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Azul Ixtapa All Inclusive Beach Resort & Convention Center

Ixtapa, Mexico

4.5(15,272 reviews)

FamilyAzul

Azul Ixtapa Beach Resort & Convention Center is the older and larger of the two Azul properties on Playa Linda, about 5 km from Ixtapa's hotel strip, and it is the family one. The water park with its slides and umbrella fountains, the kids club, the mini golf and the tennis and pickleball courts are the draw, and the eight dining venues plus four bars give you more places to eat than most resorts in this part of Pacific Mexico. Rooms are big by all-inclusive standards, with 95-square-meter Junior Suites that include a kitchenette and a 120-square-meter Presidential Suite, and the property is one of the very few all-inclusives that welcomes dogs properly, with a bed and welcome kit in the room and designated areas in the restaurants.

Things to Know

Wi-Fi costs extra

Traveler Insights

Pros

+On-site water park with slides and umbrella fountains plus a supervised kids club, which is rare among Ixtapa all-inclusives and the single biggest reason families pick this property over the Azul Ixtapa Grand down the beach
+Eight dining venues and four bars for a resort this size: Plaza Mexicana for Mexican cooking, Colores for the daily international buffet, La Terraza for Italian and Mediterranean, Pergola for grilled meats with an ocean view, La Pizzeria for between-meal snacks, Costa Azul, an Oyster Bar for fish and seafood, a Coffee Corner in the gardens, Lobby Bar El Palmar for sunsets, Bar Sunset and Bar Arrecife by the pools, and Bar Humedo, the swim-up bar
+Family rooms are genuinely large: the Junior Suites with kitchenette run 95 square meters, the Presidential Suite 120, and even the entry Deluxe Ocean View rooms are 39 to 43 square meters with a terrace, so multi-generation groups are not sharing one cramped room
+One of the few all-inclusives in Mexico that is properly dog friendly, not just dog tolerant: your dog gets a bed, a service table and a welcome kit in the room, there are designated areas in the dining outlets, and dogs are welcome on the beach and around the pool deck, though not in the water
+The Playa Linda setting is quiet and genuinely scenic, about 5 km from Ixtapa's hotel strip. Guests in April 2026 described walking the beach a kilometer to an ecological area with crocodiles, a large bird colony and green iguanas, and taking a 100-peso boat across to Isla Ixtapa for snorkeling and four more beaches
+Guests visiting in April 2026 reported free non-motorized water sports, plus pickleball, tennis, mini golf and bicycles usable at both this resort and the Azul Ixtapa Grand a few hundred meters along the beach under shared guest privileges
+ITSI Spa adds a real wellness option with sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a hydrotherapy circuit alongside massages and facials, and the on-site convention center means the gym and meeting facilities are maintained to business-hotel standard

Cons

−Housekeeping and pool maintenance have slipped. A guest writing on October 1, 2026 found mold or heavy staining on the shower curtain, visibly dirty room floors, and slimy pool edges with dirt built up around the rim
−A guest staying in late March 2026 hit jackhammer repair work in the pool area from 10am to 6pm with no warning at check-in, found escalators out of service, restaurants closed and the grounds declining, and said a long-serving staff member called it the worst he had seen in eleven years
−Food is the most inconsistent thing about the place. A February 2026 guest found only one restaurant open on the first night of a low-season stay, with bland, mushy dishes and a buffet short on variety; an April 2026 guest called the same food above average. Which version you get depends heavily on how full the resort is
−Raccoons are a running theme and staff do not chase them off: one October 2026 guest watched them climb onto occupied dining tables, and an April 2026 guest noted several arriving at the pool after it closes at 7pm
−Rooms facing the theatre and the events field, including the 3400 block, catch the nightly show between roughly 8:30 and 9:30pm and wedding receptions that run much later. Ask for a room away from the southern building if you are a light sleeper
−The beach is Pacific, not Caribbean: dark, hard-packed sand with real surf, and a February 2026 guest arrived to find no loungers set up at all. Travelers expecting white sand and calm turquoise water are routinely disappointed
−There is nothing in walking distance of the resort. A taxi into Ixtapa ran about 200 pesos in April 2026, and the cheap alternative is the local bus at 13 pesos to Ixtapa or 20 to Zihuatanejo
−The adults-only pool and the infinity pool with the waterfall belong to the Azul Ixtapa Grand next door, not to this property, and booking sites blur the two constantly. If a quiet adult pool is the reason you are booking, check which Azul you are actually reserving

