2 Best Hotels in Ensenada, Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula

Families love this long-standing resort on Ensenada's top beach, especially because of its private location and endless activities like horseback riding, tennis, volleyball, kayaking, and Jet Skiing. Behind the secure grounds are the resort, an RV park, and a retirement community, all with access to a swimming pool, two restaurants, and a children's playground. The best rooms (some with kitchenettes) are by the sand and have sliding glass doors that lead to private patios where you can watch dolphins and seals swimming in the bay. Be sure to check out the outstanding collection of pre-Columbian artifacts in the resort's small museum. Midweek winter rates are a real bargain, and there are other frequent specials on the website.

In addition to its own marina and artificial beach, this all-suites resort has indoor-outdoor pools, a spa, tennis courts, a water-sports center, and a sports bar overlooking the bay. The horseshoe-shape layout means that every room has a marina view, but corner suites on either end are by far superior. All guest quarters have refrigerators, coffeemakers, lounge areas, balconies, flat-screens, and either a king-size bed or two full beds. Even the most basic rooms are surprisingly large. Rates drop substantially midweek and between October and March. For those traveling to and from San Diego, the hotel has a shuttle service for $550 for a 10-passenger van. For a sampling of the hotel without the full bill, just $30 will grant you day access to the pools, sauna, and grounds.