The Hotel Finisterra is much more than we expected, and everything we had hoped for. We have visited the Finisterra several times over the years, and have stayed in both the "old" and "new" sections. I would not consider staying anywhere else in Cabo. The first couple of times we stayed at the Finisterra, it was right after the new "tower" section of rooms opened, and we were booked into one of the Ocean View rooms. When we first opened the heavy curtains and looked out at the view, we were stunned! Before us stretched the honey-colored sand of a wide and private beach, and beyond that, the great expanse of the Pacific ocean. Below our terrace was the jewel of the resort: the three pools and giant palapa bar/restaurant. Each pool is on a different level, surrounded by between two to four hot tubs. The pool in the middle is a swim-up full-service bar. You can even get a bucket of ice with beers and lime wedges in it to enjoy by your lounger. This bar also serves a clubhouse menu. You can dine under the huge 60 foot tall palm palapa or next to the pool under smaller palapas. The entire pool complex is surrounded by carefully manicured lawn, shrubs and exotic flowers.

Normally I am a beach person, so I wasn't sure how I would like being on the Pacific (no swimming side due to undertow) side; however, I soon figured out why the Finisterra is one of the few hotels lucky enough to be situated on this beach rather than on the popular Medano Beach: No vendors! Once while dining for lunch at a beach side restaurant on the Medano, I counted 24 solicitors who came up to us wanting us to buy something. Imagine trying to have a relaxing time in the sun with that going on. And don't forget the other thousand or so vacationers and all the loud jet skis, boats, and other excursions going on over there. The beach in front of the Finisterra is isolated and devoid of all motorized noises; you have only the relaxing sound of the surf pounding to put you in vacation nirvana. The vendors don't waste their time on the pacific side. If you want to lie on the beach, there are loungers and palapas out in the sand. You can order from the bar and bring your stuff to your loungers, or let the waiter know where you'll be and tip him to bring your food and drink to you. Otherwise, you can lounge by the pool.

ROOMS: The rooms on both the new and old sides are lovely: sand-colored stucco walls, bright comforters and drapes, marble in the bathrooms. The rooms on the older side have been upgraded to match the newer rooms; the beds in the newer side are larger and more comfortable. The newer side is more luxurious, to be sure, but the older side is still very nice, and everyone gets to use all the ammenities equally. The older side has a nice view of the harbor and the town of Cabo; the view in the new side is the same as described above. The last two times we stayed at the Finisterra, our room was in the older section, but we ware lucky enough to have all three views, as our room was on the end.

FOOD: The food at the Finisterra is delicious. We ate at the Palapa Bar, the Whale Watchers Bar, and the restaurant just below the Whale Watchers. We thought everything was perfectly presented and prepared. We did not eat every meal at the hotel, as we love to discover other places in town. We particularly enjoyed the Italian restaurant a ways down the street in toward town -- they had the best after-dinner coffee. Bear in mind, Cabo is very americanized: Hard Rock Cafe, Carlos n Charley's, Giggling Marlin, Squid Roe, fast food restaurants, etc. But Cabo also has funky out of the way restaurants, open-air bars, local dives, and excellent local cuisine. There's even Sammy Hagar's place, Cabo Wabo, which is a wonderful place to eat, drink and be merry. We caught a local rock band for an enjoyable evening.

EXERCISE: The only downside to the Finisterra is its gym. Not worth mentioning at this time, but they are in the process of building one, so some day they will probably have a nice facility. They do have on-site massages and other spa services. We weren't disappointed with the lack of exercise machines, as we intended on walking everywhere for exercise, and besides, this is a vacation -- from all sorts of torture. We got plenty of exercise exploring the area, including hiking/climbing to Lovers Beach (il Arco). You just go left when you get to the beach out front of the hotel, and follow the well worn path. Wear your bathing suit and running shoes. It is an easy trip for the adventurous and half-way atheltic over the rocks to the most famous beach in the Baja. You can even take a water taxi back to Medano Beach if you want.

GETTING AROUND: The first mode of transportation we encountered was the bus that got us from the airport to the Finisterra. This was a 45 minute ride, and was entertaining. A word of caution: Cabo is set up to sell condos. We were not in the market, but that didn't keep the outgoing "tour agent" (salesgirl) from hitting on us. Don't get ticked off; these people are just trying to earn a living, and the bus service is in place for the sole purpose of selling these time shares. We enjoyed her company and she gave us some tips on where to eat, etc. It was fun to watch her working the crowd. The longer they said no, the more goodies she offered as enticement to come to the timeshare sales presentation. Be prepared to make a stop at some "souvenir shop" (convenience store) for pop and beer. It's the locals scratching one another's backs. You don't have to buy anything, of course. If you are really against a sales pitch, pay lots more and get a van or taxi to take you directly to your hotel from the airport. We preferred to save our dough and enjoy the countryside out the windows. Besides, the bus stops at various other places, so you get a chance to see other hotels.

Walking around town: The trek back to the hotel after an evening out can be daunting if you are not in the habit of walking, but we looked forward to our evening jaunts, as we considered it our exercise for the day. The last bit of the walk is the toughest, when you have to walk up a very steep "cobblestone" and cement driveway (the original entrance to the hotel). However, you can very easily skip that part and walk around back to the new entrance lobby and take the elevator up to your room. In addition, there is a bus service that will take you into town and back to the hotel for a very small fee, or you can take a taxi or hotel van from the lobby for a fee. We felt perfectly safe out at night in Cabo, but it was my husband and myself. I wouldn't go out alone at night (I wouldn't do that in the States either).

As far as renting a car, we found the rental fees were very expensive. We suggest sharing with another couple if you want to explore out of town, or arrange rental from the States.

SHOPPING: Hmm. If you go out into the smaller streets you can find plenty of Mexican goods and souvenirs at a good price; however, the mall at the Plaza Las Glorias is just like a fancy mall in Beverly Hills: caters to the rich and famous, no bargains, stuff you can get in the states. We weren't disappointed, as we weren't there to shop. You can, however, get good Cuban cigars, liquor for less, pure vanilla for a steal. Just have to shop around. Rule of thumb: the closer you are to Tourist Central, the higher the prices. Bargain them down. Oh! One other thing: You can get prescription meds in Cabo without a prescription in any drug store.

We are going back in January, and are taking another couple who hasn't been to Cabo yet. We are so anxious to show them our favorite place at the tip of the Baja!