The Fairmont Pierre Marques is located on a fabulous stretch of beach (south of Acapulco) replete with crashing waves and great scenery. It is very low key which I greatly appreciated (especially after hearing tales of the loud spring break partying at the downtown Acapulco hotels). The hotel was built in the 50s by John Paul Getty as a private retreat. Most of the buildings are no higher than two stories -- only one is five stories. I stayed in that one and had a spectacular view of the beach and a local mountain. We had booked the room through the Fairmont President's Club (the Great Dates, Great Rates program). Initially, we had a wonderful deal but I got sick with pneumonia and we had to postpone the trip. Warning: Once you book the great dates, great rates which requires upfront payment immediately -- there are almost NO options for change. We were forced to pay $100.00 more a night in order to change our dates. C'est la vie!! However, in talking with various guests around the pool, no one was paying anything similar, no matter what the circumstances (travel agent, direct booking, etc.) The rates were all over the place -- almost like plane fares these days. Some elderly guests who were regulars (and staying for over a month) felt like they had been shaken-down upon arrival -- i.e., told that they would have to pay more regardless of their confirmation. They adamantly refused. Upon check-in, we were offered a "free" upgrade to a nice sized villa suite. However, I was so entranced with the view from our original balcony, we stayed in the regular room. The room furnishings are cheerful and very clean but like the building itself -- a little weary. The bathroom was very small but had been redone with granite. Closets are decent-sized and there is a safe. The king bed was very comfortable and the feather pillows were a welcome amenity. Maid service was impeccable! The pools (there are three) are wonderful. The one next to the villas (the quiet pool) was our particular favorite. At one end, near the beach, there is a large tree and if you position yourself under it, you will be shaded all day from the very hot Mexican sun. There are also many umbrellas but the tree provided the best sunscreen. Also, at that position, a lovely strong breeze blows in from the ocean and keeps you a few degrees cooler than at other pool locations. It will also blow away any cigarette smoke. The Mexican elite and Europeans smoke quite bit. At the pool cabana, make sure that you request pads for the chairs -- the loungers are a little uncomfortable (if the cabana boy acts like he does not know what you are talking about, offer a small tip and the pads will magically appear). We ate poolside and in La Terraza (the main buffet restaurant). The food was good but not gourmet. We did not eat at La Tabachin, the fine restaurant, because the prices seemed very expensive and I had not heard any raves. The Fairmont Princess is the sister property and a shuttle runs every few minutes back and forth between the hotels. (You can also walk there along the beach.) It is a very glamourous, very large commercial property. You can use the pools there and charge dinner and drinks also. The Princess would probably appeal to a younger crowd looking for "action." There was a world-class, televised tennis tournament going on when we visited. By contrast, the Pierre Marques is very peaceful -- although on weekends the wealthy locals pour in from Mexico City and there is quite a lot of activity. Back to the Princess, we did not eat at any of the restaurants there but heard good things. The disco, Yuca, is open on Friday and Saturday nights. It is a beautiful club that alternates disco with salsa music. We had a lot of fun dancing. Re swimming at the beach: The water looked and smelled clean unlike the water in Acapulco Bay (full of brown sewage). There were surfers and others braving the very large waves (bigger than some I've seen in Hawaii). The hotel warns of rip tides, so be careful. There were nice little shade huts on the beach with lounge chairs and there are some local gals who have some massage tables set up (under umbrellas) right next to the hotel property. I heard that you could get a one hour massage for $30.00. (versus paying $130.00 at the Fairmont Willow Stream spa). The service overall at the hotel was excellent. The staff is well trained. I would definitely return. If you are looking for the ultimate beautiful room -- go elsewhere. This place is more about ambience and beautiful grounds and the ocean. Contrary to other reviewers, we did not experience a lot of loud noise. There was no giant beach party on Saturday night. The stone corridors do echo and the sound proofing between rooms could be better. However, we left our balcony door open and the crashing surf camouflaged almost any other sounds. On our last night, we ate dinner at Kookaburra, a restaurant near Las Brisas. It was fantastic! What a beautiful place! Start with the cucumber martini -- I was skeptical but it was awesome. Have the chocolate pyramid for dessert! The view alone is amazing. One last word about the Fairmont: The security at the hotel is top notch. They carefully monitor who enters and leaves the property. One guest tried to climb the wall from the beach and four guards materialized "out of nowhere" to ask him his business. At the main gate, I noticed lots of Mexican army types with machine guns and asked our cab driver why there were so many guards. He said, "This is a very important area for Acapulco and we keep it safe." I had purposely left all my jewelry at home (including my wedding ring) -- having not desired to attract any more attention to my American gringo self than necessary. But frankly I needn't have worried. This was underscored dramatically when I met a very friendly and glamorous octogenarian sporting a blindingly spectacular diamond on her finger. She and her charming husband had been coming to Acapulco for many years and had never had any problems. I mention all this because I had heard reports of crime but we were not hassled in any way and all the locals we encountered were quite friendly. PS: We experienced a slight earthquake while we were there. It was scary running down four flights of stairs in a 60 year old building (in the middle of the night). However, a man from Mexico City said that the hotel would be fine -- it had stood all those years, through other tremors. It was fine but yikes!
