We just got back from Cabo and WOW what a trip. We spent our 35th Anniversary 17-21 Aug 2007 at the Finisterra and we're very pleased. Can't understand how anyone could say anything bad about this place. The room in the Palapla Beach section was awesome. The bed was perfect, not to hard or soft. The staff was always helpful and freindly. And the pool area was fantantic. Someone told me there were three pools but I can just barely remember the one in the middle. Only con to the whole trip was the tequila sickness we caught a couple times. Had a great meal the first night at the Blue Marlin, steak and Sea Bass prepared just perfect and breakfast was also very good. Super view from the whale watchers bar. There is construction next door and on the 6th and 7th floor but we didn't notice it at all. If they were still selling timeshares we would have bought. As it is we'll just try to exchange our timeshares for a spot at the Finisterra. We bought at the Playa Grande just so we can sneak over to the Finisterra pool during happy hour. Everything was perfect, Thanks Finisterra Staff, we'll be back.

The Hotel Finisterra in Cabo San Lucas was really nice. We were treated well on our honeymoon, including champaigne, tuxedo dressed strawberries (chocolate covered) and flower petals. Our room had a view of one of the pools and the Pacific Ocean. The location was perfect - walking distance to the Cabo nightlife and marina one way, and the quietness of walking the beach towards El Arco the other way.

Breakfast and lunch were reasonable at the hotel restaraunts. Dinner was a little over the top, although they did have a couple of buffet nights.

Demographics - Stayed Aug 2007, Our Group - 6 people Ages 26-28, Well traveled around the world hotel snobs that can (and occasionally do) rough it.

Overall - The bottom line of a hotel review is "Would you stay there again?" and my answer is No. It could move to "maybe" if A - I got a great deal and was trying to save money and B - I was going with other young friends where being close to downtown was important, but I'd do some seriously looking for deals elsewhere before going back.

The Bad Experience - We are the group of people that had that bad experience and got to see the true colors of the management and their willingness to cater to their liability and I wasn't impressed. I realize these bad things don't happen to everyone and can drastically affect the overall feel for the place.

My best friend went to take a shower in her room 412 (old part of hotel) and was electrocuted when removing wet swimwear from the metal shower rod. After investigation it was found that a current was running through the rod. It shocked her pretty good and it's a miracle that the wet swimwear kept her from getting into the shower with an electric current running through the rod!! They switched her rooms to another but wouldn't comp her stay and instead offered free bar food and drinks and a pair of massages. I'm still upset about this so I'll leave my opinions out and let you decide if this was your wife/ husband/ child/ best friend/ soul mate what you would feel about this situation. I realize this is Mexico and the wiring is old in the old part of the hotel and accidents happen.

The Best Part - The location. It's on the pacific coast, right up the hill from the marina. This makes walking to the store, to a place to eat, downtown etc. all very easy and we very much liked this part.

Other Positives - The room was clean and 1/2 way through our stay we received new beds in our rooms and they were very un-Mexico like, meaning they were soft! The swim up bar staff was nice and friendly, the nachos there were fabulous, and happy hour wasn't a bad deal. The pool itself was clean. There was plenty of pool space with 3 big pools you had your own room.

Small Complaints - The pool water was cold. It only felt good when the sun was in full force and it was 90+ out. The deck around the pool needs resurfacing, it's so dirty from stones and such it's hard to walk on without sandals. The sand on the beach, due to it's rocky nature, is rough. We played sand volleyball and our feet were raw by the time we were done.

The Beach - No so much swimming in the Pacific Ocean. I'll post some video of the waves crashing. They were beautiful and huge and made a fabulous background noise. I don't recommend this hotel if you have small children who are dead set on swimming in the ocean (or anyone in your party who's set on ocean swimming). You can't. The undertow is strong and the waves are big. You have to travel to another beach to get beach swimming.

Cabo - Cabo is great. Very fun night life, great variety of restaurants, all your favorite overpriced tourist activities, and great sunset cruises.

Finisterra could really help out its beach by adding palm trees in the sandy area below the pools. It's just a big open space of rough sand right now. If there were chairs, some shade and maybe hammocks between the palms this would drastically improve the beach feel and overall aesthetics. I just hate when I pay so much money to travel a beach and spend most of my time at the pool.

Bottom line, it's far from a Riu. If you have low expectations and just want to be close to downtown, this is a good hotel. You may luck out and have a flawless stay, but I'm a believer in you get what you pay for 99% of the time.

Happy Travels! I hope this helps!

First of all, the construction next store is dreadfully loud all day long and yes, you can hear it loud and clear while trying to relax at the pool; could not relax at all at the pools so went elsewhere every single day. When I mentioned how dissappointing that was - they just shrugged, made no apologies and just did not care. Secondly, very poor service at the pool in any event - staff will only service the "middle" pool area where the swim up bar is - too lazy to come and offer drinks at lower pool and I also had to lug my own chair to the beach if I wanted to be on the beach. Thirdly, room service trays were left sitting outside the doors for days attracting flies and I had to move them so the maids would literally have to trip on them or pick them up. I barely ate there as the 2 times I had lunch, I was dissappointed. My room was in the old section and the maid did not bother to wipe up spills on the floor - it remain sticky until I got on my hands and knees and did it myself - and the "old" bathroom with dingy caulking was just plain gross. Very dated pictures hung crooked on the wall adding to the dark and "dingy" feeling. A couple of the sockets in the room did not work. And be careful about phone calls - I was grossly overcharged for calls - calls that were logged as much longer than they really were, etc. And don't tip too much on room service because they add it on to the bill anyway - so you are tipping twice. I could not be bothered arguing with them when I checked out but I was overcharged for phone calls and tips on room service. But worst of all, if you are an animal advocate/lover - don't give them your business! There are several painfully frail and sick cats that live on the property that no-one properly takes care of. I spent a day trying to rescue them and reported it to the Cabos San Lucas SPCA who has advised me that the hotel has been "un-cooperative in the past" in helping to rescue/cage these animals so they can be properly rescued and taken to the SPCA. It is very sad - so please, everyone - make your complaints known so they will be forced to co-operate. Overall, I barely spent ANY time at the hotel whatsoever - could not relax at the pool due to noise / could not get proper service there anyway / and since the food was "average" at best - well, I ate elsewhere too; basically I spent my entire vacation everywhere but at the Hotel Finisterra. Most of all, seeing the suffering sick hungry cats situation made me very sad and they just don't care to co-operate with the SPCA ! I am still trying to help them from afar by getting the word out and communicating with the SPCA.