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Destination: Acapulco's Second Act
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Mexico's original beach town reclaims its old-school allure with fresh cuisine and a sleek new 'hood
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BY MARIBETH MELLIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON VARNEY
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| Suites at Las Brisas; a ceviche tostada at the Hotel Encanto’s Flor de Mar 360°; dancing to Cuban music at Mojito. |
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Long before Cancún or Los Cabos or the Riviera Maya were even specks on the tourist map, Acapulco reigned as Mexico’s coastal queen. The crescent shores of Acapulco Bay, backed by the dramatic green Sierra Madre, first caught Hollywood’s eye when Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth arrived to film The Lady from Shanghai in 1947. Then Errol Flynn and John Wayne were spotted dancing on the sand; John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned here in 1953; and Bill and Hillary Clinton did the same in 1975.
The 1960s and ’70s brought a burst of development on the bay’s central coast, scattering high-rise hotels and discos along Costera Miguel Alemán, the main drag. The original Hollywood hideaways in Old Acapulco faded into obscurity as celebs commissioned villas on the jungle-clad hillsides. Newer beach destinations claimed Mexico’s limelight over time and Acapulco became known as a party town for cruise-ship day-trippers and travelers with modest budgets. But now the queen is undergoing an exciting renaissance. Acapulqueños are working to restore Old Acapulco and the Costera, and posh resorts and malls are rising in the newest neighborhood, Acapulco Diamante. The result is a thoroughly modern vacation destination rich in culture and history. Now is the time to visit—or revisit—the place where Mexico’s tourism fame was born.
OLD ACAPULCO
In the early Hollywood days, Playa Caleta and Playa Caletilla, on the western shores of Acapulco Bay, saw the most action. Today, the ’50s have returned with the restoration of the beachfront Hotel Boca Chica, which reopened this past March. The designers faithfully retained the mid-century architecture, painted the walls mint green, and added lipstick-red furnishings and the tiny Coco Wash disco, which has become the hippest hangout in town. Chef Keisuke Harada creates platters of sushi and Kobe burgers for happy hordes at the hotel’s restaurants; on weekends, locals pull their yachts up to the dock and linger for hours over mescal ’tinis.
With Boca Chica grabbing attention, travelers are also being lured to the palapa-shaded fish shacks on Playa Caletilla. Here families gather beneath blue umbrellas, and water taxis take swimmers to the clear waters off Isla Roqueta, just 10 minutes away. At the nearby Plaza Alvarez (also called the zócalo), elderly gents study their newspapers at sidewalk cafés as kids scamper around the filigreed bandstand. Across the street, fishermen lay out their nets beside docks where party boats collect passengers for sunset sailings.
Acapulco’s history comes alive at the star-shaped stone San Diego Fort, first constructed to protect the bay in 1616. A short walk from the plaza, the fort has a museum that traces the city’s role as a major trading port between Asia and the Americas. (Its cannons now happen to point at the cruise-ship port.) In the winding streets high above Old Acapulco, sightseers gather at La Quebrada to witness the famed clavadistas, or cliff divers. During the show, a lone diver poses atop a jagged, precipitous cliff. Below, waves crash against rocks before settling into a small swirling pool. In the blink of an eye, the diver swoops toward the sea. Onlookers applaud as he emerges from the water, and another duplicates his feat.
THE COSTERA
Parasailers float high above the banana boats and waveriders off the crowded beaches of the Costera, also called the Golden Zone. High-rise hotels line these party-hearty sands where the screams of bungee jumpers compete with the rock beats emanating from beach bars. The action doesn’t really pick up until noon or so, since many hotel guests have danced long after midnight; for them, mornings are reserved for rest.
But most visitors devote the sunlight hours to lounging poolside, browsing in arcades and malls and playing in the bay. Pint-sized fun-seekers enjoy the rides at Papagayo Park and the waterslides at CICI waterpark. Those recovering from la cruda (hangover) down healthful smoothies at 100% Natural (34 Costera Miguel Alemán; 011-52-744-484-8440).
As evening sets in, families head to the Hard Rock Cafe for burgers and ribs. Partygoers seek out tables at Paradise or Beto’s, among the best of the clubs on the sand, or retire to high-end restaurants and discos in the hills. Horse-drawn calesas (carriages) clomp along the Costera, delivering dancers to Baby ’O, one of the best-known discos. And fireworks and laser beams shoot over the bay from the hilltop clubs until dawn.
ACAPULCO DIAMANTE
Perhaps the best evidence of Acapulco’s resurgence lies in the burgeoning Diamante neighborhood. Stretching from the Costera up the steep, winding Scenic Highway, Diamante has legendary discos, championship golf courses, lavish resorts, a concert hall and a shiny new mall.
Las Brisas, a hillside hotel with 205 pools (one beside almost every villa) and a fleet of pink-and-white Jeeps, marks the entrance to some of Acapulco’s wealthiest neighborhoods, where celebs gather at plush villas overlooking Acapulco Bay. Paladium, long considered Acapulco’s glitziest disco, and several high-end restaurants are clustered around Las Brisas, and unmarked driveways lead to exclusive enclaves.
