Pros

  • Beautiful property with whitewashed buildings, palm trees, and bougainvillea
  • Comfortable rooms have kitchenettes and flat-screen TVs
  • All rooms have furnished balconies with stunning views
  • Purified drinking water
  • Outdoor pool and adjacent kids' pool
  • Quiet beachfront and a sandy terrace
  • On-site, open-air restaurant with room service
  • On-site market with goods and sundries
  • Free Wi-Fi in the lobby and restaurant
  • Free parking
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Cons

  • Minor wear and tear in rooms
  • Beach is narrow with high tide and no chairs provided
  • Steep property with many steps (staff will drive guests in golf cart)
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Bottom Line

The 50-room Dolphin Cove Inn is a homey, quiet mid-range hotel suited for couples or families. The beautiful property has airy guest rooms with flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and stocked kitchenettes. It's built on a steep hill, which means stunning views from each balcony, and also a lot of steps; the staff will drive guests around in golf carts if mobility is an issue. Though it lacks features like a spa and fitness center, there's an outdoor pool and adjacent kiddy pool, an open-air restaurant, and a snack bar during the high season. The beach is narrow and lacks chairs, but there's a sandy terrace with loungers and steps that lead down to the water. If you want to go the all-inclusive route, Las Hadas Golf Resort and Marina is just down the road.

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

Dolphin Cove Inn

Scene

Beautiful property with peaceful apartment-style accommodations overlooking the ocean

Driving down the cobblestone street, guests may miss the property, as it has confusing signage for both the Dolphin Cove Inn and Playasol Manzanillo; Dolphin Cove Inn is actually a part of the larger Playasol Manzanillo, a complex of individually owned condos. But once it's found, guests can make their way inside to the small lobby, which includes a reception desk, several cushioned wicker chairs, one computer, and a shelf filled with books available for borrow. It's quiet aside from check-out time, though guests often hang out there while using the Wi-Fi. 

Built on a hillside, the property is undeniably beautiful, with whitewashed buildings, lush pink bougainvillea, and stunning vistas from just about every vantage point. As the rooms are apartment-style with kitchenettes, and the amenities are few, guests are either families looking to save money by cooking, or couples seeking a quiet escape.

See More Scene

Location

Hillside location on Santiago Bay in Manzanillo, a short walk to the beach

Dolphin Cove Inn is on Santiago Bay, between Barcelo Karmina Palace Deluxe and Las Hadas Golf Resort and Marina. Built onto a hillside, all rooms overlook the ocean, and the beach is a five-minute walk from most rooms. The Playa de Oro International Airport is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. Most restaurants and sights require a car, though cabs are plentiful and inexpensive. The historic downtown of Manzanillo is about a 15-minute drive from the resort. It's a four-hour drive from the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta and a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Guadalajara. 

See More Location

Rooms

Bright guest rooms with comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs, and furnished balconies overlooking the water; some minor wear and tear

There are 50 guest rooms and suites at Dolphin Cove Inn, ranging from Standard Rooms to Three-Bedroom Suites. They're all decorated in the same style -- white walls and furniture; gray tiling; colorful couch cushions; and gorgeous hand-loomed fabrics on the wall. Each room has a kitchenette stocked with a two-burner stove, microwave, appliances, tableware, and cutlery; some rooms have an oven and a washer and dryer. Beds with blue blankets are comfortable. Additional amenities include flat-screen TVs, a ceiling fan and air conditioner, in-room safe, and two water bottles. 

Bathrooms are decorated in Mexican Talavera tile, and feature showers with stocked toiletries, and hairdryers. One of the best room features are the furnished balconies that have potted bougainvillea plants and stunning views of the ocean; some have lounge chairs in addition to metal tables and chairs. Note that there's some minor wear and tear and old tube-style TVs. 

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Features

Outdoor pool and adjacent kiddy pool, on-site restaurant and bar, and small grocery store

There are few amenities at Dolphin Cove Inn, but most guests are satisfied with the ones available. A children's pool has a waterslide that connects to the main pool, which is surrounded by loungers, umbrellas, and plastic tables and chairs. Steps by the pool lead down to the terrace, which has tables under straw umbrellas and loungers, some of which are quite worn. There are a few steps from there that take guests to the narrow beach; since it's narrow with a high tide, there are no lounge chairs set up. 

