Tentaciones Hotel ✧ Boutique Hideaway on the Mexican Coast
Clifftop seclusion in Zihuatanejo
In my previous post about Zihuatanejo, I gave my personal input on clifftop hotels vs. beachfront accommodations, and – for me – a hotel with an elevated view wins out in this environment. While Playa la Ropa in Zihua brings a wonderfully laid back beach scene, that wouldn’t be my primary draw to the seaside town. Zihuatanejo has a range of boutique properties to choose from, and we had it narrowed down to a couple of hotels that ticked all the boxes for us. The winner was ultra boutique Tentaciones Hotel, which guests will discover is really a restaurant first and a hotel second. Their restaurant draws visitors from across Zihua and Ixtapa for their multi-course menu to take in the sparkling nighttime vistas and the setting that has ranked it amongst the best dining in the area.
Diners could easily leave not realizing that four ocean facing rooms are tucked into the property, and that the infinity pool overlooking the cliffside is actually a functioning pool, not just plunked down for aesthetics (mind you, when the scorching mid-day sun is out in Mexico, you’ll want a pool to soak in as a reprieve!).
This was one of the first trips we’ve gone on where I largely stayed out of the planning process. In town for a wedding, Scott took the reigns on crafting our itinerary (beach time, tacos, margaritas and wedding festivities dominated our four days). There’s a real beauty about being in a marriage/partnership where your partner has the same taste as you (am I right?!). As much as I hate relinquishing my power in the planning phases, I have yet to be led astray.
To be honest, I can’t imagine our stay having been any better than it was at Tentaciones (I had a brief FOMO moment in looking at all of the other great hotels in the area, not sure if we had made the right choice initially). Being such a tiny property, we quickly got to know the management team and the other couples that were staying there, and had friendly encounters with folks who’d come to love this slice of Mexico (one couple was on their 8th visit). I’ve always shared my love for boutique properties and an intimate atmosphere and this certainly fit the bill. We enjoyed breakfast with a view every morning – fresh fruit, coffee, yogurt and homemade treats – plus tacos at lunch and perfect handcrafted cocktails for daytime poolside relaxation. Mezcal lovers will be glad to know that the restaurant celebrates the quintessentially Mexican input by featuring it heavily in their cocktail list! If there was ever a more perfect place to watch the sunset in town, I’m not sure where to find it. We watched the sky light up with neon pinks and oranges as the sun set over the horizon before dinner each evening, begging us not to leave. I’ll tell you one thing: I absolutely understand how choosing the right hotel/home base for a beachy getaway is paramount. Being able to stay on property without ever having to scoot too far is such a relaxing prospect. Plus, when my husband had an encounter with a Mexican stomach bug during our stay, we had a doctor on site with antibiotics pretty quickly (plus they had a pharmacy delivery service). We literally NEVER HAD TO LEAVE, which is a beautiful thing because it was hard to pry ourselves away from the pool deck. Kudos to the team at the hotel and restaurant who manage to embrace that space that exists between laid back and luxury. It’s a special place to occupy, and some properties knock it out of the park. ??
Check out our video from Zihuatanejo below or book a stay at Tentaciones Hotel ??
Have you been to Zihuatanejo? What’s your take on where to stay: beachfront or clifftop?
