Maximizing Acapulco, Mexico Visit
Top Resort Offers All That Money Can Buy
Staying at Villa Vera or Las Brisas, playing golf at Pierre Marques course and hiring a yacht, visiting Pal Kepenyes hillside gallery are Acapulca's luxe life pleasures
If you want to enjoy Acapulco to the limit, there's just one way to go. With a suitcase full of money.
With plenty of money, you can rise above it all. Literally. For while most of Acapulco's visitors stay in the multi-story hotels fronting on the bay, there are loftier alter natives - both as far as altitude and nightly rates are concerned. You might stay, for example, in one of the villas at Villa Vera Hotel & Raquet Club, perched on a hillside far above the madding crowd. Choose one of Villa Vera's two casas if you're bringing the kids, since children aren't welcome in the villas. Casa Julio is a two bedroom, fully staffed home; Casa Lisa has three bedooms.
Another high point in Acapulco accommodations is Las Brisas, where the charming pink and white casitas (bungalows) feature private pools and outdoor salas, each with wet bar and oversize hammock, surrounded by masses of flowering bougainvillea and hibiscus.
Getting Around
To get around, you might want to rent one of the resort's shocking pink and white jeeps. But perhaps you'd rather leave the driving to someone else. No problem. Hourly rates for car and driver generally depend on the vehicle's condition and the driver's ability to speak English. If you want a BMW-type car with a driver whose English is definitely fluent, however, you'll have to make arrangements in Mexico City.
For the ultimate shopping experience, you’ll want to visit Pal Kepenyes in his hilltop home/gallery on Costera Playa Guitarron. The vast living room is done entirely in white, punctuated by Kepenyes’ dramatic sculptures and an incredibly spectacular view of Acapulco Bay. Even if you don’t purchase a sculpture – his works can be found around the world – you want to buy some of the attractive earrings and necklaces he creates (Galaria Pal Kepenyes, Costera Guitarron 140; 744-446-5287).
On the Water
Since the combination of sea air and sunscreen seems most tantalizing when you're on a private yacht, why not rent one? Complete with captain and crew, it seems pricey but is actually a bargain when you consider you can take 14 guests along.
Next, you'll have to decide where to go. If you like to snorkel, your first choice probably will be Roqueta Island, one of the best places to see pools of florescent damsel fish and other exotic marine life. And while the beaches ringing Acapulco Bay are crowded, you'll be able to seek out more isolated stretches of sand up and down the coast a few miles.
If you're a certified scuba diver, you'll probably want to check out shipwrecks such as the Rio de la Plata, the deep rock reefs like El Bajo or the sunken statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe. To get outfitted for any aquatic activities, just ask the concierge at your hotel.
Other Places, Pleasures
Golfers will want to arrange for tee-off times at either the challenging Pierre Marques, originally designed by Percy Clifford, but was reworked by Robert Trent Jones in preparation for the 1982 World Cup, or the adjacent Princess Course.
Hungry? For a feast that only money can buy, go to El Campanario (on Calle Paraiso) with its whitewashed walls, arches, and heavy Colonial furniture, or Miramar, designed in the shape of a seashell, with an elegant marble entry leading to the cozy bar and vaulted dining room. For bedtime music, hire a mariachi group to serenade you while you plan what to do next day.