The practical experience in 2026 has been uneven and you should go in knowing it. Guests through the year praised the staff, the pool areas and the value, and an April 2026 visitor called the food above average and the pools very clean, but a February 2026 guest found bland cooking and only one restaurant open on a low-season night, a late-March guest ran into unannounced jackhammer repairs around the pool along with broken escalators and closed restaurants, and an October 2026 guest reported a stained shower curtain, dirty floors and dirt around the pool edge. Raccoons wander the pool deck after closing and, in the worst reports, onto dining tables. The beach is dark Pacific sand with surf rather than the postcard Caribbean look, and loungers are not always set out. The ITSI Spa is good, with a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and hydrotherapy circuit, but treatments are an extra charge starting around 645 pesos.

This resort suits budget-minded families who want a water park and a kids club without Cancun prices or Cancun crowds, groups needing big connecting suites with a kitchenette, anyone traveling with a dog, and meeting organizers using the convention center. Couples wanting a calm adult pool or polished finishes are better served by the Azul Ixtapa Grand, the newer all-suites sister a few hundred meters along the same beach, which has the Adult Pool and the infinity pool, five restaurants and no water park. Getting here means flying into Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (ZIH), with year-round nonstops only from Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth and a seasonal winter list that adds Phoenix, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago and the Canadian gateways, so East Coast travelers should price in a connection before comparing this against a Caribbean week.

Common Questions

What is the difference between this resort and the Azul Ixtapa Grand?

They are two separate hotels under the same ownership, a few hundred meters apart on Playa Linda. This one, the Beach Resort & Convention Center, is the larger family property: it has the water park with slides, the kids club, mini golf and the convention center, and eight dining outlets plus four bars. The Grand is the newer all-suites hotel, with five restaurants, an infinity pool with a waterfall and an adults-only pool, and no water park. Guests have reported shared privileges between the two, so you can use facilities at both, but the room product and the atmosphere are different and you should confirm which one your booking names.

How is the food?

It varies a lot with occupancy and that is the honest answer. There are eight food venues on paper, from the Mexican kitchen at Plaza Mexicana to the Italian and Mediterranean plates at La Terraza, grilled meats at Pergola and an Oyster Bar for seafood, but low-season guests in early 2026 found only one open on a given night and described the buffet as bland and short on variety. An April 2026 guest at the same resort called the food and drinks above average. Expect solid rather than special, and expect more choice in high season.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, and the policy is unusually well worked out. Your dog gets a bed, a service table and a welcome kit in the room, there are assigned areas in the dining outlets so you can eat together, and dogs may come to the recreation areas, the pool deck and the beach, though not into the pool. The resort asks that the dog be over four months old and fully vaccinated, that you tell them the breed and weight in advance so they assign a suitable room, that you bring your usual food and a tag with your details, and that you never leave the dog alone in the room. Damage is charged to the owner, and an executive concierge handles dog-related requests.

Which rooms should I avoid?

Anything facing the theatre or the events field, which includes the southern building and the 3400 block. The nightly show runs roughly 8:30 to 9:30pm and carries straight into those rooms, and wedding receptions on the adjacent field can run much later. A March 2026 guest in rooms 3416 and 3417 asked to move three nights running and could not get it done, so it is worth requesting a quieter location at the time of booking rather than at check-in.

How do I get there, and is it worth leaving the resort?

