Sandos Finisterra: Is this Los Cabos Resort Worth the 5-Star Hype?

At the southern end of Los Cabos is the 5-star resort Sandos Finisterra. One of several other resorts throughout Mexico bearing the Sandos brands, this resort is popular among tourists for its prime location in Cabo San Lucas and beautiful cliffside setting.

A look online reveals that Sandos Finisterra boasts thousands of 5-star reviews among the various hotel sites. However, beyond the mojito-tinted glasses, does the resort actually live up to that hype?

In this review, I hope to help you answer that question. I’ll discuss all the different aspects of the resort and whether or not they justify the many glowing reviews found online.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will earn a small commission. This occurs at no added cost to you.

Location of Sandos Finisterra

Sandos Finisterra is located in Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja California Sur. The resort’s entrance is up a steep hill just a short walk away from the main, touristy area of town.

This location makes it ideal for sightseeing in town to see what Cabo’s all about or to check out its food scene and nightlife. You’re also just a step away from the marina if you want to get a closer view of all the yachts.

Additionally, there are tour companies in Cabo San Lucas offering various excursions, like cruises to Cabo’s famous natural rock formations, ATV tours through the desert, snorkeling or camelback riding along a beach.

You’re also right next door to Cabo’s coastal mountain, Mount Solmar. This is a popular spot to do some hiking to the peak for 360-degree sunrise or sunset views.

A lot of guests staying at Sandos Finisterra seem to take advantage of its location in the city as an option to the resort’s middle-of-the-road restaurants. More on that in a bit, though.

Sandos Finisterra’s Grounds

By a wide margin, the grounds and landscaping of Sandos Finisterra are its best features. The resort and surrounding area are stunning to look at no matter where you are on the property.

It starts when you’re pulling up to the lobby. The resort is built into a cliff, which they do an exemplary job at taking advantage of. Outside the lobby, is a pleasant waterfall tumbling down the rockface with palm trees and desert plants growing out of the sides.

For an encore, while Michelle was checking in, I walked to the back of the lobby for a view of the pools and beach. The grounds are filled with cacti and other desert flora creating a stark landscape between the desert-like qualities and the mighty Pacific Ocean. It’s a feast for the eyes, especially if you aren’t accustomed to desert landscapes.

One of my favorite parts of the resort is just down the stairs from the lobby. It’s a small cactus garden that almost no one else seemed to appreciate. The plants are gorgeous, and they have signs indicating what everything is. I tried to walk through this garden a couple times per day to enjoy its tranquility and admire the unique cacti.

Away from the resort, the beach is bounded to the left and right by small rocky mountains. These picturesque mountains are a nice change from the East Coast beaches I’m familiar with that stretch away in either direction to nothingness.

Looking back at the resort is the large rocky cliff that Sandos Finisterra is built into. It’s a great backdrop to a day of relaxing at the pool. From this cliff, you can watch predatory birds soar majestically across the sky.

Then, within the resorts themselves on the cliff side are various small gardens containing cacti and other pretty plants. These landscaping details made walking from our room to the rest of the resort a pleasure.

Resort Swimming Pools

An all-inclusive resort in Los Cabos better have good swimming pools, and with four pools available, Sandos Finisterra didn’t disappoint.

The resort has three different standard pools plus one exclusive pool for people who purchase an optional VIP pass. Around each pool are loungers, umbrellas, tables and pretty desert landscaping. The three main pools are arranged on three levels just outside the main lobby.

The first pool is the unofficial kiddy pool. There’s no sign designating it as such, but it was mostly families with young children. We did use it the first day, though, because it was pretty quiet, and we weren’t able to find chairs in the shade at one of the other pools. Despite being for children, this pool is still a decent size, so it’s easy to find some space to be by yourself.

Next up is the adults only party pool. It’s a larger, deeper pool with a swim-up bar and a DJ playing music. Because it has places to sit in the water, this pool has less shaded chairs available. The party pool was definitely a pretty happening spot from late morning into the afternoon. It’s great if that’s what you’re looking for. Personally, it was a bit too wild for me.

Just before the beach is the third standard pool. This large pool was more relaxed than the party pool while still having a mostly adult atmosphere. It has more umbrellas than the other two pools for shade from the hot Mexican sun. Since it’s the largest pool, it also has more seating and more space between chairs for some privacy. Behind the regular loungers are day beds, but these are reserved for timeshare owners. The beach is also right next to this pool, which offers the relaxing sound of waves crashing along the coast.

