Nice holiday

My husband and I spent a week we had a lovely time, service was fantastic people were hospitable and friendly. Hotel is a little tired but always kept clean, breakfast and lunches were very good, dinners lacked in variety and options. We also had FANTASTIC massages in the spa

Good luck finding a chair by the pool

The hotel and their staff were great. The only complaint I have is why post a sign that says no reserving chairs and you absolutely nothing to enforce it I literally had to wake up at 7 o’clock in the morning, just so I can get a chair by the pool ….it was ridiculous On most days, I had left the pool by 1:30 to 3 and people that had reserved. The chairs hadn’t even shown up.

Beautiful View

Overall a good experience. The resort is clean and nice. The rooms were good. Beds were firm and very comfortable. We had good water pressure and lots of hot water. The view from the balcony was very beautiful overlooking the beach and ocean. We saw beautiful sunsets. The staff are very pleasant and try to be helpful. The breakfast and lunch buffets were good. The supper buffet was less so. The resort mainly favours mexican cuisine. We found the majority of the food was barely warm. The hig [... read more]h light was the BBQ dinner (reservation). Food was very good and hot off the grill. One huge disappointment was us missing out on a seafood lunch bbq they had one Saturday which included Bbq lobster. We had no knowledge of it and it seemed everyone else did as there was a huge lineup early for it. By the time we got there everything was gone. The following Saturday we lined up early only to be disappointed to not seeing any lobster. The entertainment shows were completely in Spanish. It would have been nice to be at least partly in English. The beach is nice but the ocean has some decent waves that can push and shove you really good. The view is beautiful with a couple of islands off the beach making it postcard worthy. We saw a whale on our last day from the pool which was pretty cool The weather is beautiful, hot and sunny everyday. The pool was nice and a comfortable temperature. The staff at the pool bar were quick and friendly. We rarely waited more than a minute or two for service. The liquor was all brand name and not cheap generic stuff that I received in the resorts in Dominican Republic. Overall it’s a decent, very clean resort and a good bang for your buck.

Affordable but dated

This was our fourth trip to Mexico, first visit to Ixtapa and Zihuatenejo, but out 2nd time at a Barcelo property. Property - 3/5 The resort is quite dated. Bathrooms and balconies are tiny, paint needs updating (not a big job) and all the upholstery in the restaurants needs replacing. Pools are nice, not very cold, and of course you have to play the towel game or you'll never find a spot around the pool. Staff - 4/5 The majority of the staff were pleasant, attentive and helpful but som [... read more]e of the buffet staff completely ignored you if you didn't have a gold bracelet. Alexis at the lobby bar was awesome! Food - 3/5 There was lots of food at the buffets, but not all of it was presented well or looked particularly appealing. Great breakfast buffets with both Mexican and American choices, the lunch buffets, not so much and most "American" choices were overcooked or cold, but you could get a burger if that was your thing. The a la carte restaurant choices were terrible. They either weren't open, or they speed-dined you in and out. You need to book at 9am which means you can't leave early for anything if you want to book one. Beverages - 3/5 Both the available red and white wines were barely palpable, and if you didn't ask for your hard liquor or beer by name, you got the cheap or watered down versions. Never once got a decent margarita from the bar! We did the sunset cruise and it was excellent, highly recommend, and the beach is amazing!! It is a great location with the shopping 'centre' of Ixtapa just a short walk away, and a taxi to the Zihua pier was only 160 pesos. We had a good week, but won't stay at this Barcelo property again.

