Favorite Baja Stops: The Rosarito Beach Hotel

With the exception of our blogs on Tecate, most of what we write about Baja is well into the peninsula’s interior, far away from the touristy stuff clustered around Tijuana.  Today’s blog on the Rosarito Beach Hotel is an exception.  I love this place, and the beauty of it is that it’s only about 20 miles south of the border.  It will take you longer to get through Mexican Customs in TJ than it will to drive to the Rosarito Beach Hotel.

To get there from So Cal, just take I-5 south until you run out of road.  Before you cross the border, though, make sure your car or motorcycle has Mexican insurance (we always use BajaBound).  After you’ve crossed the border you’ll need to stop at the Mexican Customs office (it’s huge and you can’t miss it), get your paperwork squared away, and continue south.  Watch the signs for the toll road to Ensenada; that’s the road you want.  Driving through TJ isn’t too bad; once you’re on the toll road it’s a pleasant drive along the Pacific Coast and you’ll soon see signs for Rosarito Beach.  Watch for the Rosarito Beach Hotel sign, head east, and after a couple of blocks you will be at the hotel entrance.

The Rosarito Beach Hotel goes back to the 1920s when people like Clark Gable stayed there.  The bar is great, the restaurant is surprisingly good, their Sunday brunch is incredible (it’s worth the drive there just for that), and the first meal is on the house.  The rooms are modern and they are immaculate.  The grounds are beautiful and the hotel has secure parking.

Many times when we’re doing group rides, we’ll use the Rosarito Beach Hotel as a rally point after we’ve crossed the border.  It’s hard to miss when you’re on the toll road to Ensenada, and if your group gets separated in the complexity that is the Tijuana border area, the Rosarito Beach Hotel is a good place to meet.

As I mentioned above, the restaurant in the Rosarito Beach Hotel is good.  If you enjoy world-class fine dining, Susanna’s may well be the best kept secret in Rosarito Beach.  It’s just a bit north of the Rosarito Beach Hotel and within walking distance in the Pueblo Plaza courtyard collection of shops at Benito Juárez 4356 (walk north a block or two and turn right).   I have at least one dinner there every time I am in Rosarito Beach and I’ve never been disappointed.

There you have it:  The Rosarito Beach Hotel.  If you’d like to read more about our favorite spots in Baja and some of the fabulous rides we’ve enjoyed south of the border, please visit our Baja page!

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Headed into Baja?  Make sure you have Baja insurance (it’s required by Mexican law).  Our choice is always BajaBound!