Adrian Grade 4.0 out of 5 Stars
Overview
The Dreams Los Cabos is a 5-star all-inclusive resort that is located between the towns of Cabos San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo. This 260 room resort is perched on a truly stunning location with beautiful views out to the ocean. It’s a really solid option in the area and offers pretty decent value for money for its price point.
The resort was originally built in 2004, but completely renovated in 2016 and there is a lovely aesthetic to it. When we visited Dreams Los Cabos we were staying in a preferred club junior suite. Our overview is based on our experiences at the resort.
Location
Just a 20-minute drive from Los Cabos international airport. The resort is conveniently located in the corridor in Cabo. This 20-mile stretch is packed with all-inclusive resorts and golf courses and links the areas of Cabos San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo. The Dreams Los Cabos is pretty much located in the middle of this corridor. The resort has some stunning views of the Sea of Cortés.
Top Tips
- One of the unique things about the location of this resort is that just off the coast is a really popular whale watching spot. It’s pretty common to see whales from the resort itself which is pretty cool. If you’re travelling here between January and February you have the best shot at seeing them, but they have been known to pop up throughout the year
- Although the resort is located in a convenient location for getting to and from the airport as well as visiting the towns as Cabos San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo. There is one drawback to this area. There isn’t a huge amount of things to do and see close by the resort. Walking anywhere is not an option, so you would need to either have a car rental or get a taxi. So, if you like resorts with things to do on its doorstep, then this might not be the best resort for you
- The small things are taken care of at this resort. For example in the bathrooms there are lovely packaged toiletries kits which include all of the products you may have forgotten. There’s sunscreen, toothpaste, a razor and bug spray, so if you forget one you’ll be sorted
- Rooms facing the main pool can be quite loud throughout the day. If you have kids or just want some peace and quiet then you should request a room that is facing the preferred pool. This area is a little bit more chilled out and there is less noise around this area
Check-In
The check-in process was very smooth. As we were staying in a preferred club room we checked in at a separate area. Once our car pulled up we were led to the check-in and were checked in, in a matter of minutes. The member of staff was really great at explaining the layout of the resort as well as the additional benefits and areas that we could access as preferred guests.
Is the Dreams Los Cabos a child friendly resort?
Yes, the Dreams resorts are very family-friendly and have a number of offerings that cater to kids. From Kid’s food menus, extensive kids clubs, and childminding service to entertainment aimed towards kids. The Dreams Los Cabos has thought of it all.
The kids club here is pretty good. It’s called the Explorers clubs and there is a range of activities and events put on throughout the day. There’s always something unique each day and having spoken to a few fellow guests who had kids we heard nothing but great reviews. The Explorers Club is for kids aged between 3 – 13 years old and is open from 9 am to 10 pm.
Although the resort does have good kids offering it definitely isn’t as good as some of the other Dreams resorts we have visited. Specifically, there is a club for kids aged over 13. In a lot of other Dreams resorts, there is the Core zone which is for teens aged between 13 – 17 and this is not available here. So, if you’re traveling with teens, it may not be your best option.
Amenities
There’s a really nice variety of amenities throughout the resort. There is an emphasis on outdoor activities with a batting cage, a rock climbing wall, a tennis court,
There are two pools on the resort as well as a small kid’s water park just off where the kids club is located. Two pools might not sound like it’s enough for an all-inclusive resort, but given that the resort is on the smaller side in terms of rooms available it’s more than enough. The pools themselves are sprawling, although when the resort is at peak capacity it may be difficult to find a sun lounger in the prime spots.
Gym
It’s a pretty decent-sized gym for the size of the resort. They have a great variety of free and machine weights. There are also loads of cardio machines available. This is not the type of resort gym where you will have to wait for some equipment. Some of the equipment is on the older side, but it is all very usable.
The best element of the gym was the outdoor area where there’s box jumps, battle ropes, and pull bars. It’s great to be able to get a sweat on in the Mexican heat.
Things to do during the day
There are normally three or four activities that are put on throughout the day. These can range from things like ping pong tournaments, painting classes, and movie nights. We also really enjoyed the Yoga classes on the beach which take place daily. They take place in the mornings and are the best way to start your day.
Things to do during the night
The majority of the evening entertainment takes place just off the main lobby by the Rendezvous bar and in front of the Dreams Los Cabos sign. Each evening there is some form of entertainment that is staged here. Whether it’s live music or karaoke there is always something to keep you entertained. Our favorite was definitely the fire show, which was very impressive.
