The dream of tourism in Cabos San Lucas that led to the Grand Solmar and Rancho San Lucas was formed in the 1950s by Don Luis Bulnes Molleda who managed a small local tuna category when he arrived. His legacy includes the first fire department, nursing home for the elderly and the Solmar Foundation being created in 2011 in his honor. He is heralded with a statue at the marina in Cabo San Lucas.

Bulnes created the Solmar Hotel and Resort Group in Cabo San Lucas, which built a series of hotels and restauants including Romeo & Julieta in Cabo San Lucas. The group later built the Grand Solmar Lands End Resort and Spa on the Pacific from three small houses that had been rented. When Luis Bulnes passed away in 2011, his son Francisco (Paco) took the reins of the company’s development projects. The land for Rancho San Lucas was purchased decades ago with the vision for a large resort and residential community on the northern edge of Cabo San Lucas.With 1.2 miles of beautiful sandy beach and gentle-sloping land that provides views of the Pacific Ocean, it was a perfect place for a new development. Solmar partnered with Greg Norman to create the golf course and Greg Norman Estates within Rancho San Lucas. After Paco’s unexpected passing at 61 years of age in 2021, his sister Charo Bulnes took on the responsibility for the development of real estate for Solmar Hotels and Resorts.

I recently visited Rancho San Lucas and met with Kris Schneider of CK Ware, the company that represents the real estate for an interview and tour of the development. CK Ware’s real estate office is in the clubhouse of the Greg Norman Signature Golf Course at Rancho San Lucas. On the wall of the office is a map that shows the vision for the overall development, which currently includes a Solmar Hotel, with four restaurants on the beach, the Greg Norman Signature Golf course, Greg Norman Estates, a gated community, oceanview villas and custom homes, and miles of scenic hiking and biking trails throughout the development. However, the vision goes way beyond the current state of development including an outdoor experiences area, a potential wellness center with residences, a second beachfront hotel and resort, shopping and more. One of Solmar’s restaurants, Picaro is just outside the main gates to Rancho San Lucas.

Three dimensional models of two of the homes being built in Phase 3 of the residential area of Rancho San Lucas are shown in the CK Ware showroom – the Perla and Reina Models. The Perla Model has 4 bedrooms and 4.5 baths with just over 3,000 square feet of air-conditioned space. The Reina Model has 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths with just under 3,000 AC square feet and the Margarita Model also has 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths with just under 2,000 square feet. There are also Golf Villas with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths with approximately 1,500 AC square feet. The outdoor amenities are beautiful in each of these models as are the custom finishes in each. The prices range from $689,000 to over $2.7 million for the largest villa model. The custom homes in the Greg Normal Estates range from $9 million to over $15 million.