Our family met in San Juan Cabo (Cabo San Lucas), Mexico for Christmas/New Year’s vacation and stayed at Esperanza, a private beach resort. My daughter rented a villa and we stayed in a casita.

I have to tell you this five-star resort thought of everything from sunhats to lip balm in our room. They even provided complimentary bug spray, which unfortunately I found too late after spending the night on the balcony under the stars so that I could listen to the ocean – no regrets.

We brought our 10-month old granddaughter with us and found this resort to be extremely family friendly. There are various paths for strollers to maneuver that wind throughout the resort. There is a full kitchen in the villas with a full-size refrigerator and in the casitas, there are compact refrigerators available but no microwave. Every night, we returned to the room to find a surprise on our bed and a gourmet snack waiting for us.

The beach sand is gravely and not soft at all but the view of the sea lions and often spotting whales on the horizon, totally make up for rough sand. The resort has several family-friendly pools but one pool is the walk-in type, which makes it perfect for toddlers to sit and splash. Bring your own baby size pool-tube. We took a taxi and visited some off-property restaurants. The hotel provided a top-rate nanny service for children so that we could enjoy the amenities and get a break. There are areas in the beautiful public spa-like bathrooms that were easily transformed into a changing station. Everything is immaculate.

The menu was diverse and the staff provided anything we wanted or needed. In addition, everyone speaks to you. You’ll hear, “Hola, buenos dias;” “buenos tardes,” and “buenos noches” many times a day from employees who will know you by name and whom you will get to know as well.

I was concerned about being in Mexico with my family with the recent travel advisories but I felt completely safe in Esperanza and would definitely return again in the future. I didn’t feel too many vibes of discrimination, although I did have the manager stop and ask me once if he could help me, which gave me the feeling like you get when you’re being followed in a store. That happened once. And I had some strange looks from guests like they were surprised I was there or could afford to be. Most people were friendly, and the employees were super accommodating. Overall, this resort is a five-star property with an unforgettable view. This resort is not cheap nor really affordable. If you’re coming to this resort, you’re not worried about money. Everything is a la carte. Gratuity is included most times. Rates often start at $1k a night for a casita but if you can afford it, it’s a memory that you will never forget.

Note: The Vacation Station column reviews resorts and entertainment locations of all price points since our readers are from a wide range of income levels. Some resorts and activities will be more affordable than others. Check the $ rating for affordability.

Janice Robinson-Celeste, MBA is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Successful Black Parenting magazine. She has a degree in early childhood education, has taught high school and was a professor at Hofstra University. She was also the executive director of a local YMCA, is the author of the book, Pride and Joy by Simon & Schuster, and is a journalist and former news reporter.

All views are my own.