Beach
The beach here is visually stunning and they have a great set-up with sun loungers, palapas, and the bar being very close by. It’s the perfect spot to sip on a pina colada for the day and listen to the lapping ocean.
Does Dreams Los Cabos have a swimmable beach?
If you have visited Los Cabos before you probably already know that most of the beaches at the resort here are not swimmable. The current along the beach where most of the resorts in Los Cabos is located is too strong for swimming. It’s definitely disappointing, but it’s just one of the drawbacks of resorts in Los Cabos.
If you are looking for a swimmable beach it’s the Playa El Medano beach and it’s a 20-minute drive away from the resort.
Spa
The spa facilities at the Dreams Los Cabos are really nice. They offer a full spa and beauty treatment menu and it’s the perfect place to treat yourself when you’re on vacation.
There is a serious setup for getting a massage on the beach. It’s set up in a nice secluded area and is really close to the ocean, so as you are getting your massage you will be able to hear the waves lapping.
Preferred guests can access the spa facilities for free. If you are a standard guest you can purchase a day pass which gives you access to the hydrotherapy run and the facilities.
The Service
The service was good throughout, although there were a few experiences that left us a little unimpressed. Our arrival and service by the beach and pool were A1. Most of our experiences at the bars and restaurants were also quite good.
There were one or two occasions when the service at the Bordeaux restaurant was quite slow. We experienced similar issues when we ate at the Seaside Grill one of the nights. Luckily the food was pretty decent when it did arrive.
There is drink and food service available at the pool and the beach, which is always an integral part of a premium all-inclusive experience. Overall, we would give Dreams Los Cabos a B+ for their service.
Cleanliness
The Dreams resort is part of the AMR chain of resorts that owns a number of brands in the all-inclusive space, so they are well versed in providing guests a safe and premium experience. The Covid protocols at the Dreams are very robust and it has everything you would need to make the most of your vacation.
- Free Onsite Testing
Before you depart your vacation if you need to get an antigen for your arrival back into your country. You can avail of a free antigen test before you depart.
- Quarantine Reassurance
If for any reason you contract COVID-19 and need to quarantine for a time period. You will be able to do so at the resort for no extra cost. This is available for up to 14 days if needed.
- Enhanced Cleaning
At AM Resorts, which the Secret’s chain is a part of. They have the CleanComplete Verification™. This is a fancy way of saying they have increased measures to make sure everything is kept sanitized throughout the resort.
Rooms
The room design at the Dreams Los Cabos is more on the traditional side. It does lack a little bit of a punch in regards to the luxury feel, but it still stacks up well as a 4-star offering. All of the rooms are very spacious and the majority of them have ocean view rooms.
Each of the rooms also comes with a tablet where you can find out about all of the activities happening, as well as ordering room service. With 4 suite offerings, we actually like the refined choices. When we visited we were in a preferred club Junior suite, which was a lovely suite.
Junior Suite
The standard suite in the resort, it’s actually very well sized. The balcony is quite spacious, but there is only a table and chairs. There are no day beds or jacuzzis which took away from the luxury vibe. One thing we did like about all of these rooms is that the bathrooms are separate rooms, so they’re nice and private. You can get this suite in both the preferred and standard offerings.
One-Bedroom Suite
This suite is really big and a great option if you’re a family or traveling with a few friends. Coming in at 1,080 sq. ft. it can fit 4 guests with the max amount of adults being three. This suite has two double beds and a nice seating area. The rest of the suite is pretty comparable to the Junior suite
Family Master Two Bedroom
If you’re a family and looking for a little separation from the kids then this is the perfect option. Coming in at 1,540 sq. ft. this is effectively like a decent-sized apartment. This suite has two separate bedrooms and a really nice-sized living room. There is also a dining table in this suite, so if you fancy a night in you can chow down here. The maximum occupancy of this suite is 6 guests or 5 adults.
Presidential Suite
If you’re celebrating something really special or just straight out balling then this is the suite for you. Funnily enough, this suite is not too dissimilar from the family two-bedroom suite with the only major difference being the presidential suite has a really nice terrace area. In our opinion this suite is overkill. You can get just as good a suite with a one-bedroom or family suite.
Price Range
Dreams Los Cabos is pretty competitively priced for the standard of the offering in the area. On average for one night in the May timeframe, you will be paying around $270 a night for the resort. If you book through a tour operator you will probably get a cheaper overall cost and flights included so we would highly recommend checking your local providers out.
