Las Brisas Resort in Huatulco, MX January 18-25 2008

We spent a very enjoyable week in Huatulco MX during the cold January days of a Manitoba winter.  This unspoilt paradise is located on the southern coast of the Mexican Pacific , in the state of Oaxaca.  When the Mexican authorities first developed Huatulco during the 1980’s Tangolunda Bay was chosen to be home of the most luxurious hotels.

We were guests of the Las Brisas Resort, also set in the bay and for that reason one does not get the high waves of the Pacific Ocean.

The resort was graded as a 4star and we would agree with that.  It is a very expansive resort, built on 50 acres on the side of a mountain.  For this reason there are a lot of stairs, and if one is not up to doing all the climbing, there are also motorized carts travelling along the concrete trails.  The rooms are divided up into 4 different areas…we stayed in the “village of the stars” and were quite out of breath by the time we got up there.  However, the upside of this was that once we got to our room, it was quiet and peaceful with no sounds of the disco etc. 

The resort was a typical all-inclusive with a lot of eating options and activities.  There was one main buffet, and 3 a la carte restaurants.  We very much enjoyed the Mexican outdoor one, were not so keen on the indoor Moroccan one although it was authentically ethnic in décor and food,  and another Solarium right by the water with fairly good steak.  One needed to make reservations for these restaurants, and allowed 3 visits per week.  The buffet had a lot of variety, and we decided that if ever we grumbled, it was because there was just too much choice.  One soon decided which one’s favorites are!  There were a lot of seafood choices, not quite as tender other meat choices, and tons of  very excellent desserts.

At the beach there were the typical activities such as water polo, aerobics, kayaks, snorkeling, windsurfing and jetskiing.  There were actually 4 smaller beaches with rock outcroppings separating them.  This factor did not allow for the long walks on the beach that we were accustomed to from other holidays.  Palapas and loungers were in abundance, more shade available on the beach than by the pools. 

The entertainment was OK, but we have enjoyed better as well.  The Mexican night was the best with fantastic dancers and musicians. 

As mentioned earlier, the rooms were further away from the main action, but they were sizeable, all done in white….white walls and floor, white furniture, white bedspreads…very pristine.  We had a lovely view of the ocean but no balcony.  One could get a balcony at an extra cost.  Our maid routinely left beautiful flower petals on our bed and always left the room very clean and neat.

There were a host of tours offered.  We spent a day going up into the mountains to visit a coffee plantation.  This turned out to be a great day, shared with another dozen tourists, and we learned a lot about the local people and how they make their living.  We had a very informed guide who could answer a lot of questions.  The one thing we did not enjoy so much was the very curvy road we needed to take up the mountain.  For somebody not being a “merry-go-round” person, I was happy when we reached our destination!  Back at the resort, we were extremely happy with our representative.  He was very available.  There was also a room with 3 computers for internet access (for a fee).   We also spent an afternoon in La Crucecita,  the town closest to the resort area.  One needs to take a cab (cheap) and it is well worth the visit.  It boasts a number of attractions such as a main square, church, handicrafts and regional products.   We found the shop owners to be respectful and a lot less aggressive compared to other areas of Mexico.

All in all, this was a great week!  This is an area guaranteed to have no rain during the winter months.  In fact the mountainsides looked drab and gray with the trees losing their leaves due to drought.  There are a lot of cacti variety along with the palms.  It was hot and sunny every day and the evenings were warm, no need for long sleeves.  The 5 hour flights went smoothly although both directions had very early morning departures. We would definitely consider going back again to this very friendly resort!