Cala de Mar Resort & Spa Ixtapa

🤩

So much privacy and staff was so friendly and helpful

No access to the beach

View and room were lovely. Housekeepers very good.

First, they had no record of my reservation. Confusion. They give you a what's app # to communicate with your private assistant, who apparently was supposed to have contacted us before we arrived with request, but the PA was MIA most of the stay so we gave up on that amenity. Restaurants are just awful. Food and beverages were like a poor quality Applebees. Steak represented as a NY Strip was nothing like that, inedib. Drinks were flavorless. Finally after day 2 switched to wine. But alas, despite having a wine LIST, they were out of 80% of the list. The terrace and lunch restaurant food was terrible. Indian dish served with "naan" was actually served with corn tortillas. Staff is generally unenthusiastic, confused and slow. Tables were wobbly and sticky. The only good meal was on the waters edge, without a set menu. I finally mostly gave up and ate from snacks I had brought. One day I used their requested WhatsApp to ask my personal assistant for room service. Despite showing received, the PA never replied. Assuming the food was on the way, I waited 75 minutes before texting again. No answer for 3 hours with an "I'm sorry", no offer to help. At checkout my bill was incorrect, as were the bills of three other clients checking out at the same time. The level of confusion was shocking. Had just come from San Miguel, and The Acre in Cabo which both were in every sense EXQUISITE in detail and execution. Beautifully presented drinks and delicious food. After the third day I felt like I had zero food options, and the property is a good 20' from anything. I stayed in the room, which had a lovely view. But I would never, ever go back here or recommend it. When you are in a remote location, you rely on the on property dining options to be at least adequate. They were terrible. Skip Cala de Mar and 100% go to The Acre in Cabo if you want your socks knocked off. This property is like a ghost ship with no one running it.

The private pool and balcony was amazing. The bed was exceptionally comfortable. The views were spectacular. I loved the guacamole and beers delivery every night. The seafood restaurant was exceptional.

The private pool even at highest temp is 70 degrees (F). It was great on a hot afternoon but at night (when I wanted to use it), it was too cold. The bathrooms only have a tiny shower and no tub. Like the size showered you'd see in a small hotel room in NYC or something. No romantic showers or long soaks in a tub to relax. You really notice it because of the cold private pool (not a hot tub). The site touts a personal assistant but they didn't respond or check the WhatsApp messages. Even when I called to ask for the evening delivery to be left on the balcony because I had a work meeting with a client in Korea, the message wasn't relayed and the staff member just banged and banged on the door. The size and price of the hotel should translate into not having those problems.

service was excellent

Everything

Everything exceeded our expectations and we will be back. The setting is almost like Amalfi or Taormina (Italy) where the resort is on the cliffs, views from every room, restaurant, pool. Boutique size, so we made friends with several other guests and the wonderful staff. I loved being over a rocky coastline where you can hear the waves all night, but be aware that there is not a sandy or gentle/swimmable beach accessible from the hotel. I had a wonderful swim in the waves against the rocks at the charming little rocky beach accessible from the resort, wearing good shoes and a snorkel, but this may be challenging and not recommended for most. But the sea was the perfect temperature (this was over new year's.)

It seems hard to provide anything negative, so we are reaching here...there isn't really a bar to socialize at. The wifi seemed to work but there were some functions on our laptops that didn't go through. The WhatsApp personal assistant is a good tool, but sometimes it took a bit of time, for example, just to get ice, or to have the staff flip the button to heat the spa (which every room has, so great.) But seriously these are so minor!