The sun setting over the Pacific Ocean made it hard for me to remember why Americans are avoiding Acapulco. I found myself enchanted by the same lush tropical landscape and majestic Pacific coastline that once attracted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and John F. Kennedy.
The sunset view, unfolding from the Fairmont Acapulco Princess, came after a hard day of drinking margaritas and taking in a spa treatment at Willow Stream Spa. But I also spent the day exploring the property’s rich history and was thrilled to learn that an episode of “The Love Boat” was filmed here and that Howard Hughes spent his final days in one of the hotel’s suites.
More treasures were uncovered at the hotel’s sister facility, the neighboring Fairmont Pierre Marques, which was built in the 1950s as a private getaway for John Paul Getty.
But the Fairmont Acapulco Princess isn’t resting solely on past successes. Fresh off a $30 million renovation, the resort’s occupancy rates have increased noticeably, and hotel executives are hopeful that tourism to Acapulco has turned a corner.
Helping fuel its growth, the resort unveiled a long list of special events for the year, including a number of high-profile golf tournaments, the Mexico Tennis Open, the 2013 Surf Open Acapulco and the Mexican Gymnastics Open.
Rates at Fairmont Acapulco Princess start at around $150 a night, which makes this an ideal time for clients to rediscover Acapulco’s sunsets for themselves.
The Details
Fairmont Acapulco Princesswww.fairmont.com/acapulco