Do you ever wonder why all of the travel brochures leave out Mazatlan, Mexico as a southern destination? Probably because there are only a few all-inclusive resorts and many people traveling to Mexico want the food and alcohol included in the price of their accommodation. I find it amazing that more people don’t know about this lovely city with its amazing sunsets, great food, and reasonable prices.
If you are looking for a modern luxury resort with an authentic Mexican experience located in a lush beach setting, consider the Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan. I traveled to Mazatlan the week before Christmas and stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan All Suites Resort. What a charming resort, located right on the beach in the city of Mazatlan located at the end of the Golden zone just before the Marina begins.
Once you are on the property, you forget that you are in the city. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Throughout the day there are various activities to participate in such as bingo, water volleyball, wine tasting, ping pong tournaments, yoga, etc. Each suite offers an ocean view and is the perfect place for families or romantic getaways.
All the units have kitchen facilities and have two double beds. Our room was located on the main floor with a nice ocean view balcony.
All of the rooms are appointed with a charming Mexican décor and feature very comfortable beds with feathertop mattresses. We stayed in a Luxury Suite that included a living room area, a fully equipped kitchenette, a separate one-bedroom sleeping area, and two full bathrooms. The rooms were spacious, very clean and the entire resort was well maintained.
The property is beautifully landscaped and located on a nice, golden sandy beach. The waves are suitable for boogie boarding and wind surfing, but gentle enough for swimming and kayaking. There are three islands offshore to protect the mainland from the Pacific waves.
At the resort, there are two good-sized pools to choose from, a hot tub, and an adult pool in a more quiet area on top of the swim-up bar. It was so secluded that I never even realized it was there until I started reading about the hotel when I got back home. The beach is very clean and well maintained. There are several big palapas for shade. You can also take a long stroll along the beach as it is one of the longest stretches of beach in Latin America.
Mazatlan has great food, and Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan was no exception. Service at the resort was fantastic, and the food on the property was great. We had brunch numerous times at Las Palomas which was only open for breakfast and Italian Night on Wednesday evening. There was a good variety of delicious food at their buffet and we enjoyed eating at their relaxing outdoor terrace setting. What a treat to be able to eat outdoors in a lovely comfortable setting in December. Back home the temperatures were a “cool” 25° below C. One of my favourite places to eat on the property was Cilantro’s which featured fresh seafood and international cuisine in a cute little open aired, grass-covered building in an oceanfront setting overlooking the beach with its spectacular view. My meal consisted of mashed potatoes, delicious prime rib, comparable to our Alberta beef, and grilled asparagus. My son had shrimp which Mazatlan is known for.
We had no room for dessert but stopped at the little Deli/gift shop on the property to purchase their incredible cheesecakes for a late midnight snack.
Another restaurant on the property is the well know Angelo’s Gourmet Restaurant which served Italian and International cuisine but we did not have a chance to visit it.
There is a complementary shuttle which runs every hour during the day between Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan and Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay. Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay is a much larger, newer resort which is located out of the city in a lovely peaceful setting overlooking the ocean.
Guests are allowed to use the facilities at both resorts and there are signing privileges at both resorts. While at Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay, we had lunch at the Bistro Restaurant and sat outside beside the outdoor waterfront terrace. The food was great, the service was phenomenal, the atmosphere was relaxing, and the view of the ocean was to brag about!
Mazatlan ranks among Mexico’s largest ports and is located directly across from Los Cabos on the Baja Peninsula. It is the home of Pacifico Beer and is a bustling city with the largest fishing fleet in Mexico. Germans immigrated to Mazatlan in the mid-1800s and had a big influence on the area meshing the two cultures together to form a fascinating and vibrant destination.
Nightlife is plentiful and active in Mazatlan especially in the Golden Zone which is most frequented by tourists and snowbirds. We took the popular white taxi cabs called pulmonias which were usually a modified VW made into a small open-air vehicle similar to a golf cart. I loved these little taxis and we met a very friendly driver who we arranged to drive us to our destinations most of the time we left the resort. However, evening temperatures usually drop to the high teens so I was really glad to take a light jacket.
On Thursday through Sunday, in the evening in Old Mazatlan, the streets surrounding the Plazuela Machado are closed off to traffic. Crowded sidewalk restaurants around the plaza move their tables into the streets where musicians play providing a fun and festive atmosphere.
We ate at a delightful restaurant in an outdoor courtyard owned by an American. We attended a Christmas concert at the restored Teatro Angela Peralta, a beautiful 19th-century concert hall where talented Mexican singers sang Christmas songs.
The weather was a pleasing 20 to 25° C making the days warm and comfortable. The Locals claimed that the weather was about 10 degrees colder than usual for that time of the year. Apparently during the winter months, the weather can get down to about 10° C. July, August and September are the rainy months with the rest of the year being very pleasant having very little rain. A large number of Canadians and Americans have bought property in Mazatlan at very reasonable prices and live there for eight months out of the year.
I would suggest that you avoid the timeshare presentations and don’t’ engage with the timeshare sellers on the streets or hawkers on the beach. They were never a problem for us but they will approach you. Usually a “no thank you” will suffice.
I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t love the charm of Mazatlan. The sunsets are spectacular, the food is the best I have eaten in Mexico, the people are friendly and the prices are as good as or better than any destination in Mexico.
Change your routine, get out of your rut and go somewhere new and exciting in 2011. Go to the Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan!
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Muriel MacRae, owner of Del Sol Travel and Del Sol Destination Weddings, is a travel consultant and wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings and romantic getaways to tropical areas such as Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Located in Calgary, Alberta, she plans destination weddings and honeymoons for couples in and around the Calgary area and throughout North America. For more information about planning your destination wedding, honeymoon, or romantic getaway, please contact her at muriel@creativeweddingsandoccasions.com or phone 403-477-0643.