Esperanza, An Auberge Resort

The thousand-square-foot conference room at Esperanza, an Auberge Resort bears a fitting name: Lands End. It views the Sea of Cortéz from a bluff at the very tip of Mexico's Baja peninsula. With just 57 casitas and luxury suites in 17 lushly landscaped acres, the resort invites groups to leave all cares behind and let the staff orchestrate their getaway to perfection.

Those with business on the agenda have conference and culinary teams to facilitate everything from meeting setups to beach barbecues and formal banquets. Between parties, restaurant dining takes place in four settings—including the main restaurant that serves a complimentary breakfast everyday. Other perks include iced refreshments and hand and foot massages by the pool, daily yoga classes at the spa, yoga mats and fitness DVDs in the rooms, fully loaded iPods for guests' use, even custom pet beds wrapped in Rivolta Carmignani Italian linen sheets.

The calendar brims with special opportunities, including Mexican wine and food pairings, tequila tastings, beach barbeques, cooking classes, Spanish lessons, and tours of the arts district of San José. The activities calendar perfectly balances a host of active pursuits, including golf at the four championship courses nearby, horseback riding in the desert, fishing in one of the world's great sportfishing destinations, sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, surfing, or watching the mother whales and their calves from Esperanza's privileged promontory above the sea.