I've stayed with FA many times and this past trip in late November will be one that i will remember always...

While the trip itself was nice, the resort clean and the service top-notch as always, the real kicker was AFTER the vacation was over. I recieved a charge on my credit card for over $800. When trying to call into the FA for an explaination (on a weekday), their customer service department was unmanned and calls not answered. Interesting.

I simply charged it back through Bank of America, but learned this lesson quite quickly: Never go back to Fiesta Americana again. They may have a nice resort, but if you can't trust them with your credit credentials, then it makes no difference.

BUYER BEWARE!

The writer from Rochester, NY, summed up the Fiesta Americana very well! I just got back one of the best vacations of my life, in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The landscaping at this resort is so fantastic, and there are tide pools at the beach that are about knee-deep--no snorkeling equipment is needed to see tropical fish, starfish, and other marine life. The beach is kind of gravelly as opposed to sandy, but private, and nobody bothers you. There are new areas to find each day as you explore the property.

The staff is absolutely exceptional and always helpful.

I think that the most popular sport in Cabo is Timeshare Hawking! I agree with Rochester that you can get some awesome deals on sunset sails, dinners, spa services, and cash. If you go to a presentation, just be ready for an indignant and maybe rude response when you say "No, gracias" at the end of the presentation. Remember that THEY solicited YOU for YOUR time, and they made the offers--not the other way around :-)

The little town of Todos Santos, about an hour and a half from Cabo, is very cute--lots of little shops with the usual blankets, pottery, etc. Lunch at the Cafe Santa Fe is worth the trip--it's fabulous italian, with fresh ingredients and freshly-made pastas. Have a beverage at the "Hotel California" made famous by the Eagles.

On the road to/from Todos Santos you'll find the Soriana (a Mexican Wal-Mart!) Try the fresh hot churros and do your grocery shopping there. Also go to "Artisanos," which is across the highway from the Costco as you go into Cabo San Lucas. It's a Home Depot kind of place where you can find non-tourist prices on decorating items.

Your vacation there can be as active or relaxed as you like. I will go back again.

Absolutely loved this resort and Los Cabos! Everything was fantastic from the cleanliness of the resort, friendly staff, beautiful grounds, great rooms (we had a suite). I have been all over the Caribbean and this is the most perfect place! I felt very safe. One night when we went out, I left the safe open in our room and everything was there. Also, I left the sliding glass door open (on first floor) one day, and everything was there! My friend and I went shopping in Cabo alone while our husbands fished and no one bothered us (unlike some Caribbean islands). My only complaint was that they kept forgetting to give us wash cloths but I asked a maid and she brought them right away!

If you want more info, just email me. There's so much I can say...

Vacation Dates: November 5 - 12
Room: 2 BR Condo (2003 and 2004)

Summary: We loved this resort. Absolutely fantastic vacation. We can and will return. We felt pampered our entire stay.

The room: We were in a 2 bedroom condo, which consists of a 1 BR adjoining to a studio. All marble flooring, marble bathrooms (count 'em, 3!). Double-sinks in the Master BR, and a separate shower and bathtub. Kitchen was fine. The 2nd BR had 2 double beds; also had a small refrigerator, sink and microwave. The best part for all the rooms was the view. Each BR and the living room had sliding doors out to the balcony. We woke each morning to the sound of crashing waves and a beautiful sunrise. We were on the 6th floor and had breathtaking views. Note - if you have a studio, the balcony will be small and without chairs. The condos are at the end of the property. Golf carts are available to transport to and from your building. We usually just walked through the grounds. The room did have ants in the kitchen, although they only appeared if food was left out. Put everything in the refrigerator to be safe.

