Edition 10 | First look at a new Hyatt-branded resort, a different side of Cabo, and more.
Also: I lost my laptop at the airport—and got it back. Here’s how.
I just got back from a weekend away that combined the ethos of local experiences and luxury points travel: Rancho Pescadero hotel and the town of Todos Santos. Let’s dive into this and more.
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IN THIS EDITION.
A different side of Cabo San Lucas—just one hour away.
Sneak peek: Rancho Pescadero, a stunning Hyatt-branded resort in Baja.
I lost my laptop at the airport—and got it back. Here’s how.
For PR and editorial folks, here are some of my planned upcoming travels: NYC, Southeast Asia, Japan, and London. Reach out to work together.
1. Todos Santos: A small town outside Cabo on the cusp of going mainstream.
What happens when a small town is on the verge of mainstream consciousness? It’s not like Todos Santos, just an hour from Cabo San Lucas, has been invisible—in fact, it’s gradually grown in popularity over the past decade. Even celebrities like Matthew McConaughy vacation here to get semi off the grid (and he even stayed at the old incarnation of Rancho Pescadero).
But gradual is the key word. Since the early 2000s, Todos Santos has morphed into an upscale artists’ colony and bohemian haven. In 2006, Mexico named the town a pueblo magico—one of 132 “magical towns” in the country—for its rich history, stunning natural beauty, and a tourism infrastructure.
Now, it seems Todos Santos is on the cusp of going fully mainstream. It still retains an incredible charm—that small town feel with friendly people and an aesthetic that you certainly can’t get in touristy Cabo.
However, with new restaurants and projects—like the stunning Oystera development that just opened within the past year and Rancho Pescadero, a Hyatt-branded resort just a few miles away—Todos Santos is about to get on more (and more) travelers’ radars.
So what happens when a destination is known for one thing (i.e. a small, artsy town) and begins to transition into another (i.e. a not-as-small, more commercialized one)? I’m not totally sure of the answer, but it was in the back of my mind the entire weekend here and I’ll just say this: it was fascinating to witness in real time.
With more travelers and more hospitality businesses, the area is thriving—and deserves a visit. You’ll find high-end boutiques next to hole-in-the-wall cevicherias. A couple miles away, there are $1,000-per-night oceanfront villas (or 35,000 Hyatt points-per-night villas) near roadside cantinas and watering holes.
It’s local. It’s luxurious. And it’s everything that I want together in a trip.
2. Sneak peek of Rancho Pescadero.
Here’s a sneak peek of my time at Rancho Pescadero, a one-of-a-kind “slow luxury” oceanfront hotel that reopened its doors last week.
Note: I’m not going to reveal too much here (expect a story for Travel + Leisure later this month).
For background, this property has a loyal following—it originally opened back in 2008 with just 28 rooms. It’s one of those places where people come back time and time again, chatting with the owners and the staff remembers your name.
Rancho closed back in 2018, and over the past several years has been undergoing a massive transformation (including becoming affiliated with Hyatt) to take advantage of its sprawling 30 acres with the ocean on one side and views of the Sierra de la Laguna mountains on the other.
First things first, the hotel is bigger (soon to be 103 rooms), yes, but the owners—Bill and Lisa—are painstakingly committed to retaining that small, boutique feel.
Second, the hotel isn’t quite done yet and they’re trying to communicate that this is indeed a soft launch—the oceanfront infinity pool and a seafood restaurant are expected to be complete in a couple of months, but what is open is stunning.
A mile-long dirt road to the property lulls guests into thinking: Where the heck am I going to be staying? But once you arrive to the doors of Rancho, there is an emphasis on “crossing over” to this other dimension. And it really does feel like that.
Also, I got the privilege to talk to Sandro Falbo, Rancho’s culinary director, throughout the weekend. He’s one of the coolest and most down-to-earth chefs (and I’m waiting for Netflix to give him a show). Oh yeah, and his food (and presentation) is out of this world.
Booking with points: This is a Category 7 hotel with Hyatt—expect to pay 35,000 points per night for a base room (which is still very spacious, and many have ocean views) or starting at $900 per night.
Lots more to come on this property for Travel + Leisure and on my Instagram.
3. Outsmarting airport lost and found.
A few weeks ago, I was using my laptop in the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX. I boarded my flight to Honolulu (HNL) and spent nearly 48 hours there without realizing that I left my laptop in the lounge. So now what?
I filed a lost and found claim on American’s website.
I tweeted at American Airlines to see if they could reach out to the lounge to confirm it was found.
At the Honolulu airport before my flight back to LAX, I went to the Admirals Club and got a friendly agent to call the lounge directly at LAX.
I did all of these things concurrently in the span of about one hour. Long story short: The Admirals Club at HNL was able to talk to someone at LAX—they found my laptop, it was returned to American’s lost and found, and I was able to pick it up the following day.
Takeaways when you lose something.
There are three possible lost and found locations when flying: TSA lost and found, airport lost and found, and a specific airline’s lost and found. If you don’t know where you lost an item, try all three.
Leverage every possible resource available to you—do the claim forms, but perhaps also tweet and try to find a live person to speak to.
An airline lounge employee is more likely to be willing to go the extra mile to help you compared to a regular airline employee (so perhaps pay to get in to the lounge if you don’t have access).
If you believe something was stolen, see if the cost to buy a new one is covered through credit card protection benefits.
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Have a great rest of the week, Modern Travelers!