Boca Chica - Acapulco

For many of those who went loco down in Acapulco during its mid 20th century heyday, the Hotel Boca Chica was where it all happened.
Perfectly located away from the high-rise hotels on a small peninsula adjacent to Caletilla beach, the Boca Chica offers the quietest and cleanest waters in the resort for scuba diving, snorkelling or just swimming, fantastic views across to Roqueta Island and the best sushi in town.

It is also a 1950s architectural gem, which fell on hard times when Acapulco itself fell out of favour in the 1980s. There followed twenty years of neglect, taking its toll on the fabric of the building but, thankfully, leaving most of its original features and even furniture intact.
In March 2009 a restored Boca Chica will reopen in all its postmodern, hedonistic glory. Mexican hotel Grupo Habita will complete the hotel’s renovation just in time to ride on the crest of the 1950s nostalgia wave that is sweeping through the worlds of fashion, film and interiors, with design team Frida Escobedo and Jose Rojas, and antique curator Claudia Fernandez hunting down furniture and fittings of the period.

The Boca Chica’s laid-back, tropical luxury has been lovingly recreated with some important 21st Century updates some, like the lift shaft, requiring some major structural work. A new ground-floor gym offers views across the bay to Roqueta Island and there are poolside massage cabanas. A full spa suite is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors.The seawater and freshwater pool area now includes a sea level marina with check-in facility for people who arrive by boat, and there is a palapa-covered bar and dance area where visitors can throw some disco-era shapes.

Interior features such as the marble and granite mosaic floor and lattice ‘celocia’ brickwork have been painstakingly restored, and the existing geography of the building reconfigured to provide a total of 36 guestrooms. All have private terraces (with hammocks, of course), some have private gardens, and there are three suites with separate living rooms. Other amenities include Dr. Bronner bath products, wireless Internet and 24-hour room service.  One corner suite seen during the refurbishment work has fantastic views both across Acapulco Bay and of Roquetta Island, a protected nature reserve. Habita’s trademark monochrome palette has been redeployed in the guestrooms, with touches of the mint green been used on all beach-facing external walls, adding to the Miami beachfront vibe.

Boca Chica habitués and fans of 1950s authenticity will not be disappointed with the care taken to preserve la Boca’s design integrity and, under head chef Keisuke Harada, they will still be able to dine on the best sushi in town.

BOCA CHICA
Punta Caletilla, Fraccionamiento las Playas, Acapulco, 39390, Guerrero, México
www.hotelazucar.com

Rooms    36 guestrooms
Dining    Sushi restaurant
Leisure    Gym & Spa Suite
Facilities    Bar / disco, sea level marina, freshwater pool