When I opened my eyes, the sun was completely gone, the mountains now fully blocking its light. We arrived on the beach as twilight was setting in – the stars not yet visible but the glow from the fire slowly becoming more and more prominent – but it had all changed while I laid in the chair. I had drifted off, the hands of the masseuse doing work on the lower parts of my legs, the scenery transitioning in front of my closed eyes to the now dark sky.

Before I sat down, the masseuse had taken me by the hand and led me over to a bucket full of grapes, instructing me to stomp down on them. It was a form of a foot massage, a part of the vinotherapy theology held by the hotel and its spa (something we’ll talk about in more detail in the next post).

The grape stomp led into the aforementioned reflexology foot massage – the first two parts of the Barefoot Elegance Experience at the Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos. The night is designed as a romantic option for couples, the massages followed by a wine tasting and appetizer pairing and a private dinner on the beach.

Resort Sommelier Jorge Bazignan walked us through the wine and food pairing, and while it was obvious he could talk about wine while hanging upside-down and blindfolded, I appreciated his down-to-earth approach. Forget the tannin count, he told us flatly, let’s taste the wine with the food and enjoy this beautiful evening. I sipped my wine, holding the glass up to the glow of the fire. That’s right, I thought, let me enjoy this glass of wine in the beautiful beach setting, watch the flames dance in front of me and hear the water washing up on the shore. That sounds like one hell of a plan. I didn’t have a date with me, but if I had I would have looked into her eyes and smiled.

The appetizers were salmon and brie, the wines all local vino from the Guadalupe Valley a few hours up the coast (near Rosarito Beach… see the story about my visit to the area here. La Cetto, one of the more notable wineries in the region, even has a bull ring that they use for harvest celebrations).

Dinner was next, a three-course meal prepared right there on the beach. Sea urchin soup, marinated tuna in ginger pasta, and a chocolate trilogy were on our menu, but guests can customize their own to fit any dietary desires.

Check out some of these photos, including just how amazing the sky can look as the sun sets over the mountains behind the resort. Price for the Barefoot Elegance Experience is $300/person, which includes a welcome cocktail, reflexology massage, wine tasting, appetizers, private beach cabana, and three-course dinner.