A 1-bedroom suite on Cabo's swimmable Médano Beach over Thanksgiving week for about $483
Nov 21 to Nov 28 (Sat–Sat, Thanksgiving week) in a one-bedroom, two-bath suite (king bed plus sofa bed, sleeps 4, partial kitchen) at Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa on Médano Beach in Cabo San Lucas, rented from a timeshare owner through RedWeek: $350 rent (the owner cut it again, to $50 a night) plus a $55 service fee ($405), plus the resort's environmental, sanitation and occupancy fees of about $78, so roughly $483 for 7 nights ($69 a night). For the same dates the resort's own site sells its One Bedroom Suite for $2,540 with taxes, and Priceline lists it at $4,129.
- 1-bedroom, 2-bath suite with partial kitchen, sleeps 4
- Resort pools, hot tubs and Médano Beach (swimmable, per the resort description)
- RedWeek booking protection when you pay by card
The catches
What you pay
| Item | Basis | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (7 nights at $50)Required | per stay | $350 |
| RedWeek service feeRequired | per booking | $55 |
| Occupancy fee (about $6 a night for a 1-bedroom, paid at the resort)Approx. | estimate from the posting: 'approximately $6/night for a one-bedroom', 7 nights | ~$42 |
| Environmental fee (about $3 a night, paid at the resort)Approx. | estimate from the posting: 'an environmental fee of approximately $3 per day', 7 nights | ~$21 |
| Sanitation fee (about $2.10, paid at the resort)Approx. | estimate: the posting says 'a sanitation fee of approximately $2.10 applies' without saying per day or per stay; we assume per day (7 × $2.10, rounded up) | ~$15 |
| Total | Whole 1-bedroom suite for up to 4 guests, 7 nights: RedWeek's $405 plus the resort's occupancy, environmental and sanitation fees (about $78, per the posting) | $483 |
| Optional all-inclusive planNot included | about $140 per adult and $70 per child per night, per the posting | |
| Flights to Los Cabos (SJD)Not included | not included | |
| Meals and drinksNot included | not included; partial kitchen in unit |
How to book it
- Open RedWeek posting R1528954 (Villa del Palmar Cabo San Lucas, Nov 21–28, 1 bedroom) and click Request to Book.
- Pay $405 by credit card through RedWeek to get its booking protection.
- RedWeek confirms with the owner, usually within 5 business days; wait for it before buying flights.
- Budget about $78 for the resort's fees, paid at check-in.
Why it's this cheap
A timeshare owner who can't use their Thanksgiving week is renting it on RedWeek for about what the maintenance fee costs, while the resort's own holiday-week rates are far higher.
Why it's a steal
GOOD COMPARISONVilla del Palmar's own site: 'One Bedroom Suite – Fall for México' $2,540 total with taxes for Nov 21–28, as shown on Google Hotels (2 adults); Priceline 'One-Bedroom Suite' (4 guests) $4,129; the resort's cheapest room (junior suite) is $1,899 on its own site and $1,572 at the cheapest seller. The resort's own rate is quoted for 2 guests (4 guests may cost more) and comes with its own cancellation terms; the RedWeek suite is request-to-book with a Strict cancellation policy, and the unit, bed type and view are assigned at check-in. Google's totals may leave out the resort's per-night fees; our total includes the fees the posting lists. Google's typical range for this resort is $132–$217 a night for its cheapest room; a 1-bedroom suite over Thanksgiving week is $363 a night on the resort's own site.
Evidence trail
| Source | What we checked | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Source re-checked | RedWeek R1528954 still listed: Nov 21-28, 7 nights @ $50 = $350 + $55 service fee = $405. | Nov 11, 7:57 AM ET |
| Google Hotels: Villa del Palmar Cabo, Nov 21–28 (SerpApi) | Official site: Junior Suite $1,899, Junior Suite Ocean View $2,172, One Bedroom Suite $2,540, Two Bedroom Suite $3,845 (Fall for México rates, 2 guests); Priceline Junior Suite Garden View $2,525, One-Bedroom Suite $4,129 (4 guests); cheapest any room $1,572 (dealbase/goseek); typical range $132–$217. | Oct 29, 8:55 AM ET |
