Hotels We Love: El Ganzo is a Burning Man-Style Art Oasis That Will Light Your Soul on Fire
If you look forward to Burning Man all year, curb your lust for dust with a stay at San Jose del Cabo’s Hotel El Ganzo. Set beside an old fishing village overlooking a marina, El Ganzo is an artist haven where music, visual art, and one hell of an infinity pool come together to create an ambiance of bohemian fashion and a shit ton of hugging.
The murals change as often as the margaritas, and the views of passing yachts over twinkling ocean waves will leave you wondering “wait, what was I ever upset about?” Here’s our full review of the property.
WHY IT’S AWESOME:
Besides its beachfront access and incredible natural beauty, El Ganzo hosts tons of unique events that incorporate art installations, crafts, and musical acts both widely known and underground. I happened to be at El Ganzo for their 10th-anniversary weekend bash which included musical performances by Congolese vibe-smiths Jupiter & Okwess, psychedelic rock band Khruangbin, Quantic, and a ton of DJs.
Don’t worry if you missed out, they have music performances every weekend, and larger events scattered throughout the year. I hear their New Year’s Eve bash from December 19th through January 1st is going to be epic, so get your tickets ASAP.
El Ganzo is also the only hotel in Mexico that’s a certified B-Corp, which is basically a fancy term for companies that are willing to put their ethics, morals, and company mission in legal writing. Any decisions the hotel wants to make has to legally be in line with those ethics. That means not only boxed water made of recyclable paper instead of plastic but a commitment to funding and uplifting impoverished communities nearby.
In 2022, consumers are looking for more and more businesses to stand for something greater than a bottom line and Ganzo delivers on that count.
El Ganzo also hosts an underground recording studio called El Ganzo Records which you enter from a latch door in the lobby floor. Literally, people come out of there like gophers. This recording studio is part of their Artist in Residency program, where the hotel offers artists from all over the world complete access to their recording studio and hotel amenities for a week or so, in exchange for putting on one or two intimate oncerts for their guests and the local community. They’ve worked with a wide range of artists like Polo & Pan, Jupiter & Okwess, LP, and Kings of Convenience, among others.
IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK
Where there’s a place to sit, there’s a place to eat at El Ganzo. For a traditional sit-down meal, head to “El Restaurante.” Breakfasts have tons of healthy options to go with their wellness (read: hippie-chic) vibes — like this gorgeous spirulina parfait that I slurped down in three bites.
Of course, you can go with pancakes and muffins, but you can also dig into some local delights like chilaquiles, fresh ceviche, or eggs with machaca. Always order local fish when you can, and you can’t go wrong with duck tacos and truffle fries.
There’s in-room dining 24 hours a day, poolside (and swim up!) dining, and a beach club menu “Ganzo de Playa.” Go for the steak quesadillas, playa ceviche, or any of their tacos. And, of course, polish it off with a margarita. This is Mexico, after all.
Don’t sleep on Taco Tuesdays featuring the local favorite Taco Taco Ganzo food truck.
AMENITIES:
- Spa
- Infinity Pool
- Private beach/beach club
- WiFi
- 24 hour room service
- Access to special events
Room Types:
Rooms at El Ganzo include one or two bedroom Luxury Rooms, one or two bedroom Luxury Suites, a Honeymoon & Penthouse Suite, and Beachfront & Oceanview Hotel Rooms.
Here’s the breakdown of what you’ll get with each:
One Bedroom Standard Room:
- 790 Sq Ft / 72 Sq M with separate living room and bedroom with incredible views of the Sea of Cortez
- King Bed with Rivolta Carmignani Italian sheets
- Large separate living area and bedroom
- Glass-enclosed shower
- 2 flat screen TVs with satellite service
- Sliding glass doors with outdoor terrace
- Minibar
- Air conditioning & Ceiling fan
- Complimentary Wi-Fi & in-room safe
- El Ganzo organic bath amenities
- Soaking tub
Two Bedroom Standard Room:
- 1600 Sq Ft / 149 Sq M with separate large living area and two bedrooms with views of Sea of Cortez
- Sliding glass doors with outdoor to a large terrace with views of the ocean and La Marina
- Two Bedrooms each fitted with one King Bed with Rivolta Carmignani Italian sheets
- Glass-enclosed shower
- Indoor Jacuzzi
- Minibar
- Air conditioning & Ceiling fan
- Flat screen smart TV with satellite service
- Complimentary Wi-Fi & in-room safe
- El Ganzo organic bath amenities
- Soaking tub
One Bedroom Suite:
- 1,800 Sq Ft / 165 Sq M with large terrace with outdoor lounge, jacuzzi; sunrise and sunset ocean views
- One Bedroom fitted with one King Bed with Rivolta Carmignani Italian sheets and private balcony
- Extra large glass-enclosed shower
- Sliding glass doors with outdoor terrace from the Grand Salon