First Time at Resort: Okay at Best

Having read multiple reviews prior to writing this one, there appears to be a common theme. The Manager of this Hotel responses have definitely not fixed any of the problems the customers have stated in previous reviews. Check-in: Although quick, more information needs to be shared as to what types of services and activities are available throughout your stay. This was not communicated. Staff: I found that the service provided by the staff was generally well done and they were very frien [... read more]dly. Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is pretty much nonexistent at the Resort except if you are in or near the lobby. I will remind that Resort that the year is now 2025 so fix the problem! How do you expect people to book or plan anything without it? Dinner Reservations: Long line ups at the Concierge Office starting before the 9:00am scheduled time slot made it very difficult to get any proper bookings. Meals: Outside of the dinner reservations, we found the food very basic especially at the two buffet style restaurants. Both my son and I got food poisoning which was not very pleasant. We have been to many places in Mexico in the past and have never experienced this. I spoke to several other families who also experienced the same issue. Bottled water instead of glasses of water should be mandatory on this property. You only have a couple of bottles supplied in your room, otherwise you have to go to the local store to get some which is totally inconvenient. The other beverages that are offered are subpar at best. Accommodations: We stayed in one of the family villas which was very pricey and although roomy enough was quite dated. The windows are single pane, so you hear everything coming from the outside, which made sleeping very difficult. A great example of this is that the onsite bar which is located directly across the courtyard from the villas and is open until 2:00am! The music is so loud none of us could fall asleep properly. To top it off, most nights are karaoke where you have a bunch of rude drunken people who can't sing and have no respect for others privacy. I can only imagine the people who had rooms directly above the bar, what a nightmare. This is completely the fault of the Resort; shut things down at 11:00pm. Pool Area/Chairs: Having to get up at 6:00am and put a towel on a chair just to have somewhere to sit during the day is absurd. The first couple of days when we got to the Resort, we had to figure this out. I watched as some chairs sat vacant up until 1:00pm in the afternoon! Again, this is completely on the Resort. Make the towels available at 9:00am only and make it a policy that they have to be returned later that day. Make it a minimum of 2 towels per group. Private Tour Company on Site: To all people, please avoid and use an alternate solution. Javier cannot be trusted. $85.00 U.S. per person for a 45-minute kayak trip, seriously? The Resort outside area is well kept and the location is very good. The views of the bay area and sunsets are quite spectacular. New Years Eve: The Resort put on an amazing show. Final Comments: This is definitely not a 5 star Hotel and it is in desperate need of an update.

Barcelo Ixtapa Beautiful Resort and friendly people

We have been to Mexico many times and have always enjoyed the resorts and surrounding community. This was our first time in Ixtapa and also at the Barcelo. It was wonderful. For starters - very close to the airport so a quick jaunt to the hotel. The Air Canada folks are friendly and knowledgeable. The food was amazing, especially the breakfast and lunch menus. We often venture off the resort in the evening to sample "local" cuisine and were not disappointed. The market is close by for thos [... read more]e who want keepsakes for home and pretty much have everything. we've been so often we don't buy much anymore but it's there if you're interested. There are 3 pools, none were overly crowded despite the very busy hotel so it was enjoyable. The service was very good as we stayed with the all-inclusive package. The drinks were tasty and plentiful. The housekeeping and maintenance staff were quick and responsive as were the reception desk folks. We were able to attend 2 shows in the evening, The Mexican Fiesta was one and it was very nice. Our travel agent Shauna did a remarkable job taking care of our reservations. we have worked with Shauna in the past. She never disappoints. I have to say we would not hesitate to return to this resort. One of the best we've stayed in - and as stated - we've been to many.

Great resort!

This was our 2nd time at this resort. The food got even better than the last time we were there (2019). Beach is beautiful but ocean is little rough. The entertainment was good but wish they spoke more English so you could understand them. Over all we would definitely recommend this resort.

Outstanding Resort

The staff, food and accommodations were outstanding. We really enjoyed our stay. The food and the views were amazing. Other guests were very nice and the resort provides many different activities for guests. I recommend this resort as it is in a great area compared to others. Thank you Tripcentral for the great customer service!

Amazing beach. Dated resort.

Pools are nice. Service is ok poolside. No room service. Drinks are watered down. DO NOT EAT THE SUSHI they dont know how to cook sushi rice and it is always half cooked. Mexican food is good. Food selection is large, if bland. Staff struggle with english. Location and rooms are really good, if very dated. This is a 4 star resort... at best.

