A little about Playa Zipolite, The Beach of the Dead . . .

Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca, Southern Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. A little bit about my favorite little get-away on this small world of ours.

Zipolite, a sweaty 30-minute walk west from Puerto Angel, brings you to Playa Zipolite and another world. The feeling here is 1970's - Led Zep, Marley, and scruffy gringos.

A long, long time ago, Zipolite beach was usually visited by the Zapotecans...who made it a magical place. They came to visit Zipolite to meditate, or just to rest.

Recently, this beach has begun to receive day-trippers from Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido, giving it a more TOURISTY feel than before.

Most people come here for the novelty of the nude beach, yoga, turtles, seafood, surf, meditation, vegetarians, discos, party, to get burnt by the sun, or to see how long they can stretch their skinny budget.

I post WWW Oaxaca, Mexico, Zipolite and areas nearby information. Also general budget, backpacker, surfer, off the beaten path, Mexico and beyond, information.

REMEMBER: Everyone is welcome at Zipolite.

ivan

Friday, April 6, 2012

Barcelo Huatulco March 2012 - Barcelo Huatulco Beach Resort ...

Barcelo Huatulco March 2012 - Barcelo Huatulco Beach Resort ...
Barcelo Huatulco Beach Resort: Barcelo Huatulco March 2012 - See traveler reviews, 799 candid photos, and great deals for Huatulco, Mexico, at TripAdvisor.
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“Barcelo Huatulco March 2012”

Reviewed 3 April 2012 NEW

We stayed at Barcelo Huatulco March 17th-24th 2012. Like most reviews I read before I went, the resort could use some updates but it is very clean and, overall, the service is good and the staff is friendly. We have stayed at numerous hotels in several parts of Mexico and I would say that this resort is 5 Apples at best, maybe 4+. There's really nothing wrong with it, it's just not the type of caliber of resort that an AM Resorts hotel is (ie.Dreams, Secrets). This was our first time to Huatulco and it is a very nice destination. We will probably go back some day but it will be to Dreams or Secrets.

Room Tip: Seems like most rooms had at least some view of the ocean

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spillymilly

calgary

2 reviews

1 helpful vote

“Exceeded expectations!”

Reviewed 31 March 2012 NEW

1

person found this review helpful

I have been to 4-5 star resorts throughout Mexico and the Barcelo Huatulco was my favorite! Resort was extremely well kept up. I read reviews saying its dated but I didn't see that. It's a smaller resort so rooms are close to the beach, pools and restaurants. Food selection was great. A la Cartes were good too as long as you stay away from the steak! Sushi restaurant was our favorite. We were served drinks on the beach, and had amazing service by the pool. Alexander Merino went above and beyond serving us, he was never without a smile, made us many drink suggestions and was super friendly. In the jurongo bar Marianon Ramirez made our nights extra special. He always remembered our drinks and brought us new ones before we had even finished. He even gave us little gifts on our last night there which was touching. We'll never forget him! We did a private bay tour through Concepcion on the beach but I heard awesome things about Tony Lopez. they will take you on a 5 hour boat tour including snorkeling and beer for approx $50 per person. Also, Huatulco I the first place I've been tha accepted the Canadian dollar. Huatulco is quieter and not commercialized which is something to appreciate. If you are looking for a major party place, go elsewhere. If u are looking for great service, 37 degree days, a beautiful beach and good food, I highly recommend the Barcelo!

Room Tip: Most rooms have at least partial ocean view with no upgrade so save your money!

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micky055

Airdrie, Canada

Senior Reviewer

7 reviews

14 helpful votes

“The good and the bad”

Reviewed 29 March 2012

Well this will be one of the only so so reviews I have written about a resort, all my experiences to date have been excellent . Let me start by saying the area is just wonderfull, nice hot sunny weather all the time and clean and safe with lots of awsome beaches and places to explore. Now the resort itself had some problems, first the good points, rooms were clean and so was the hotel itself, service was good most of the time with exceptions and again area was great.Now the part I do not like doing the bad, this hotel way over booked while we were there and it was totally over run with kids and locals and when I say this I mean way out of control. The 2 pools were packed and the adult pool constantly had children in it believe me it was an ongoing battle with parents to get their kids out of this pool.With the influx of people the service just was not there...no service on beach, poolside was sparodic at best and buffets was just as bad having to get up ourselfes countless times to get water or coffee. Also one other point do not upgrade to premium total waste of money with very little advantage to it. In conclusion would go back to Huatuclo but never to this resort again

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Moosetrotters

Moose Jaw

2 reviews

3 helpful votes

“Hot time in the old town!”

