Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos: A good value for a low-key getaway

Until the 2020s, I avoided all-inclusive resorts. The few I visited — more than 30 years ago now — didn't convert me into a hardcore fan. While I enjoyed those beachy-centric getaways, the cuisine and entertainment fell short, IMHO. But I've been pleased to discover that the quality of these resorts has dramatically changed in recent years as major chains such as Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt began buying up all-inclusive brands and standardizing the quality of everything from in-room amenities to food offerings to service.

Over the last few years, I've enjoyed Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic a few times, Impression Secrets Moxche in Playa del Carmen, Mexico (I want to go back), and my husband and I just returned from the lovely Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos. Here's what it's like.

Getting there

We flew to Los Cabos International Airport (SJD). Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JSX, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all fly there from U.S. gateways.

Uber isn't allowed to pick up arriving travelers at the airport, so we made a reservation with Cabo Ground Services for a private SUV transfer ($90 one-way, or $170 round-trip — round-trip transfers include an incoming stop at a grocery store). Zoetry's preferred transportation vendor is Amstar ($141 one-way for a private transfer, maximum of four passengers in an SUV and three in a Tesla ECO V). Amstar also offers a shared shuttle for $44 one-way.

Uber can pick up at hotels and ferry guests back to the airport at the end of their stay. We paid $54 for Uber Comfort back to the airport. We had to ask the driver to slow down, so maybe next time, we'd just spring for the car service again.

If you prefer to drive, rent a car at SJD. Rates were about $30 per day for our dates. Parking is free at Zoetry, and the drive from the airport is about 35 minutes.

We arrived in Los Cabos quite early (noontime), yet we only needed to wait about 40 minutes after we arrived at Zoetry for our room to become available. We appreciated that.

Booking details

I love using World of Hyatt points to pay for hotel bookings, but only if the room rates are high or I'm opting for a suite. When rates are reasonable or low, I prefer to pay cash and earn — instead of burn — points.

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For my dates, a deluxe room with a hot tub cost $594 per night. This is an all-inclusive rate for double occupancy. A partial deluxe ocean view room was available for 45,000 points per night, but we had our heart set on the room with a hot tub on the balcony and that cost 61,000 points.

TPG's August 2024 valuations peg World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents apiece. So, if I used points for the hot tub room, that would be the equivalent of $1,037, so the cash price of $594 per night made much more sense in this case. (61,000 points x 1.7 cents/point = 103,700 divided by 100 cents/$ = $1,037)

For me, it wouldn't make sense to use points for the partial deluxe ocean view room, either. The cash prices were the better value.

I'm a long-term World of Hyatt Globalist, so I always book directly through Hyatt.com or with a Hyatt Prive travel agent to earn my elite night credits and points. This particular stay also netted me double elite World of Hyatt qualifying nights since I was targeted for a special promotion.

When booking Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos, you'll want to use one of the credit cards that earn the most points for Hyatt stays, as well as one that possibly offers automatic World of Hyatt elite status for value-added benefits. These include:

• World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts; automatic Discoverist status; and five elite night credits per year toward a higher tier.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts; automatic Discoverist status; and five elite night credits per year toward a higher tier.

Standout features

• It's a boutique all-inclusive resort with a small footprint and low-rise buildings.
• Depending on your dates of travel, it can be an excellent value for an all-inclusive.
• Food was almost universally good.

Drawbacks

• Some guest rooms are part of the condo complex next door and require a walk or golf car ride to the resort.
• As with many resorts in this area, the beaches here aren't swimmable.
• Dining options are limited.

The vibe

Zoetry is an intimate resort comprised of a series of low-rise buildings connected by wide walkways and well-tended gardens. The setting is gorgeous, and we enjoyed the brightly colored flowers, soaring palm trees and impressive cacti. Birds and butterflies flitted here to there all day long. You could always hear birdsongs and ocean waves in the background, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

When we visited, it was a snap to get pool loungers, beach palapas or cabanas. No one felt the need to claim chairs early in the day so we could head to any of the pools whenever we wished and be assured we'd find a place to sit and relax. On two occasions, we had the Acuario pool completely to ourselves.