Enjoyable vacation

We visited the Barcelo 9 years ago and wanted to experience it again. The resort is very clean and offers beautiful and lush surroundings. Rooms are spacious and comfortable. Love “La Palapa” for breakfast and the Italian and Sunset Grill for dinner. The Caracol had a really great lunch menu. Our only disappointment was having to book reservations for a la carte restaurants daily rather than in advance and that wifi was costly for regular guest. We were not informed of the “premium” opt [... read more]ion. All in all a great vacation.

Great Resort

A-la-cartes were excellent, rooms were sufficient, beach super, water warm , nice sandy beach, shows werent the best but overall i would recommend to anybody who is looking for a nice beach, great food and standard rooms.

Awesome beach, friendly staff, cold showers, pay wifi

I just returned from a week at the Barcelo Ixtapa Jan 23-30th, 2020. For context I consider myself a seasoned all-inclusive traveler and have stayed in several AI’s in different countries, I consider myself a 4 star kind of guy, my comments compare this resort to others I have experienced. To start with this hotel, like many on the Ixtapa strip, started life as a hotel 3 decades back when Ixtapa was being built as a planned tourist area by the Mexican government. With the advent of the a [... read more]ll-inclusive resort many of these hotels have been converted into AI resorts, as has the Barcelo. It’s not a sprawling resort, compact but efficiently laid out, space has been used well and all the normal amenities are there. It has an old world colonial Mexican feel to it with marble floors and decorative ceiling designs but still gives a bit of modern feel due to the more futuristic design employed when built. An older place but fairly well kept. Guest mix is pretty much 50/50 Canadians/Mexicans, seemed to be very few guests from other countries. Demographic is on the older side. Overall a good experience but as with any stay there are good points and not so good points … The good: • The beach is awesome. Tan sand, 3km from one end to the other so you can get a good 6km walk every day if that is what you are after. One note tho, the red flag is always up, more on that later. • Most staff are genuinely interested in you and genuinely appreciate the fact that you have chosen their resort and country to spend your time. Friendly, most front liners speak English fairly well. • Food, for the most part was good … again, mostly, more on that later. • The resort was not full during the week which meant there wasn’t heavy competition for beach loungers, pool space, bar seats, etc … warning tho, on the weekends the place does fill up with locals and does get quite busy. Super nice people, just busy. • Room was pretty standard, clean, the housekeeping was well done … bathroom was a bit tiny. The not so good: • Paid wifi? Seriously? Come on Barcelo, that fell off the resort scene a decade ago … and don’t think that signing up for the MyBarcelo account is going to get it for you free (as advertised) as only bookings made thru their official hotel website qualify for the freebie … and of course the rates are jacked on the official website. The rate was $40 US$ for 7 days and that was after application of the 25% off coupon you get when you check in, not a big amount just that you feel nickel and dimed … • Cold showers … yup, after a warm one on night 1 (so I know you can do it Barcelo) the rest were cold … went to the front desk every evening and reported that, the front desk clerk would get on the phone and tell someone about it, next day cold shower … this went on for 6 days and as far as I know ROOM 411 STILL HAS NO HOT WATER … ridiculous. • Red flag on the beach … which I am told is up 90% of the time during tourist season. And if you dare to venture out in the water prepare to get swamped, I did and I’m not a small guy, waves can be huge. If you are a pool person then this isn’t an issue for you but if you like to swim in the ocean you will find yourself seeking a calmer beach, of which there are a few choices easily accessible by city bus/boat. • Food is of good quality and well prepared however there aren’t the wide-ranging choices of a larger resort, you won’t lose any weight here tho. There are a few grumpy old men servers in the main buffet that you have to hunt down and ask for service (ie water or a drink) however the female and younger male staff are great … and yes I tried tipping them but it makes no difference, they need to be reassigned. • You have to book your à la carte restaurants individually, each morning with the concierge … again, really? That’s so old school … at least even let a person book the whole week at one visit. Oh, and once being told there is no room you walk past the restaurant at the time you were denied only to see many empty tables, I’d say someone is just trying to minimize the food bill. Of course, most places are what you make them, after a while the place grows on you. Overall I found my time at the Barcelo Ixtapa pleasant, the weather was awesome, the beach great, most of the staff friendly, the place was clean, daily room upkept nicely. Do yourself a favor and get up early, stand in line for 20 minutes to book yourself a dinner at the Italian restaurant, it’s worth it, awesome dinner.

