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Zihuatanejo, Mexico

This authentic Mexican village on the country’s Pacific coast makes a great escape for lovers of sun, sand, and simple pleasures.
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photography courtesy of The Tides Zihuatanejo

Tell a group of people you’re planning a trip to Zihuatanejo, and odds are good that at least one person will mention The Shawshank Redemption. In this American classic, inmate Andy waxes eloquent about his desire to settle down in the Mexican Riviera village. “Do you know what the Mexicans say about the Pacific?” he asks. “They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory.” Once you step foot on Zihua’s beaches, you’ll know exactly what Andy was talking about. Real-world concerns will be washed away with the waves, and all you’ll care to remember is where you left your margarita.

You can do some of your best forgetting at The Tides Zihuatanejo. Situated along Playa La Ropa (“beach of silk”), The Tides offers 70 unique guest rooms and suites stretched across 6 acres of lush gardens and glistening water features. Each casita-style room has a private balcony or terrace, and the suites boast personal infinity pools. Nearby activities include everything from ATV tours and yacht cruises to horseback riding and deep-sea fishing. But, really, you could go your entire trip without ever leaving the resort grounds. With three on-site swimming pools, private hammocks or daybeds on the suite patios, and plush beach loungers just steps from the rooms, it’s tempting to spend all your time reading, sunning, and listening to the ocean.

No matter which activities you choose to fill your days, you still have to eat, and you certainly don’t need to travel far to find a palate-pleasing meal. Besides dining in the resort’s two restaurants—La Villa, which specializes in Pacific-Mexican cuisine, and La Marea, which has a Mediterranean focus—guests can also enjoy a casual lunch on the beach delivered to a private palapa. That’s a good thing—because after a salty, sunny dip in the ocean, nothing beats a barefoot feast of beef tacos, guacamole, and a couple of Pacificos.

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photography courtesy of The Tides Zihuatanejo
For a fancier, more intimate experience, The Tides offers an exclusive dinner in La Cava, the resort’s wine cellar. The rotating six-course tasting menu, which includes such delicacies as Cornish hen leg stuffed with duck pâté over lentils ragout, features a different wine pairing for each course. And although the food holds its own, the real star is La Cava itself. Housing more than 1,000 bottles, the dining area accommodates no more than six people. That combined with the candlelight and the soft blankets that are offered if the room gets too chilly creates an experience so cozy you’ll wish you could stay the night.

Another don’t-miss on-site amenity is The Spa at The Tides Zihuatanejo. As the story goes, Zihuatanejo means “the place of women,” and ladies, you’ll definitely want to book an appointment here. Beginning with the open-air lobby and continuing with the small relaxation lounge and the simply appointed treatment rooms, the spa has a no-nonsense quality that’s fitting for its tropical locale. Its claim to fame is the Lava Shell Therapy, a Swedish-style massage using warm tiger clamshells, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you about The Tides Signature Facial. For a place with no memory, these 60 minutes of pampering are surprisingly unforgettable. Customized specially for you and featuring a line of sea-based products by Osea, the facial brightens and revives from forehead to décolletage. After all that Mexican sun worship, your skin will appreciate the extra attention. And whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just feeling guilty about all that hammock time, you’ll be glad to know that sunrise yoga classes, a newly redesigned workout center, and personal training appointments are also available.

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photography courtesy of The Tides Zihuatanejo
TURTLE LOVE
Plan your trip to The Tides Zihuatanejo between August and November, and you’re in for a special treat. Playa La Ropa is a natural breeding and nesting site for the critically endangered leatherback turtle, and for the past 10 years, the resort has operated a sea turtle nesting program that’s dedicated to preserving the species. The leatherback, which is the largest living turtle, is particularly threatened in the Pacific. According to the World Conservation Union, most leatherback nesting populations in those areas have declined more than 80 percent. In an effort to care for the species’ hatching process, each year, when thousands of mama turtles lay their eggs on Playa La Ropa, The Tides staff members collect those eggs and nurture them until they hatch. When the baby turtles are ready to face the wild, guests can participate in setting the hatchlings free during a special release event the property organizes every evening at sunset. As beautiful as the ocean is as the sun goes down, it’s even lovelier when you’re helping perpetuate a life cycle you know is struggling for survival.

Fast Facts

How To Get There
American Airlines flies from DFW to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport, with a connection in Mexico City. The Tides can arrange airport transfer.

Where To Stay
The Tides Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo, Mexico
866-905-9560
www.tideszihuatanejo.com


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