It was way too hot for us to play tennis or pickleball during our stay, but we did see some couples hitting the courts (two near the main hacienda and two behind Acuario I and II buildings).

On certain days of the week, Zoetry sets up a movie screen and loungers on the beach for viewing under the stars. On Friday nights, the resort hosts a Mexican Folklore Night with a special buffet. And there's a fire dancing show on Mondays.

Our short two-night stay didn't allow for us to have dinner at Saltwater, but the resort staff told us that musicians entertain there nightly from 6:30 p.m. Each evening, a different performer arrives playing the sax, violin, guitar or piano. Solo singers also perform, with Fridays devoted to Mexican music. It's wise to check with the resort for the entertainment schedule for your dates and download the World of Hyatt Inclusive Collection app.

I want to stress that this is a small resort, and it's quiet. On our first night, there were only three other couples in the El Arroyo dining room with us. The second night, we dined later in the evening and thought we'd run into more people, but we did not. Breakfast was the only meal where we saw a bunch of people in one place at the same time.

If you are interested in zesty nightlife, you'll need to leave the property. It's pretty quiet here — day and night. And for many of the vacationers we met, that's exactly what they are looking for. Several couples we talked with have been visiting Zoetry for years and absolutely love the low-key vibe.

The room

This is a small boutique resort with 11 room and suite types spread across the main "hacienda" building as well as 11 standalone buildings (two of them, Acuario I and II, are situated on the condo side of the property and not the resort side). Room sizes range from deluxe partial ocean-view rooms at 450 square feet to presidential two-bedroom suites with an ocean view at 2,908 square feet.

It's worth noting that the romance one-bedroom, luxury one-bedroom and presidential suites each have infinity plunge pools.

I love that some deluxe ocean-view rooms have a hot tub on the terrace. We booked one such room and were placed in Acuario I.

While the walk to and from the hotel got hot during the middle of the day, we appreciated getting some extra steps in. It made me feel better about indulging a bit at meals.

All room types have a 65-inch flat-screen TV, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, free internet, an in-room safe, a Nespresso coffee maker, aromatherapy pillows and linens, bathrobes and slippers, a hair dryer, clothes steamer and scale. While Zoetry's website made mention of a full-length mirror, our room didn't have one.

A tablet where you can learn about the resort, consult a directory of daily activities, order room service or reach out to housekeeping sits on the nightstand.

Speaking of housekeeping, they visited three times a day and the in-room minibar is freshened twice daily.

The wine cooler was outfitted with bottles of Don Silvestre sauvignon blanc, Don Silvestre cabernet sauvignon and Comte De Chamberi sparkling wine. We polished off the bottle of red and called to ask for another, which was delivered with a smile within the hour.

The minibar was well-stocked with bottled water, Coke, Coke Light, Sprint, Fanta, Ciel, apple juice, orange juice and local beer. The hotel also left a bottle of mezcal for us, along with snacks, including Pringles, Milky Way, peanuts and peanut M&Ms.

We also received a bottle of mezcal and a special welcome dessert tray for having World of Hyatt Globalist status.

The in-room Zoetry-branded beach bag is yours to keep, and the provided pool towels were oversized and soft.

I was a tiny bit disappointed with the room, though. While it was spacious, it was a bit plain. I felt it would've benefited from some more art on the walls. The bed was comfortable, but it was very high, making it extremely uncomfortable for this 5' 2" gal to sit on its edge. And I had to sit on the bed sometimes, since the room only had one chair. Despite that, there was a nice long table against the wall under the flat-screen TV.

If there were two chairs, it would open up the possibility of dining in the room, but the lack of a second chair prevented that. And while there were two chairs on the balcony, they were too heavy to move indoors and it was too hot to dine alfresco at lunch.

The bathroom was quite large, with a separate room for the toilet, a double vanity and a spacious walk-in shower. Note that there is no cold water at the hotel — just warm and hot. This is probably the case at many resorts in the area, but I wanted to point it out since some luxury resorts pipe water into cooling tanks before sending it for use in rooms.

