Holiday Inn Resort Acapulco

Holiday Inn Resort Acapulco opened its doors in 2007 and is situated in a 14-story high rise building along a gorgeous sandy oceanfront. The building’s been around for nearly 50 years and received a sprucing up before donning the slightly generic Holiday Inn interior. The resort's double-story lobby blends Old and New World touches like deep green marble counters and carved furniture with billboard-sized modernist paintings and a rough-hewn tile wall that frames the three elevator doors. This is a family-friendly hotel and things get a little loud and splashy in the two freshwater pools (despite having separate kids' and adult pools). There are also perks for children, like kids activities and a weekend kids' club (when lots of families with children stay at the hotel). The hotel attracts mostly families from Mexico. It also has conference rooms, and we saw quite a few business travelers buzzing about. 

The Holiday Inn Resort is located on Acapulco’s gorgeous oceanfront. The direct waterfront in front of the hotel is rocky, but the public beach is a 30-second walk east and the hotel’s small, private beach is down a set of stairs to the west. Many restaurants (serving Mexican, international, Italian, Argentinian, seafood, pizza, and Peruvian cuisines) are a five-minute or less walk from the hotel. There’s also a handful of bars and nightclubs less than a five-minute walk away. A convenience store is a two-minute walk from the hotel and the closest supermarket is either a 15-minute walk or a five-minute drive. A big shopping mall with a cinema is also a five-minute drive from the Holiday Inn. A popular oceanfront bungee jumping tower is a five-minute walk from the hotel. La Quebrada, a pair of 40 and 80 foot cliffs and the spot to watch local cliff jumpers dive into the churning waves, is a 22-minute drive from the Holiday Inn. Acapulco’s bus station, downtown Acapulco, and the Acapulco Historical Museum is a 15-minute drive. General Juan N. Acapulco Alvarez International Airport is about a 25-minute drive from the hotel. 

The guest rooms at The Holiday Inn Resort Acapulco are comfortably generic. Rooms are definitely pleasant, especially when the curtains are open and the ocean soundtrack drifts in. Textured white walls are decorated with one photo of a stack of rocks in a neatly raked sand Zen garden. Furniture is a light wood veneer and includes an all-in-one desk/dresser/cabinet. Bed configurations range from a single king to two double beds with white-on-white striped comforters, lots of pillows, and lime-green bed skirts. All rooms have flat-screen TVs with cable channels, coffeemakers with free coffee, and bottled water that's refreshed daily. All rooms have a safe, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, alarm clock, irons and ironing boards, and phones that can make outside calls. Bathrooms have marble counters, floors, and walls. A nice plus are the full-size bathtubs, not just stand-up showers. Bar soap, body lotion, and shampoo are also included. Private balconies are standard and views are breathtaking -- especially the odd-numbered rooms that overlook Acapulco Bay. 

Features here are focused on beach vacations for families. The Holiday Inn has two freshwater pools with gorgeous views of Acapulco Bay. Technically one pool is for adults and one for kids, but when the hotel’s busy, both pools often get overrun with children. Both pools have lots of plastic lounge chairs and a thatch-roofed pool bar is next to the adult-only pool. The resort's main restaurant, Santa Lucia Terraza Cafe, serves a mix of Mexican and international cuisine. It offers a pricy (compared to nearby restaurants) breakfast buffet and also a la carte lunch and dinner menu. The restaurant has outside seating and great ocean and pool views. Room service is available. A nice bonus is that kids under 12 eat free when their parents are dining. Other kid-friendly amenities include table tennis, a kids' club (only weekend hours), and weekend activities. There’s also a small glass-walled gym with a treadmill and weight machine. The hotel has five meeting rooms and a business center with free printing. Wi-Fi is fast and free throughout. The resort can arrange car rentals. Free lemon water is available in the lobby. Laundry service and valet parking are available (for a fee).