The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is a favorite among points and miles enthusiasts. Nightly room rates often exceed $2,000 and sometimes approach $3,000, so this is a great place to use your Hilton Honors points to get great deals. With standard rooms now worth 250,000 points per night, this is hands down the best place to use Hilton free night certificates.
I happen to be one of its fans (my fellow TPG content director Eric Rosen also reviewed the hotel in 2022), so when the Waldorf Astoria reopened this fall after renovations, I knew I had to check it out.
I was pleased to find that the renovations were mostly additive and everything I loved about the resort from previous visits was still intact. Here’s what’s changed, which beloved features remain the same, and how you can experience it for yourself.
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Changes: Design details for each room
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
As part of the renovation, each room has been given a facelift, introducing lighter, neutral tones. Tile around the fireplace and a white-painted ceiling replaced the dark wood tones (which felt heavy and dated). So while retaining the same overall layout, the standard rooms feel larger, brighter, airier and more modern.
The renovation also brings Mexican arts and crafts into every room, with a curated art collection and custom furnishings and decor from artists and craftsmen from across the country.
What remains the same: plunge pools in every room
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
One feature of the room that hasn’t changed? There is a small swimming pool outside each hotel room. This is a special feature that’s perfect for watching the sunset, relaxing while the kids nap, or enjoying happy hour (more on that later).
Change: Indoor Technology
In addition to the exterior edits, the room also got some love from the technical department. They now come with outlets (including USB-C ports) on their bed frames and nightstands, so you can keep all your devices close at hand while you charge overnight. When the lights are off, soft motion-sensing lighting also activates to guide you in and out of the bathroom, and the room now comes with room service and do not disturb buttons.
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Stay the same: Indoor happy hour
My favorite part about being at the Waldorf Astoria – and honestly, I don’t know how you do that – is that the hotel staff offers free chips, pico de gallo, freshly made guacamole and a bucket of ice-cold Corona coffee for two every day between 4 and 5 p.m. These should be consumed in your plunge pool for maximum effect (and don’t forget to turn off the aforementioned Do Not Disturb button so you don’t miss it).
Changes: Updated amenity spaces
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
It’s not just the rooms that are getting a new look at the Pedregal Hotel. Several key public areas also received significant upgrades, starting with the spa. It now has a new salon and beauty room, with areas offering a full range of hair and nail care services. All equipment in the gym has been replaced with brand new Technogym machines. The beach club has also been renamed La Palapa and now features a new alfresco terrace for al fresco dining.
Remain the same: the iconic cliffside space
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
The hotel is situated between the ocean and the cliffs, a location that gives the resort some of its most unique features. For example, you have to pass through a rock-hewn tunnel to reach the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, whose fine-dining restaurant, El Farallon, is famous for being perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the water.
Change: Expanding pool area
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
In my opinion, the best lounge chairs in the hotel are in the adults-only pool, facing directly out to sea, offering unobstructed views of the water and the whales that may be passing by. After the refurbishment, there are more loungers that fit that description as the pool extends further along the beach.
Stay the same: Pool Bar
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
While the adult pool may be longer than before, its best feature remains its poolside bar, which is part of the Crudo restaurant. In addition to a wide selection of drinks (one of my favorites is the frozen tamarind margarita with Tajin), Crudo also offers an extensive food menu, from tacos to sushi rolls, all focused on fresh seafood. Having lunch by the pool really takes the holiday to the next level and I haven’t found a better place yet.
Changes: New dining options
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
Meanwhile, the cliffside El Farallon restaurant is now open day and night (11am to 11pm), giving you the chance to enjoy even more beautiful views during the day. Its new daytime “Taste the Sea” concept includes seafood towers and fresh oysters, which you can pair with sparkling wine on the champagne terrace. The new La Palapa restaurant also offers Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with rotating cuisine and weekly wine partners.
Stay the same: Old menu favorites
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Carly Helfand/Point Guy
The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal has really delicious food, and I was really worried that with all the updates to the resort, some of my favorite dishes might be replaced. Thankfully, I don’t have to worry. The roasted vegetable fajitas ($27) at Don Manuel’s and Crudo’s squash blossom blue corn quesadillas ($19) tasted exactly as I remembered them, as did Neutral Coffee Lab’s spicy Mexican iced mocha ($12), which rivals any coffee drink I’ve had at home in Portland, Oregon.
Book a Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal Hotel
Whether you book with cash or Hilton Honors points, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal isn’t cheap, but there are a few ways to keep the price down.
I have redeemed a free night voucher I received via Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card Standard rooms are available at nearly every hotel or resort in the Hilton portfolio, regardless of price.
Aspire also earns up to $200 in statement credits twice per year when you make qualifying purchases directly at participating Hilton Resorts properties. Specifically, you’ll receive one credit of up to $200 between January and June and another credit of up to $200 between July and December, for a total of $400 back each year. These points are great for paying for food and beverages during your stay, thus reducing out-of-pocket expenses.
Related: How to use up to $400 in annual Hilton Aspire resort points
Hilton Honors elite members can also book a fifth night for free when paying with points, reducing the price of their stay by 20% for that period.
At the same time, if cash is used, the holder American Express Platinum Card® or American Express Business Platinum Card® Extras can be booked through American Express Hotels + Resorts, such as noon check-in subject to availability, guaranteed late checkout at 4 p.m., room upgrade upon check-in (if available), daily breakfast for two, and a $150 room credit to be used during the stay. In addition, these cardholders can receive up to $600 in hotel bill credits per calendar year (up to $300 every two years) for prepaid FHR bookings.
Otherwise, you’ll need to use one of the credit cards that earns the most points on Hilton stays, or one that automatically provides Hilton Honors elite status for value-added benefits. These include:
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 14 points per dollar spent on qualifying purchases at Hilton hotels and automatically earn Diamond Elite status.
- Hilton Honors American Express Beyond Card: Earn 12 points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases at Hilton properties, automatically earn Gold Elite status, and upgrade to Diamond status by the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 in qualifying purchases in a calendar year.
- Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Earn 12 points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases at Hilton properties, automatically earn Gold Elite status, and upgrade to Diamond status by the end of the next calendar year by spending $40,000 in qualifying purchases in a calendar year.
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: Earn 7 points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases at Hilton properties and automatically earn Silver elite status (you can upgrade to Gold at the end of the next calendar year if you reach $20,000 in qualifying purchases in one calendar year).
bottom line
One of Hilton’s top properties has become even more desirable with its recent renovation. Unfortunately, while points prices are more than double what they were last year, if you’re looking for a special place to redeem your Hilton Honors points or free night certificates, this is the place for you.
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