Casa Cardonal - Magnificent Beachfront Estate W/ Guest Casita

First of all, the Casa and location are amazing, the Casa is easily a multi-million dollar piece of property and is in the nicest part of the area. Every iota of the one acre lot has been landscaped; not necessarily with trees but alcoves, nooks and crannies that we have found are wonderful places to follow the sun, get out of the sun, and most of all, relax. There is also an infinity pool and outdoor jacuzzi. As I write this I’m finding it’s hard to really describe this place---to put it mildly EVERYTHING has been thought of and it is fun to choose which perfectly appointed part of the property will best match the sun’s position and our attitude/state of mind.

The energy here is that of complete relaxation; the house is located on the edge of a very sleepy village called El Cardonal. It would seem six or seven families from America decided to build on this gentle point around 2005, so the Casa is in the middle of other very nice seven figure homes on the edge of the Sea of Cortez on a white sandy beach. Each is gated and the Casa has its own care taker, Mino, who is subliminally present on the property tending the foliage, operating the grounds’ extensive accent lighting, water fountain, and pool and jacuzzi. His gentle singing or whistling announces if he will pass by, and he lives in another house on the property by the entrance. The house and grounds are also cleaned every day by Maria, who arrives mid-morning and tidies things up.

The Casa also has a full home entertainment system, including speakers throughout the house and outside, wireless internet, and a skype phone. Cell service doesn’t reach the Casa.

The people here are truly wonderful--everyone waves at you as they drive slowly by in their vehicles or ATVs, (even the Americans!) We have met locals, mostly Americans, and see them at the restaurant or in the area since we’ve been here. My ability to speak in Spanish is limited to non-existent, and I wish I’d paid more attention in high school, however, everyone seems to get by with gestures, limited Spanish words, and typically decent English. The Media Frenzy we are exposed to in America every day doesn’t seem to apply to these people. It all goes back to the relaxed attitude that seeps into your soul from the moment you arrive into El Cardonal.

There are a variety of dining opportunities; first the Casa has a beautiful, full kitchen with everything you could ask for if you’d like to cook yourself. Or, you can request a cate

This is an exceptional property for families to enjoy all that an oceanfront villa has to offer in Baja California Mexico. The location was isolated (1.5 hour drive from San Jose Del Cabo) but for our group that meant more time together (eg. ATV's) and we did not have any temptation to go to the Cabo hot spots until we left. The house was spacious and always neat and clean. Each room had its own bath and a/c. Property management took care of all the details. The food and margarita's were outstanding. For our family, this will be a trip not forgotten.

I am typically a type A personallity, working all the time. It took a place as peaceful as Casa Cardonal to make me put away my cell phone and email for a week. The property is secluded from hte lights and sounds of any cities, so it was easy to see how the starry night skies inspired so many myths in ages past. The comfort of the beds and the luxury of the kitchen were phnomenal. We had the house staff cooking for us breakfast and dinner, and the meals were great. But if you are a chef, you may want to purchase more in the town market before heading to the casa to use the fantastic cooking facilities for a memorable barbeque or a romantic dinner of fresh fish. We went out for the serenity as well as the notable SCUBA diving, and the dive boat picked my girlfriend and I up on the water directly in front of the casa. The diving was great but from the looks of things, the fishing is even better. If that is your game, I anticipate you will be in heaven considering the number of fishing boats and the smiles on the fishermen's faces. For us, The coral reefs, the many types of fish and an amazing pool waiting for us when we got back were the highlights of the vacation.Imagine that slight breeze of the trade winds gliding through the open living room just tickling the hairs on the back of your neck as you sipped on a margarita. This is how we unwound as the sun set each night. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves baja but is trying ot avoid the clutter of Cabo.