Todos Santos, Mexico

There are a wide variety of hotels in Todos Santos, from big, fancy ones to charming little inns. Of course, this is due to the increasing popularity of Todos Santos as a tourist spot. Prior to becoming a place in which many wanted to take a vacation, Todos was a fairly quiet town with little to no tourism. Strangely enough, one of the things that brought on a surge of visitors was a hotel.

It was called Hotel California. Sound familiar?

At some point in the eighties, a rumor circulated that the Hotel California in Todos Santos was the the one mentioned by Don Henley in the Eagles’ seventies classic “Hotel California”. By the nineties, it became an urban legend that American journalists (as well as amateur researchers) began to pursue with vigor. Travelers began to pour in from all over, trying to find some proof to support this claim, interviewing locals and (if they can afford it) staying in Hotel California. The tourists revitalized the town, and soon new businesses sprung up, catering to the needs of visitors and giving the locals extra income. Eventually, a Todos Santos local owned up and admitted that he started the rumor in order to help his beloved town attract some tourism, claiming that it was a shame that his breathtaking home was unknown. Don Henley had also cleared up the rumors, claiming that neither he nor the rest of the Eagles had any kind of association with Baja’s Hotel California, leading up to the hotel’s closing in 2000. But by this time, many had come to recognize the tranquil beauty of Todos Santos, the rumor has done its job, and the hotel was reopened in 2002. It still is something of a tourist attraction, but has moved past its notoriety and is currently among the best and classiest hotels in Todos Santos.

Since the initial sprouting of tourism in Todos Santos, several hotels have sprung up to accommodate travelers. They are best known for offering fairly low prices for rooms and service, going down as cheap as twenty-five US dollars. Upscale Todos Santos hotel-inns like The Alegria has several named rooms (each with special features and themes) average at a hundred and thirty-two dollars a night. Hotels in Todos Santos like Casa Bentley are cheaper and have special services and public features such as spas, pools, gardens and salon services. Others are located strategically to take advantage of particular places and activities of interest. The San Pedrito Surf Hotel of Todos Santos, for example, is located near the ocean and offers activities such as surfing, jet-skiing and interaction with the local marine life (like turtles and sea lions). A night in San Pedrito Surf can go as low as fifty-five dollars a night.

Whether you’re laid back or easy-going, you’re sure to find a hotel in Todos Santos that would suit your needs – and, more importantly, your budget.