We just got back from a week at the crowne plaza.The hotel for the most part was fine.It was the little things that were driving us nuts the whole week.We booked an all inclusive package for (alcoholic), beverages and buffet.We were coming off of having a great time from visiting mazatlan the same time a year ago with all inclusive.The difference at this hotel was that every time you went to eat or get a drink you had to actually tell them your room number and wait for them to print out a reciept and then you had to sign it wasting even more time, even though you were required to wear a wristband for being all inclusive.The wait staff
did not come up to you if you were sitting out on the pool deck to see if you wanted anything.They would walk circles around you.The only way to get something was to flag them down.In my experience with all inclusive you should not have to ask to be served and you should not have to waste your time giving your room number and then sign a reciept.
The buffets were another story.Breakfast buffet was very plain and without variety everymorning.When it came to the dinner buffet the same applied.It was the same meat,same desserts.The food on both buffets (breakfast and dinner) sometimes was cold when it should be hot.Overall the buffets should have a wide variety of meats and vegetables and everything in between.

Check in is awful outdated and took forever. The Staff is very unfriendly and not helpful. We also had a backpack that went mysterously missing at the pool while out towels and shirts were found. Plenty of other hotels in Acapulco, find a different one.

This was my second time in acapulco.. the last being 19 years a go. I have traveled to all or most of the resort areas, so here is my opinion. We booked the "all -inclusive", I guess knowing it was "standard all inclusive", but did print out what our tour company said it had to offer. 1) good stuff: Location is wonderful.. in the middle of the bay, all rooms facing the ocean. We were put on the 5th floor which was great.. i would suggest not going too high as the elevators are slow, and we could do the stairs if needed. We had a room facing the west which is a MUST! We had beautiful views of the bay, the mountains, and the sun setting over the mountains at night. We sat on our balcony every night and enjoyed. The rooms are fine.. they do have a safety deposit box which was great. As far as the food... we were actually impressed. We loved the breakfast and lunches in the open air restaurant near the pool. Hamburgers at the snack bar were very good too. For dinner, the regular buffet is fine.. not too exciting. However, the mexican buffet (on lobby level) was great, as was the italian restaurant. You do need to sign for each meal.. get over it, no big deal. Drinks were fine.. they were limited with the all-inclusive, but over all fairly good, just don't go off the "all inclusive drink" list. At the pool bar, if you went up to the bar you did need to place your order, get a "slip", then go to the bartender which makes no sense and a huge waste of everyones time. However.. if you were sitting at the poolbar, or on a lawnchair, they would serve you without a slip. The service was fine... very easy to get a drink at the pool bar, easy toget drinks and good service at the lobby bar as well. Pool area very beautiful.. nice swim up bar,very clean, you can request an umbrella anywhere for shade which was great. 2) Bad- What I didn't like about the Crown... they advertised things which didn't exist. For example... I did complain the first day that they advertised 1) childrens club- (don't have anymore), 2) tennis- as part of all -inclusve ( costs $10 per hour), 3) non-motorized sports such as kayaking and boogie boarding (non of that). So... that really sucked, especially since I had my 11 year old with.. and all the activities he was interested in were gone. They offered me free tennis for two days, and my family could eat at the mexican and italian restaurants as much as we wanted for a consulation. We took it. Tennis is a joke. They gave us two beat up racquets and 1 tennis ball. I can't believe they try to rent this out for $10 per hour. Second day we went to play tennis and the 1 ball was lost so we couldn't play. When I suggested someone run down to the WalMart to pick up some balls.. they said that I SHOULD DO IT.. (me, a paying customer). So.. only 1 day of tennis with 1 ball. Mexican restaurant was closed over the weekend so we only got to go there twice. Also.. no theme dinners/entertainment at night.. although there was live music from thursday through sunday at the lobby. So.. no entertainment for kids at all. Bring your own tennis balls please.......

Great things about acapulco: Lots to do on the beach.. go in front of the crown plaza and yell "Victor", he will set you up with anything you want from boogie boarding to banana boats, etc. We did banana boats twice, onl y$5 per person. He found us a boogie board for $5 as well, did some jet skiing, will run you about $35 for half hour.. all fun activities . We took a cab ($8) to the bull fight which was fun. Tickets $28. If you go through the hotel they will soak you for $61 per person for a bus ride and ticket. We took the bus (50cents) to Playa Caletta, and took a $5 glass bottom boat to Isla Roquetta for snorkeling, and hiked the island, also fun (and cheap). We took a bus to Zocala (center of town.. a must to check out), you can walk up the hill from there to see the Cliff Divers.. for $4 (kids free) you get a great viewing area, and a bottle of pop. We also toured the Fuerte San Diego($4 per person, kids free) and saw the mask museum. Tip: Invest in either a Frommers or Fodors mexico book or rent one out at the library and you will figure out how to do things for a fraction of the cost of the hotel tours.. plus see more of authentic mexico.
Over all opinion?? We had such a great time.. acapulco is the true mexican experience. Crown Plaza.... fine, liked the food, like it all except they need to get some activities going, and they need to quit advertising for things they do not have, people actually book because of what is offered, that part was really really disappointing.

The hotel was beautiful, the view was fabulous. The rooms were cleaned each day with large fresh towels, great room service. I thought alot of the staff was very unfriendly and uncaring. Hated the long bus ride to get there and would never go all inclusive anywhere again. We had to pay to sit near the ocean on the beach plus buy our beer and food on the beach. The beer was never cold!! Did not like all of the signing for every meal. The Italian restaraunt was great, loved the food. I give the hotel a 4 star rating but did not like Acapulco in Gereral!!!