- Indoor/outdoor Jacuzzi
- Minibar
- Air conditioning & Ceiling fan
- Flat-screen smart TV with satellite service
- Complimentary Wi-Fi & in-room safe
- El Ganzo organic bath amenities
- Soaking tub
Two Bedroom Suite (Most Spacious Accommodation):
- 3,900 Sq Ft / 364 Sq M
- Two bedrooms each fitted with one King Bed with Rivolta Carmignani Italian sheets
- Glass-enclosed shower
- Separate living area
- Grand salon
- Small private gym and ping pong table
- Sliding glass doors with outdoor terrace with pergola and jacuzzi
- Minibar
- Air conditioning & Ceiling fan
- Flat-screen smart TV with satellite service
- Complimentary Wi-Fi & in-room safe
- El Ganzo organic bath amenities
- Soaking tub
Honeymoon & Penthouse Suite:
- 760 Sq Ft / 72 Sq M with separate living room and bedroom with gorgeous views of the Sea of Cortez
- King Bed with Rivolta Carmignani Italian sheets
- Ocean views & sliding glass doors with outdoor terrace
- Glass-enclosed shower
- Minibar
- Air conditioning & Ceiling fan
- Flat-screen smart TV with satellite service
- Complimentary Wi-Fi & in-room safe
- Ganzo organic bath amenities
- Soaking tub
Beachfront & Ocean View Rooms (Size: 387 Sq / 36 Sq M)
There are a few options to choose from here:
- Ocean views with sliding glass doors or balcony, or
- Ocean views with sliding glass doors with outdoor terrace, or
- Ocean views with sliding glass doors with outdoor terrace and jacuzzi
These include:
- King Bed or Two Queen Beds with Rivolta Carmignani Italian sheets
- Minibar
- Air conditioning & Ceiling fan
- Flat-screen smart TV with satellite service
- Complimentary Wi-Fi and in-room safe
- El Ganzo organic bath amenities
- Terrycloth robes
- Soaking tub
Prices vary greatly depending on the season, day of the week, events, etc. However, you can expect to spend at least $300/night for a standard room.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 10-MINUTE WALK:
El Ganzo is situated in La Marina of San Jose del Cabo, so it’s a little outside of the Cabo chaos. This is a perk, in my opinion, because it offers peace and tranquility without sacrificing entertainment. It’s also a different side of Los Cabos than the “Carlos & Charlie’s,” chicken finger and yards of beer atmosphere you might think of. Let me put it this way: the Bachelorette parties at El Ganzo are gonna be more “bird calls during cacao ceremonies” and less “dick-shaped margarita straws.”
Ya feel me?
One super cool walking distance feature is this bar/club/restaurant/venue called Crania. It’s literally an entire venue built around leftover cranes from when they built the marina. The story goes it was more expensive to take the cranes out than to just leave them there, so the owners got creative and just said, “Fuck it. Add some LED light strips to those shits and make it crane-chic.”
It’s so weird. And so awesome.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 10-MINUTE DRIVE:
Does driving out to sea count? Take a fishing trip, go snorkeling or scuba diving, and take advantage of the natural beauty that surrounds El Ganzo.
BED GAME:
Each room is configured differently depending on the room type, placement, or even the art displayed.
While the bed itself is super comfortable, my only knock on El Ganzo’s bed game comes from its ability to “shake things up” in some rooms, if you catch my drift. One couple joked to me that they were trying to get busy and they kept knocking stuff off their desk, which was situated directly behind the bed. It’s kind of a weird configuration, but I think it was probably to keep a wall open for an art mural. Not every room will be set up that way, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re traveling with someone you wanna bang often.
However, the view from the bed just can’t be beat. I mean, look at this shit:
Rating: 8/10
SEXINESS RATING:
Oh, do hippies know how to keep things sexy. Between the art, the music, the tequila shots, and the international artist community pecking each other on the cheeks, El Ganzo delivers one luscious atmosphere.
Throw on your bohemian frock, order a spicy margarita, and lounge in the infinity pool while listening to bouncy beats. Look out over the glittery ocean waves and watch the sailboats passing through, and plot how you’re going to f*ck that French band manager at El Ganzo’s weekly concert tonight. Buena suerte!
Rating: 10/10
THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS:
Babes, it’s all about that infinity pool overlooking La Marina. I’ll let these photos speak for themselves.
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:
If you’re a light sleeper or traveling with babies, I don’t recommend staying at El Ganzo. The walls are pretty thin and with the amount of partying and after partying and after the after partying going on, you’ll probably be woken up pretty often. Pack your sleep-grade noise-canceling headphones!
BOOK HERE:
Wanna curb your longing for Burning Man next year? Get a similar crowd without having to pack toilet paper for a week at a beautiful, luxury artist haven. Book directly on their site.