Mazatlan's
Best 5 Star Luxury Resorts
View
of Mazatlan from the lighthouse (el Faro)
Mazatlán, with a population of 352,471 (city) and
403,888 (municipality) as of the 2005 census, is the
second-largest city in the Jalisco state (after Culiacán)
and Mexico's largest commercial port. It is also a
popular tourist destination, its beaches lined with
resort hotels. A car ferry plies its trade across the
Gulf of California from Mazatlán to La Paz, Baja
California Sur.
Mazatlan's
Best Luxury Resort:
Terraced beachfront hillsides and meandering palm-laced
pathways define the landscaped grounds of Pueblo Bonito
Emerald Bay Resort located in MazatlanHotel features.
Antiqued ivy-shrouded walls and tiered fountains lend
historic character to this neoclassical/colonial-style
resort. Mazatlan's bustling pace is distanced by the
serenity of broad mountain, sea, beach and sky
panoramas.
 La
Cordeliere restaurant serves à la carte lunches and
dinners, nightly themed buffets and Sunday brunches. The
Emerald Grill offers open-air seating whereas Kelly's
bar exudes African hunt-club ambience and serves light
fare. Deli II offers sandwiches, groceries and liquor,
and houses six computer Internet stations.
A
15-person spa tub flanks the main infinity-edge pool. A
second outdoor pool affords ocean views while a hillside
outdoor pool adjoins an 18-person spa tub and a swim-up
bar. Recreational amenities include two complimentary
lighted tennis courts and non-motorized water sports. A
complimentary health spa and fitness center offers
beauty and massage services, a universal gym,
cardiovascular machines and free weights.
The
resort hosts supervised children's activities and
complimentary pool aerobics, and Spanish dance and
cooking lessons.
This
two- and four-story resort offers 196 suites grouped
within sand-hued villas. Beds feature pillow-top
mattresses and featherbed mattress covers. Fully
equipped kitchenettes provide cooking facilities.
Accommodations display contemporary art, Mexican
decorative tiles and historic-style floor tiles. Dial-up
internet access and satellite television are available
in all accommodations.
Expert tip. Emerald bay is an ecologically protected
area where endangered sea turtles lay their eggs. Guests
assist resort staff as they help hatchlings find their
way back to the ocean. Motorized water sports are
prohibited.
El Cid Marina Beach
El
Cid Marina Beach Hotel is located on the north end of
Mazatlan's hotel zone, one kilometer (0.6 mile) via
complimentary shuttle from El Cid's Golf and Tennis
Club.
 Six
restaurants and bars serve guests of the hotel,
including La Marina restaurant that hosts live music on
selected evenings. The hotel features two heated pools,
one with a beach-entry children's section and swim-up
bar, and the other with a water slide and waterfalls. A
complimentary shuttle boat transports guests across the
marina to the beach. The marina is home to a
sports-fishing fleet and sailboats that can be rented
for snorkeling, swimming and lunch excursions to an
offshore island.
The
resort provides 210 suites in Mediterranean-style
buildings. Marina-view balconies and ground- floor
terraces are furnished with chairs and cocktail tables.
Fully equipped kitchenettes include two-burner cooktops,
microwave ovens, toasters, coffeemakers and blenders.
Built-in sofas convert to single beds. Contemporary
décor features tan- marble vanities, crisp blue fabrics,
and white floors, walls and ceilings. Guestroom
amenities include dial-up internet access, safe-deposit
boxes and satellite television.
Expert tip. Guests receive complimentary use of the
pools and many amenities at two other El Cid hotels and
the El Cid Golf & Country Club. A complimentary shuttle
service transports guests to all locations.
El Cid Moro Beach Hotel
The
El Cid el Moro Beach Hotel is a superior, first- class
hotel located 12 miles from Mazatlan International
Airport. Mexico's largest and most luxurious independent
resort is an exclusive 720-acre paradise by the sea.
 El
Cid presents a selection of sports and recreation
activities throughout the year. If guests want to learn
as well as play, the hotel's professional instructors
will gladly provide lessons in golf, tennis, sailing,
fishing or kayaking.
The
guest rooms are nicely decorated studio "junior" suites
equipped with a kitchenette, dining area, and a living
area. All the accommodations overlook the Pacifc Ocean
and the Sea of Cortez. This spectacular ocean-front 25-
story luxury tower, features dazzling pools with
waterfalls, waterslides and a swim-up bar.
El
Cid's dining and drinking establishments offer something
for every mood palate. From casual poolside fare to
deluxe international cuisine to festive nightlife, they
provide countless opportunities to eat, drink and be
merry. With eight restaurants and five bars to choose
from, it is impossible to get bored.
Pueblo
Bonito Mazatlan
The
beachfront Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan faces Bird Island on
the northern end of the Golden Zone in Mazatlan
 The
resort's beach stretches 228 meters along the Pacific
coastline.
This
hacienda-style property offers fine dining at Angelo's
that prepares Italian specialties and offers an
extensive wine list. Las Alas de las Palomas oceanfront
restaurant serves buffet-style breakfasts, lunches and
dinners.
A
swim-up pool flanks a freeform outdoor pool enhanced
with a rock-garden waterfall and a plunge pool. A
separate courtyard houses a "quiet" outdoor pool with a
children's section. An eight-person spa tub is cupped
within a rock garden. Personal watercraft, kayaks,
boogie boards and Hobie Cat sailboats are available for
rent. Scuba-diving lessons and other water sports are
available for a fee. Complimentary yoga classes are
conducted in an air-conditioned studio.
The
Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan offers 247 suites housed within
hacienda-style buildings. Suites feature ocean-view
furnished balconies and fully equipped kitchenettes.
Mexican-style décor includes elaborately carved
headboards, tiled floors and dark-wood furniture. Rooms
contain cable television and dial-up internet access.
Expert tip. One night a week Las Alas de las Palomas
serves evening poolside barbecue buffets spiced with
after-dark fireworks.
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