Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Back in 2015 I visited Dorado Beach, one of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties, and ended up photographing Anthony Bourdain while I was there, something I still think about. So when the chance came up to visit Zadún, the newest Reserve property, in San José del Cabo, I said yes without thinking twice. I already knew what a Ritz-Carlton Reserve could be, which meant I was walking in with real expectations. Zadún cleared them anyway.
Zadún sits between the desert and the Sea of Cortez, which is a strange, good combination to wake up to. The buildings lean on natural stone and wood, and the whole property feels built around the landscape rather than dropped onto it. We spent real time by the pools and walking the grounds, both good uses of an afternoon there.
Our room had its own private pool, which caught the sunset every evening, and the decor mixed modern design with traditional Mexican elements, tile work and colorful textiles that made it feel specific to where we actually were instead of generic resort-anywhere.
Zadún has a range of restaurants worth knowing about. El Barrio is the signature restaurant, Mexican food built around local ingredients, with a menu that changes with the seasons. Equis had genuinely fresh seafood. And Humo was the more relaxed option, grilled meats and seafood, a solid list of cocktails and wine.
Myself and Elaine
We needed to actually unwind at some point on this trip, and Spa Alkemia took care of that. We did a hot stone massage, then went straight into the hydrotherapy pools after, which is the right order to do those two things in.
The real highlight was the Savasana Soundroom, a 30-minute sound healing session. It's built around quieting the mind through sound rather than anything more active, and it's genuinely one of the more unusual things we did on the whole trip. We came out of it feeling noticeably different than we went in.
Shona Joy Top and Shorts, Chanel Shoes, Jacquemus Hat, Jil Sander Bag
We also got to do a mixology class with Licorería Limantour, ranked #4 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2022. It was led by Yayo Nava and Pamela López, and it was genuinely one of the more fun things we did the whole trip.
That evening was the actual main event: Limantour's Take Over at Candil, right there at Zadún. I'd been wanting to try The Mr. Pink for a while, it's the cocktail Limantour is known for, and it did not disappoint.
What actually sets Zadún apart, coming from someone who'd already been to a Reserve property before, is that it didn't feel like a repeat. Same standard, same care, but its own place entirely, San José del Cabo rather than Dorado Beach, its own version of what a Reserve property can be.
Thank you to Zadún and Ritz-Carlton Reserve for having us.
