Ritz Acapulco

Ritz Acapulco looks and feels like a budget hotel, but it tries hard with its cheerful coral-colored lobby, terra-cotta planters filled with flowers, and palm trees by the pool. The hotel isn’t romantic or luxurious, but it has a pleasant pool, a decent beach, and lots of food, and that seems just fine for most of the budget-conscious families and groups that it attracts. The kids’ club and crowd-pleasing buffet are ideal for families; while the unlimited drinks and proximity to bars is a good match for groups looking to party.

The restaurants, pool, and beach are all concentrated in one section of the hotel, and the ambience here is quite lively. This set-up also gives the hotel an unexpected feeling of intimacy, with most guests hanging out in the same area and participating in the same activities throughout the day.

Ritz Acapulco is located along Avenida Costera Miguel Alemán, where dozens of bars, restaurants, and shops are found in less than a five-minute walk in either direction. Aside from a few palm trees, this wide coastal boulevard looks more like a congested highway than a tourist attraction, but it’s Acapulco’s main hub of entertainment and nightlife. Parking at the hotel is free and easy, and the property backs onto Playa Condesa, one of the city’s most action-packed beaches.

The shops of Plaza Bahia are an eight-minute walk away. Quieter Playa Icacos and CiCi Waterpark can both be reached in less than a 20-minute drive. La Quebrada Cliffs and Zocalo are two-and-half miles away, or an 11-minute drive. It’s a 40-minute drive to Acapulco International Airport.

Guest rooms at the Ritz Acapulco are clean but dated. Bedspreads feature a garish primary color block pattern, which clashes jarringly with the floral sofa cushions. All rooms include a simple wooden desk and chairs, with a flat-screen TV propped on the table. Bathrooms are equally drab with old-fashioned fixtures and gray countertops. Many bathrooms feature shower/tub combos, although some have showers only. Toiletries are provided in a small basket with a white washcloth. A plastic ice bucket and two water glasses wrapped in plastic bags are provided, but there isn't any bottled water. Most rooms include private balconies furnished with plastic patio furniture and views of the ocean.

The layout in the suites looks a bit awkward, with big bedside lamps set on top of a long shelving unit that divides the bed area from the seating area. This odd arrangement draws the eye to the two unattractive lamps, which end up dominating the center of the room. Rooms in the newer tower are slightly more polished, but they’re still basic and utilitarian overall. 

The hotel is set on Playa Condesa, overlooking gorgeous Acapulco Bay. Like the other hotels along the bay, Ritz Acapulco’s stretch of beach is busy and the sands are coarse; however, it’s less crowded than many neighboring hotel beaches, with more breathing room between the loungers.

The hotel’s long pool is surrounded by soft blue lounge chairs and beach umbrellas. It’s not a small pool, but it can fill up quickly when the hotel is at full capacity. Hotel staff organize regular group activities, such as aqua aerobics and water polo.

There’s a tiny fitness center with a few weight machines as well as a single stair-climber, although it’s worth stopping by anyway to see the hilarious '80s workout posters on the walls. The large supervised kids’ club features craft supplies and some toys. It has large windows facing toward the pool area, which is a nice feature for parents that might want to peak in.

The hotel also has three meeting rooms, which can accommodate groups ranging from 20 to 200 people. The rooms are functional rather than fashionable. Nightly entertainment takes place in the hotel’s theater, including comedy sketches and dance performances. The theater is reminiscent of a high school auditorium, and the performances are similarly amateur, but they’re a hit with most families. 

Ritz Acapulco exclusively offers all-inclusive packages, which include breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets, unlimited domestic drinks during fixed hours, as well as access to the snack bar.

Buffet meals are served at Villalinda, the hotel’s main restaurant. It’s a simple, open-air restaurant furnished with white plastic chairs and wooden tables. Food is served in typical buffet style, plopped unceremoniously into metal trays. The Mexican-flag-patterned swag curtains hanging around the buffet tables give the restaurant an old-fashioned banquet-hall-style ambiance. It's a large restaurant, but since virtually all guests are eating here, it’s not uncommon for a wait to be seated.

Alongside Villalinda is La Fiesta, a breezy palapa snack bar open in the afternoon for light meals. Wedged between the two restaurants is tiny Bar Margaritas, which includes a stage where live music is featured on weekends. A second small palapa bar is found by the pool. La Cava, the hotel’s only a la carte restaurant, is located in the lobby. It was closed during our visit, only open during the high season from December to March. All-inclusive packages include one meal at La Cava per week with advanced reservations.