The Best Hotels to Book in Manzanillo, Mexico

Las Hadas is a collection of gleaming white Arabian-inspired buildings, arches and spires, punctuated with palm trees. Guests with suites enjoy a private pool, rooftop hot tub and evening cocktails on an exclusive terrace. Golfers can take advantage of the golf package, which provides unlimited access to the Pete and Roy Dye-designed fairways of the nearby Las Hadas course. If the water calls, guests can take their dive training at the Padi center, then charter a yacht from the hotel’s marina.

Swimmers will be drawn to the vast central pool area, the focus of fun in this large Manzanillo resort. Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, palm trees sway over six interconnected pools with waterfalls. Restaurants and bars are woven into the poolscape but you don’t have to leave the water; there are plentiful swim-up bars so you can enjoy a beer while you bathe. Mayan-style buildings front the resort’s private beach.

Fun-loving families will make a beeline for the giant fiberglass squid wrapping itself around a pirate ship in the swimming pool. There are waterslides and cannons thrown in for good measure. It sets the scene for the grin-inducing zip lines, mini soccer tournaments and kids’ camping night that make up the schedule of fun at Vista Playa de Oro. The all-inclusive resort, set just across the street from the beach, resembles a Mexican town with cobbled streets and clay-tiled roofs.

Seafood lovers should head straight to this hotel’s palapa-topped beachside restaurant serving up the day’s catch. The specialty is the selection of ceviches, a sea-soaked tingle of seafood and citrus. Make sure you book at sunset, as this is a legendary spot on Miramar beach to watch the day come to a golden close. Sea-view rooms are simply furnished and most come with an added sofa bed, great for families looking for a reasonably priced stay.

Garden lovers can stretch their legs throughout the extensive grounds of Palma Real. Set on a hillside, this collection of white hacienda-style buildings enjoy enviable vistas of palms, sea and mountains. As well as the playground and soccer nets, the pool will delight the kids. Enhanced with bridges and snaking river sections, they’ll stay entertained while you soak up the Mexican sun.

A top spot for snorkelers, La Posada is opposite Azul beach, one of the best in town for snorkeling. In fact, the owner will help you organize all the water-based fun you need, from deep-sea fishing trips to diving and kayaking. This small Manzanillo hotel is near the port and naval base, so there’s plenty to watch from your lounger. Keep a look out for the passing whales and dolphins that are regularly spotted. Rooms are simple and clean and all have an ocean view.

Beach-lovers can step out of the hotel and right on to the sand of Manzanillo’s popular Playa Azul. Or, if you don’t want to leave the premises, the view from the infinity pool is pretty beach-perfect too. The rooms are pleasingly simple; think minimalist vibe with primary color pops from the soft furnishings. When you are this close to the natural beauty of the beach and are soothed to sleep by the waves, why would you want anything else? A great budget option.

High-octane holidaymakers will love this all-inclusive resort. Billed as the only hotel in town with a certified clean beach, the sands feature prominently in an activity schedule that encourages beach volleyball and daily snorkeling. A nightly entertainment show gears guests up for a disco with live music into the early hours. Rooms are simply furnished and offer a choice of ocean or mountain views.