Acapulco, MexicoLas Playas
Hotel Boca Chica
Mid-century coastal pavilion
Las Playas Acapulco, Mexico
Renovated
2010
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage SocialOutside the door
Mid-century coastal pavilion
The hotel perches over a rocky cove, built for long seaside afternoons of salt-water swimming and open-air lounging.
“The hotel's interior combines the old world charm of the original with a sharpened sense of contemporary style.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Frida Escobedo's sculptural concrete parasols cast geometric shadows across a mint-green pool deck.
Notable
A late-1950s modernist haven designed by Antonio Peláez during Acapulco's golden age.
Notable
Late-night dancing in Coco Wash, a basement disco converted from the original kitchen.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and Wallpaper*.
Grupo Habita, the hoteliers that helped define South of the Border cool…restored the 1950s building with a striking mosaic from Diego Rivera pupil Francisco Eppens.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Playa Caletilla sits right below, where fishermen land daily catches and water taxis cross over to Isla La Roqueta.
1 of 4
The rooms
Reflective white walls catch the ocean light across rough concrete floors, and private balconies come with woven hammocks.
The pool and spa
Bring a swimsuit.
An hourglass-shaped freshwater pool sits among granite boulders, and treatment rooms open straight onto balconies above the sea.
At the table
The open-air restaurant sits under a thatched palapa, serving local ceviche and Japanese raw-bar dishes beside the bay.
How it began
Hollywood stars gathered here in the 1950s, and the property appeared in the opening credits of Elvis Presley's Fun in Acapulco.
The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.