Finally, the VIP pool sits near the top of the resort overlooking the marina. This was my favorite of all the pools. Despite being exclusive to people who paid a little extra, this pool is still a little loud but it’s a much more subdued crowd than the other pools. It has plenty of shaded seating and has the best bartender in the resort. It was a great spot to relax in the warm water with a drink while watching the boats navigate the marina.

What About the Beach?

At this point, I can hear you asking about the ocean. It’s great to look at! Beyond that, it’s unfortunately out of bounds for swimming because of how strong the current is.

Once you’re at the resort yourself, you’ll understand why. The waves here are some of the biggest I’ve seen at a beach like this. They’re so big that parts of the sandy beach have been worn away into mini cliffs. If you even get too close to the water, someone blows a whistle to bring you back.

The Bars at Sandos Finisterra

Next to the swimming pools, perhaps the other most important part of a Mexican all-inclusive resort is the quality of the bars. Sandos Finisterra has six different ones to choose from, including the swim-up bar and the VIP pool bar both mentioned above.

The best of the bunch is the Whale Watchers Bar at the top of the resort. This bar has three big TVs typically showing sports, light snacks and a pool table. More importantly, it has a balcony offering fantastic views of the beach. It’s a lovely spot for a pre- or post-dinner drink.

In the lobby area is Rocca Lounge Bar, a chicly lit bar that people seem to overlook. It’s pretty small inside, with just a few seats and a couch. Perhaps because of that, I never saw many people here. We had a couple drinks in here one evening, and I thought it was a delight. It’s air conditioned, quiet and my Manhattan was delicious.

Another quiet spot for a drink is Bar Plaza Finisterra. This bar serves the area next to the stage where they put on nightly shows. It’s another good spot to get away from most of the crowds at Sandos Finisterra – before the shows, of course. This area has more views of the marina, and it’s next to the Cupcake Shop where you can grab a small snack to go with your drink.

There is also a night club called The Stones Night Club if you aren’t ready to end the party. The club doesn’t open till 10:00. While I would have liked to check it out just to see what it was about, a persistent stomachache kept me from staying up late enough.

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Food Quality at Sandos Finisterra

The different food offerings at Sandos Finisterra were hit or miss. Though, they tended to be slightly more of a hit than a miss. It’s far from gourmet food, but it’s mostly a slight step up from your average run-of-the-mill hotel food.

Sandos Finisterra has a breakfast buffet, one restaurant for lunch, a walk-up pizza and sushi stand, four dinner restaurants, a dessert shop and room service.

It should be noted that I had a stomachache – picked up during our time in Mexico City, not the resort – during our stay at this resort. Despite that, my opinion of the food jives with what I overheard guests saying and things I read in other online reviews.

Breakfast and Lunch

The breakfast buffet was by far my favorite of the options. It had a wide range of breakfast foods without being overwhelming like some similar buffets I’ve seen at similar resorts. I particularly enjoyed the made-to-order egg station where the person working the griddle made some great omelets. The buffet also has tasty fresh fruit and fresh pastries that stood out among the different offerings.

Lunch was the major weakness among the food options at Sandos Finisterra. It would have been nice to have at least one other option. The one lunch restaurant was decent. I enjoyed the food I had, but Michelle was less impressed with everything.

The pizza shop was also just okay. They offer wood-fired pizza, wraps and calzones. We tried a few different pizzas. The pizzas are designed to be just enough for one person, but if you’re hungry, you may want to order two. I tried a pepperoni pizza two different times, and each time, the dough was overcooked. Further, the sauce, cheese and pepperoni didn’t have much flavor. Michelle seemed to have better luck with her Hawaiian and prosciutto pizzas, though.

Dinner Options

Dinner could be at one of four restaurants, including Italian, Mexican, a steakhouse and one with more general fare. The Italian restaurant, Emiliano’s Osteria, was by far the worst of the four. The fettucine carbonara I had was somehow almost flavorless and the sea bass we shared was far too salty. Michelle’s ravioli were better but still nothing particularly special.

Appropriately, the Mexican restaurant, Don Diego, was the best of the four. The highlight was the quesadilla appetizer. Besides having a fun presentation, the filling in each one was exquisite. The guacamole it comes with (or you can order a side of it with handmade chips), is also very tasty. Michelle’s tacos pastor and my Veracruz fish were both decent entrees.

