Every winter in Baja California Sur we are a witness to an amazing natural phenomenon, that we all look forward to with great enthusiasm and expectations – the arrival of the whales.  Every year virtually the entire population of Grey Whales makes a 5,000 mile migration from the cold waters of Alaska’s Bering Sea to the warm water lagoons of the Baja Peninsula.  Grey Whales, often accompanied by Blue, Fin and Humpback Whales, come to Baja waters, where from mid-December to mid-March they feed, give birth, nurse their offspring and play.

Grey and Humpback whales delight people by spouting and breaching, leaping almost completely out of the water.  It is such a pleasure watching how the moms teach their babies to jump and play!  Last winter a whale came very close to Capella Pedregal beach, and together with the guests, I was amazed to see her breach and play in front of us.

Style Me Pretty – a wedding blog featuring destination wedding venues around the world, recently featured Capella Pedregal. Here is what they had to say:

“If you’re looking into Cabo San Lucas for your destination wedding or even just thinking about how amazing it would be to get married in Mexico, you need to check out all the fabulous perks offered at Capella Pedregal. Not only is this hotel drop dead gorgeous with incredible ocean front views and suites that will make you swoon, they deliver a truly customized wedding experience worthy of your most special day.”  Read the full article…

Winter – and especially Christmas – is one of the most beautiful seasons in Cabo San Lucas. The weather is gorgeous, we have sunny days with 60 – 80 degrees (F), the town is very vivid, and the whale season has just started. Watching them breach the waters along the shore at Capella Pedregal is one of my favorite sights, but most of all I love that during the Christmas season we get to spend more quality time with our family, friends and co-workers.

At Capella Pedregal we have a tradition very dear to me: every Christmas each of the employees decorates his or her own Christmas ornament, which we hang on a special Employee’s Christmas tree. This year each of us decorated our own whale. We chose a whale as the year’s Christmas ornaments, because “ballena” or a “whale” is a symbol of Baja California Sur.

This year 350 whales, decorated beautifully by 350 employees, are hung on two employee Christmas trees. Each whale represents every individual’s talent and personality. The trees are located one on each side of the main hotel lobby, and symbolize our warm welcome to each guest, wishing a wonderful experience at Capella Pedregal, and happy holidays.

Happy holidays from the whole team at Capella Pedregal!

The farm to table dining concept is gaining more and more followers all over the world, and Los Cabos is no exception. Even though we live in the desert, our soil is very rich; and together with the offerings from the Pacific and Sea of Cortez we have an abundance of local fresh foods and organic produce.

Recently, Capella Pedregal’s Executive Chef Marco Bustamante invited me to join him on a visit to a local organic farm, called Los Tamarindos. This is one farm from which Marco is able to source much of the hotel’s produce.

Los Tamarindos organic farm is located in the neighboring city of San Jose del Cabo. On arrival, Enrique Silva, the farm’s owner, warmly greeted us and began to share some information about the farm, which is connected to an underground estuary and is very fertile despite the desert like surroundings. So fertile, that Silva is able to grow more than 100 different crops!

During our tour we saw 100 year old mango trees, banana trees, eight different types of eggplant, a variety of herbs and much, much more. Silva shared some of the natural secrets to protecting his plants from insects and disease. One method they use at Los Tamarindos is to rotate the crops every two years to help keep the soil’s nutrients rich.

Partaking in this visit was extremely enlightening; especially considering that local farms, like Los Tamarindos, supply more than 80% of Capella Pedregal’s produce. Learning about the practices of an organic farm directly from its owner was enlightening and when I returned back to the resort I had a new perspective and consciousness about our local resources, eating well and eating healthy.

Recently I had the opportunity to attend one of the Capella Pedregal Tuesday Night Cocktail Parties with General Manager Peter Bowling, and his lovely wife Kathy.  These cocktail parties are an opportunity for the property’s Leadership Team to get to know each guest on a more intimate basis. I had called Peter in advance and asked if we could sit down and talk about his journey over the past two years as the General Manager of one of the most beautiful hotels in Mexico. He agreed, and invited me to come a little early with my questions in hand.

We sat down in Su Cocina (Spanish for Your Kitchen) for a beverage and began the interview:

How have you and your wife Kathy adjusted to Baja life?
Kathy and I left England 25 years ago and we have lived in resort destinations all over the world. Neither of us had any preconceived ideas about the Baja lifestyle before we arrived. We found the people very warm and welcoming and we love the Mexican culture, full of history and traditions. There is a sense of positive energy in the Baja that I have never experienced before. It’s magical, yet very real.

What do you enjoy most about working at Capella Pedregal?
I feel blessed to be in a place where I know something good is always going to happen each day, someone celebrating their anniversary, on their honeymoon, spending time with their families—all making memories that will last a lifetime. It feels very special to be able to be a part of their lives and to be with a team of people that are committed to making this happen every day.

What do you do to relax and get away from this 24-hour operation?
I love to spend time with Kathy enjoying our lovely home here in Pedregal. We love to dine with our friends and explore new places in the Baja. We are also very committed to taking care of our minds, bodies and souls through healthy eating and exercise. I even workout with the hotel’s personal trainer, Carlos, three days a week! Kathy and I also plan a trip abroad for a minimum of 2 weeks each year to visit our family and friends. Of course for them, our home sounds like a grand vacation!

What is the “Best Kept Secret” in the Resort?
Our company philosophy is “If there weren’t any rules, what would you create?”  We want our guest to have whatever they want, whenever they want it. If you want to have dinner on the beach at three in the morning, we will make it happen. If you want breakfast during the lunch hour, our chef will make it.  Check in as early as you want and stay as late as you can.

I love the energy at these Tuesday night Cocktail Parties. What are the ingredients that make these parties such a huge success?
It is our job to know everything we can about our guests before they arrive on property. From the pre-arrival phone call made by the guest’s assigned personal assistant, to the moment we say goodbye, each member of our team works to make sure that each guest’s dreams are fulfilled. The cocktail party is just another way that we can bring our staff together with our guests to get to know them better. It’s a time for guests to socialize in a relaxed setting, while sharing their experiences with our staff and with each other. Kathy and I have been hosting cocktail parties for many years and I have to say that the ingredients to a successful party are the people that attend.