Pools: We found 4 pools. Each had something special. The pool closest to the condos is the smallest, although still plenty big. This one was the most comfortable water temperature. It also seemed to fill up a little earlier than the others. The 2nd pool had the bikini bar. We felt this one was a little chilly, but being able to belly-up to the bar while in the pool was great. Lounge chairs near this pool were the best, with thick double-wide cushions-for-two. The 3rd pool was the sporting pool. It had volleyball and a basketball hoop. Oddly, no chairs at all around this one. The final pool was the largest. Water temperature varied within this pool, so it could satisfy anyone. The end closest to the ocean was downright chilly. They were pumping in heated water at the center, so it was very warm. The end closest to the hotel had a slope taking you gradually to 4 ft deep. The shallow part was nicely heated from the sun. All the pools were lined with deep blue tiles which gave a wonderful inviting look.

Facilities: Hammocks were available all over the grounds (my husband learned you could tip these over pretty easily). There was a fire pit that was lit every night with comfortable seating around it, and a telescope nearby to take advantage of the clear view of the stars (pretty much every night that we were there). Between the beach and pool there were comfortable chairs facing the ocean, perfect for reading. Everything was well taken care of. 2 Weddings took place while we were there. The first generously provided fireworks for all the guests of the resort.

Staff: Everyone was very courteous and worked hard to make guests happy. When going to the pool, there was always an employee there asking how many towels were needed, and offering to open the beach umbrella or to get a server for drinks. The condos are cleaned daily which was a surprise - we expected it to be once, mid-week. And they clean very thoroughly (my sister-in-law was amazed that they folded her clothes and re-arranged her bathroom supplies).

Be sure to take plenty of small bills for tipping. Tipping is not required, but we were happy to reward the great service that we received.

Beach: Beautiful beach, although not suited for swimming - very rocky shore. Some did venture in for snorkeling and swimming. There were little tiki huts dotting the beach. Sand was fairly coarse. Massages were available. For better swimming, go up the coast (drive) to Santa Maria or Chilleno beach.

Restaurants: Anything at the facility is pricey. We tried Vina Del Mar. Mexican food primarily which was pretty good. Remember, traditional Mexican is not what you may be used to! We also attended the Tuesday night Mexican Buffet there. Worth it if you drink. We had lunch at the Peninsula restaurant one day. Diet Cokes were over $3 each. No refills. Burgers were about $10. Foods can be ordered poolside also. It was nice to have convenience of food at the resort, but go to Cabo San Lucas for more variety and better value.

Offsite: We rented a car for the week. We felt this was the best value, rather than taking the shuttle or taxis. Costco was awesome for developing photos (about $3 for doubles of 4x6 photos - with 1 hour developing). We also picked up pizza for dinner one night there. If going to the grocery, skip the CCC and go 1 more block to the Soriana. We went Scuba Diving with Manta Diving. Great small operation -- highly recommended. We dined at La Dolce (great Italian); Edith's (amazing steaks, and Lobsters -- pricey, but worth it); and Mi Casa (traditional Mexican). Also tried the Office for lunch. Okay, but you're really going for the drinks and the party atmosphere, so don't kid yourself that the food is the draw. The beaches have a lot of vendors hawking their goods. We even went to a smaller beach (Santa Maria) and probably got hit up 20 times in 2 hours. Rent an umbrella though -- with the hot sun, this was worth it!

I've been to Cozumel 3 times and remember it as being fairly in-expensive. That is NOT Cabo. This has a lot of big-money visitors. Pricing was comparable to places in the US - don't expect it to be cheap.

You will be approached on going through a time-share presentation, probably even as soon as you get off the plane (or pick up your rental car as in our case). You can get some great deals so I recommend you take advantage. Say NO first though -- they'll up their offer. On our last day we had someone start with $200 cash. Everytime we said no, they added on including 2 hours with a wave-runner and a $50 dinner voucher. Our time share presentation was not a hard-sell. Plenty of opportunities to tell them no and cut things short.

Weather: Just a note. It was high of 90 degrees and perfect blue skies every day. Light breezes picked up in the late afternoon. Temps were low 70's in the evenings. Absolutely perfect weather for a vacation.

Overall, we loved the resort. We'll definitely return. Set your expectations appropriately. Plenty of opportunities to relax or be active, whatever you prefer.