to be right where all the action in town is. The rooms are comfy, the view is wonderful and the sounds of the surf are incredible. We felt the service was really good too. The pools are awesome. We loved the cabanas. Reminded us of The Four Seasons.

The food at the restaurants were okay, not wonderful. We enjoyed early dinners at The Bistro the most. They have great margaritas compared to the ones at the Aquabar (which were terrible). Lunches down at the pool and Aquabar were great though. The breakfasts we had at La Nao were nice too. Suite service came quickly. They got my order wrong the second time, but still great if you don't want to leave the room. They even set up the table for you.

The golf carts weren't a problem. We took them when we wanted to go up to the Lobby but mostly walked when we were headed down. Some of those rides were quite thrilling. My little boy loved them. We heard them occassionally in the evening but they didn't bother our sleep.

Took a taxi into town ($10 up to 4 people) once to go to Cabo Wabo. Had a good lunch and some great drinks, especially the "Can't Drive 55". Yummy but potent. Walked back to The Rose. Easily walkable. If my 4 year old can do it (he gets tired easily), most people can. Took the free shuttle back to Sunset Beach.

Found Rose to be very different than Sunset Beach. We took the free shuttle there once to play on the beach and actually touch the water. We also had breakfast there. We found it to be more crowded but good for people watching and activities. When we got back to Sunset Beach we actually felt relieved. It was our quiet, relaxing resort.

One reviewer mentioned bringing your own coffee. That was great advice. We love our coffee, so we brought our Peet's coffee. The coffee makers take cone filters, by the way. All you coffee lovers will understand.

Last thing. . .I had an incredible massage at the spa. Probably one of the best ever! Definitely should go.