DATA SHEET
Owner & Developer: Corporacion Inmobiliaria KTRC, SA de CV
Main Contractor: Hill International
Hotel operator: AIC Hotel Group
Interior design: StudioPCH
Lighting design: Isometrix Lighting Design
Landscape design: WATG
Furnishings: IMA Furniture, Garcia & Lopez, Grupo Solarix
Lighting: Mexlux
Bathrooms: American Standards
Curtains: Koni Hospitality
Photo credits: courtesy of WATG
Given its convenient proximity to major markets such as Los Angeles, Los Cabos in Mexico has long been a draw for visitors seeking rest and relaxation in a place with distinctive natural beauty. The region that contains the neighboring cities of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, as well as other small towns that dot the bottom of the Baja California peninsula where the Sea of Cortés and the Pacific Ocean meet, has been the focus of a new development wave bringing more upscale, design-forward resorts.
Nobu Hotel Los Cabos with architecture and landscape design by international firm WATG combines the brand’s unique approach to lifestyle, bolstered by its roots in the culinary world and distinctive Japanese influences. “Nobu Hotel provides guest a luxurious, private and serene experience while immersing themselves in the Cabo culture and venturing out to great food experiences as well”, Lance Walker, Vice President, Landscape, WATG.
The 200-room property hugs the landscape with minimalist, horizontal volumes that appropriately frame views of the Pacific Ocean. Ocean swimming and beachfront access is prohibited — a regulation that is common at most resorts in Los Cabos because of dangerously powerful ocean currents — so Nobu Hotel Los Cabos’s property incorporates 18 pools to provide a variety of water recreation and wellness experiences that capture the atmospheric setting. Swim-up bars and immersed lounge seating in select pool areas add to the variety of experiences to maximize the coastal climate.
Carefully selected woods that were milled and joined using traditional Japanese methods are seen in features including the teak soaking bathtubs and outdoor trellises. WATG selected a neutral stone palette including black marble and limestone to integrate an earthy feel with refined luxury. The woods and natural materials used for custom furnishings are artfully juxtaposed with the clean contemporary lines and minimalist volumes of the hotel architecture itself. “The wellness imagery design was inspired by Japanese clean lines, simple, minimalistic and open space to deliver laidback luxury while being swept away by the view of the Pacific Ocean.” Monica Cuervo, Senior Vice President, Regional Director NA & SA, WATG.
Amenities include food service at multiple venues by Nobu restaurants, and an outpost of the popular Malibu Farm restaurant, which was founded near Nobu Malibu in California by farmer and chef Helene Henderson and has since expanded to locations in other U.S. cities as well as in Japan and Mexico. The 1,270 square meters Esencia spa with 13 treatment rooms is located at the main pool. Nobu Hotel contains extensive meeting and event space, and a kids’ club for families.
Landscaping is a key component of the project, with a scheme that uses locally sourced stones, plantings, and other elements from Baja California, along with nods to Japanese garden design and that nation’s landscape heritage. A set of large hewed sculptures that stand like craggy stone sentinels in a zen sand garden mark the hotel entrance from the driveway, while subtle landscape design is used to express other quiet moments throughout the property.