Of late, the most exciting action is in Diamante’s Puerto Marqués area, where the Fairmont Princess Hotel is opening a Lorena Ochoa Golf Academy at its new Turtle Dunes Country Club. The luxurious Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués just opened in April, with 47 villas above a small bay. Saffron, the hotel’s Thai restaurant, has the hottest tables around, set in a tiered open-air room with stunning ocean views. On a nearby hilltop, the sleek new Hotel Encanto draws a chic crowd with its eerie blue and purple lights swirling about angular walls, and pools framed by couches and beds. The lounge throbs with African rhythms into the night.
Several large timeshare resorts are also found on the beaches of Acapulco Diamante, close to attractions like the new La Isla shopping center at Punta Diamante, which has lured some of the Costera’s well-known establishments (including the family-friendly yet rowdy Carlos’n Charlie’s). Kids can head to the mall’s Aqua Planet, with bumper boats and mini-golf, as well as displays that teach about water conservation. And at Mundo Imperial, an enormous development with a convention center and hotel, the stars of today appear at the Forum, a state-of-the-art concert hall. With the three sides of Acapulco all in a state of transformation, Mexico’s coastal queen is once again the biggest star on the map.
EAT
FLOR DE MAR 360°
Seasonal Mexican-Asian fusion on a terrace
at the Hotel Encanto. 51 Jacques Cousteau;
011-52-744-434-0100; dinner for two, $90*
SAFFRON
Thai-inspired cuisine in a sophisticated setting
at the Banyan Tree resort. Lote 1, Blvd. Cabo
Marqués, Acapulco Diamante;
011-52-744-434-0100; dinner for two, $100
LA CABAÑA DE CALETA
Ceviche and grilled snapper at beachfront
palapas in Old Acapulco. East Playa Caleta;
011-52-744-482-5007; lunch for two, $30
EL ZORRITO
Spicy tacos, pozole and chilaquiles served at
sidewalk tables. 186 Costera Miguel Alemán;
011-52-744-485-3735; lunch for two, $15
*Prices are in USD, and cover a meal for two
without drinks, tax or tip.
STAY
RCI-affiliated resorts in Acapulco include:
THE GRAND MAYAN ACAPULCO
A spa, 18-hole golf course, kids’ club, 12 tennis
courts and one of the largest swimming pools in
Latin America, with waterfalls and slides, will
keep the whole family entertained. 1121 Avda.
Costera de las Palmas, Playa Diamante
Member Reviews:
“An absolutely beautiful resort.”
“One of the fun features was a tiled plunge
pool on the balcony.”
“Two for one margaritas every day were fun.”
“Activities daily such as volleyball, soccer,
bingo, kayak races and beer-drinking contests.”
MAYAN PALACE ACAPULCO
This resort shares the amenities of The Grand
Mayan Acapulco. 1121 Avda. Costera de las
Palmas, Playa Diamante
Member Reviews:
“The grounds are beautiful and the restaurants
were good.”
“Lush landscapes, breathtaking views, marble
floors, a ‘Mayan’ theme and a pool and beach
that do not disappoint.”
“Took in a great dinner show at the resort.”
“Everything is offered at the resort so you don’t
have to leave.”
MAYAN SEA GARDEN ACAPULCO
This resort shares the amenities of The Grand
Mayan Acapulco and Mayan Palace
Acapulco. 1121 Avda. Costera de las Palmas,
Playa Diamante
Member Reviews:
“Bakal restaurant is fabulous and the spa
a delight.”
“Very family-friendly place, close to a
small grocery store and across the road
from the beach.”
FIESTA AMERICANA CONDESA ACAPULCO
A beachside high-rise with brilliant views of the
bay. The resort has three pools and restaurants;
bars, clubs and other amenities are found in the
nearby downtown area. 97 Avda. Costera Miguel
Aleman, El Farallon
For more information, including complete
member reviews (as member reviews have
been condensed), visit RCI.com or call
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476
Club Members, please call your specific
Club or RCI telephone number.
NON-RCI-AFFILIATED RESORTS:
BANYAN TREE CABO MARQUÉS
Asian-inspired villas with private pools, plus
a superb spa and restaurants. Lote 1, Blvd.
Cabo Marqués; 011-52-744-434-0100;
banyantree.com; doubles from $520 per night
HOTEL BOCA CHICA
Campy and fun remake of a ’50s classic in
Old Acapulco, designed for the young at heart.
Playa Caletilla; 011-52-744-482-7879;
hotel-bocachica.com; doubles from $120 per night
HOTEL ENCANTO
Sleek design complements chic guests in
modernist buildings high above the bay. 51
Jacques Cousteau; 011-52-744-446-7101;
hotelencanto.com.mx; doubles from $250 per night
LAS BRISAS
Romantic pink-and-white villas are tucked
amid gardens. Carretera Escénica 5255;
011-52-744-469-6900; brisashotelonline.com;
doubles from $254 per night
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: Winter 2010-2011
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