The other two options, Agave and Tortuga, were, like the food at Sandos Finisterra as a whole, so-so. I had different cuts at steak at each, and while the meat was cooked very well, there was nothing else that set it apart from steak anywhere else. The various other things we ate at these two restaurants were more or less average.

My last complaint about the restaurants was the wait time a couple different nights. Sandos Finisterra doesn’t take reservations with their restaurants which is all well and good, unless you plan to arrive at Tortuga or Don Diego around 7:00. Both of these restaurants have limited seating, and we were told it would be a 40-minute wait at each of them. Fortunately, the wait ended up only being around 20-to-30 minutes, but that’s still a long time for an all-inclusive resort. If they want to continue to not use reservations, they should either expand their seating or else offer more dining options.

Our Sandos Finisterra Room

We had a Finisterra Junior Suite at Sandos Finisterra. By being a VIP room, it guaranteed us a view of either the marina or ocean and gave us access to the VIP pool.

The room itself was large but basic and somewhat dated. It didn’t have any decorations, which I didn’t mind much since it had such a grand view of the marina from our balcony. It also had a pullout sofa bed in the living room area and two chairs to relax in on the balcony.

The room could have used some modernizing and upkeep, though. There was still an old landline phone between the beds and the AC, while functional, was an old model that made a lot of noise throughout the night. In addition to the dated furnishings, each sink had its own maintenance issue: One’s faucet was loose and the other’s drain was clogged.

Our room had two comfortable double-sized beds (they’re listed as double on their website, but in my estimation, they seemed more like queens). The room was quiet enough. I was able to hear what sounded like a party in the room next door one afternoon and the occasional loud guest at night, but by and large, noise wasn’t an issue.

The bathroom had a large shower with a rain showerhead and a spacious, private toilet. The only odd thing about the bathroom was that the sinks are both right next to the beds. It’s a bit awkward if you have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night and then wash your hands without any light so as to not wake anyone up.

Lastly, the room came with a filtered water cooler and a small minibar stocked with beer and sodas.

Activities at the Resort

While I didn’t partake in many activities, this is an area that seemed to be lacking at Sandos Finisterra. Each day has a schedule of various things going on at the resort, but like the limited food options, they didn’t seem to offer many options.

The various activities we saw were darts, bingo, a cooking class, a mixology class, water aerobics and a dancing competition. I also saw scheduled beach walks but never actually witnessed this happening. For what it’s worth, people did seem to be enjoying themselves. It just wasn’t much variety like I’ve seen elsewhere.

Besides the scheduled activities put on by staff, Sandos Finisterra also has a pool table, life-sized chess, a ping pong table, water volleyball and a few other games set up in the sand.

Whale Watching at Sandos Finisterra

Besides the activities put on by the resort, one of the more popular things to do at the resort is whale watching. From December to April, Cabo San Lucas is right on the migratory route for gray whales and humpback whales, and with Sandos Finisterra’s location perched on a cliff, it’s a great spot to see them.

Since we were there outside that window, we didn’t see any, but I could see how this would be a good spot to see them. I can only imagine how popular the Whale Watchers Bar gets during those months with its prime spot at the highest point in the resort.

Entertainment Options at Sandos Finisterra

For entertainment, Sandos Finisterra has a DJ spinning tunes at the pool from late morning through the afternoon. At night, there is a small stage overlooking the marina where the resort puts on different shows.

Unfortunately, because neither of us were feeling great, we only managed to catch one of the shows: the Michael Jackson performance. We’ve now seen several of these as they seem to be popular at Mexican resorts, and I can say this one was the best. The smaller stage made the show feel more intimate, and the absence of special effects actually helped to boost the quality of the show. Rather than relying on a soundtrack and video effects, they used a live band to great effect (it helped that the guitarist could totally shred).

Some of the other shows include a London-themed show, a rock and roll show, Mexican night and a Latin show. I listened to a couple minutes of two other shows. They seemed good, but I won’t try to form an opinion based on such a short listen. That said, if they use the same live band for their other shows, I would definitely try to check them out.

Other Amenities

Asides from the pools, Sandos Finisterra also has a fitness center, spa, tennis courts and a daycare. The only one of these I used was the fitness center.