Reviewed 28 March 2012

We stayed at the Barcelo in Huatulco from March 6-13th. Our Sunwing flight was delayed because of a storm in Saskatoon, so we had to fly via Toronto which was not anyone's fault other than old man winter. Sunwing did everything they could to get us to Hualtulco which they did on the same day, also received some free perks on the plane which was nice of them! The check in at our hotel was very swift, they had been expecting our late arrival so they were set up in a hospitality room.
The next day we went and got an upgrade to a room on the 5th floor (507) with a king-size bed facing the ocean, we paid $30.00 a nite for the upgrade but was well worth it! I have nothing to say negative about the resort or the food it was great, rooms were cleaned daily, fridge was stocked daily and staff was very accomidating. We choose to take a cab to the local snorkling beach rather than get on a boat for the 7-bay tour, why? Because we had alot to explore in Huatulco in a short time and going on a boat for 6 or 7 hours just cut into that time. The cab driver that took us to the bay stopped at a few places on the way so we could take pictures and see the view. Wonderful view from the Lighthouse.
We went to Don Porfino's for my husbands birthday supper and it was awesome, lobster, prawns and your choice of steak on an outdoor grill. We also went to Santa Cruz one morning to see the sights and shop. La cruceita was also a wonderful place to shop, have a drink and watch curling. Be aware of the heat, as soon as you leave your resort it seems to be hotter away from the water so venture into town later(even though it doesn't cool off too much at nite).
The beach out front was our favourite spot, the water was different everyday, but the sun stayed hot the whole time 37 & 38 degrees. I liked to shop from the locals on the beach, you definately get the same deals there than in town...if not better!
I would definately go back to this resort again, only I would stay for 2 weeks next time!

Room Tip: pay the upgrade when you get there, face the ocean and listen to the waves at nite!

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B_VWestCoast

WestCoast

Contributor

19 reviews

9 helpful votes

“Would Go Back !”

Reviewed 28 March 2012

Bahias de Huatulco is the largest ecological reserve designated by the Mexican government,...the Beaches are beautiful. The walk ways to Chahue and Santa Cruz Bays are clean & safe. The Barcelo is located in Tangolunda Bay in the perfect spot! The resort is clean & the staff are very friendly. The head chef Rosa was wonderful !!! Looking forward to my next visit having been going down for years & still enjoy the area. Make sure you go explore all the Bays.

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Huatulco 2012 - Review of Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa ...

Huatulco 2012 - Review of Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa ...
Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa: Huatulco 2012 - See traveler reviews, 1016 candid photos, and great deals for Huatulco, Mexico, at TripAdvisor.
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“Huatulco 2012”

Reviewed April 4, 2012 NEW

1

person found this review helpful

This was our Third trip to Huatulco but our first time to a Dreams resort. Everything was fantastic. The hotel offered many small amentities that made our stay very welcoming and enjoyable.
Our room decor was very pleasant and comfortable. The house keeping staff did a great job with making up the room daily and the bar refrigerator was will stocked.
If you choose to enjoy the spa services you will not be disappointed.
Hotel staff very friendly and helpful.
Huatulco is a favourite place of ours and we will go back again in 2013. '
The location, weather, amenities of the area will not leave you disappointed.

Room Tip: The Jacuzzi tub located on the balcony's are very small.

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sasksodbuster

Saskatchewan Canada

1 review

2 helpful votes

“Relax”

Reviewed March 31, 2012 NEW

2

people found this review helpful

This was our first time to a Dreams and first time to Huatulco . Everything was great, The food, not enough sea food but he best deserts I've had at a hot resort, the staff was friendly and helpful, the entertainment staff worked very hard to make all the activities fun, then put on the show at night which was a lot of very good dancing , also I liked the time 8:30, as we are usually asleep by ten and miss most shows elsewhere. The drinks were excellent as was poolside service there was no swim up bar but it wasn't needed as they would hand you your cerveza right to your floaty. The beach was about a half mile long so walking to the end and back in sand was a good workout. If it was a black flag day you could walk on the road as there are good sidewalks with intermitent shade. You don't have to book a la carte restaurants, and if the one you go to is full they will take your room number and you can have drinks while you wait, or go elsewhere. The wi-fi at the resort is not worth the money, it is very slow and cuts out sometime (it is worse than dial up at times). I would recomend this place to my friends.

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TravellingFamily_8

Manitoba

2 reviews

7 helpful votes

“Hot Huatulco”

Reviewed March 31, 2012 NEW

2

people found this review helpful

This was our first trip to Huatulco as a family of 4 (2 kids 14 & 12) and we stayed in a partial-ocean view regular room. The room was clean and modern, small flat screen t.v. which we didn't watch, large bathroom with 2 sinks, shower should have a way to close because water came out and made floor very wet, no fan in bathroom to clear out steam, watch out for ipod docking station alarm being set for the middle of the night when you first arrive, balcony was great and also handy for drying clothes, loved free mini bar and limited room service. Biggest complaint about the room: 2 double beds made for cramped sleeping with 2 people per bed. Best things about the room: very clean and modern, air conditioning nice and cold, comfy beds with different pillow choices if you needed, very sound-proof rooms (didn't hear a lot of noise...average age of people at resort would be middle to older age, and we liked that...not a lot of loud kids partying). Animation team was not too loud, no loud music by the pools all day long, just a couple of activities you could hear once in a while. You could participate if you wanted, but no pressure.