Fly into Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International (ZIH). Year-round nonstop service comes from Los Angeles on Alaska, Houston on United Express and Dallas/Fort Worth on American Eagle, with seasonal winter flights from Phoenix, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Chicago, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, plus domestic connections through Mexico City and Guadalajara. There is nothing walkable just outside the gates, but the local bus is 13 pesos to Ixtapa and 20 to Zihuatanejo, a taxi into Ixtapa ran about 200 pesos in April 2026, and a 100-peso boat gets you to Isla Ixtapa for snorkeling and four beaches. Zihuatanejo's fishing harbor and market are the best half day off the property.

Is there an adults-only pool here?

Not at this property. The Adult Pool and the infinity pool with the waterfall are both listed on the Azul Ixtapa Grand's own pages, not on this one. This resort's pools are the family ones, with Bar Arrecife and Bar Sunset alongside them and Bar Humedo as the swim-up bar. Guests have reported being able to use facilities at the Grand under shared privileges, which is the usual route to a quieter adult pool, but confirm that with the resort rather than assuming it.

Restaurants (5)

Type	Restaurants
Mexican	Plaza Mexicana
Steakhouse	Pérgola
Mediterranean & Spanish	La Terraza
International & fusion	Colores, Costa Azul

From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown.

What's nearby

Zihuatanejo
20 min drive · 9.5 mi
Playa La Ropa
25 min drive · 11 mi
Isla Ixtapa boat trip
4 min drive · 0.9 mi
Playa Linda
4 min drive · 0.9 mi
Troncones
30 min drive · 17 mi

More things to do (18)

Playa Blanca · beach35 min drive · 19 mi
Whale watching cruise (December to March) · excursion25 min drive · 10 mi
Playa La Madera · beach25 min drive · 9.8 mi
Playa Quieta · beach4 min drive · 0.7 mi
Marina Ixtapa · marina11 min drive · 2.9 mi
Ixtapa Club de Golf Palma Real · golf14 min drive · 5.1 mi
Playa Principal (Zihuatanejo) · beach25 min drive · 9.9 mi
Parque Estatal El Limón · nature25 min drive · 8.3 mi
Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande · museum25 min drive · 10 mi
Zihuatanejo Municipal Pier · marina25 min drive · 10 mi
Sportfishing charter · excursion25 min drive · 10 mi
Sunset sail on Zihuatanejo Bay · excursion25 min drive · 10 mi
Playa Majahua · beach25 min drive · 8.9 mi
Playa La Ropa turtle camp · wildlife25 min drive · 11 mi
Playa Larga · beach30 min drive · 14 mi
Playa Las Gatas · beach30 min drive · 12 mi
Barra de Potosí · town40 min drive · 23 mi
Soledad de Maciel Ruins (Xihuacan) · ruins45 min drive · 27 mi

Amenities

Pets Allowed

Known for Great Food

Teen Lounge

Water Slides

Waterpark

Adults-Only Pool

Mini Golf

Archery

Show 12 more amenities

Fishing

Nightclub

Tennis

Kids Club

Swim-Up Bar

Snorkeling

Free Wi-Fi

Nightly Entertainment

Buffet Dining

Spa

Gym

Beach

Style & Rooms

Atmosphere

ModernMid-Range

Room upgrades

Family Suite

Seaweed & sargassum

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is not a sargassum destination.See the month-by-month guide →

Every all-inclusive in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo →

Google Reviews★ 4.5 · 15,272 reviews

Pam P.

2 months ago

“This resort was amazing! Azul grand allows access to both hotels. Marta was extremely friendly and funny, Ever always had a smile while serving amazing drinks and Isabel made fantastic towel displays for us. The coffee bar was spectacular. Everyone...”

Sandra M.

2 months ago

“Very good service,delicious food, drinks, and hotel activities 💕”

Charo c.

9 months ago

“The hotel is very nice. Service is superb everywhere. Pools are nice and big enough for a swim twice a day. Only hick up is that the sea is inaccessible (dangerous as it is naturally the pacific ocean) but even for a good swimer like my husband who w...”