Tropicana Inn

Travel through Los Cabos and chances are that if you tell people you're staying at the Tropicana Inn, they'll know exactly what you're talking about. With its bustling sidewalk cafe and well-known restaurant, the hotel has made a name for itself. There's nothing fancy about the property -- most of its rooms are arranged with exterior entrances around a courtyard -- but it manages to feel intimate without any pretense.Everything is clean and well-kept. Birds chirp from large cages near the simple main office, while mango trees and flowering bushes and vines sprout everywhere around the property. The style is simple and straightforward, with a rustic, colonial bent. The pool is a lovely and popular place to relax during the day and into the evening, and the restaurant is filled with heavy woodwork and almost gothic details like stained glass, oil paintings, and iron chandeliers. Spring breakers generally give this hotel a pass -- thankfully. Still, it has broad appeal and draws couples on vacation, small groups of friends, and repeat guests for its reliable quality and laid-back style. 

San Jose del Cabo is arguably the most charming little town in Baja Sur, especially when compared to its spring-break-forever cousin down the coast, Cabo San Lucas. Luckily, the Tropicana Inn is in a prime spot for those looking to experience the artsier side of things. The hotel is just a two-minute walk from the town's main plaza and its iconic church. At night, local food vendors set up shop near the square selling tamales, horchata, and churros, and locals and international tourists mingle. There are dozens of cafes, boutiques, and art galleries within a five- to 15-minute walk to the north and west of the hotel, including La Lupita Taco & Mezcal, five minutes away on foot. Excellent coffees and organic plates of food are available just next to the hotel, too, at Cafe Dona Nena and La Panederia. It all feels very Pacific Northwest via the Mexican desert. During high season, the town is especially lively as galleries stay open late on Thursday nights for their Art Walk. The airport is about 20 minutes outside of town by car, and Cabo San Lucas is a 35-minute drive south. The closest swimmable beach is at Costa Azul, a 10-minute drive from the hotel. 

There are only 39 rooms to choose from at this hotel, though the style across the board is fairly consistent and -- with the exception of a few Junior Suites and Cabana Troje -- the layout is the same throughout. Still, there is a bit of a discrepancy in the charm factor between some units and others. Most are quaint, with terra-cotta tile floors and heavy hardwood furniture done in dark hues. A bit of rustic local art or tapestries on the walls give them a nice dash of personality. Many rooms also have white quilted bedding on bamboo-fiber mattress pads -- plus carved wooden headboards -- that add an additional level of comfort. However, some others are in the process of being upgraded, and have firmer mattresses and slightly less sharp decor. Higher category rooms, like the Gardenia Suite and Bugambilia Junior Suite, are especially lovely, with handsome patterned bedding and additional pieces of art, like pottery and antique-style lamps. The Bugambilia Junior Suite has an additional homey seating area that looks out onto the flowering trees around the pool and grounds. Cabana Troje is the most romantic choice at the hotel. This stand-alone historic structure was once a working storage mill that was dismantled and recreated on-site. It's a two-floor suite with the bedroom on the top floor plus lots of handsome woodwork and local art giving it a ton of personality. It has its own patio as well.Standard features include flat-screen TVs (some of which are larger than others), mini-fridges, free and fast Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, bottled water, and air-conditioning. Unfortunately the power of the air-conditioning varied from room to room during our visit, and some of the ceiling fans didn't work. Bathrooms are charming, with vanities outside of the shower rooms. Talavera tilework gives them some personality, and the walk-in showers are roomy. We did have mosquito issues in our rooms, and staff is armed with spray to help alleviate the problem.

Despite its compact size, this hotel has some nice features that make it one of the more reliable bets in San Jose's downtown area. The restaurant here is one of the town's most famous, cranking out over 300 dinners per night in high season. It's open for all three meals and has a sidewalk cafe plus live music during peak months. There's also a massive banquet room that can be rented, though it's used for restaurant seating during particularly busy occasions. The food is great and portions are huge, though it's a bit pricey compared to some of the other spots in town.The hotel's pool is a close runner up when it comes to features. The sparkling clean water sits in the middle of a courtyard that's ringed with lounge chairs, flowering plants, and fruit trees. It gets plenty of sun during the day, and there's a swim-up bar that operates in high season. A fire pit is adjacent. The hotel has even converted one of its rooms into a spa, where treatments and massages can be booked. Tours and excursions can also be arranged through the front office. Parking and Wi-Fi are both free.