J. M. Patrick

Zihuatanejo is a charming fishing village, but Ixtapa is where the resorts are. The drive is about 50-60 pesos to the Ixtapa Hotel Zone. For quiet elegance, the most impressive hotel is Las Brisas, on your left as you sail into the harbor. Very distinctive, you can't miss it. The grounds are huge, almost like a rainforest, and steep, windy stairs lead down to the sandy beach below, where there's a casual restaurant called La Brisa, right on the sand. It's a challenge to find. You walk in the lobby to the right, pass the reception desk on your left, go left around the corner, and take an elevator near the guest rooms. Then you take a second elevator with its own distinctive elevator bank, down to the beach level. Very interesting exploring here. For exercise, you can walk up a separate path, up steep stairs to the impressive pool area and up windy tree-blanketed paths to the lobby. This hotel is quiet, serene, and breathtakingly beautiful. If you want a beautiful, quiet place to sip a drink and write your postcards, this is the place. But if you're looking for excitement, this is not it.

The most boisterous, lively hotel (especially their crowded pool area) was Hotel Dorado Pacifico, also in the Hotel Zone. If you want to play a.m. tennis, their courts are an excellent choice. They are actually shaded by the hotel itself in the morning. Walk across the street to the shopping district. (All the hotels are walking distance from each other except for Las Brisas which is set apart and has its own private beach). The shopping area has many boutiques and restaurants. It's really quite pretty, and a new restaurant called "El Infierno Y La Gloria" looked fantastic! We did not have time to eat, but it was pleasantly crowded and looked great.