What’s included in the all-inclusive package?
The package at all-inclusive can be different depending on the resort. Typically the offering across the AM Resorts chain is fairly standard, so if you have visited any of their sister resorts (Secrets, Breathless) you will be pretty familiar.
Packages at the Dreams include all food and drinks (this includes room service and a restocked mini-bar), activities throughout the day, evening entertainment, taxes, and tips (but additional tipping should be baked into the cost).
Food + Restaurant Options
With 6 restaurants throughout the resort, there is a solid variety on offer. This is broken down into 4 specialties restaurants (Portofino, Bordeaux, Oceania, and the Seaside Grill) the main buffet, and one poolside offering.
One element to consider before booking here is that if you are vegan or even vegetarian you may want to reconsider booking in here. The vegan options throughout the resort are quite limited. Although all menus do have a categorization of what is in the dish there just aren’t a whole lot of vegan options.
Ranking the Restaurants
Barefoot Grill
Located right by the beach and the main pool, this is a perfect spot to grab a bite to eat for lunch. This spot is open from 10 am – 5 pm. You can get food from the barefoot grill delivered to you if you are sitting by the pool or the beach. The food here is pretty good serving up your typical options. You can get burgers, tacos, hot dogs, wings and chips, and dips. Our favorite order was definitely the pulled pork burger.
Bordeaux (adults-only)
This is the French offering at the resort and is just open for dinner. The seating options are quite nice as you can eat inside and outside if you want. It serves up all of the French classics like Coq au vin, French onion soup, and creme brulee. Overall, the food was just ok at this spot. The menu had nice choices, but the dishes just lacked execution. We had the beef stew and the beef which is meant to melt in your mouth was a little too tough.
Coco Café
This is the coffee shop of the resort and actually makes some pretty decent coffee. You can also get some sweet treats and snacks at this spot. It was our go-to place for the mornings. We also liked that they had both brewed coffee and espresso-style coffee too.
Oceana
Open for dinner only, It’s a pretty casual offering that specializes in seafood dishes. The location of the restaurant is nice with views of the ocean. The menu is very nice with dishes like Ceviche, clam chowder, tuna steak, and surf and turf on offer. We really enjoyed the Tuna steak. It tasted very fresh and the fish was so tender. We also sampled the surf and turf, but the quality of the steak was quite poor.
Portofino
Definitely up there as one of our favorite offerings on the resort. This Italian restaurant had a lovely menu and nailed the execution of the dishes. Serving up a mix of pasta dishes and quintessential Italian mains there are really nice options. The one element that wasn’t on the menu was pizzas, but given the quality of the other dishes, we were happy enough with their offering. For starters, we really enjoyed the Tuna tartar and our favorite main was definitely the seafood risotto.
Seaside Grill
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner this spot specializes in grilled fish and meats. For dinner, we found that the steak at the seaside grill wasn’t the best cuts of meats, so we always ordered the fish dishes for mains. Specifically the grilled tuna. The tampiquena was decent too.
We much preferred the lunch offering. There is a wide selection of dishes and everything that we sampled was really well cooked. Again we avoided the steak-based dishes based on our experience in the Oceana restaurant on the first night. The burgers and tacos were very good here.
World Café
The buffet offered at the Dreams, the food here was pretty consistent and tasty. We ended up eating here pretty much at least once a day. Breakfast was the main time that we went and they had a nice selection of options. They had the typical omelet station and a mix of Mexican breakfast options and your go-to favorites.
Bars and Drinks Offering
Overall, the drinks offered at the Dreams Los Cabos are a little less premium than other resorts we have visited in this price range. The standard bars have a rather limited selection of international liquor brands. They will have good options in the different drinks categories, but premium options are not abundant.
In the preferred bars and lounge the premium options are also not as abundant as we would have liked. They have the likes of Hendriks gin, Absolut vodka, Johnny Walker Black Label, and Chivas regal to name a few. They don’t carry the likes of Grey Goose, Titos, or Don Julio that you will get at comparably priced resorts.
All of the rooms do have mini-bars in them, which are restocked daily. In the mini-bar, there are soft drinks, water, and a selection of beers (Corona, Pacifico). The offering was a little bare if we’re being honest there were no snacks in the mini-bar and there was also no other alcohol available in the room except for the beer. In a lot of other resorts that we have visited there are bottles of liquor in the room as part of the all-inclusive package.
