Villa Del Palmar Loreto Hotel Review – Mexico
We travel to Mexico often and even consider it our second home (especially the small town of Barra De Navidad) but we hadn’t heard of Loreto until about a year ago.
Loreto is located along the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez in Baja, about 150 miles north of La Paz. This area is perfect for snorkeling, kayaking, fishing and island hopping. All of the islands in the Sea of Cortez are under UNESCO protection as World Heritage Sites. This biosphere reserve is home to 891 species of fish and 695 vascular plant species, so it’s truly a unique place to explore — both in and out of the water.
During our three days in Loreto, we were invited to stay at the posh and quiet Villa Del Palmar, just a thirty-minute drive from Loreto airport.
How to Get to Loreto, Mexico
Loreto is a short two-hour flight from Los Angeles Airport where your pilot may or may not photobomb your first vacation photo. True story…
To make things easy on their guests, Villa Del Palmar offers shuttle service from the airport as well as VIP transport in one of their air-conditioned Suburbans. We were whisked away to our accommodations immediately after we passed through customs at Loreto’s tiny airport.
Before we knew it, we were drinking Mexican beer and eating nachos by the pool.
What to Do in Loreto, Mexico
In addition to lounging by the turtle-shaped pool, you can take a boat tour to Isla Coronado to snorkel in some of the clearest water you have ever seen, rent a kayak at the kiosk on the beach to explore on your own, or even try stand up paddleboarding.
We took a guided kayaking trip from the resort to a secluded cove in search of turtles. (Okay, I may have been alone in this search, but our guide did tell us there were six large turtles at this spot just a few days prior to our visit.) With perfect snorkeling conditions and the whole cove to ourselves, we could have stayed there all day.
After spending the morning kayaking and snorkeling in the sun, we were ready for our spa treatments at Sabila Spa.
Villa Del Palmar Resort
Set on 4,447 acres, this resort never feels too crowded. They cater to families and couples looking to spend quality time together in a beautiful setting. The one-bedroom suites easily accommodate four people — or you can rent two adjoining rooms for a little more space. All rooms include a view of the ocean and a kitchen, where you can cook food from the mini-market on the property or purchase items in the town of Loreto.
All-Inclusive Packages at Villa Del Palmar in Loreto
Villa Del Palmar offers all-inclusive packages (at certain times of the year, these packages include airfare from Los Angeles to Loreto) for a reasonable price. For more information on their packages, please visit their website or book your trip now.
Have you heard of Loreto?
We were invited to Loreto as guests of Villa Del Palmar, however, they did not ask us to write a favorable review. As always, all opinions are our own.
This looks so beautiful. I am a dedicated snorkeler and am seeking the best cleanest clearest waters to snorkel in around the world. I live in California, so Mexico and Baja are easy to get to.
In your opinion how safe is this Resort/Destination with COVID-19 so active in Mexico? All of Mexico is on the Level 3 warning list now by the CDC to NOT visit as risk for COVID is high!
What do you think since you wrote this? Where is it safe to go on a snorkel vacation in Mexico over Thanksgiving 2020? Riviera Maya or ??? Thank you, I am 66 and do not want to get infected!
I think it all depends on your comfort level. I am personally not planning to travel on a plane until sometime next year. I know people who have traveled to Mexico and they say most areas are taking precautions. For me, the hardest part is trusting other people to wear their masks on the plane or any other place where it’s not possible to social distance. I hope that helps!
Wow, the resort is even more gorgeous than Lucayan in the Bahamas….
nice place with nice couple. I am feeling that you have enjoyed your travel because of the beauty of Loreto !! nice
Looks amazing! Especially that water – so clear
Rebecca and I kayaked in the Sea of Cortez for a few days. It was great fun. This sounds like a nice day trip kind of destination. We’ll have to give it a try.
Love the intro photo – very well done, as usual
Ernie & Rebecca
2hearts photo
You have convinced me that next trip we bring our passports and do a side trip to Baja—absolutely beautiful!!! But please no storms!!
What a beautiful resort. You have to love a place where you can lounge in a gorgeous pool and then the next moment be kayaking and snorkeling.
Love the Baja! I’ve only seen the northern half, as I visited Ensenada and the Parque Nacional San Pedro de Martir for (astronomical) work. Now, the view of Baja presented in your post is “slightly” different, but it looks pretty and … well … relaxed. Thanks for highlighting the area, Christy!