Villa Santa Cruz reflects the collective vision and efforts of two families, The Canepas & The Marreros. For us, the Villa is more than a hotel, it is home to our families and pets, and the place where our personal and professional lives intertwine into one. We feel a magic here – a sacred bond to the sand, surf and canopy of stars – and we invite you to share that with us and create your own connection to this beautiful place.

In 2001, during a journey to Baja, Matt discovered this stretch of raw land and knew it was special. It was his chance to own a “piece of the Pacific” and so, with no plan in hand, he bought 40+ acres and began to build a hacienda-style Villa that paid homage to Mexico’s rich architectural history. He lived off-grid in a trailer on the dune through hurricanes and farming disasters and trying to learn Spanish from audio tapes.

In 2006, Jessica visited Todos Santos with her family and fell in love with Matt and the land. A year later they were engaged in the Crow’s Nest of the Palapa and married on the Villa’s Roof Terrace in 2009. They officially opened as a bed and breakfast and wedding venue in 2011 and shortly thereafter started to grow their family with Cruise and Lila.

In 2015, Joyce and Guillermo first experienced the warmth of Villa Santa Cruz as guests, striking up a friendship with Matt over breakfast each morning. Drawn to the quiet beauty of the property and its remote location on the beach, they returned year after year, often with their two sons, Emilio and Milan. With every return visit, the two families uncovered shared values and a common vision for the future of the property. In March 2020, just weeks before the pandemic, Guillermo and Joyce joined Matt and Jessica as co-owners of Villa Santa Cruz and The Green Room.

Facing unprecedented times in 2020, the four of us decided the best path forward was to lean into the downtime and expand the property. Our goal was to elevate the guest experience, enhance the landscape, and convert the property into a luxury boutique hotel. We began with the design and build of the Tented Ocean Suites and the remodel of the North Villa, converting it from a private home into three additional hotel rooms. From there, we added the arrival court and new entry, the lake, farm, new reception, and redesigned and upgraded the Main Villa Rooms & Bungalows. In 2022 – 2023, we took on the biggest project to date – adding eight Rooftop Villas in the center of the property that surround a new 25 meter lap pool. To close out 2024, we added Rancho Santa Cruz stables with 6 horses to start and our newest restaurant, Caracara.