Maybe you were planning to come here for the sea and sky, which is fine, as far as it goes. Both tend to be blue and 80 degrees, and who could complain about that? Your attention may wander to nearby Ixtapa, Cancun’s cousin, until you learn about the Novels of Dawn, the key to relaxation here. It’s all part of the laid-back allure in this niche on the Pacific Coast, about 140 miles northwest of Acapulco.
First, Ixtapa, which is similar to Cancun. Eager to tap into even more of the vast tourist revenue that followed the 1960s construction of Cancun on the Caribbean side, the Mexican government unveiled Ixtapa (along with the area’s international airport) in 1975. Since then, visitors to this crescent of coast have faced a choice.
Options 1 and 2
With Option 1, they head north from the airport to Ixtapa, choose a room in one of the dozen tall buildings by the sea, admire the sunsets beyond the rough waves, and get down to the business of deciding whether to eat at Senor Frog’s or Carlos ‘n’ Charlie’s. On a busy night in winter, you might find 6,000 visitors in the hotel zone.
With Option 2, they go about 4 miles south of Option 1 to Zihuatanejo (pronounced zee-wha-ta-nay-o), the fishing village that was here for decades before Ixtapa was dreamed of. This was my choice because, I’d been told, choosing Zihua, as many of its devotees call it, has always meant seizing upon the quaint and the rustic, ignoring the night life, bunking in a small hotel and bobbing in the calm water of a protected bay instead of splashing in powerful surf.
Sure enough, the beaches here are still laid-back, and the fishermen still park their pangas (boats) by the palapas (palm-frond-covered shelters) along Playa Madera. Playa las Gatas, with the calmest waters of all, is still a favorite day-trip destination, accessible only by hiking or by water taxi.
Still, Zihuatanejo has changed plenty. The population, estimated at 8,000 in 1975, is now closer to 80,000. The list of restaurants and watering holes stretches into the dozens, and the hotel room inventory has grown to about 400.
Lodgings are far smaller than those in Ixtapa’s hotel zone. A handful have gone upscale, charging more than $300 nightly. But you can get a spartan room in town for less than $50; a modest beachfront hotel room is likely to cost $60 or more. Air-conditioning adds $20.
I’ve been hearing about the yin-and-yang nature of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo almost as long as I’ve been visiting Mexico, but I’d never seen either. So in March I caught a flight to the international airport here. I gave Ixtapa the once-over, then asked my taxi driver to turn toward Zihuatanejo. There I soon discovered the Novels of Dawn.
Reclining poolside and reclining beachfront are two of the leading activities in Zihuatanejo, so it’s important to grab a good spot. To do so, the most dogged vacationers rise around dawn, creep down to the prime chaise longues, deposit books and towels, then retreat to sleep some more and breakfast later. The 126-room Sotavento & Catalina is one of the oldest lodgings in town. It’s actually two adjacent hotels (one from the 1950s, one from the ’60s) that merged under the same ownership in 1972. The sibling buildings, managed through a single lobby, stand tall above Zihuatanejo’s Playa la Ropa. Rooms are spartan, but views are great. Rates: $50 to $120 per room in winter, 20 percent less from April 15 to Dec. 15.
I stayed two nights in the Hotel Irma on Playa Madera, paying $70 nightly for a fifth-floor room with a commanding view of the beach and bay. Unfortunately, it was a walk-up (no elevators) and the plumbing and air-conditioning unit rattled loudly. .
Of course, my days involved more skulking around in hotels than a normal civilian’s would. The typical Zihuatanejo visitor’s day begins with breakfast on a terrace somewhere and proceeds to lazing by a pool or the shore. Then maybe a brief dip and a stroll past the restaurants and shops in town or along the pedestrian-only Paseo Pescador, or “fisherman’s walk.”