There's an open-air restaurant, Paradise, which is next to the pool and inexpensive. The restaurant is open for all three meals, and breakfast is included in the room rate. It serves dishes ranging from pizza and hamburgers to coconut shrimp and enchiladas; the ceviche, guacamole, and blackberry margaritas receive excellent reviews. Drinking water and ice cubes come from purified water. During high season, there's a snack bar located down on the promenade near the beach entrance. Additionally, the property has a small grocery mart for those who want to buy snacks or food to cook in the rooms. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Dolphin Cove Inn

Scene

Beautiful property with peaceful apartment-style accommodations overlooking the ocean

Driving down the cobblestone street, guests may miss the property, as it has confusing signage for both the Dolphin Cove Inn and Playasol Manzanillo; Dolphin Cove Inn is actually a part of the larger Playasol Manzanillo, a complex of individually owned condos. But once it's found, guests can make their way inside to the small lobby, which includes a reception desk, several cushioned wicker chairs, one computer, and a shelf filled with books available for borrow. It's quiet aside from check-out time, though guests often hang out there while using the Wi-Fi. 

Built on a hillside, the property is undeniably beautiful, with whitewashed buildings, lush pink bougainvillea, and stunning vistas from just about every vantage point. As the rooms are apartment-style with kitchenettes, and the amenities are few, guests are either families looking to save money by cooking, or couples seeking a quiet escape.

See More Scene

Location

Hillside location on Santiago Bay in Manzanillo, a short walk to the beach

Dolphin Cove Inn is on Santiago Bay, between Barcelo Karmina Palace Deluxe and Las Hadas Golf Resort and Marina. Built onto a hillside, all rooms overlook the ocean, and the beach is a five-minute walk from most rooms. The Playa de Oro International Airport is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. Most restaurants and sights require a car, though cabs are plentiful and inexpensive. The historic downtown of Manzanillo is about a 15-minute drive from the resort. It's a four-hour drive from the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta and a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Guadalajara. 

See More Location

Rooms

Bright guest rooms with comfortable beds, flat-screen TVs, and furnished balconies overlooking the water; some minor wear and tear

There are 50 guest rooms and suites at Dolphin Cove Inn, ranging from Standard Rooms to Three-Bedroom Suites. They're all decorated in the same style -- white walls and furniture; gray tiling; colorful couch cushions; and gorgeous hand-loomed fabrics on the wall. Each room has a kitchenette stocked with a two-burner stove, microwave, appliances, tableware, and cutlery; some rooms have an oven and a washer and dryer. Beds with blue blankets are comfortable. Additional amenities include flat-screen TVs, a ceiling fan and air conditioner, in-room safe, and two water bottles. 

Bathrooms are decorated in Mexican Talavera tile, and feature showers with stocked toiletries, and hairdryers. One of the best room features are the furnished balconies that have potted bougainvillea plants and stunning views of the ocean; some have lounge chairs in addition to metal tables and chairs. Note that there's some minor wear and tear and old tube-style TVs. 

See More Rooms

Features

Outdoor pool and adjacent kiddy pool, on-site restaurant and bar, and small grocery store

There are few amenities at Dolphin Cove Inn, but most guests are satisfied with the ones available. A children's pool has a waterslide that connects to the main pool, which is surrounded by loungers, umbrellas, and plastic tables and chairs. Steps by the pool lead down to the terrace, which has tables under straw umbrellas and loungers, some of which are quite worn. There are a few steps from there that take guests to the narrow beach; since it's narrow with a high tide, there are no lounge chairs set up. 

There's an open-air restaurant, Paradise, which is next to the pool and inexpensive. The restaurant is open for all three meals, and breakfast is included in the room rate. It serves dishes ranging from pizza and hamburgers to coconut shrimp and enchiladas; the ceviche, guacamole, and blackberry margaritas receive excellent reviews. Drinking water and ice cubes come from purified water. During high season, there's a snack bar located down on the promenade near the beach entrance. Additionally, the property has a small grocery mart for those who want to buy snacks or food to cook in the rooms. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Beach

  • Business Center

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Children's Pool

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.