We are frequent travelers to Mexico and have stayed at some beautiful 5-star resorts and villas over the last few years. For our pre-Christmas trip this year, we looked at dozens of options in both Cabo San Lucas and the area in and around Punta Mita. Somehow we were lucky enough to find and book Casa Tramontana and it totally blew us away! It is even nicer and more beautiful in person, and the ocean views are even more stunning. The house is HUGE and so clean, and impeccably furnished. It was the perfect location for a large family gathering with giant rooms, plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms, a big gameroom, easy access to the outdoor patio/pool, and just an excellent layout for all ages and traveler types! The staff were all incredible and made us feel like royalty. They went above and beyond to make our stay special and memorable. As gorgeous as the villa is (and it is!), the house is in an extremely safe and well-equipped gated community that is EVEN BETTER than a top 5-start beach resort. The food, drinks, service, facilities and the quality of the beach at Real del Mar (where this house is located) is so much BETTER than the Four Seasons Punta Mita (and for about 20% of the price). This is a small community and everything is very close and easy to walk to, but the house also includes two golf carts which is really fun and convenient. The community gym is extremely clean and well-equipped, and the tennis courts are pristine! Our only regret is not staying longer. We're already planning a return trip in 2022, hoping this gem isn't discovered by too many American tourists before then.
Some travel tips: Use the services of the cook for dinner, the food is great and it's so nice just to lounge at the house in the evening. If you are there on a Sunday, take a short cab ride to the Farmers Market in La Cruz. It runs from 9-2. It's not huge, but just big enough to find some really great local items and adorable souvenirs. We also spent a day in Sayulita and everyone agreed the Market in La Cruz was so much better. Speaking of Sayulita, don't waste your time on that trip. It's totally spoiled... too many tourists, too many tourists traps, too many cars, too much congestion, etc.