Quinta Bella Huatulco

The staff were kind and attentive throughout, especially Maria at reception, who was lovely and accommodating. We enjoyed visiting the nearby town, about a 25-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride, and hope to come back. We booked this last minute for a winter escape from Canada, and the smaller hotel suited us better than the larger all-inclusives in the next bay. Our beach was quieter, though swimming could be challenging or red-flagged on windy days and was nice when calm. The pools had great ocean views. Our recently renovated room was comfortable, though a bit dark in daytime because it faced a forested hillside. We spent the first few nights in the master suite overlooking the sea. Its balcony and view were lovely, but the room could use a refresh and sometimes smelled and got noisy from the restaurant kitchen below. The on-site restaurants were very good. At UNO, though, the meal felt rushed, and cooking our own food on a flaming grill in the middle of the table wasn’t ideal.

The beach and location were our favorite parts. You can watch the sunrise from your balcony, the area felt safe, and everyone was friendly. There were lots of older Canadians, if that’s your kind of crowd. The staff were great, especially the fun pool team who made people feel looked after. Food was good, though prices were high for us: a poolside beer was $6 CND and drinks started at $14 CND. We’d been around the area and were used to paying a lot less. We stayed ten days. The rooms were okay, if a little dirty, and the odd turtle beside the bed made it usable from only one side. Another guest said she’d been hit by it at night after forgetting it was there and getting up on that side. Pool loungers were awkward to sit on because of their bar-like design, while the beach loungers worked as expected. We’d stay again.

The hotel and setting were great, with striking views, nice pools and updated rooms. A taxi into town cost 50 pesos and took no time, making it a good base for our two days. Breakfast on site was average, so town is a better bet. There was no fridge in the room. The crowd here is mostly 55 and up, so younger travelers may not find their scene. We saw arguments over umbrellas and people saving loungers with towels, with plenty of entitlement and complaining from the boomer crowd. I’d choose somewhere else next time.

We used to love coming here and recommending it, and the food is amazing. For Valentine’s Day, though, they wouldn’t let us book the special menu unless we also bought the four-course menu for the children, even after we offered to feed the kids first at one of their other restaurants. It’s sad that we couldn’t enjoy a Valentine’s meal because they didn’t want the children there. We won’t be returning.