Welcome to part two of my recap of our first ever trip to beautiful Los Cabos!

I mentioned in my first post that hubby and I were newbies to the whole passport thing as well as first-time travelers to Mexico. I had always envisioned Los Cabos as the ultimate romantic destination, but was impressed with all the activities available for active families vacationing in Cabo, from water sports to surf lessons to horseback riding and zip lining. Of course my favorite activity while in Cabo was relaxing poolside with a cold pina colada and a book.

Seriously? I had to leave this?

We were guests at the beautiful Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Golf & Spa Resort for two nights. From the second we arrived I could envision coming back with hubby and bringing our girls. The property features warm traditional Mexican decor and architecture, which I love, with details in the decor such as rich terra cotta colors, colorful tile, dark carved wood, and wrought iron accents. The grounds are beautifully landscaped for a lush, tropical feel. Our second level suite had an amazing view of the pool area and beach from the balcony, yet still felt secluded. We were able to very easily walk down to the pool area and we were then just steps from the beach.

Our beautiful room at the Sheraton. All rooms feature private terraces, tubs with jacuzzi jets, walk-in tiled showers, and double sinks, which makes getting ready for dinner OH SO much easier.

On our first day at the Sheraton Cabo we enjoyed an amazing lunch poolside at Las Sirenas, a fun casual at the beach type spot that is always our favorite kind of place to eat, where I had the best fresh tacos and guacamole all washed down with an ice cold Corona. Perfection! We followed this up with some pool time and an amazing Swedish massage at the Sheraton’s gorgeous Cactus Spa. I loved the relaxing ambiance of the spa and was seriously considering booking another massage during our stay but I couldn’t squeeze it in. It was a little breezy and chilly even for Cabo that day (about 70 degrees) but I had to remind myself that it was December….winter.

Just another sunset in paradise…this was taken from the balcony of our suite.

We ate breakfast outside each morning at Tomates Restaurant, which has an incredible buffet. The atmosphere was casual and I could see our girls loving the wide variety of food. Our dinners were held at De Cortez, a 5-Star Diamond restaurant at the Sheraton which was my favorite on property dinner experience, and Pitahayas, also a 5-Star Diamond award winning restaurant. We had a nightcap at the amazing tequila bar, La Suerte, definitely a must for adults staying at the Sheraton.

During a tour of the resort we learned that the Sheratoons Adventure Kids Club is undergoing an extensive renovation and expansion and will reopen in April 2012 with a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities appropriate for kids ages 4 all the way to 12. The new area will feature a kids only pool and splash pad zone with fun fountains, as well as flat screen TVs with video game systems, craft areas, board games, and more. Although it’s wonderful to spend time together as a family, let’s face it, sometimes moms and dads and kids all need a little break from one another. Between the new kids area and the Cactus Spa, I could see getting plenty of relaxation time in while staying at the Sheraton, which is definitely what a vacation means to me. I loved the pools on the property and there were several located toward the rear of the property with amazing views (and a swim up bar) that were considerably less crowded as they weren’t overlooking the beach.

If you want to go exploring off property, the Sheraton Cabo is an easy 15 to 20-minute drive to the modern shopping/restaurant district. The district features a where there is a mall as well as many dining options for families and access to a multitude of water sports.

Just one of the amazing tropical pools at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar.

I’d definitely recommend the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar to anyone looking to book a spring break or summer family vacation. Younger kids will enjoy the kids club area, while teens will appreciate the many pools.  Although the property layout is fairly sprawling, the traditional Mexican decor, the warm colors used in the tiles and architecture, and the tropical landscaping give the property an intimate and inviting feel and there aren’t a lot of steps to navigate. I spoke to one senior citizen at the pool who said she vacationed there every year with her girlfriend, so it’s also perfect for a girlfriends’ trip (don’t forget the amazing spa!)

The famous arch of Cabos…many tour boats offer amazing outings to see this beautiful natural phenomenon. We took a fun catamaran boat tour with our group.

The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar is also offering a great family package with rates starting at $199. Not bad for paradise. It includes free dining for up to two kids under the age of 12 from the kids’ menu for each meal at Tomates (which had the amazing breakfast buffet) and Sirenas restaurants, a welcome snack for each child, and a pay per view movie per night.

I loved the Westin with its breathtaking vistas and contemporary architecture but of the two properties, I think it’s a better choice for vacationing couples, while I’d recommend the Sheraton for families.

For more photos of the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar in Los Cabos, check out my Flickr photo stream.

Have you ever been to Cabo? Did you go with your family or on a romantic getaway? Where did you stay?

Disclosure: Our accommodations, meals, and my airfare were provided by the resorts’ PR firm who hosted us and several other family travel media outlets and bloggers. All other expenses, from our passports to my husband’s airfare, were paid for by us.