The Spa at Esperanza, Cabo San Lucas

Esperanza, an Auberge Resort perched dramatically on the bluffs of Punta Ballena (Whale Point), overlooks two private coves on the Sea of Cortez in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A magnet for Hollywood celebrities, this award winning, luxury spa is renowned for its restorative treatments that incorporate botanical plants, sea greens, and desert minerals indigenous to the Baja Peninsula.

The pampering begins with healthy aguas frescas (Mexican drinks) as you enter the spa, and continues as you relax in the private sunbathing garden with a warm-spring soaking pool, steam caves and a cool waterfall to loosen stiff muscles in preparation for your treatments. The 14 therapy rooms and cabanas incorporate warm colors and textures inspired by Cabo’s coastal desert locale. You can also opt to have your treatments in the couples spa suite or outdoors in the open-sided palapa overlooking the sea.

I always look for unique and indigenous therapies whenever I visit a destination spa, and at Esperanza, there are plenty from which to choose. Signature body treatments include the Desert Clay Purification Mask which draws impurities from the body followed by gentle exfoliation with a natural-fiber Ayate cactus cloth; and the Sea Greens Body Replenisher, utilizing plants from the sea to rejuvenate the skin with antioxidants. I decided on the popular Esperanza Tropical Essence Massage with an exotic blend of oils which eased all the tension from my muscles.

But of course, who could resist the Margarita Medley, otherwise known as the “Spagarita”, a triple play involving a relaxing foot soak and foot and hand scrub, followed by a hydrating wrap with the spa’s Baja Lime moisturizer. A head and neck massage as well as a lime facial compress finishes off this intoxicating treatment.

Men are not forgotten with the Mexican Beer and Lime Facial which pays homage to the classic gentlemen’s barber shop. Metrosexuals and bare bones grooming type guys alike will enjoy the TLC that includes steaming hot towels, deep cleansing, exfoliation and a massage of the neck, shoulders and scalp.

The Esperanza and other Auberge Resort spas are the only spas in the U.S. and Mexico offering custom designed facials utilizing Marie Veronique Organics’ Pacific line of high performance, marine based skincare. The Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial addresses the symptoms of aging – wrinkles, sagging, hyperpigmentation and dehydration – with essential fatty acids, and nourishing plant and marine extracts from the Pacific Ocean.

For overall well-being, the Auberge Trainer in Residence program offers guests complimentary classes led by visiting fitness and yoga instructors. There are also seasonal specials such as the Feldenkrais Method, an approach which brings immediate and long-term improvement in your body’s ease of movement, posture and flexibility.

With such innovative treatments and programs, it’s no wonder the Spa at Esperanza draws such an A-list crowd.