A resort with a mixed bag of excellent to disappointing

The internal structure of this hotel is very dated and needing both a design and repair overhaul. The bathroom especially was unbelievable. A large person would have to walk into the shower in order to close the door on the toilet/shower. Tiles were broken, cracked, grouting dirty and also broken. First impression of the room was "yuk" BUT the outdoor areas were beautiful and the location perfect. It is a resort that obviously caters more to the Mexicans and as such was interesting to stay in [... read more]. As several staff told us, it was originally a Sheraton and in those days was much classier! Built in 1983, it would appear that little has been done to the interior. Of 4 elevators, only 2 were working for the two weeks we were there though there was constant repair work going on on the out of action elevators. The working elevators screeched alarmingly at times! Food was good in two of the three specialty restaurants and average in the buffet. Disappointing that the Japanese restaurant did not cook the food at your table and the noise level in it was very loud. Staff were always pleasant and tried to be helpful but struggled with English ...but then we didn't speak Spanish. The beach was fabulous and certainly we were at the best place to go in the ocean. Would highly recommend that aspect. Despite our disappointment with the hotel interior, we might go back simply because the location is so perfect and we think we can rise above the poor room conditions.

Fantastic Resort. Best entertainment I've seen in Mexico

Very good good. Standard accomodation. Very good service. Nice friendly staff. Nice beach, big waves for two weeks but fun. The hardest working band I have ever seen. 7 piece. They play in the show at night and then do a solid 1.5 hours in the bar. Fantastic Latino music, spot on and very tight. Think salsa music at its best. I would go back just for the music.

A few things you might want to know!

Excellent location close to shops and restaurants. Rooms are kept clean and tidy, but are very dated. Buffets are excellent, but we didn't find the al la carte restaurants anything special. Staff lovely!

Not bad!

Grounds are good. Pool is clean. Beach was awesome for being on the pacific side. Not much entertainment around the pool. Pool bar bartenders were great. Ixtapa is a great town. We had no issues going out. We even did dinner out on the town one night. Blue shrimp was a great spot. I would return to Ixtapa but would stay at another resort.

Great place to recharge

Clean with lots of room to sit around the pool or beach, great weather and the best waves of anywhere. Staff where really great and very helpful. Rooms were very clean and up to date. TV had 6 channels of English movies for late night viewing.

Beautiful Beach

Hotel is dated, rooms were clean, food was descent, service mediocre although staff was very friendly. Location fabulous, lots to do off resort whether just strolling on the beach, enjoying a massage and shopping or dining across the street. Will definitely be back, but maybe not to that resort. Oh and the weather was perfect!

Resort was nice. Service was great. Beach was amazing!

I thought that the hotel was nice. However, the rooms were only okay (bathrooms were tiny) and the one that were were in was very loud when a show was on. There was no resting while the party show was on. It felt like there was an upgrade charge for everything wifi, ocean view, etc. I would only stay again in the ocean view room. Although, I also heard that these rooms had a lot of noise as well. That being said we had a ton of fun the beach and in the pools. The staff were great. No  [... read more]issues there.

Awesome Family resort

This trip was a last minute brain child of my brother and sister. And one that we will always remember. With nineteen family members in total on this trip, there was something for everyone. Para sailing right on the resort beach, swimming with dolphins, snorkelling,shopping,aqua fitness, and of course lots of pool time and wave jumping on the beach. Friendly staff that surprised my mother and father with towel animals daily. Considerate front desk staff always willing to help with a spare key or [... read more] any reasonable request. The only thing I wished was that they had a day lounge that had air conditioning, so we could have gathered as a group during the hottest part of the day. Instead we retired to our rooms and played cards and talked. All in all a fun vacation. Thank you for the Memories.