7 Best Hotels in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, Mexico

This hotel was formerly the Viceroy Zihuatenejo. The main draws at this luxurious resort are striking rooms with winning Mediterranean-Mexican architecture and the spectacular location on perfect Playa la Ropa. Paths meander through lush gardens, passing coconut palms, fountains, and ponds en route to the beach. Rooms are artistically and individually designed with bright but not overpowering textiles and folk art, cream-colored adobe walls, and vaulted ceilings in some units. All rooms have terraces or balconies; suites have private (and chilly) plunge pools. Service is downright deferential, with "beach butlers" delivering everything from sunscreen to fruit skewers to your palapa. For extra wellness, there's also a small Moroccan-themed spa, an octagonal fitness center, and vegan and vegetarian dining options at the resort's restaurants. Pricey though the place is, Viceroy offers numerous Web-only promotions.

This gleaming new all-suites resort, spa, and convention center on Playa Linda offers rooms equipped with jetted tubs, private terraces, and rainwater showers, plus a nightly live show. For dining, three restaurants serve Asian, Mexican, and Italian cuisine, all included in the rates. For recreation you'll find three pool bars; tennis courts; miniature golf; and a spa with an extensive menu of treatments.

Once you get past its dull exterior, this high-rise resort turns out to be quite lively. There's a subdued elegance to its marble-floor lobby and a cheerfulness to the skylighted inner courtyard where long vines hang from the balconies of the surrounding rooms. The rooms are nothing special, but they are clean and comfortable; most have small balconies with ocean views (be sure to request one and opt for a higher floor to avoid noise from the pool area). The focus is on the outdoors, from the splendid pool and beach to a sprawling list of recreational options, all facilitated by a helpful staff. There's a quality live show six nights a week, and the hotel's Sanca Bar draws a nice crowd for dancing to Latin music.

Furnishings are an adroit mix of rustic and modern in this midsized, 11-story resort. Rooms are simple but bright, done in mostly white with a few earth-tone accents. Junior suites have views from both the living room and the bedroom. There aren't any private balconies, but windows that reach nearly from the floor to the ceiling open to the sea breezes. A children's pool with a slide lures kids away from the palm-shaded main pool, which has a swim-up bar. Emporio offers frequent Web-only promotions.

The balconies of this pyramid-shaped resort are reason enough to stay here—sunbathe or sip cocktails from a deck chair during the day and stargaze from your hammock at night (junior-suite balconies also have hot tubs). Las Brisas is at the secluded southern end of Ixtapa away from the main strip, so there's nothing but blue water to gaze at. The resort is built into a hill and has a slightly awkward layout (it's a bit of a hike from the main building to the pool complex), but who needs gardens to stroll through when you're on the best stretch of beach in Ixtapa? Standard rooms are a little narrow, but they have heavenly pillow-top beds and small sitting nooks with comfy window-seat-like couches.

This hotel about 6 km (4 miles) north of Troncones is best suited to travelers who want seclusion; there are few neighboring hotels. But with a bar and a restaurant (that mainly serves fresh seafood and Mexican dishes), many guests feel they have everything they need on the resort grounds. Even the simple, clean bungalows feel private, as they're in palapas separated from other palapas by redbrick footpaths and well-manicured lawns.

This small resort specializes in yoga, which is performed in a handsome pavilion facing the beach, but there are other offerings, including meditation, qigong, horseback riding, hiking, and kayaking. You can also arrange for on-site massage therapies. Sand paths lead to inviting, palapa-roof bungalows around a small pool. The rooms are decked out in antique furnishings and tropical hardwoods, with rustic patio chairs and comfortable pillow-top beds, some with romantic canopies. The restaurant serves fresh, healthful spa cuisine, with many items available in vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free iterations.