4 Best Hotels in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

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.

The House That Sings clings to a cliff above Playa la Ropa. All guest quarters have lovely furnishings, folk art, down pillows, and generous patios with bay views, though the decor, especially the pink-marble bathrooms, is beginning to look dated. Suites have outdoor living areas and some have jetted private infinity plunge pools. The hotel's central infinity pool seems to be airborne; tucked into the cliff below, a saltwater pool overlooks the pounding surf. The Mar y Cielo restaurant serves guests breakfast and lunch; dinners here are more formal and are open to the public, offering breathtaking views of the sun setting over the bay. Service is warm, thoughtful, and hardly noticeable (in a good way); the only trace may be the intricate flower-petal mosaic left on your bed each day.

Local architect Enrique Zozaya has created an unlikely rustic-luxury property with this six-suite boutique hotel nestled almost undetectably into the hills above Bahía Zihuatanejo. It's as if Gilligan won the lottery—which you may need to do to stay here for any length of time. An open-air palapa suite is surrounded by six air-conditioned units, all exquisitely appointed with furnishings and decorations of elemental stone, ceramic, and wood. Four of the rooms have their own private infinity pools, and there's also a small central pool for common use. The emphasis on tranquillity prohibits intrusive technology: there aren't any TVs, radios, or sound systems.

This intimate property above La Ropa beach has some terrific bay views from its infinity-edge pool. An all-white motif is brightened by colorful throw pillows and terra-cotta accents, as well as a few whimsical touches. All rooms have terraces with ocean views and heated plunge pools. The Grand Suite has an open-air living room with even more expansive views of the water and the countryside.