The upscale, 59-room Capella Ixtapa is an inviting hotel with a chic and sophisticated Mexican style. The hotel features many of the amenities travelers look for on vacation: two infinity pools, a full spa, and ocean views, plus luxe touches like a personal assistant and free treats by the pool. Drinks and food are available from the patio restaurant, pool service, tapas bar, and seafood grill. Each of the rooms are tastefully decorated with Mexican-style art and have private dip pools, balconies, and stunning ocean views. Unfortunately, Capella’s location on the edge of Ixtapa means that the closest beach (Playa el Palmar) is an eight-minute drive. For those looking for direct beach access and an adult-only pool, try Viceroy Zihuatanejo.

Perched on a hill with stunning ocean views, the upscale and all-inclusive Club Med Pacific Ixtapa has a privileged location that's beachfront to the white sands of Playa Quieta. All of the 516 vibrant rooms at the hotel are spacious and modern with strong air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and mini-fridges. With a kids’ club with its own restaurant, multiple pools, and plenty of activities like trapeze, tennis, and evening shows -- this is an ideal place for families. There are a few wellness options that appeal to couples, like a moderately sized fitness center, quiet pool, and relaxing spa. Overall, this is a family place. Travelers looking for something quieter should check rates at Cala de Mar Resort & Spa Ixtapa where all rooms have private dip pools. 

Located on a beautiful hillside in Ixtapa’s bustling tourist district, Pacifica Resort Ixtapa offers stunning Pacific Ocean views. With five large pools, seven full restaurants, and sprawling, extravagant grounds, it’s near the top of Ixtapa’s list of upscale beachfront resorts. The 222 mostly modern suites offer massive floor plans and the long list of standard amenities in many rooms includes a full kitchen, a glass rainfall shower, spacious living and dining areas, and a private balcony (many with ocean views). For a more luxurious alternative, the nearby Las Brisas Hotel Collection Ixtapa offers similar amenities in a Mayan Pyramid-themed resort.

Located in Ixtapa’s bustling oceanfront tourist district, the upscale Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa is an all-inclusive resort that offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. With a large pool, five restaurants, a sprawling beach, and a fine spa, there's plenty here to keep guests occupied, and the town's main tourist area is only five minutes away on foot. The bright and modern rooms are spacious and include minibars and private balconies with partial or full sea views. A dedicated kiddy area, a supervised kids’ club, and a long list of water-sports and land-based activities all provide plenty to keep children occupied as well. Families may also want to consider the Azul Ixtapa Beach Resort & Conference Center, which has better kids' pool and lower rates.

Located in Ixtapa’s main tourist district, the four-pearl Azul Ixtapa Grand Spa & Convention Center is the area's most high-end all-inclusive resorts. Along with three beautiful zero-entry pools, an adult-only terrace, and three of the more upscale a la carte restaurants in Ixtapa, the resort ticks most of the boxes for a beachfront getaway. However, the property’s tiny, rocky beach could be a deal-breaker for some, and it's a bit of a hike from the center of Ixtapa. Every category of room is spacious, sophisticated, and modern, with must-have amenities like hot tubs, mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and ocean-view balconies with panoramic views. For a more affordable, kid-friendly alternative, check rates at the adjacent Azul Ixtapa Beach Resort & Convention Center. 

Las Brisas Hotel Collection Ixtapa has one of the area’s best locations on the outer edge of Ixtapa’s bustling tourist core. The 426- room, four-pearl resort offers almost every essential and upscale amenity imaginable, including four pools, a handful of restaurants, and a beautiful beach. Every category of room is clean and sophisticated, with a nice dash of local character and bright color, plus stocked minibars, flat-screen TVs, and large, ocean-view terraces with hammocks. Some rooms even have private pools. Relative to comparable area hotels, the lack of a dedicated spa and long walk down to the beach are the only notable drawbacks. Check rates at the Azul Ixtapa Grand Spa & Convention Center for a similarly priced alternative, though its rooms have a bit less style.