Ixtapa Information, please!

Old Jun 27th, 1998, 02:38 AM
  #1  
Kimberly
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Ixtapa Information, please!

My husband and I are going to Ixtapa in July and we need some information on the area. We have been to Mexico before (PV, Cancun and Huatulco), but know virtually nothing about Ixtapa. We have not been very lucky with finding a lot of information on the internet. Thanks for the help.

 
Old Jun 27th, 1998, 09:18 AM
  #2  
russ maki
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Ixtapa is a little Cancun, with a very modern hotel strip and little else. Nearby, Zihuatanejo offers a lot more personality -- beautiful harbor and a real town, not just a gaggle of restaurants, bars and souvenir shops.
It also has the nicest beaches, particularly Playa la Ropa. The surf rolls in pretty energetically along the Ixtapa beaches.
Some nice, small, upscale hotels have opened fairly recently at Zihua. It's always been a great retreat for the budget traveler.
Hope this helps!
 
Old Jun 28th, 1998, 01:18 PM
  #3  
Kimberly
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Thanks for the information. Any suggestions on hotels in Ixtapa.
 
Old Jul 2nd, 1998, 09:35 AM
  #4  
Cathy
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I stayed in Ixtapa about eight years ago, so my info is not too timely. I spent a week at the Krystal Ixtapa. The place was gorgeous, the beach beautiful. The rooms open on an inside court all the way to the ceiling so it really has a spacious feeling. One of the best things was that they had a musical interlude every night at cocktail time in the lobby, and the tropical music filtered up past all the rooms. It was very romantic and wonderful!
They had a nice place for early dancing in another part of the lobby and, of course, their disco Christine outside as you walk into the hotel. Maybe other people have had experiences there in the not too distant past they can share with you. Have a great trip!
 
Old Jul 7th, 1998, 01:14 PM
  #5  
Janet DiVincenzo
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Kimberly, if you haven't already left for Ixtapa, feel free to e-mail me personally (I don't check this forum too often). I would be delighted to recommend in great detail the Westin Las Brisas, Ixtapa. It is the only hotel worth staying at in Ixtapa, IMHO.
 
Old Jul 9th, 1998, 08:05 AM
  #6  
Janet DiVincenzo
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I’m glad to evangelize in favor of the Westin Las Brisas/Ixtapa. It is truly a gem. It is listed as one of the most romantic hotels in Mexico. My husband and I have stayed there twice and I think it remains one of our favorite hotels anywhere. It is the complete absence of "tackiness." The architecture of the place is just incredible. It is open air just about everywhere you are.

Now, mind you, the rooms are not "fancy" but they have everything you need for a beach hotel. Nice verandas (lanais) with both unshaded and shaded areas with furniture (good for room service breakfasts) and hammocks. Spectacular views. Ceiling fans. Tile bathrooms.

Here’s one kinda weird thing: you take an elevator to the beach. The property, which was chosen by the architect from the vantage point of a boat on the sea, is on the slope of a hill. So the main entrance is about the 10th floor. Insist on as high a floor as you can get. You can walk on a beautifully landscaped path to the beach, but if you lug half the gear we do to the beach, this becomes less practical. There are also rooms with their own mini-pools/hot tubs on the verandas, which look to be a terrific splurge!

The swimming pools are also the absence of tackiness. Very minimalist and austere. Pool service is excellent. If you are travelling without kids, make sure the hotel enforces the one adults-only pool. The views of the beach/sea from the pools are incomparable.

The two fancy restaurants in the hotel (one Mexican, the other Italian) are both exceptional by our very high standards. The breakfast buffet in the main restaurant is expensive but lavish with Mexican specialities, too. That’s another thing I like about this hotel – it’s not just crawling with Americans. I think there were at least as many Mexican families/couples as foreigners.

One last thing about the beach – it is in its own cove, so you can’t walk to the strip hotels down the road. This has its pluses and minuses, of course. It isn’t a large beach, so "long walks" are out of the question.

The thing about the other hotels on the "strip" is that they are large character-less warehouses of tourists. We walked down there and had a drink at one of those places and the atmosphere was SO different from the Westin it was unbelievable. I guess if I were traveling with a bunch of kids I might stay in those places. The pools feature loud music, lotsa inflatable kid’s toys, and children everywhere. Not my cup of tea.

So, when I think about returning to Ixtapa, it isn’t for Ixtapa’s sake, which has little to offer us. It is only for the aesthetic beauty of the Westin and its environs. The rest of Ixtapa is a miniature, slightly more upscale, Cancun.

 
Old Jul 13th, 1998, 06:35 PM
  #7  
Pam
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I tend to disagree with the people who have stayed at the Westin Briass. Granted it's a huge hotel on its own beach with extremely high prices. the pool at Presidente Inter-Continental does not have a lot of inflatable toys for the kids, it's not extremely loud, nor is it an eye sore. We have stayed at the Presidente before (3 years ago) and this wonderful establishment has everything to offer a family. Granted, its in the heart of the hotel zone, but you'd never know it. It is an all-inclusive resort with good food, a great staff and spacious rooms. Hubby and I are going back to this resort in February, out of all the places that we have gone in the southern caribbean, this is our favorite. We have been to Sandals in Ocho Rios which was romantic, but expensive. Try the Presidente, I guarantee you that you won't be disappointed. The open air markets of Ixtapa and Zihua are alone in themselves, an experience you don't want to miss. You are within walking distance of just about everything, other than the short cab ride to Zihua. If you'd like more info., feel free to email me.
 
Old Jul 14th, 1998, 06:17 PM
  #8  
chris
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i agree with patty have stayed at Presidente two times veryenjoyable and would do it again take the day trip out to the island out from club med a niceway to spend a day snorkling of course Zihuatena is the real place to see
 
Old Aug 28th, 1998, 05:51 PM
  #9  
Molly
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I strongly recomend the westin las brisas. the people there are very friendly and the view is terrific.
 
Old Sep 16th, 1998, 08:48 AM
  #10  
Eric
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I'll be staying at the Presidente in early December, and would like to know more about the food... all-inclusive always makes you wonder about the quality! Is the food good, or is it worth it to get out of the hotel for a meal nearby?
 
Old Sep 23rd, 1998, 03:38 PM
  #11  
lynne
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I stayed at Club Med Ixtapa about 9 years ago...it was one of my best vacations ever!! It (was) away from the rest of the hotels but we took a taxi into town in the evening and went to Christine's for dancing. I think being away from the hotel strip is a huge plus!! Zihuantanejo was wonderful...of course I don't know what it is like now. By the way the best feature....sunsets and classical music to watch them by...very romantic!
 

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