Introduction

In Acapulco’s heyday, the world’s jet set flocked to its Pacific shores as often as to the French Riviera. Initially, Hollywood stars came to vacation away from the cameras. Leading man Errol Flynn threw lavish parties aboard his private yacht. Johnny “Tarzan” Weismuller, who is buried at a local cemetery, hosted beach bashes. And members of Hollywood’s Rat Pack were regulars, as was Elizabeth Taylor, who married Mike Todd here.

Due to the sheer scope of its early fame, Acapulco still retains its celebrity status, though it has lost its former ranking as a leading international tourist destination to younger, more upstart resorts. While Acapulco no longer evokes the starstudded image of its earlier days, celebrities continue to drop in on a fairly regular basis, especially at its legendary Las Brisas Hotel. Las Brisas has hosted so many luminaries over the years that it has its own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Wall of Fame, adorned with the cement handprints and signatures of eminent guests.

Acapulco continues to be a favorite resort for Mexicans, rich or poor, near or far. It is the closest beach to Mexico City, so it has the world’s most populous urban center as its captive market. In fact, the ultimate way to end a wild party or night out in the big city has traditionally been the “acapulcazo,” or the impulsive, last minute, alcohol-fueled decision to veer onto the Acapulco highway and spend the following day recovering at the beach. Fortunately, a four lane highway built in the early 1990s cut driving time between the two destinations from six to three and a half hours.

At night, Acapulco is breathtaking, with thousands of shimmering lights blanketing the mountainsides that surround this spectacular natural harbor. Away from the hotel zone, the city has a warm small town feel to it, despite being home to 1.5 million inhabitants. As you walk along the beach near the downtown area you may see locals playing beach volleyball, or fishermen reeling in their nets, and selling a fish or two from the day’s catch to passersby.

Acapulco has shown remarkable resilience and is often described as experiencing a renaissance, as a recent New York Times article proves. Published in March, 2008, it was headlined “In Acapulco, a Return to Glamour.” More proof lies in the upscale hotel chains that will be opening properties in 2009, including Banyan Tree, Starwood (with a W), Grupo Habita (with a modernist boutique hotel in the south end’s Punta Bruja), and Fiesta Americana (with an Aqua). Habita is also updating the classic Boca Chica Hotel in Old Acapulco. Of course, a whole slew of stylish new restaurants and nightclubs have also opened.