Waterfront properties have always been in high demand, but luxury marina-front property that offer a slip large enough to dock bigger vessels—including yachts—are even rarer.
If you’re just beginning your search for luxury real estate boasting room for your yacht, it can be a challenging process. First, consider these eight features yachters should look for in a marina-front property. If all of your boxes aren’t checked after doing your initial search, don’t settle. Your perfect home will leave you equally content on land or sea.
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1. A private slip steps from your property
If you plan to spend a lot of time on the water, the proximity of your slip should play a major factor in choosing your home. Look for something that’s just steps from your residence, which will offer convenience when you’re carrying supplies to and from the waterfront or disembarking after a long voyage at sea.
Depending on the size of your craft, you’ll need to ensure the slip is big enough. At Costa Palmas Marina Village in Los Cabos, for example, the semi-private, full-service port accommodates more than 200 sailboats, fishing vessels, and yachts. Private docks, which can house two boats or yachts up to 230 feet long, are located just steps from the residence.
Marina-front property owners in Costa Palmas also have access to yacht maintenance, dry storage, and fueling services.
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2. A members-only yacht club
Some marina-front properties include the option to join the local beach and yacht club. These members-only communities provide exclusive access to amenities that range from private swimmable beaches and pools, games and activities, seaside bars, and food prepared by world-class chefs.
Look for yacht clubs that offer vertical memberships—extended privileges for the entire family to ensure your legacy purchase can be appreciated by all the ocean enthusiasts in your lineage.
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3. A marina-based community
Beyond just simply having a place to park your yacht between voyages, a marina can provide a sense of community. Imagine enjoying world-class dining in a courtyard by the ocean, eating seafood caught just minutes before. Or being able to stock up on freshly baked bread and local coffee at an open-air shop before heading out on your next adventure at sea. Take a short stroll from your marina villa to meet up with friends for a nightcap at an outdoor lounge as you point out the constellations and talk about your scuba adventures. Or grab a sun hat or artisan lotion from a curated retail boutique before you board your neighbor’s sailboat.
The marina village you call home should feel like a vibrant hub of activity, balanced with both convenience and ambiance.
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4. Customizable homes
Providing a seamless connection to the ocean is no doubt a sought-after amenity for yacht owners. But you won’t be living on your vessel 24/7 and your home should provide more than just adequate accommodations for respite between seafaring adventures.
Marina-front properties that allow for customization ensure you’ll be lacking for nothing—whether this is your main residence or third home. Features such as outdoor kitchens, sunken pools, firepits, and outdoor living spaces can allow for relaxation, fun, and entertaining options.
Customization also gives you room to design your living space according to your tastes and personality with no risk of a cookie-cutter villa. Choose the square footage you’ll need based on the size of your family, frequency of guests, and special usage needs (e.g., home office or media room). From the layout and color palettes to the furniture and appliances, your marina-front property can—and should—reflect everything you want in a home.
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5. Access to luxury resort privileges
Luxury resort living does come with its own host of benefits.
Marina-front resort properties often come with access to premier facilities and services. Think housekeeping, on-site security, personal concierge services, designer golf courses, spas, sports facilities, and high-end dining driven by world-renowned chefs.
If you have children or grandchildren, look into marina-front resort properties that offer chaperoned activities, excursions and youth-focused clubhouses.
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6. Proximity to airport
Not everyone who owns a sea-faring vessel travels by ocean to get to their destination. Some yacht-owners prefer to travel to and from their destination by air and save their sea legs for shorter voyages.
Look for a marina-front property that provides easy access to an airport with both commercial flights and private jet service. After all, luxury living shouldn’t require a four-hour car ride to get to your waterfront residence.
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7. Access to arts and culture, nightlife, and luxury shopping
Anyone choosing a luxury marina-front residence is likely to divide their time between land and sea. But there’s exploration and fun to be had beyond your resort’s property line.
Do some research to confirm there’s enough nightlife, luxury shopping, and arts and cultural attractions within a short drive to keep your interest.
In Cabo’s East Cape, for example, marina-front property owners in Costa Palmas are just a short drive from bustling cities like Cabo San Lucas and artsy towns like San Jose del Cabo.
The area has been designed and developed to accommodate the wealthy elite, not college-aged tourists. Fine dining, art galleries, clubs, and shopping plazas with high-end brands provide modern amenities, while the museums, open-air markets, and local artisans provide more authentic samplings of the native culture and history of the region.
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8. Near-perfect weather all year round
Yachts aren’t exactly a fast or affordable means of transportation. They’re designed for luxury and to make the most of your ocean adventures, you’ll want to choose a destination that boasts maximum sunshine.
Look for destinations with little rain, calm seas, and water that’s warm enough to swim year-round. The warm weather will also provide opportunities to view aquatic mammals, engage in some sport fishing, and experience a variety of water sports—like kite sailing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and scuba diving.