There are many stages to falling in love. But at Las Ventanas al Paraiso, an exclusive boutique resort located in Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, there are only three: Meeting, Mating, and Living Happily After.

To be fair, our own love story was firmly established (my boyfriend Jay and I have been living together for two and a half years), so it was high time to spice up our own affair -- this time with a resort known for lulling its guests into a heightened state of passion, sensuality, and total tranquility. And while some say a new romance needs more time to flourish, five glorious days and six sultry nights was all the time we needed to fall madly, head over heels in love -- yes, with each other, but mostly with the resort.

They Meet
We've all heard of love at first sight, that magical moment when you see a stranger across a crowded room and you instantly just know. Well, that's exactly how our story started, except this time it was across a crowded airport terminal. Tired and cranky after a 4:30 AM alarm, connecting flights from New York, and long waiting times at the baggage claim, we exited the airport into a frenzied mob of men waving us into sardine-like cabs.

That's when it happened: Las Ventanas to the rescue. A man wearing an elegant uniform appeared as if from out of nowhere, recognized us instantly across the crowded terminal, and escorted us into the safe confines of the hotel's roomy SUV, where bottled water, chilled lemon-scented towlets, and Evian water misters awaited our arrival.

From the start, the chemistry between us and Las Ventanas was undeniable. Once we arrived at the gracious entry, the pristine white stucco, Mediterranean architecture, walking paths laid over pools of water, and warm greeting from Marianne (the hotel's "romance director") enveloped us into a blissful embrace.

As we were led to our suite housed in an adobe-style casita, we could feel that this was the start of something special.

Our new love nest was a sprawling 950 square feet, with soaring 15 foot ceilings, inlaid mosaics, and oversized double doors leading to a private terrace with Jacuzzi that overlooked a startling expanse of sea, sand, and a manicured golf course.

Of course, true love needs no grand gestures to bloom, and it was the smaller details -- the daybed on our rooftop terrace, the complimentary bottle of tequila, the indoor wood-burning fireplace, and the telescope promising deep long gazes into the eye of the Sea of Cortez. -- that really won us over.

They Mate
With such an auspicious start to our love affair, it was only a matter of time until we consummated our relationship. After taking in the tangerine sunrise and a hearty breakfast of Chile Relleno on our private terrace, we soon discovered that by day, all activity at Las Ventanas centers around the pool. Even die hard ocean lovers don't miss the beach after a day of lazing and pampering Las Ventanas-style.

"May I repair your sunglasses," Edgar, the pool butler, asked Jay.
"Oh no, I got it." Though he had been fiddling with the glasses for a good ten minutes, Jay still protested. He was not yet accustomed to the extreme level of service that Las Ventanas was known for.

"No, no, I insist," Edgar pressed, and in two minutes the glasses were handed back good as new.

With pool attendants awaiting the smallest cue from guests to jump into action, every wish is your command. Entering the gracious pool area, a butler introduces himself, produces fresh towels, prepares a complimentary bucket of ice water with Evian body misters, and situates your chair in whatever direction the sun shines brightest.

Once happily settled, we plunged into the infinity pool that seemed to stretch into the cobalt blue of the sea. Refreshing enough to cool us off after an hour in the sun and warm enough to sit and read in, we were hard pressed to get out of the pool at all. Luckily, the butlers carrying refreshments don't wait for you to dry off before proffering a variety of treats, including mango and strawberry sorbet in chocolate cups, lemongrass ice pops, and citrus lemonade.

Later in the day, as we reclined blissfully in the comfortable loungers, our butler presented a trayful of preloaded iPods, full of 1000 songs all with some variation on romance - proof once again that at Las Ventanas there is never a shortage of ways to say "I love you."

They Live Happily Ever After
After a fateful first meeting and a sensual melding by the pool, it was time to find out whether this relationship had a future. So what better way to do that than by sampling some of the culinary offerings?

Our first sense that something serious was brewing was our visit to the Sea Grill, the "casual" eatery by the beach. And when I say casual, rest assured there is nothing informal about its level of service or the quality of the Baja-Mediterranean cuisine. A lobster salad with apples and an assortment of Mexican Tapas started the meal on a high note, while the sumptuous Cabrilla (sea bass) and shrimp fajitas left us wanting more. And for dessert? A Crème Brulee with a soothing, rich blend of chocolate and caramelized bananas was lust at first bite. Forget love affair, this was quickly turning into an all-out obsession.

The next night, the ultimate bonding experience was had at the Thursday night Taste of Baja Dinner at Executive Chef Michel Gehrig's private table located in the gothic cellar La Cava. With 5 courses, 3 couples, and 6 waiters, we were no match for the gastronomic delights that awaited us.

But it was on our third night, at the simply named "The Restaurant" where we established a deeper level of intimacy during the flawless dinner arranged by our waiter Daniel. Sensing our indecision about what to order, he asked if we would allow him to surprise us. By now we were so good at letting Las Ventanas take the lead, we didn't even think twice. And as we finished one of the one most creative and well-orchestrated meals of our vacation -- complete with wine pairing, after-dinner drinks, and two live guitarists serenading us - there was no doubt that this was truly a match made in heaven.

Since parting is always considered such sweet sorrow, the staff went out of their way to ensure that this love story had a happy ending. Only at Las Ventanas is the departure as pleasant as the arrival. The hotel arranged our airport transport in a Silver Mercedes S500 Sedan, where a pre-ordered in-flight gourmet lunch awaited. Once at the terminal, we were escorted by the hotel's personal airline concierge who whisked us to the front of the long line and made checking in a breeze. The only question was: How would we live happily ever after if we were about to part? The answer was simple. Like most of Las Ventanas' guests, we swore our undying affection, promising to return again and again.