DO NOT STAY HERE if you want fond memories of acapulco! this hotel fails to deliver on several levels. amusingly, it is decorated as a mock castle in its common areas (i have no answer for this...please, why?) it is the last hotel on the beach on acapulcos golden zone and has road drainways loading into the sea on each side of the hotel. this makes you uninclined to take a dip in the sea as you know where the pollution is coming from. rooms are basic, clean but old/musty. the sea view room has a nice view but also enables you to view the pollution, the other side must be a nightmare as it is straight on to a busy eight lane highway and noisy. if you take the All Inclusive package (as we did) BEWARE....this is not all inclusive as you would expect at an international standard hotel in so much as you cannot eat at all the restaurants (2) for 'free'. i realise that you normally have to pay extra for lobster or prime rib (never seen here i think) but here you have to pay for everything at the seafood restaurant. sorry, i forgot, you are given a $4 dollar credit if you are all inclusive which just about covers the salad. the food is EXTREMELY limited in the main restaurant. also, drinks are free flowing until 11pm after which you have to pay again. the entertainment is the same band every night. the pool is very overcrowded with thumping music all day long. service was generally good until you get to the quiet spot by the beach volleyball court which may as well have been antartica as far as the waiters were concerned. tips are supposedly included in the AI price but i know that you dont get service if you dont tip. you at least need the waiters to acknowledge your prescence in their serving area and ask if you want something before tipping them for services provided. i expect that if i had pulled out a wad and waved it at them first they would have been all over me but they just couldnt be bothered. i think someone needs to take the manager of this place to a real all inclusive so they can reassess their target market and how they advertize themselves (paradise found...more like paradise never glimpsed). if you are thinking about coming here for a bargain (it is cheap) dont bother, save a bit longer and go somewhere else. i have been to aca about 8 times and this place is just utterly disappointing and my worst experience here. they dont understand the needs of international travellers and just don t get it !!!

never ever ever stay at the avalon excalibur acapulco we arrived on 7/14 the hotel had a sign on the window directing us to another hotel we got the "story"they were remodeling and would be open monday we later found out the workers went on strike so for 2 days we lived out of our bags we returned to hell i mean avalon the rooms were decent the staff was hit and miss far below friendly. the beach was roped off if you wanted to sit outside the ropes near the water you had to pay the locals . peddlers are horrible you must simply be rude to them to get them to leave you alone they respond to nothing else the locals act as those they never get tourists this is their slow season. this place is not geared toward tourists it is set up for the locals the traffic is horrible nonstop police are out in riot gear with ak 47's the food was horrible i ate ice cream at mcdonalds diarrhea for days hooters had me vomitting my husband got sick from tacos we tried all types of stomach relief nothing helped i'm still suffering and i feel like i'm on a merry go round and can't get off we are accustom to being pampered in every way while on vacation this was by far the worst trip we have ever had the misfortune of being on this is not a 3 star resort it's not a resort it's a bad hotel the area sucks in every aspect please trust me when i write this GO SOMEPLACE ELSE

Sounds a stupid title, right? But we'll get to that in a minute. People who enjoy embracing a different culture probably don't need to read this. You'll soon realise it isn't written with you in mind. Anyway, we read all the reviews but still stuck to our plans and went for an all inclusive chill via Otel.com. This is not Cancun, which is a US/Euro destination. It is Mexico and 60% of guests are Mexican. The staff are too. Many of them do not speak good English but that does not make them bad or stupid people to be shouted at and then called arrogant by people who don't speak their language. You'd think it obvious, but it isn't to many, that their ability to comprehend a foreign language is in no way related to the delivery volume. From what we have read here and witnessed there from our fellow (only) English-speaking guests, there are lots of people who should take their vacations at international airport hotels. They know what they want and that's what they get. They'd be happy and an added bonus would be they did not end up in hotels like this, particularly when we're staying there at the same time.
So, this Mexican hotel in Mexico is situated in the middle of one of the most beautiful bays you will ever encounter. The open air terrace and bar let you wine and dine whilst taking it all in. A little courtesy, the odd word in Spanish (just learning please and thank you is a good start) and some very modest odd tips ensure that the staff are a pleasure to deal with and will whisk you across to your favourite table or have your tipple ready as soon as they set eyes on you. A tip equivalent of US $2-3 ensured our bay view room was on an upper floor, clear of the noise of music and traffic (where passing the driving test seems to depend on your skill with the horn) and non-smoking.
Sadly for some, the restaurant is not a Denny's concession so the local dishes are the best choices - a bit like in Chinese restaurants back home - as surprisingly these are what they are most skilled at cooking there (- remember its Mexico right). Dogs and burgers, if they do them, are probably to be avoided.
If your enjoyment is directly linked to room decor and fittings, go elsewhere. If you want US/UK 4 star stay away. All we can tell you is we loved it and the location was unbeatable for a chilled out February. And if small parts sound a touch cynical, don't condemn me until you have witnessed our fellow countrymen performing in these situations - you'll be ashamed of your roots.

My Review on the Avalon Excaliber Hotel...
I did read others reviews on the Avalon hotel prior to going there. I was skeptical on going and thought about changing locations, but what was done was done. When we arrived to the hotel the outside looks fairly nice in comparison to other hotels in the block. The drivethrough entrance is tight. There are a lot of bell men wearing white uniforms ready to assist you. I must say the Lobby is pretty nice. It has an opening view to the ocean. The floor is tiled and clean. The check in was fine no hassles or long lines to wait in. Now as you are waiting in line you will see that there are many Mexican natives vacationing as well. You will have to get use to this. For Mexican people, Acapulco is their Cancun. The hotel prices are affordable and they can find places to eat at descent prices. So, if you don't feel comfortable with seeing Mexicans in Mexico then maybe Acapulco is not for you.

Over the hotel was clean but old! The beds were hard as a rock. There is loud music from 9-11 PM. The beach experience is awesome, just stay inside the ropped area so the local vendors don't pester you. They do have to make a living, but sometimes they don't leave you alone! They cant' go inside the ropped area so if you don't want to be bugged then stay within the boundary area and you'll enjoy the ocean view and peace.


The hotel's restaurant has good food and I recommend it for once or twice but its pricey $15.00 for a breakfast buffet. We ate at Vips restaurant for breakfast located across the street, its good, its like a Denny's. The best restaurants we recommend for lunch is Beto's restaurant (order their fruit special) and Paradaise Restaurant for a sunset dinner. Senor Frogs up on the hill (by Mezanote) for late drinks. It has a great view but the food is okay, its more for drinking and viewing the whole bay of acapulco...its beautiful.

My best advice is to ask how much something is before eating it or buying it. The locals are sometimes super ridiculous in how much they want to charge. They quadruple the price. You must use your barganing skills and don't give in! Use your better judgement on what the real price should be.

If you have a chance go hotel hopping at the Princess Hotel and the Mayan Palace. And, Oh! ... by the way do not listen to the representatives to the Mayan Palace. You will be approached 100+ offering some discounts or free entrance to the CICI water park, but let me tell you its not worth it. They say the time share presentation is only a 90 minute talk ...Hah! we were there 6 hours! with no food offered to us and we had to ask for a water bottle so we wouldn't faint. The best way to avoid the Mayan Palace representatives is to say "Ya Fuimos," that means we already went there. They will stop harrasing you instantly, works like a charm.

Have fun!