The gym was satisfactory. It had all the basic necessities, including dumbbells up to 50 pounds, several weight machines, treadmills, stationary bikes and a few other pieces of equipment. They also offered towels, cold water and fresh juice. Someone seemed to be working out with a personal trainer one morning while I was there. I never saw anything about this on any of the promotional material, so I assume it was an extra fee.

Besides all the equipment, the fitness area also includes a floor-to-ceiling window with sweeping views of the marina to admire while you work out.

My only complaint about the gym was how hot it was. I know some people prefer that during their workouts, but it was sweltering in there. It felt like there was no fan and barely any air circulation. It was a good thing they offered cold water and fresh towels!

The Crowd During Our Stay

Because Sandos Finisterra is more affordable than some other all-inclusive resorts in the area, it attracts a wide range of visitors. These can include people looking to meet others and have a good time, families with young children, and people who just want to relax without breaking the bank.

It also seemed to attract some college-aged or recently graduated people looking for a good time. That’s not to say it felt like spring break, but the one adults only pool definitely got loud in the afternoon once drinks were really flowing.

As a result, Sandos Finisterra can be loud and even has a bit of a party atmosphere at times. Relaxation can be had if you look for it, but it isn’t as readily available as at some resorts where that is more of the focus. However, the eclectic crowd can make for good people watching during the rest of your time.

On the other hand, if you’re an extroverted person who enjoys making friends wherever you go and want some fun in the sun, Sandos Finisterra is going to be a great resort for you.

Sandos Finisterra’s Staff

Sandos Finisterra’s employees were largely professional and pleasant. They seemed to enjoy their jobs, and I overheard one saying to another guest that the hotel has a high retention rate suggesting they are treated well. Besides that, it’s usually a good indicator that the staff are proficient in their jobs.

In all, I enjoyed most of the staff I came across. They did a good job at keeping visitors happy and engaged while making us feel welcomed. In my experience at all-inclusive resorts, the small interactions with staff can make or break a memorable stay, and in this regard, Sandos Finisterra performed well enough.

One staffing area that I was less thrilled with was at the swim-up bar. The bartenders there were a little slow with getting drinks out and weren’t great at taking orders. I had to repeat myself more than once a couple different times. In addition, the drinks at this bar weren’t great. I don’t think the bartenders were intentionally watering things down, but I did get the impression that they were overwhelmed with orders causing the drinks to be subpar.

One other exception to pleasantness of the staff was during the check-in process where a staff member introduced the resort to us. After her initial spiel, she made a sales pitch to get us to buy a timeshare. She was pretty pushy about the whole thing despite our insistence that we weren’t interested. I understand she was only doing her job, but it wasn’t a great first impression. To their credit, after this initial sales pitch, we never heard about timeshares again.

If you are interested in purchasing a timeshare at the Sandos chain of resorts, they offer 90-minute breakfasts to discuss the details in more detail with a staff member. Even if you’re not interested, by attending a meeting, you get a free massage or excursion.

My Overall Impression of Sandos Finisterra

I’d love to be able to give Sandos Finisterra a full-throated positive review, but I can’t. It’s only average, with its main selling points being the location, friendly staff and gorgeous grounds.

The following negatives keep me from being able to give it a higher rating: slow service, middling food quality and just a general lack of attention to detail. That latter reason is hard to nail down, but essentially, I could never say that any one thing about Sandos Finisterra was perfect beyond its location and landscaping. It’s a shame, too, because I think this resort has the potential to be special.

Our fellow guests are my other major mark against Sandos Finisterra. If you’re looking for a relaxing time, you may not get that here. Between the small kids and drunk adults, it was generally loud almost everywhere we went. There are some opportunities for peace and quiet, but you’ll have to search them out.

I hesitate to give the crowd factor too much weight in my recommendation, though. It could have just been coincidental that we were there at the same time as several large groups. More importantly, this is pretty subjective. I personally wanted quiet and relaxing, but you might be looking to meet people and have a good time.

Now, with all that said, what is my recommendation for others visiting and would I return myself? I do recommend Sandos Finisterra with some obvious caveats. It really is an amazing location, and its competitive price makes it worth considering. However, just don’t come expecting any kind of high-end treatment because you’ll likely be disappointed.

For what it’s worth, I did enjoy myself despite it sounding like I might not have. It just wasn’t what I was expecting, which is what I hope to convey for you if you’re planning a visit here!

Click here if you’re interested in booking a room at Sandos Finisterra!

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