Intuitively interwoven within the natural landscape surrounding the Monuments Beach point break, The Cape, A Thompson Hotel describes it best themselves as a place to come and unwind, relax, and escape. Clean, contemporary, and maybe like no other resort you will ever visit. Your bags are whisked away to be delivered to your room as soon as you arrive. The open-air lobby offers breathtaking views of Cabo San Lucas. Our review covers more than one stay as we try and decide if The Cape lives up to the description.
Booking
The Thompson is yet another desired property in the points and miles community. Much like Hilton's Waldorf Astoria Cabo, the Thompson can also be hard to book. This property is a category 6, which means award nights cost 21,000 points off-peak, 25,000 points for standard nights, and 29,000 points for peak nights. Even peak rate redemptions yield exceptional value as cash rates here can start at around $600 per night and go up over $1000 per night before taxes and fees.
For both my bookings, I snagged pretty last-minute stays. For one stay, I used a Hyatt category 1-7 free night certificate, which is earned at the 60-night mark when you earn top tier Globalist status. Earning Globalist status can be much easier when you have either the Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card(review) or the Chase World of Hyatt Business Credit Card(review).
For my 2022, visit I was booked two nights at the 21,000-point off-peak rate when cash price was over $1,100 per night. This was for a standard two queen room, which was the only room available on points. I requested ahead of time a room with one king bed, which the hotel granted.
Getting Here
The Thompson is located about 35 minutes from the Los Cabos International Airport. You can arrange private transportation, which can be expensive. The recommended ones I looked started at $75 and went up to $150 round-trip. I found that not many providers were doing the shared services and many were private, which may have been an indication of the prices. Uber does not operate for pick-up at the airport.
I did some research and decided to rent a car. Mexico requires mandatory liability insurance, which must be purchased regardless of coverage (whether from a credit card or your primary insurance). I chose to use Cactus Rent a Car, which was well-reviewed and continuously recommended on popular online forums. They offered a flat rate per day and included the insurance, so no surprise fees at car pick-up. Rates start at $40 and I used them on both visits. I paid using my Chase Sapphire Preferred(review) to assist with any other coverage. The service was great and I experienced no issues. This also allowed me to venture out as well as stop for some necessities on the way in. There is a Walmart and Costco on the way and many local grocery stores.
Check-In
Check-in went fairly smoothly, but there was a distinct lack of friendliness. Guests are greeted with complimentary refreshments. On one visit, the staff didn't acknowledge my Globalist status until I asked about benefits, but the staff was still courteous. There is no real overview of any benefits unless asked, and there is little information provided. It was nice to have the bellman accompany me to my room with my bags, and he did ask if I had any questions about the room. For a hotel of this caliber, I expected a better welcome experience.
The Room
I did receive one king bed with an ocean view, deluxe at 575 square feet. For my most recent stay, I was offered a Junior Suite, but was warned there would be noise due to ongoing construction. Therefore, I declined the upgrade. There are two sets of elevators to access the rooms, one right behind the check-in area and one farther down past the lobby bar. The rooms all face an exterior corridor.
The room has a long narrow entry way that feels a bit odd, but the room is spacious once you get inside. The rooms feature a complimentary welcome bottle of tequila, which pairs nicely with stunning ocean views from the balcony to create a great first impression.
A large and cozy swing chair for two sits on the balcony with views that are worth every penny (or point).
The bed sits a little lower, which felt odd to me. You might also find yourself stubbing your toe against it like me on multiple occasions. This is the only hotel I can remember doing that.
A large soaking tub sits in the living room, separated by the shower glass. This is one of those rooms where it may feel odd to share with a non-spouse or partner, but they do have a separation curtain.
The bathroom has a large sink area but could feel cramped
The shower wins me over every time as a tall traveler. It has a rain shower as well as a regular shower that both can run at the same time.
I made many runs to the ice machine, as the only fridge is the mini bar. The mini bar doesn't have a sensor, so you can rearrange the items a little to free up some space. The ice bucket for the room doesn't have a lid, so the ice melts fast.
As a Globalist, I did receive a complimentary bottle of wine in the room with some treats.
Dining
The resort offers a few dining options, albeit limited. Prices have taxes (16%) and gratuity (15%) added. Keep in mind these taxes are for this entire region in Mexico, so plan ahead budget-wise.
For breakfast and lunch you can dine at the Ledge, which has indoor and outdoor dining to enjoy magnificent ocean views. I enjoyed complimentary breakfast as a Globalist member. The service was friendly and the menu had plenty of choices for any price range. This restaurant also served lunch poolside. I did this once and found the portions to be enough to share.
Lunch options consist of the Ledge, the Sunken Bar, or poolside. The food at Sunken Bar was good but I would rate the service as the least friendly of any of the dining experiences I had. Service aside, it's a great spot to relax, get some work done, or just enjoy a cocktail.
For dinner, Mantra is a popular choice. I did not dine here but know those who have. Mantra is pricey but very good and well-presented is what I am told and I would agree based on the menu.
I did try out the rooftop bar, which serves food as well. The views can be a bit obstructed based on the layout and where seated, but it offers a very cool vibe. There are booths on a raised seating area that run along one edge of the roof. They have a dance floor and DJ as well. On the weekends, they offer bottle service. I did feel a bit older than the average person here as it is a bit younger crowd but I'm guessing that can vary.
The Pool
The pool is a small area and feels cramped. Everything is pretty compact space wise for the hotel in general. Poolside service was not always fast but it was friendly. If necessary, staff can assist guests in finding a spot in the pool area. The staff also set towels out for guests. There are also some Cabanas as well as a small salt water pool. The hotel has music playing in the pool area throughout the day.
Other
This looks to be a popular destination for weddings, as each of the three nights I spent here had a wedding. This can make for a noisy environment late into the night. They may be on the rooftop or down below at the Ledge restaurant so there's not really a guaranteed quiet floor to insulate you from hearing the festivities.
One nice addition about the location here is that you might catch a glimpse of fireworks at night from the beach area. There is a restaurant and wedding venue next door as well.
My off-site tip is to see if you can get into Sunset Monalisa which is a restaurant and also a wedding venue. If not, then the dining complex also includes Jazz on the Rocks, which was my choice one evening. It provides great views, friendly service, and a menu that won't break the bank.
Final Thoughts
The views and rooms are fantastic and absolutely worth the points at off-peak and standard rate. I am not sure about using 29,000 Hyatt points for peak-priced nights. I did not always get that extraordinary friendly service. However in fairness, I have combined both trips here with the Waldorf Astoria so the comparison is tough because they are two completely different properties and vibes. I still enjoy it here and found some new local spots as well with my most recent trip. With that said, I think everyone should try it if they're going to Cabo, especially Hyatt fans.
Have you stayed at The Cape before? Come over to our Facebook group and let us know your thoughts.
