Four Seasons Private Residences Costa Palmas: What $3M to $20M Buys on the East Cape's Best Beach

I first drove out to Costa Palmas when it was still a construction site with a dream and a dirt road. The pitch was audacious: build a Four Seasons and an Aman on the same stretch of East Cape beach, add the only private marina on this side of the peninsula, and convince ultra-luxury buyers that the future of Los Cabos was not the Corridor but 65 miles north of the airport. That dream is now reality, and the Four Seasons Private Residences at Costa Palmas are the centerpiece of the most consequential real estate story on the East Cape.

Why the East Cape — and Why Now

Let me be direct about why Costa Palmas matters. The Tourist Corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo has been the center of gravity for Los Cabos luxury real estate for 30 years. It is built out. The lots are gone. The price per square foot reflects that scarcity. When you buy branded product on the Corridor today — Montage, Chileno Bay, Park Hyatt at Cabo del Sol — you are paying $1,800 to $3,500 per square foot for the privilege of being in the established zip code.

The East Cape is the alternative, and it is no longer speculative. With Amanvari open and Four Seasons fully operational, the East Cape has institutional-grade hotel brands anchoring property values. The difference is that you are buying at the beginning of the curve instead of the top. A Four Seasons marina residence at Costa Palmas runs roughly $1,950 per square foot. The same quality product under a Four Seasons flag on the Corridor — if it existed — would be $3,000+.

That 30–40% discount is not because the product is worse. It is because the market has not caught up to the infrastructure yet. Give it five years.

Costa Palmas: The 1,000-Acre Master Plan

Costa Palmas is a 1,000-acre master-planned community stretching along two miles of swimmable beach on the Sea of Cortez. The community includes two resort hotels (Four Seasons and Amanvari), an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones II golf course, the 250-slip private marina, a community beach club, retail and dining, and several hundred residential lots and completed homes.

What makes Costa Palmas different from most Los Cabos developments is the scale of the vision and the patience of the execution. Developer Irongate did not rush to sell lots and move on. They invested in the infrastructure — the marina alone cost more than most entire developments in Los Cabos — before they pushed residential sales. That is why the community feels complete even though it is still growing: the bones are world-class, and every new residence benefits from what is already there.

The Beach

The East Cape's beach is the single biggest differentiator. Unlike the Corridor, where most beaches have dangerous riptides and are not swimmable, Costa Palmas sits on a protected stretch of the Sea of Cortez with calm, warm, turquoise water. You can wade in, swim, paddleboard, and kayak directly from the sand. For families — and this is a major family market — the swimmable beach changes everything. No resort pool can compete with the real thing.

The Marina

The 250-slip marina is the infrastructure play that most buyers underestimate. This is the only private marina on the East Cape, and the only full-service marina between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. Slips accommodate vessels from 30 feet to well over 200 feet. There is on-site fuel, customs clearance for international arrivals, a yacht club, and waterfront dining.

For boat owners, this is not a convenience — it is the reason to buy here instead of anywhere else in Los Cabos. The Cabo San Lucas marina is over an hour's drive south. La Paz is two hours north. Costa Palmas puts your boat at your doorstep on the Sea of Cortez — one of the best sport fishing and cruising waters in the world.

Four Seasons Residence Types and Pricing

The Four Seasons Private Residences at Costa Palmas come in four distinct configurations, each designed to serve a different buyer profile and budget range.

Beachfront Casitas — Starting at $1.95M

The entry point into Four Seasons branded ownership. These are three-bedroom, roughly 2,200–2,800 square foot casitas positioned directly on the beach or within a short walk. The design is contemporary Baja — open floor plans, indoor-outdoor living, natural materials, and floor-to-ceiling glass facing the Sea of Cortez. At $1.95 million, the casitas represent the most accessible way to own Four Seasons-managed property in Los Cabos. For comparison, a comparable branded condo on the Corridor starts north of $2.5 million.

Oceanview Villas — $3M to $8M

Four to five bedrooms, 3,500 to 5,500 square feet, positioned on elevated lots with panoramic views of the Sea of Cortez. These are standalone villas with private pools, outdoor kitchens, and landscaped grounds. The $3M–$8M range reflects lot size, view quality, and finish level. Most buyers in this tier are families who want space for guests and multi-generational use. The villas are where I see the best value on a price-per-square-foot basis — you are getting Four Seasons quality at $1,200–$1,500/sqft.

Marina Residences — $5M to $10M

These are the residences directly on the marina — four to five bedrooms, 3,500 to 4,500 square feet, with your boat slip essentially at your front door. A recent listing: a four-bedroom, 3,753-square-foot marina residence at $7.3 million. The premium over oceanview villas reflects the marina frontage, which is limited and will never be replicated. When the 250 slips are spoken for, that inventory is done. Marina residences at Costa Palmas are a scarcity play wrapped in a Four Seasons wrapper.

Estate Villas — $10M to $20M+

The top of the market. Villa 7 was listed at $19.95 million — a six-bedroom presidential-scale estate with private pool, dedicated staff quarters, and the kind of ocean frontage that simply does not exist elsewhere on the East Cape. These are the properties that compete with El Dorado and Querencia estate lots, but with the Four Seasons service layer built in. For ultra-high-net-worth buyers who want a turnkey compound, not a construction project, the estate villas at Costa Palmas are the answer.

