Sands Acapulco Hotel & Bungalows

With its utilitarian rooms and aging facade, there’s no denying that Sands Acapulco is a budget hotel. At the same time, there’s a certain well-intentioned charm exuded by its landscaped grounds and thoughtful, family-friendly amenities. The lobby is bright and welcoming with marble floors and cheerful plants. A big thermos of self-serve coffee is set on a table near the front desk. Couches feature the same style of ugly patterned fabrics found in the guest rooms. Non-Spanish speakers should keep in mind that signs are written only in Spanish and staff speaks limited English.

The extensive play equipment makes the hotel’s target market of families with young kids quite clear. This definitely isn’t a place for couples or groups of adults; however, the atmosphere isn’t as chaotic as you might expect for a hotel accommodating a lot of young kids -- in fact, it was surprisingly quiet during our visit, with kids spotted contentedly climbing on the play equipment and swimming in the pool.

The hotel is located along buzzing Avenida Costera Miguel Aleman, Acapulco’s main tourist road. It’s busy and overdeveloped, but shops, restaurants, and bars line the street in both directions. Papagayo Adventure amusement park and the shops of Galerias Diana can be reached in less than 10 minutes on foot.  A walk across the Costera will bring you to Acapulco Bay and popular Playa Condesa.

The Fort of San Diego, the Zocalo, and La Quebrada are all located about three miles away. Acapulco International Airport can be reached in a 40-minute drive. Covered outdoor parking is offered for a surcharge at the hotel. 

Guest rooms at Sands Acapulco are clean but the decor is in need of an update. Bedspreads and matching curtains feature unattractive floral or striped designs, and bedside tables are topped with tacky seashell lamps. Walls are decorated with impressionist-style paintings, some of which are unexpectedly pretty. Some rooms offer wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, while others include tube-style TVs set on simple, light-colored dressers. Terraces are furnished with plastic or metal tables and chairs; some offer views of the garden or pool. Bungalows provide additional space and are located towards the back of the property. 

Bathrooms are large but basic, with drab white or beige tile.  A dip in floor elevation and thin white shower curtains are all that separate the shower from the rest of the room. Round sinks include old-fashioned fixtures and free bars of soap.

The large Sandslandia playground is set within the hotel’s green, landscaped grounds. The playground features a variety of colorful slides, swings, climbing equipment, and seesaws, as well as a few trampolines. A small mini-golf course called Golfito is found alongside Sandslandia. There's also a kid-size bungee jump area. A large bouncy castle is sometimes inflated, but not always. None of these areas look polished or flashy -- the mini-golf greens are faded and the play equipment has an old-fashioned feel, but there’s a lot here to keep younger kids entertained.

The hotel also features an attractive outdoor pool, with a tall, twisting slide, in addition to a round wading pool. The main pool is surrounded by white plastic lounge chairs and umbrellas. The hotel’s restaurant faces towards the pool. It’s unfussy and pleasant, with a mix of palapas, umbrellas, and tents that shelter plastic tables adorned with bright yellow tablecloths. Free breakfast is included in the room rates, and the food is remarkably good. It consists of eggs, toast, coffee, and juice. There’s another tiny play area found near the restaurant that offers more slides and climbing areas.

A third play area called Brinco Aventura opens up off the lobby. It features additional swings, slides, and climbing equipment, along with a little zip line course. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.