My best and priciest meal was a dinner alfresco at La Casa Que Canta hotel. Seated on a terrace under trees strewn with tiny lights, I merrily made my way through a $40, six-course chef’s tasting menu. No matter where you sleep or whether you’ve rented a car, you can dine in Ixtapa or Zihua. Plenty of people sleep in one place and head to the other for a meal. They also switch for golf (there are two courses in Ixtapa, none in Zihuatanejo) and fishing trips (most of which begin at Zihuatanejo’s municipal pier at the end of the paseo). There are three beaches within easy walking distance of downtown Zihuatanejo: Playa Municipal, where the fishermen haul up their boats; Playa Madera, where many mid-range hotels are clustered; and Playa la Ropa, a mile-long stretch of creamy sand that is the most handsome and least crowded of the three.
The city’s most exclusive lodgings are clustered near Playa la Ropa, and even if you’re not interested in paying $300 or $400 per night (typical for these places), they are worth a peek for their architecture, landscaping and restaurants.
IF YOU GO
GETTING THERE
From Chicago, Continental, Mexicana, Aeromexico, United and Delta are among airlines offering connecting flights to Ixtapa/Zihautanejo International Airport. There are no direct flights. For a mid-July departure, the lowest price found was about $600.
LODGING
Lodging prices here don’t include 17 percent tax.
Sotavento & Catalina Beach Resorts, Playa la Ropa, P.O. Box 2, Zihuatanejo, Guerrero; 877-699-6685 or 011-52-7-554-2032; fax 011-52-7-554-2975; www.giga.com/(tilde)sotavent. Two hotels merged into one operation, with 126 hotel rooms and bungalows. Two restaurants, pool, waterfront site. Ceiling fans, no air-conditioning. Rates for double rooms $50 to $120 until April 30, $50 to $75 May 1 to Dec. 15.
Villa de la Roca, Playa la Ropa; 801-277-2534 or 011-52-7-554-4793; fax 801-281-8269. Five rooms, air-conditioned. Two small pools. Breakfast included. Rates $118 to $197, depending on season.
La Quinta Troppo, Playa la Ropa; telephone 616-471-5546 or 011-52-7-554-3423; fax 011-52-7-554-7340; www.mexonline.com/troppo.htm. Eight rooms (three with air-conditioning), small pool. Breakfast included. Rates $117 to $205, depending on room and season.
Brisas del Mar, Playa Madera; telephone/fax 011-52-7-554-2142; www.brisasdelmar.bizland.com. On a hill overlooking the sea. Restaurant, pool with slide for kids. All rooms have balconies, ocean views, television, but no telephones. Of the 28 rooms, the best are the 10 that have been renovated, with air-conditioning added. Rates $50 (fan-cooled) to $69 (renovated), more for suites.
La Casa Que Canta, Camino Escenico a Playa la Ropa; 888-523-5050 or 011-52-7-554-6529; fax 011-52-7-554-7900; www.lacasaquecanta.com. Twenty-four rooms (all with air-conditioning), restaurant, multiple pools. Rates $285 to $700, plus 10 percent service charge, depending on room and season.
Hotel Villa del Sol, Playa la Ropa; 888-389-2645 or 011-52-7-554-2239; fax 011-52-7-554-2758; www.villasol.com.mx. Fifty-six rooms (all with air-conditioning), two pools, two restaurants. Rates $170 to $1,000, depending on room and season. Breakfast-and-dinner packages mandatory in winter (at $60 per person per day), optional other seasons.
Casa Cuitlateca, Playa la Ropa; 877-541-1234 or 011-52-7-554-2448; fax 801-619-4179; www.casacuitlateca.com. Four rooms, air-conditioning, pool. Breakfast included. Rates $200 to $340, depending on season.
DINING
Coconuts, Pasaje Augustin Ramirez No. 1; local telephone 554-2518. Main courses about $10 to $22.
La Casa Que Canta (see above). Main courses about $11 to $40.
Villa del Sol (see above). Main courses about $20 to $40.
Amado’s, Playa las Gatas; no phone. Fresh seafood served alfresco on the beach. Good barracuda tacos. Main courses up to $9.
INFORMATION
Mexican Government Tourism Office, 300 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601; 312-606-9252.
— C.R.