What Four Seasons Management Actually Means

Branded residences are everywhere in Los Cabos right now — the branded wave of 2026 brought Park Hyatt, Soho House, St. Regis, and others. But not all branded management is created equal. Here is what Four Seasons management means in practical terms at Costa Palmas:

• Maintenance: The same team that maintains hotel rooms maintains your residence. That means hotel-grade cleaning, linen service, and property care whether you are in residence or not
• Rental management: Four Seasons markets your residence to their global client base when you are not using it. Nightly rates range from $2,500 to $50,000 depending on the unit. Owners typically see 50–60% of gross revenue after fees
• Concierge: Full Four Seasons concierge service — restaurant reservations, airport transfers, provisioning, activity booking, private chef arrangements
• Maintenance reserves: Monthly management fees ($2,500–$6,500 depending on residence type) cover exterior maintenance, landscaping, security, and common areas

The management fee is higher than what you pay at a typical Los Cabos HOA. But the service gap is massive. When something breaks at your Four Seasons residence, a Five-Star maintenance team is there the same day. When something breaks at a typical condo development, you file a ticket and wait.

The Investment Thesis

I tell buyers that the East Cape today is where the Corridor was 15 years ago. The infrastructure is in place, the brand validation is complete, and the growth trajectory is clear. Here is the bull case for Four Seasons Costa Palmas residences:

• East Cape appreciation: Property values in the broader East Cape corridor have appreciated 40–60% over five years. Costa Palmas is the anchor driving that growth
• Supply constraint: Costa Palmas is a finite community on a finite coastline. There are only so many beachfront and marina lots. When they sell out, the only way to buy is resale
• Brand premium: Four Seasons-managed residences historically trade at a 20–35% premium over unbranded comparable product. That premium provides a floor under your resale value
• Rental income: The combination of Four Seasons brand, swimmable beach, and marina access creates a rental product that commands premium nightly rates. East Cape occupancy during peak season (November through April) runs 75–85% for well-managed luxury properties
• Infrastructure pipeline: The Transpeninsular Highway improvements, the potential for a closer regional airstrip, and the continued development of Costa Palmas Phase II all point to further appreciation

The bear case? Distance from the airport and town. The East Cape is genuinely remote compared to the Corridor. If walkability to restaurants and nightlife matters to you, this is the wrong product. But if you want world-class beach, boating, golf, and solitude with Four Seasons service, there is nothing else like it in the Americas at this price point.

Four Seasons vs. Amanvari at Costa Palmas

Buyers often ask me to compare the two branded options within Costa Palmas. Here is the honest breakdown:

Factor	Four Seasons Residences	Amanvari Residences
Entry price	~$1.95M	~$4M+
Top of range	$20M+	$25M+
Unit types	Casitas, villas, marina residences	Villas, estate homes
Rental program	Yes, active Four Seasons rental pool	Limited, Aman approach is more exclusive
Family-friendliness	Excellent — kids programs, pools, activities	More adult-oriented, serene
Marina access	Marina residences available	Community marina access, no marina-front units
Vibe	Polished luxury, social, resort energy	Minimalist, contemplative, ultra-private

My shorthand: Four Seasons for families and buyers who want resort energy with strong rental income. Amanvari for couples and individuals who want absolute privacy and are not concerned about rental returns. Both are world-class. The choice is lifestyle, not quality.

The Buying Process

Purchasing a Four Seasons residence at Costa Palmas follows the standard Mexico real estate process with a few branded-specific additions:

1. Initial consultation: Work with a licensed agent (not just the developer's sales team) to understand available inventory, pricing, and negotiation room
2. Fideicomiso setup: Foreign buyers purchase through a bank trust. Costa Palmas has established relationships with several trust banks, which streamlines the process
3. Purchase agreement: Standard Mexico purchase agreement with a deposit (typically 10–20%). Pre-construction units may have a staged payment schedule
4. Closing: Through a Mexican notario. Closing costs run 4–7% of the purchase price, including acquisition tax, notario fees, trust setup, and appraisal
5. Four Seasons onboarding: After closing, Four Seasons enrollment, management agreement, and (if desired) rental program enrollment

Timeline from first visit to keys: typically 60–90 days for a completed residence, 12–24 months for pre-construction delivery.

Who Is Buying at Four Seasons Costa Palmas

The buyer profile here is distinct from the Corridor. Based on the closings I have been involved with and the conversations I have with the Costa Palmas sales team, the typical buyer is:

• US-based, 45–65 years old, net worth $10M+
• Often a second or third home (primary in California, Texas, or the Mountain West; other vacation home in Aspen, Hawaii, or the Caribbean)
• Boat owner or aspiring boat owner — the marina is a major draw
• Family-oriented — grandkids, multigenerational trips
• Values privacy and space over proximity to town
• Willing to trade the Corridor's convenience for the East Cape's authenticity

I am also seeing a growing segment of younger tech and finance buyers in their late 30s and 40s who view Costa Palmas as the smart money play — buy early on the East Cape growth curve, use Four Seasons rental management to offset carrying costs, and watch the appreciation compound as the area matures.

The Bottom Line

The Four Seasons Private Residences at Costa Palmas represent the best value in branded ultra-luxury real estate in Los Cabos right now. You are getting Four Seasons-level product, management, and brand at 30–40% below Corridor pricing, on a swimmable beach with a private marina. The East Cape growth trajectory is established, the infrastructure is in place, and the supply is finite.

If you are considering a branded residence in Los Cabos and you have not driven out to Costa Palmas, you are making a decision with incomplete information. See it in person. Walk the beach. Tour the marina. Look at what your dollar buys here versus what it buys on the Corridor. Then decide.