Pacific Palace

We had a fantastic stay at Pacific Palace, and the room had astonishing views. My original reservation was at the Sunset Palace hotel, but it was closed when I arrived. I expected a nightmare, but Pacific Palace moved me there, upgraded us to a junior suite with a balcony, and honored the sea view and all-inclusive options I'd paid for. The hotel was clean, the staff were welcoming, and waiter Jose Eduardo made our stay especially pleasant. We enjoyed the nighttime reservation options, the norteño band at the Luna Palace hotel, the Juan Gabriel imitator, and the food choices. The bars had lots of drinks to choose from, and the staff there were really nice. The two problems were the pools closing too early, at 8 pm, when most hotels keep them open until 9 or 10, and the chaotic parking garage entrance at Pacific Palace. Tourist groups made it hard to even walk in when we arrived. A bit more organization would help. Besides that, we loved the hotel.

We enjoyed seeing local families spending time together. It gave the stay a lively, genuine Mexican feel, more authentic than a typical high-end resort. With the mixed reviews we'd read, we started out with modest expectations. It wasn't spectacular, but we had a pleasant time. Food-wise, expect processed cheese slices, crispy chicken nuggets, lots of refried beans, and warm tortillas. If that's your kind of thing, you'll be happy.

The noise was the worst part. It felt like a local hangout, not a peaceful resort, and this was the noisiest hotel I've ever stayed in. We had to go off the property for dinner every night because the dining choices were so limited. We were told there would be three restaurants on site, but only one was open when we arrived. The all-inclusive claim was misleading too, since some drinks cost extra. There was no swim-up bar or room fridge, despite what we'd expected, and the beds were rock hard. The hotel doesn't deliver the traditional all-inclusive resort experience it promises. I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for that kind of stay unless it makes significant improvements.

The activity group and customer service were excellent and made the trip really pleasant. We had a wonderful time and will definitely stay at this hotel again next year.