Posada Real Ixtapa

I always stay at the Posada Real while fishing in Zihautanejo with Santiago Olea. Best buy in town. The rooms are very clean and the restaurant is very good. And as mentioned before the cab rates into Zihuatanejo are very reasonable.

I have been visiting and staying in Zihuatanejo for over 20 years but my favorite hotel is now in Ixtapa. Don't get me wrong Zihuatanejo has a great feel and I love walking the streets & malecon and eating at my favorite little restaurants (it's only a short cab ride from Ixtapa) but as I get older it has gotten harder to stay on the top floor in Z with no elevator. The Posada Real meets this need but what I really love about this hotel is the friendly staff, from the front desk, housekeeping, waiters & bartenders to the groundskeepers and security guards it's small enough where they remember me year after year and I love returning to see all my friends. I do miss having a balcony with a ocean view but I have no problem getting a seat under a palapa to enjoy the sun, sea and a good book. This year I'm staying two weeks, one with my wife (who has to get back to work) and second to fish with my friends at Gitana Sport fishing, it just doesn't get any better that this!

First and foremost, please understand that this isn't an America-owned hotel or chain. Some things aren't "standard". The lobby is quite lovely but echos whatever temperature is outside as it is semi-outdoors. Likewise, the hallways and stairs leading to the rooms are also subject to the temperatures. They have elevators. The staff is very attentive. Be aware that there aren't any hooks to hang your damp/wet clothes. I cannot comment on internet, since we didn't use it, but they have TVs and landlines in the rooms. The alcoholic drinks leave a lot to be desired. You cannot taste the alcohol and this is coming from a light drinker. If you can muster, stick to beer which is less easy to tamper with without completely altering the taste. Tip the bartenders, you may get a better drink, but I didn't find out because after three mixed drinks, I gave up and drank beer exclusively. Even though there is construction to improve the hotel, I wasn't impressed with the quality, decor and updating of the rooms. The pool needs a lot of work too. The hotel has GREAT POTENTIAL, but I think it'll take more strategic planning to get there. There was a live singer every night, which was nice. The waves were VERY ROUGH, which prevented anyone from taking a dip in the ocean, but the salt-water pool overlooks the sea and that's nice. There was a storm in the Pacific when we went. They have a gym on sight, but I didn't use it. They have another pool that may be better suited for families, but I didn't venture into that one. There aren't any balconies. It's a small hotel. A walk to the market place is 15 minutes away. The beds are HARD, but after being in the pool all day, you're tired and it'll make due.

Hotel is a little dated but very clean and staff was wonderful. Small buffet meal but allways 3 kinds of meat, 1 kind of fish at least 3-4 vegies salads beans and 4 kinds of desserts and the food was great. where ever you were staff was always great. Snack bar was small but great food. Evening entertainment was small but good. Beach and room view to the beach was amazing. Evening view for sunset was amazing. I will be going back there next winter.

Accentuating the positive, Posada Real Ixtapa is an aggreeable and pleasant smaller hotel on a gorgeous stretch of El Palmar beach, which also fronts several hotels and posh appearing condos. The quality of the sand is superb; it is enjoyed be walkers and joggers, esp. in the early AM before the sun's strongest heat. The hotel is about midway on the crescent beach and it takes over an hour to walk one end to the other both ways. In the hotel English is spoken and understood, but a bit of Spanish is always nice--por favor & gracias! Another superb and unique feature to Posada is the infinity pool with uninterrupted views of the beach and ocean. It also has a swim-up bar and a spacious deck surrounds the pool for lounging. There is a also second pool. Sunsets from the pool deck can be spectacular! The restaurant serves breakfast (7:30-12), lunch (2-5), and dinner (7-10). The dining staff is to be commended for friendly, attentive service. Most of the meals feature Mexican inspired cuisine. For those on the "inclusive" plan, there is also a no charge menu to supplement the buffet options.The fresh fruits and made-to-order omelets at breakfast were personal favorites. The"inclusive" bar has many options sure to please. Rooms are colorful yet "basic" and will serve ones needs for a beach vacation. Flat screen TV, telephone, coffee/bottled water, and daily linen change are amenities. The AC is excellent and easily programmabel for individual comfort. By 10pm I was able to turn off the AC and open the window to be lulled to sleep by the sound of the surf...truly an enjoyable feature! This being an older open-air hotel, there might be some "cosmetic" issues. .I suggest dismissing those and enjoying the many features that keep visitors and Mexicans and their families coming back. The young children were a delight and quite well mannered. I want to mention for my readers that there is no Wifi in the rooms and service in the lobby can be intermittent. I strongly suggest to management that a thorough upgrade in this service be considered and implemented ASAP. In our time WiFi throughout the hotel is not a luxury but an expectation. Some hotels assess a charge for in-room WiFi ranging from a few dollars per stay to $12 per day. I think this cost should be a part of the daily hotel rate paid by all guests. Some guests utilize certain expected room features while other guests rarely use such things as land-line phone, foreign TV, etc, yet all guests pay for them. Lastly, kudos to the reception staff who were helpful on various occasions, esp. on my last day just before leaving when my only shoes (sandals) turned up missing (pilfered). They provided a pair of used thongs, for which I was sooo grateful!