Even as Spring nears, parts of the US remain blanketed in snow. What better place to thaw out a winter chill than sunny Mazatlan. With no lack of sea sports, great food and culture, Mazatlan is the perfect place to do as much or as little as a traveler wants.
Mazatlan offers three distinct hotel districts:
I stayed in the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone) in the northern part of Mazatlan, the area most visitors do. You’ll find any number of large beach adjacent resorts here including The Marina El Cid Resort where I laid my weary head each evening. As the name suggests, the hotel hugs the marina, ideal for those looking to scuba dive, sail or deep-sea fish. As you will see from the pictures, I had an apartment-sized suite looking down on the marina about which I have nothing bad to say. Golfers and tennis players will want to stay at one of the El Cid resorts that offer excellent courses and courts. Most of the nightclubs and restaurants are located in the Zona Dorada as well.
Movie stars such as John Wayne and Gary Cooper discovered Mazatlan in the forties for its sport fishing. Hotels in the Olas Altas (High Waves), at the other end of the Malecon (boardwalk) from the Zona Dorado, flourished for thirty years until the building boom in the northern part of town. Happily many of the original hotels remain and a new generation of budget-minded travelers has rediscovered the Olas Altas hotels that line the beach.
Mazatlan’s Historic Core is undergoing its own renaissance. Sidewalk cafes and art galleries ring the Plaza Machado; the cathedral, Angela Peralta theater and several museums are just minutes away. Visitors looking for the quirky and the vibrant will want to explore this area where artists are reclaiming and refurbishing colonial houses long abandoned.
I only visited one hotel in this area, but, when I return to Mazatlan, I will stay in this boutique hotel. The Hotel Jonathon, directly across from the Angela Peralta theater, has only recently opened. Inside the colonial shell the hotel has created a modern gem complete with a rooftop bar where one can see the twinkling lights of Mazatlan.
In summary, whatever your predilections, you will find lodging in Mazatlan perfectly suited to your requirements.
Here are links to my other posts about my trip to Mazatlan: Amazing Mazatlan, Spirits of Mazatlan, Sweet Sinaloa, Meals Beyond Mazatlan, Fun Facts About Mazatlan, and Mazatlan: Seafood and Eat It.