The resort provided full-size Le Labo toiletries, including liquid hand soap, bar soap, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. It also provided a small tube of sunscreen, bug spray, a comb, a shaving kit, a shower cap, a shoe mitt, a sewing kit and a dental kit. My husband loved the incense that was provided.

The balcony with a round hot tub was the star of the show with two caveats. The fill for the tub was just a normal faucet so it took an hour and 15 minutes to completely fill with water. The faucet really needs to be upgraded to a high-capacity spa fixture.

Also, there are steps up to the hot tub, but the balcony railing was only 12 inches above the tub platform. There were fireworks one night while we were there, and my husband scampered out to the hot tub ledge to see them. He was surprised there wasn't a taller railing. If you're clumsy or have a kid, I don't recommend this room type, as it could be a safety concern.

However, if you crave a quiet room, this is a terrific option. We never heard a peep from anyone else around us ... likely due to the concrete construction and heavy sliding-glass door to the balcony. We slept like babies.

Food and drink

Zoetry Casa Del Mar Los Cabos has two restaurants and two bars, which I'll outline below. Food and house drinks are included, though there is a menu for premium liquor and wine for an extra cost. The house options were fine for us. Even though this is an all-inclusive resort, you'll see prices on the dinner menus. That's because they do allow nonguests to make reservations, so don't be thrown off by that.

Guests can also avail themselves of the Sip, Savor & See Dining Experience, which allows them to visit another area resort to enjoy complimentary dinner, drinks and entertainment. Just visit the hotel concierge by 3 p.m. to make arrangements for that evening. The resort choices for this package include Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Resort & Spa, Breathless Cabo San Lucas Resort & Spa and Dreams Puerto Los Cabos Resort & Spa.

El Arroyo

Enter this hacienda-style dining room for breakfast (summer months only) or dinner. The indoor restaurant, which serves Mexican cuisine, also offers an ocean-view terrace for alfresco dining.

We dined outside for breakfast one day and dinner another, and the ceiling fans and shade kept us cool.

Breakfast was fine, but we liked the menu at Saltwater better. More on that restaurant below. At El Arroyo, the menu favored egg dishes such as chorizo and egg casserole, sausage and egg salad, eggs your way, rancheros eggs, eggs Benedict, egg sandwiches and omelets your way.

I don't eat eggs, so I ordered a beef and poblano pepper burrito. However, when it arrived, it was stuffed with scrambled eggs — even though the menu description didn't mention that fact. My husband ordered a croque monsieur, but it arrived with cold, unmelted cheese and no ham. Other tables were offered pastries from a tray, but we were not. Our water glasses were never refilled, and we had to ask for coffee refills. I enjoyed my fruit smoothie and fruit plate, but otherwise, that meal was ho-hum.

However, the waitstaff at dinner was lovely, and our glasses never went dry. Like at breakfast, though, the menu descriptions could use some help. Unless you know a lot about Mexican cuisine, you may not understand what to expect from each dish.

We asked many questions about the options but couldn't get solid answers. For example, there was a "tikinxic" chicken dish described as "annatto, mashed plantain, vegetables from Miraflores, onion dust and radishes." We asked them to describe how the chicken is prepared and didn't really get an answer. It was very flavorful when it arrived, though.

Likewise, when asking about sauces, we didn't get a description of how the different sauces in the dish would taste (fruity? spicy? earthy?).

We were told that the menu at El Arroyo changed nightly. However, we went two nights in a row, and the menu remained the same. In addition to the menu that features Mexican dishes, there is a menu with things like Caesar and caprese salads, tuna tartare, surf and turf, salmon, shrimp your way and grilled chicken.

We tried the black bean soup (delicious), kibi (Mexican croquets), tikinxic chicken, octopus with charcoaled chili sauce, charcoaled cauliflower steak, grilled salmon and grilled shrimp.

The good news is that we enjoyed our dinners. They were very flavorful and the servings were so large we didn't have room for dessert on the first night. On the second night, we each had a bit of tres leches cake and chocolate cake.

