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Killer Views Can Be Found on The Ground Floor at Club Med Ixtapa Pacific

Where: PLAYA QUIETA, Ixtapa, Mexico, 40880

Last week we gave a rundown of the major tranformation at Club Med Ixtapa Pacific in Mexico, where the rooms are now downright swanky and an air of stylishness raises the resort above the usual all-inclusive standards.

As with many of these low-rise resorts spread over many acres, rooms in some buildings don't have a view. If you want to be able to look out at the ocean from your room and not just the public areas, pay up for one in the Cielo building.

The shot here is from the balcony of 3010 at ground level. With these you can walk right out and be in the surf in seconds. Or you can lie back on one of the many shaded beds pictured here. No extra charge for that and soon a waiter will come by proffering cocktails.

The suites have double the space, a whirlpool tub, and a furnished balcony, but all the rooms in the Cielo building come with views of sand, surf, and a distant island in the bay.

Tags: Zihuatanejo Hotel Guide / Mexico Hotels / Killer View / Movie Set Hotels / Honeymoon Hotels / → All Tags

Zihuatanejo Hotel Rundown: Casa que Canta

Where: Camino Escenico a Playa la Ropa, Zihuatanejo, Mexico, 40880

Once again, HotelChatter contributing editor Tim Leffel is moving around. He's left Acapulco for Zihuatanejo, Mexico where's he scoping out the burgeoning hotel scene. If you have a question about where to stay in Acapulco or Zihuatanejo, hit us on the tipline, or just comment below, and we will do our best to get you some sort of answer. Enjoy.

The Tides may be the best place to stay on the beach in Zihuatanejo, but Casa que Canta continually tops readers' polls each year, nabbing the #1 spot for Mexico in both T&L and Conde Nast Traveler in '06. It's a favorite with honeymooners and those looking for a romantic escape that will impress their significant other.

The hotel made an appearance in the Meg Ryan/Andy Garcia movie When a Man Loves a Woman and recently got lots of play as the place hosting Samantha Brown on her Latin America Travel Channel show.

So what's all the fuss about? Dramatic architecture and killer views in every direction for a start, plus waves crashing against the rocks to lull you to sleep at night. Throw in an impressive infinity pool looking out at the bay and another one on the cliffside (pictured here). Then wrap it up with personalized service from a staff used to catering to the rich and picky. If you're celebrating a special occasion, they'll set up a candlelit dinner on one of the many small terraces dotted around the cliffs.

This is not a place for those with mobility issues--expect to be climbing a lot of stairs--but when you get back to your room it's a welcoming place to hang. Each is spacious and has a private furnished balcony or terrace mostly shielded from the view of others. The swanky marble baths have toiletries in clay pots. (As in no plastic to throw into a landfill.) Some suites have a hammock in addition to cushioned chaises and a dining set. The master suites are a bit larger and add a private pool.

None of this comes cheap of course: official rates start at $435 in the rainy season and bump up close to a grand for the largest suite. If you're not staying here, don't expect to be able to just pop by for a drink though. The hotel grounds are restricted to guests except for dinner.

Related Stories:
· Zihuatanejo Hotel Guide [HotelChatter]
· Acapulco Hotel Guide [HotelChatter]

Tags: Zihuatanejo Hotel Guide / Mexico Hotels / Honeymoon Hotels / Kor Hotels / → All Tags

Zihuatanejo Hotel Rundown: The Tides

Where: Zihuatanejo Playa La Ropa S/N, Zihuatanejo, Mexico, 40880

Once again, HotelChatter contributing editor Tim Leffel is moving around. He's left Acapulco for Zihuatanejo, Mexico where's he scoping out the burgeoning hotel scene. If you have a question about where to stay in Acapulco or Zihuatanejo, hit us on the tipline, or just comment below, and we will do our best to get you some sort of answer. Enjoy.

We've covered the Kor Hotel Group quite a bit here, but "The Tides" coverage has mostly concerned the ongoing construction at Tides South Beach. In Mexico, it's a different story. They seamlessly took over the Ikal del Mar south of Cancun and the former Villa del Sol in Zihuatanejo.

On our visit, The Tides Zihuatanejo was full of California money looking for a place to be spent, but pretensions aside, it's hard to beat what they have to offer for several hundred miles in either direction on the Pacific Coast of Mexico.

There are only 70 rooms and suites, but they are sprawled out along Playa La Ropa: a long stretch of picture-perfect crescent beach with a view of the hills on each side. Three pools, a spa, a well-equipped gym, and tennis courts are on site, while on the beach you can indulge in parasailing or catamaran sailing.

Most choose to just kick back though, lounging on cushioned chaises with terrycloth neck pillows, sampling one of the dozens of tequilas in the bar, or eating some of the finest food in the region at one of the two restaurants with a view. Hey, where else do waiters ask you what flavoring you would like in your water--presenting ginger, cinnamon, rasberries, and lime?

Since taking over, the Kor group has put most of its effort into upgrading the already attractive rooms and bringing them up a notch. Most beds here are in the center of the room, draped with white gauzy fabric, with a vanity area behind the headboard. Even the standard rooms have a nice sitting area and a terrace or balcony, while marble baths with an array of toiletries leave plenty of space for two.

It's all visually impressive, with plenty of well-placed lighting, but also comfortable and functional. Rates officially start at $330 a night in the low season and if you have kids you'll have to step up to a suite--listed at $670. But if you're looking for luxe amenities and service, Tides Zihuatanejo is the magnet.

Related Stories:
· Acapulco Hotel Guide [HotelChatter]

Tags: Tides Hotels / Mexico Hotels / Hotel Openings / Kor Hotels / → All Tags

The Tides Roll in at Zihuatanejo

Where: Zihuatanejo Playa La Ropa S/N, Zihuatanejo, Mexico, 40880

Zihuatanejo is a mouthful of a town on the southwest coast of Mexico, a few hours from Acapulco and next to the Cancun-like planned resort area of Ixtapa. The Kor Hotel Group recently took over one of the two top resorts in town, Hotel Villa del Sol, and turned it into The Tides Zihuatenajo. (The other player nearby is La Casa que Canta.)

So what's up? The rates for one thing.

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