Huatulco itself was beatiful, small town feel, not commercial. Felt safe. Mountains all around were beautiful, almost desert like conditions with cactus plants growing on the hills. It is a dry heat and you could actually lay in the sun without feeling overheated (which surprised us with temperatures of 36 degrees). Went on one tour to see the bays and snorkel, this was a nice excursion to break up the week. Took a 38 peso cab ride to Crucecita to shop and sight see a couple of times. Not much shopping to be done but managed to find enough trinkets. Coffee is wonderful from here. I was looking forward to buying vanilla but after smelling a bottle of it, realized it wasn't the same as the vanilla we bought in Cancun previously (disappointed). There is also shopping to be done at Huatulco airport while you are waiting. Helped pass the time. Best thing about Huatulco: everyday you wake up to guaranteed sun and heat (I think they said it rained last in June!!). Biggest complaint: beach was not ideal for swimming and water activities in the Tangolunda Bay.

Beach at Dreams was a little disappointing compared to the Mayan. It depends on the waves when you are there, unfortunately for us the ocean was only swimmable 2 days out of 7, and even on those days you had to be quite careful. The undertow is strong and it drops off quickly. The water is up to your waist one minute, then over your head the next as a wave comes in. Water colour and clarity were prettier than I expected, nice green colour. Water trampoline and iceberg were not in water to use because of rough conditions (again, you may or may not have rough conditions when you are there). Beach not ideal for walking because it is quite steep and not very long/scenic. So in summary, if you are a beach person and this is most important to you, you may be disappointed. If you are ok with pool days, Dreams infinity pools are THE BEST (and super warm)! Didn't think it was important to have poolside/beachside drink service, but it was sure nice to have drinks brought to you all day long!! We really enjoyed this, and trying the different drinks of the day. Kids were disappointed that the bungee trampoline was not in working order either. Never used the kids club because kids are older now. Nothing planned for teens unfortunately at Dreams.

Food at Dreams was good. Found enough in buffets to satisfy us (daugher liked pasta made to order for her). Fruit was plentiful and a good variety (aside from regular melons typically found at all inclusive resorts, we saw strawberries, mangoes, kiwis, plums, pears, peaches, raspberries on different days). Got our fill of Mexican salsa and guacamole, but at seaside restaurant not buffet. If there is anything you want but can't find, just ask one of the employees there and it will be "a pleasure" to check for you. We asked for guacamole, coconut icecream, and mangoes at buffet and if they had them, they brought them out for you. Best food we ate at restaurants: onion rings appetizer and filet mignon (ask for potato puree with meal), as well as ribs, at Seaside Grill. Oceana didn't stand out for me, not best selection of seafood, mostly fish (no lobster, scallops, etc.), the shrimp risotto was tasty, kids didn't like it. Loved Himitsu japanese restaurant. Husband liked mango curried shrimp, kids and I loved beef teppanyaki with rice and veggies. Coconut shrimp were good. Fried icecream and banana tempura were the best. The Mexican was least favorite. The Italian was just ok for us. For lunch you could go to Seaside Grill buffet and have fresh made ribeye steak and burgers which were really good. The Coco Cafe was nice to get different coffee drinks and hot chocolate (but they need a blender for frozen coffee drinks, and whipped cream to top off hot chocolate). The best thing about food at Dreams: nobody got sick and food was quite yummy.

Shows were nothing special. We've been at hotels with better entertainment, in terms of hotel hiring professional entertainers not just animation team (don't get me wrong, they were great people and were entertaining, but compared to other hotels we stayed at, there was more variety...not animation team EVERY night). For example, Iberostar in the Mayan had magician brought in for kids, clowns with balloon animals, pinata, etc. Other hotels had not only Mexican dancers, but rope guys too, as well as acrobats, magicians, and other professional type shows. Dreams had a movie in the evening for the kids showing on a wall, sometimes in english, sometimes in spanish. There were bags of popcorn which were tasty and fun. Jets games showed in Desires nightclub on site for hockey fans. Majority of people at resort were Canadian which we liked. It did get busier on the weekend with locals at the hotel, but didn't make a difference.

In summary best things about the trip were: hot and sunny guaranteed weather, beautiful warm infinity pools, no towel cards, no reservations for dinners, unlimited dinners, no wrist bands, free mini fridge and room service, very clean, super nice people working there, nobody got sick.

Most disappointing things about the trip were: the beach and ocean swimming, no trampoline/iceberg in water (due to rough conditions), no bungee trampoline, not very good seafood at Oceana, beds are too small for 2 people to sleep in (you can ask for a cot if that helps), no tennis courts, archery hurt your arm very badly because they didn't supply arm protectors like we've seen at other resorts (after husband's arm was badly bruised, we didn't let the kids even try it), they need more seating around pools...particularly shaded seating, didn't like that they charged for wifi (should be free).

Would we return to Dreams...absolutely!! Overall it was a wonderful, relaxing family vacation!

Timelapse Sequences Huatulco, Oaxaca Mexico

Timelapse Sequences Huatulco, Oaxaca Mexico from Peter Davis on Vimeo.
From Las Brisas resort March 2012.