Saltwater

Every seaside resort needs a seafood restaurant, and Saltwater is Zoetry's option. It offers a shaded patio with Sea of Cortez views. While it's popular for dinner, it also serves breakfast (fall, winter and spring only) and lunch year-round. This outpost is completely outdoors, so we didn't try lunch here since it was just too hot for us in the afternoon.

The night we wanted to have dinner at Saltwater, it offered an Italian menu. While I adore Italian food, we're trying to cut carbs right now, so we opted to forgo that meal.

However, we did enjoy a spectacular breakfast here. The view of the beach and ocean is beautiful and the menu was varied and interesting. We ordered smoothies that were delicious: Todos Santos (pineapple, coconut milk and honey) and Loreto (tender cactus, carrot and orange).

As we sipped our smoothies, water and coffee (which were refilled several times without our asking), we were offered pastries from a tray. There were a few croissant-style options and more local delicacies, which were yummy.

I ordered a blue matcha bowl with yogurt, honey, banana, kiwi and strawberries, plus hummus toast with peppers, arugula, seeds and Kalamata olives and a fruit platter. My husband enjoyed chilaquiles with chicken. The meal was a wonderful start to the day.

Maguey Bar

This indoor bar has an ocean-view terrace and is open all day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. No need to dress up since casual attire is welcome. This is where we waited upon arrival to the hotel as housekeeping finished preparing our room. The indoor part of the bar is small but comfortable, with Wi-Fi. In addition to drinks, there's a counter where you can pick out sandwiches or sweets. Or you can order from a small menu of comfort foods.

Since El Arroyo isn't open for lunch, the only option for an air-conditioned meal in the afternoon is Maguey Bar. We enjoyed a shrimp cocktail, beef quesadillas and a club sandwich here. The meal was very good, but it would have been awesome if an air-conditioned, sit-down option had been available during the afternoon.

Reflections swim-up bar

The ubiquitous swim-up bar, Reflections, serves all the drinks you'd expect at a Mexican resort: frozen drinks, tequila, beer and more. It's open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also order lunch from a small menu. Healthy options range from salads, crudite and tuna tartare. Four types of pizza are on offer (arugula and Parmesan, bacon and goat cheese, Margherita and pepperoni). Chicken wings, nachos, tacos and burgers round out the options.

Room service

The room service menu offered options all day and late into the night. Breakfast — from 7 a.m. to noon — offered continental and American options as well as pastries, pancakes, waffles, French toast, eggs your way and chilaquiles.

Lunch and dinner — available from noon to 11 p.m. — included salads, shrimp cocktails, soups and chicken wings, while mains included sandwiches, pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini, penne, fusilli), fajitas, burgers and pizza.

Finally, the overnight menu offered a Caesar salad, chicken soup, club sandwich, fajitas, hamburger or pizza.

Afternoon tea

Zoetry Casa del Mar offers "afternoon tea" every day. When we were there, it was from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. — a little late in the day for tea. It's not really anything special. It's serve-yourself tea and usually one offering of a tea cake or small dessert.

Wine list and liquor

Most of the wines offered throughout the complex are from Mexican vineyards such as Piccolo Roganto, LA. Cetto and Monte Xanic. However, you can order some other brands for an additional cost. Wine choices from the United States included Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon (9,500 pesos/bottle — $514), The Prisoner red blend (4,700 pesos/bottle — $254), Rodney Strong merlot (2,400 pesos/bottle — $130), Far Niente chardonnay (8,500 pesos/bottle — $460) and Robert Mondavi Private Selection chardonnay (1,500 pesos/bottle — $81). The wine list also offers many options from Argentina, Chile, Spain and Italy and a few bottles from France, Germany, Austria and Australia.

The house liquor was fine for us. Tequila pours were Jose Cuervo 1800 but we did see Patron Silver on the shelf at Maguey Bar.

Service and amenities

The service across the resort was very good. We felt welcomed from the moment we arrived. Housekeeping was exceptional. The resort also offers some basic but nice amenities.

