Acre Resort in San José del Cabo is marking its 10th anniversary this year with a round of new additions: a four-cabin spa opening this summer, a private tasting-menu dining room called Nido, and a seasonal mango menu running through August. The property, which Canadian founders Cameron Watt and Stuart McPherson built on a former 25-acre mango orchard in the foothills outside town, has grown from a single restaurant into a 29-room resort with a Michelin Green Star for sustainability.
From Mango Orchard to Michelin Green Star Since 2016
Watt and McPherson arrived in Los Cabos on vacation and stayed. They acquired a parcel with 102 mango trees tended by a local family, then opened Acre Restaurant and Cocktail Bar in 2016. The accommodations came later: 13 treehouses perched in the palm canopy, 10 haciendas and six jungle villas spread across the grounds.
The property earned its first Michelin Green Star in 2024, a distinction the Michelin Guide awards to restaurants committed to sustainable practices. Acre has held it each year since. The on-site organic farm grows more than 60 varieties of produce, from citrus and tomatoes to peppers and fresh herbs. Over 150 mango trees now stand on the property, up from the original 102.
Emilio González, the resort’s accommodations director, joined as a 21-year-old concierge five years ago. He told interviewers that the treehouses were inspired by the founders’ childhood dream of having their own treehouse. Each of the 13 units has a king bed, en suite bathroom, private terrace with an open-air shower and no television. The design is intentional: guests are meant to unplug.
The culinary program is now led by chefs David Fajardo and Maycoll Calderón. The kitchen sources meat and seafood from Mexican producers including Santo Mar and Santa Maria, alongside New York-based Pat LaFrieda. The bar uses a zero-waste approach called “Sips from the Orchard,” repurposing fruit peels, leaves and spent ingredients through fermentation and shrubs.
Tranquilo Spa, Nido and a Mango Menu Open This Summer
The headline addition for 2026 is Tranquilo Spa, set to open this summer with four treatment cabins and a signature wet room. The treatment menu includes massages, body wraps, scrubs and a two-hour “Nopal Detox” ritual using organic nopal cactus harvested on site. Other treatments will use ingredients from the orchard.
Nido, a new intimate dining space, will seat couples and small groups of up to six guests. It will offer a five-course tasting menu. No opening date or pricing has been announced yet, but it is expected before the fall season.
Through August, the kitchen is running a mango-inspired menu built around fruit from Acre’s own trees. The bar is pouring a limited-edition cocktail called The Perfect Ten, made with La Tierra de Acre mango mezcal (produced from the property’s mangoes), on-site honey, a honey and turmeric shrub, and sparkling wine.
The resort’s summer calendar also includes an eight-course Baja-inspired brunch with live music and craft cocktails. Taco Tuesdays have returned with bottomless tacos. In August, a “Farm Dog Taco” will join the Taco Tuesday menu for National Dog Month, with a portion of proceeds going to Acre Dogs, the on-site rescue program.
Acre Dogs Has Placed Hundreds of Rescues Since 2017
The dog rescue program started when co-founder Cameron Watt’s daughter, Rachael, began bringing lost and injured animals to the property. By 2017, the effort had formalized as Acre Dogs, operated in partnership with Acre Animal Rescue. The program has since placed hundreds of rescued dogs with adopters across North America. Guests can walk adoptable dogs around the property and help socialize them during their stay.
Beyond the dogs, the property functions as a small animal sanctuary. Goats, among other animals, roam the grounds. The sanctuary grew organically alongside the resort, according to González.
Workshops, Día de Muertos and the Fall Rústico Season
Acre Academy, the resort’s workshop program, is open to both guests and locals in San José del Cabo. Current offerings include cooking classes with the kitchen team, mixology sessions, pottery, jewelry making, candle making, Huichol art, textile painting and organic cosmetics workshops. Monthly wellness days now bundle yoga, cold plunge, massages and brunch into a full-day package.
The fall calendar brings several events. A Halloween Dog Costume Contest is scheduled for Oct. 31, with festive food and photo opportunities. On Nov. 1, the property hosts its annual Día de Muertos celebration, transforming the grounds with traditional altars, marigolds, papel picado (perforated decorative paper) and themed cocktails.
Rústico, the resort’s outdoor dining experience set in a circular garden, reopens for the season in November. It operates as a prix-fixe dinner with cocktails made from ingredients grown steps away. The space also hosts rotating pop-up dinners with visiting chefs and winemakers throughout the season.
Acre Resort sits in the foothills east of downtown San José del Cabo, about 15 minutes from the town center. Reservations for the restaurant, workshops and accommodations are available through the resort’s website. This story was first reported by Mexico News Daily.