Is the Reserve Status Worth it?
For us at InspoVacay premium status can be hit and miss. To warrant the extra price there are a few areas that they really need to hit on in order to justify the additional cost. Firstly, we want to talk about access. Although this usually is more relevant for bigger resorts it can be important for smaller resorts if the communal areas are on the smaller side.
The reserved beach area is one of these private areas where they have a really nice set-up. The area is cordoned off and the sun loungers are very well spaced out so you have loads of room. There are also palapas at each of the sun loungers and the bar is located right next to all of the sun loungers, so the service is on point. Having access to this beach alone warrants the additional cost of the preferred club, so we’re off to a good start.
You also get access to the preferred club bar and restaurant. We didn’t use this a huge amount, but they did have more premium drinks on offer, so we did sample some of these.
Is there a Dress Code in place?
There are dress codes in place for all of the restaurants at the Dreams Los Cabos. For the casual spots, there are effectively no dress codes in place as you can basically wear what you want, but for the other categories, you will need to pack appropriately. Overall, we found that the staff was not very strict on the dress code, but better off packing the appropriate clothes just in case.
Casual
This is pretty much that you can wear anything except tank tops for the guys and the women must wear a bathing suit wrap or cover-up. Most of the lunch places and the buffet had a casual dress code and we found that this wasn’t really being enforced, so for restaurants that are labeled casual, you can pretty much wear what you want.
Casual Elegance
The difference here for the men is that long pants are required. You can wear t-shirts or shirts, but again no tank tops. For the women mostly anything goes.
Formal
This was fairly straightforward in their definition of formal. For the menu, it was long pants, collared shirts. They said dress shoes in their descriptions, but I wore sneakers every time and had no issues. For the women, it’s recommended that you wear either blouses, skirts, slacks or dresses, but again it’s pretty flexible.
Tipping
Tipping should be considered mandatory at all-inclusive resorts and the Dreams Los Cabos is no different. The cost of tips should be baked into the cost of the vacation. Usually, if we are traveling for a week we tend to bring around $100 -$150 in cash with us to tip. We always tip in US dollars as it’s the easiest form a conversion standpoint and they have notes for $1.
You may be asking yourself how much should I tip for drinks or dinner? To offer a helping hand we normally abide by this logic. For drinks, it’s pretty straightforward. For every drink we order, be that an alcoholic one or not, we always tip $1 per drink. If it’s the start of the day and we are sitting by the pool and want prompt service throughout the day we sometimes would tip $5 for the first round to make sure we have the staff’s attention for the day.
For food, we tip between $5 – $10 per meal. The amount we tip will depend on a few things. Firstly, which meal are you eating? If it’s lunch or breakfast it would be more like $5 and if it’s dinner it would probably be $10. Obviously, the quality of service comes into this as well. So, if you have good or bad service you should adjust your tip amount appropriately.
Conclusion
The experience we had at the Dreams Los Cabos overall was quite good. There were a few areas that left us disappointed and took away from the luxury experience, but overall we enjoyed our time at the Dreams Los Cabos and the drawbacks were not big enough to not seriously consider this resort for your next vacation.
The area of Los Cabos is a lovely spot and for its price point. The Dreams Los Cabos is one of the better options for a 4+star experience in the area. For a family or couples getaway, you really can’t go wrong with this spot.
FAQ’s
Q. Does the Dreams Los Cabos offer a shuttle service from the Airport
A. Dreams Los Cabos is only a 30-minute drive from Los Cabos international airport. The Dreams resort itself does not have a shuttle service, but there are a number of providers that service the resort. AmStar is the biggest operator. They offer a number of options with a shared bus costing around $37 per person and private transfers being north of $200 ahead. Taxi fares in Los Cabos are very expensive, so shuttle services are the most cost-friendly approach.
Q. Is parking available at the resort
A. Yes, parking is available for guests and it is complimentary
Q. Is Wi-Fi included
A. Yes, Wi-Fi is available to you in your suite as well as throughout the resort. We found that the Wi-Fi speeds were really strong throughout the resort.
Q. What local attractions are there?
A. There is a huge amount to see and do in Los Cabos. The area has a lot of natural beauty around and some of the best places we visited were lovers beach and Cabo Pulmo. For a complete list of things to do in aba around Cabo, be sure to check out the visit Los Cabos website.