Pools

Zoetry Casa del Mar offers several pools. The main pool with swim-up bar is closest to the Gaviota and Del Sol buildings as well as the main hotel "hacienda."

There's also a pool in front of the Perla building and another by the Coral building.

Acuario I, on the condo side of the property, has its own pool. None of the pools have a chair lift for accessibility. The loungers at all the pools were comfortable and there were plenty of umbrellas for those of us who prefer shade over sun.

Ocean activities

The beach here is lovely for sunbathing, but it's not a great choice if you love to swim in the ocean. That's true for most of Cabo San Lucas' beaches. However, you can walk about 15 minutes to the beach in front of the Hilton, which the hotel staff told me is swimmable.

But, if you love sunbathing, the beach is fabulous, with Balinese beds on the left side and palapas on the right.

For a fee, you can try kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving or book a catamaran cruise. See the concierge for details.

Golf

While Zoetry doesn't have its own golf courses, it has arranged for a discount or complimentary greens fees at nearby championship golf courses, including Cabo Real, Puerto Los Cabos and Club Campestre San Jose.

Complimentary activities

The resort schedules a variety of free activities throughout the week. When we were there, the options included:

• Arts: Huichol art, finger painting, bookmark-making, candle-making, Spanish, cooking, jewelry-making, pebble-painting
• Food & beverage: Afternoon tea with plant infusions, fruit carving, mixology class, tequila and mezcal tasting, wine tasting
• Games: Pickleball, bingo, bocce ball
• Wellness: AquaGym in the main pool, yoga, reflexology, skin care class

Spa Serenity

The spa welcomes guests with an indoor pool with a whirlpool, Finnish and steam saunas, Inox bubble beds and "Sensation" showers.

Treatments on offer include things like an "express" facial ($125), citrus scrub ($115), manicure ($85) and 3D collagen shock ($285). Massages range from deep tissue ($235) to sport ($235) to hot stone ($285), Swedish ($209) or reflexology ($115).

Fitness center

Over at the gym, which is right off the lobby courtyard and across from Maguey Bar, you'll find all the equipment you'd expect of a high-end resort. The room is outfitted with plenty of treadmills and free weights, exercise bikes and stair climbers. The gym was so clean and cool. No one was in it whenever we stopped by. It's a great place to grab some fruit-infused water and whole fruit to snack on.

There are also several tennis and pickleball courts, and AquaGym classes are offered at the main pool.

Accessibility

I spoke with the concierge to confirm accessibility options, and, unfortunately, this is an area where Zoetry can't compete with newer custom-built resorts. You will not find accessible rooms with grab bars, roll-in showers, roll-under vanities, lowered electrical outlets, lever handles or flashing door knockers. There is no obvious accessibility page on the property's website, either.

None of the pools at this resort have a lift for accessible entry. Buildings do have elevators, however, and if you're OK with a few steps here and there, you can make your way around the resort relatively easily. However, this resort may not be an ideal option for someone in a wheelchair or with accessibility needs.

Checking out

When the staff at Zoetry Casa del Mar heard we were moving on to The Cape, A Thompson Hotel after our stay with them, we were proactively offered a 2 p.m. checkout. That was perfect since we received our "room is ready" notification in the Hyatt app just as we were getting in our Uber in front of Zoetry to head further along Los Cabos' Tourist Corridor.

As we drove away, I thought about the scenario in which we may return. I would definitely pick a more temperate time of year to enjoy Zoetry. Rooms here are set back from the ocean, so while the view is stunning, there's not as much of a breeze. At The Cape, which is right on the water, it felt so much cooler. If we head back to Zoetry, it will likely be between November and March, when the weather may be more of a sweet spot.

I found our stay to be a good value so I would keep this resort on my radar for future visits. I'd just look to upgrade to a higher-level room, maybe that cool-looking one-bedroom "romance" suite with its own terrace plunge pool!

Related reading:

• Best Hyatt all-inclusive resorts in the world
• Best Hilton all-inclusive resorts to book for your vacation
• Best Marriott all-inclusive resorts across the world