Tucked away on the secluded coast of Todos Santos in Mexico, where desert sand meets seashore, Villa Santa Cruz embraces its environment. The intimate Baja California Sur hotel, home to just 23 bespoke rooms across 20 acres, is filled with bright colors, vibrant flora and authentic local artwork, all a nod to the surrounding landscape and culture. Spiny agave plants, labyrinth-like landscaping and bright pink bougainvillea fill the space between the bright orange hacienda-revival style buildings, while towering palms and citrus trees sway in the gentle ocean breeze.
From the beginning, the hotel was a labor of love for Matt and Jessica Canepa. The couple met in Todos Santos in 2006, and eventually married in the beach town in 2009, on a scenic plot of land Matt had purchased years prior. Soon after their wedding, they decided to start a new chapter as hotel owners, and Villa Santa Cruz was born. “Matt originally bought the land in 2001, and there was absolutely nothing on it. He didn’t even have any idea what he was going to do with it,” Jessica tells Observer. “He designed the main villa on a cocktail napkin, so everything has truly been created from scratch.”
The Canepas are California natives, but they now live in their own house on the property full-time, contributing to the impossible the sense of family that radiates from the small yet dedicated team—expect warm smiles and housemade pastries and coffee delivered to your door each morning.
The uniquely decorated rooms allow you to customize your level of preferred privacy—the beachfront tents, for example, place you directly on the sand, offering unparalleled ocean views without a soul in sight. The rooftop villas are more centrally located around the infinity-edge lap pool.
Though Villa Santa Cruz started out as a small bed and breakfast in 2011, the hotel has since expanded with the help of the Canepas’ business partners, Guillermo and Joyce Marrero. “Guillermo and Joyce started coming to the villa in 2015, and we just really hit it off,” Jessica recalls. Shortly before the pandemic, the two couples decided to work together on growing the property. While a global shutdown wasn’t the most obvious source of inspiration, the crew used the downtime to get started on renovations and new additions, from the breezy fireside lounge to the tented beachfront suites and rooftop villas.
“There’s this kind of Tuscan-Hacienda combo in terms of architecture, and then pretty much all of the furniture, sculptures, artwork and textiles are all sourced from different artisans in Guadalajara by Joyce,” Jessica shares. Now home to two saltwater swimming pools, two on-site restaurants and rescue-focused horse stables, Villa Santa Cruz has undergone a metamorphosis from its humble beginnings as a single-building B&B. The sprawling garden and farm, however, is the property’s crown jewel.
Manicured fields of aromatic lavender contrast with the orange haciendas in the background as lilac purple buds sway in the coastal breeze, calling out to the on-site honey bees. Rows upon rows of fresh fruits, veggies and herbs, ranging from tomatoes and squash to strawberries and pineapples, take up more than half a mile of space, promising a genuine farm-to-table experience for guests, locals and staff.
While strolling alongside the vibrant vegetation, including bright green heads of lettuce and peaking onions, you’re transported into a lush garden oasis, rather than a cacti-covered desert landscape in the middle of Mexico. The hotel’s newest restaurant, Caracara, which serves wood-fired creations and pillowy pizzas, sits under a bohemian nest-like structure next to the garden, while the recently opened Farm Bar offers uninterrupted views of the plants, produce and a towering, bougainvillea-covered sculpture. “Pretty much everything we make comes from the farm,” says Jessica. “It really is the heart of our property, and we’ve poured so much love into it since the pandemic.”
Born and raised in Mexico, Villa Santa Cruz’s Green Project Coordinator, Victoria Sánchez, has learned the ins and outs of the local landscape, fueled by her passion for sustainability. She started out as a receptionist at the hotel’s front desk, before she was promoted to her current position in September 2024. Every day, Sánchez does her rounds, checking in on the produce, seeing what is ready for harvest and doing her best to protect the strawberries from hungry California quails, whom she calls “little devils.”
“Obviously, farm-to-table is extremely popular as a marketing concept, but if you look at local ranches in Mexico, this is just the way of life for us,” Sánchez tells Observer. Despite its seemingly dry desert terrain, Todos Santos is capable of producing a variety of crops year-round. “I truly believe anything can grow here,” Sánchez says. “It’s amazing, but I’ve seen so much flourish. There are these veins of water underground that allow so many different plants to thrive; it almost seems miraculous.” Over the next few months, Sánchez plans to introduce a milpa system to the farm—an ancient intercropping process that includes planting squash, beans and corn to increase nitrogen and yield healthier soils.
One of Sánchez’s favorite responsibilities is tending to her honeybees. Located deeper within the farm, past the mazes of massive agave plants, three honeybee hives hum, waiting for Sánchez to bring them their sugar water. “They teach me so much every day,” Sánchez gushes as she pours her housemade nectar directly into the bee boxes. “Each hive has its own personality. The last one is very chill, never in a rush, always buzzing with joy. The first hive, however, can be quite frisky.” In addition to pollinating the garden and maintaining a healthy ecosystem, the bees also produce fresh honey that is used across Villa Santa Cruz’s various culinary concepts. “Watching them brings me to the present moment,” Sánchez says. “If these tiny bees can work together and create so much good in nature, so can we.”
Just past the hives, rustic stables face an arena where rescue horses trot and relax between rides. Opposite the stables, a small, man-made lake with a dock and surrounding hammocks offers a slice of solitude for guests seeking a quiet swim. Guests who want to engage in group experiences can partake in complimentary mocktail-making in the fireside lounge, yoga and sound baths under the beachfront palapa or rooftop happy hours.
Come fall 2025, Villa Santa Cruz plans to open a wellness center and spa, with treatment rooms, a gym, cold plunge and traditional temazcal. “A lot of spas nowadays are super high-tech, but ours is going to remain very organic,” explains Jessica. “We really want guests to feel connected to the land. We’re also trying to work with an artisan who can create signature oils and skin care products using our own lavender.”
Even ordering a simple margarita at the Farm Bar yields an immersive experience, as you sip garden-to-glass tinctures while admiring colorful and vibrant garnishes. Every design detail in the farm, from the wicker arches to the hanging lanterns that glow at sunset, transports guests to a fairytale-like scene that feels worlds away from the Sonoran Desert. “It’s all about nurturing—in hospitality and on the farm. Whenever you water the plants, whenever you take something from the garden, it’s about being thankful,” Sánchez explains. “They always listen. It’s just another language.”
