I have been staying at a condo in the resort of Esperanza, several times a year, for about 4 years. This is the closest to paradise I have found. Service is outstanding, staff is so friendly, place is pristine, great spa, beautiful pool area and excellent restaurants.

I stayed at Esperanza for one short night for my husband's company off-site. We almost didn't make it as we had friends in town for that weekend, but since it was only a short 3-hour nonstop flight away, we thought it would be worth it to go down for one night.

In short, Esperanza is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, and undoubtedly one of the most luxurious properties in Mexico. Our room (ocean-view, upper terrace) was very nicely furnished, with a huge, soft bed, a sitting area, and mini-bars with Mexican and other snacks. They also provided a DVD player and an iPod dock. The terrace was large and shaded by a palapa, and we also had an infiniti-jacuzzi (though I would've preferred a dipping pool, as it was too hot to use). The bathroom was as large as the room itself, with a great double-showerhead shower and window that opened to the infinity-jacuzzi and ocean views. Magnificient.

The service was wonderful as well, with everyone smiling and making sure you were happy. If you sit by the pool, they bring complementary buckets of iced waters, refreshing lime mists, and little platters of fruits.

Despite all this, I couldn't help but compare everything to La Casa Que Canta, in Ixtapa, where my husband and I got married last year. I have to say that I prefer La Casa for its friendlier and more down-to-earth service, and its food. The food was probably the low point at Esperanza. Besides the chips, guac, and salsa, everything we had (from Room Service to the formal dinner at the Restaurant to the Poolside Cafe) was just so-so. We're from San Francisc, so we're a bit spoiled in the food department, but I just kept thinking back to how yummy and much more authentic the food was at La Casa. Why serve Lobster with Butter or Beef Tenderloin if you are a resort in Mexico? The lobster was also overcooked when I ordered it. Also, Esperanza is a small property, but it abuts many other properties and so felt less seculded and private than La Casa. Overall, I felt that La Casa had the better value.

The Spa was where Esperanza excelled. My husband and I got the in-room Casita doubles massage. The set up 2 massage tables on our terrace so we could listen to the sound of the waves as we got our massages. I also go a signature facial, which was the best facial I've ever received! Instead of rooms, we each had our own Casitas for our treatments, and my facialist was gentle and the products all felt and smelled great. I felt so relaxed afterwards, I almost booked another one for the afternoon.

All in all, Esperanza is expensive but very polished and definitely offers the luxury it promises. If I were to spend my own money though, I would choose La Casa Que Canta.

We went to the Esperanza for our September 2006 honeymoon. This hotel exceeded all of our expectations! The grounds are beautiful, the rooms are spacious and clean, and the staff are one of the nicest we have ever encountered.

We received complimentary backrubs, wine, and appetizers throughout our stay. We felt like the only ones at the hotel with all of the personalized attention.

The hotel is costly but you get what you pay for. We had the most amazing honeymoon and can not thank the experanza staff enough! They truly made our experience a memorable one. We will definitely return someday!

My husband and I stayed at the Esperanza resort in Sept 2006. It was a much needed getaway where we were really looking to relax.

The hotel is beautiful and the service we received was top-notch. Our room had a lovely balcony (large!) that overlooked the pool/ocean. The room itself was large (see picture) and the bed was one of the most comfortable I've ever experienced. Those sheets were so soft! The pool was small but a nice intimate setting. The pool staff were very attentive. The spa was nice but I highly recommend the couples massage on the beach. There was a small workout area which got a little crowded at times. Overall, the property was beautiful and service great. We did have an amazing dinner overlooking the ocean one night; however, I felt the food was overpriced especially for lunch/breakfast.

If you are looking to be where the action is - this is not your resort. It is great if you are looking to get away and not too concerned with being in the city. The taxi's to town were rather expensive - and I can't say there was much to do in either Cabo or San Jose del Cabo. But that's not what we went for. We went to relax and it was perfect.

The only negative experience I found with the resort was the rip-off of the limo to/from the airport. They did pick us up in a very nice Escalade but when we went back to the airport we tried to cancel that and just take the 'regular' car. They made it extremely difficult for us to cancel and we ended up spending another $125-150 or so for the ride. Personally, I think they should give you the ride for free considering how much money you spent for the room/food!

Overall great resort but be prepared to pay!