Where to Go When Travel Opens Up Again: Villa del Palmar Resort & Spa

After four months of varying levels of lockdown, and with golf courses finally opening up—but with restrictions including limited pro shop access, no bunker rakes, reversed cups and no—or solo-rider-only—golf carts, golfers (like most everyone) are ready for a return to something approaching a pre-Covid-19 normal. A big part of this highly anticipated return to normal operations is the resumption of golf vacations.

High on my own list of resort courses to visit when travel is once again a viable option is Baja California’s Villa Palmar Resort and Spa, home of the Rees Jones-designed TPC Danzante Bay. Located on the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja peninsula, 316 miles north of Cabo San Lucas near the coastal town of Loreto, Villa Palmar is just the ticket for vacationers who are looking for the desert-and-ocean ambience of Baja California without the hustle and bustle of Cabo.

The Villa Palmar Resort & Spa occupies a prime location overlooking Ensenada Blanca (White Cove), a short drive south of the town of Loreto. (photo by author)

Diligent readers of the works of John Steinbeck may recognize Loreto from his recollection of a visit there in March 1940, as recounted in Sea of Cortez:

“When we came back from the early morning collecting we sailed immediately for the port of Loreto. We were eager to see this town, for it was the first successful settlement on the Peninsula, and its church is the oldest mission of all.”

I had the opportunity to visit Villa Palmar on a media jaunt in 2016, when the golf course was still an 11-hole layout near the coast, with the routing for the remaining seven inland holes just being laid out. Even though the golf course was only partially finished at the time, the resort’s facilities—rooms, dining, pools, and spa—were in full operation, and operating at a high level of quality. The rooms were clean, spacious and fully-appointed; drinks and dining were top-notch, and the eleven completed holes of the golf course were all that one would expect of a Rees Jones-designed layout.

I was very impressed, during that 2016 visit, by the overall operation of the resort. Being situated in a relatively remote location, Villa Palmar is, by necessity, highly self-sustaining. Fresh water is provided by their own in-house reverse osmosis water purification plant, and their Operations department includes comprehensive employee-training facilities, where workers drawn from the residents of nearby Loreto are trained in all aspects of the resort’s operation.

The first phase of the golf course to open, in 2016, consisted of holes 1 and 9–18, plus the practice facility. Construction was started in February 2014, and the now world-famous par-3 17th hole was moved to its stunning clifftop location in November of that year. Construction on holes 2–8 began in November 2016, and the full 18-hole layout opened on December 8, 2017.

With its dramatic cliff-hanging location overlooking the waters of the Sea of Cortez, TPC Danzante Bay’s par-3 17th hole is destined to become one of the best-known short holes in the world. (photo by Joann Dost, courtesy of Villa Palmar Resort & Spa)

The stark beauty of Villa Palmar’s remote, yet accessible, location gives travelers the feeling of being removed from the outside world. Knowing that international travel can make even the most remote locations vulnerable to influences from the outside, however, it is comforting for visitors to know that the resort recently received a Secure Travel Seal from the World Travel & Tourism Council, which informs travelers of resorts around the world which have adopted global health and hygiene protocols.

In addition to golf, activities to which the resort offers access include hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding in the neighboring Sierra de Giganta mountains; and swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, whale watching, and world-class fishing in the blue waters of the Sea of Cortez. Also available are boat tours of the islands which dot the waters of the UNESCO World Heritage site just offshore. Hotel perks include a fitness center, salsa dance lessons, and movie nights for children.

Complimentary shuttle service to town enables guests to explore historic Loreto and visit the 1697 mission that drew John Steinbeck and Ed “Doc” Ricketts to the port town during their scientific expedition to the region 80 years ago.

If you are looking for a quick autumn or early-winter getaway this year, consider the resort’s unlimited golf or spa package, which is available through December 20, 2020. The three-night stay package includes access to unlimited golf, with cart, per adult—which can be replaced with a variety of spa treatment packages or other resort activities. Getting to Villa Palmar is simple, with easy access via Alaska Airlines out of LAX, and either Calafia or Volaris out of Tijuana.