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Hotel Fontán Ixtapa

Ixtapa, Mexico

4(11,533 reviews)

Family

Hotel Fontan Ixtapa sits on Blvd. Paseo Ixtapa in Zona Hotelera I, fronting Playa El Palmar, the long Pacific beach that defines Ixtapa. It is a big family all-inclusive of roughly 470 rooms across twelve categories, and the pool complex with its water slides and water games is the center of the place rather than the dining room. The appeal of Ixtapa as a destination is the pairing: a wide, quiet resort beach with the working fishing town of Zihuatanejo about 7 km away, close enough for dinner out and a market morning, far enough that the hotel zone never feels busy.

Traveler Insights

Pros

+Fronts Playa El Palmar in Ixtapa's Zona Hotelera I, a wide Pacific beach that stays far less crowded than the equivalent strips in Cancun or Los Cabos
+Zihuatanejo, a working fishing town rather than a resort build, is about 7 km down the road, so a night out in real Mexican seafood restaurants is a short taxi ride
+Isla Ixtapa is roughly 10 minutes offshore by water taxi and has four small beaches, reef snorkeling and palapa restaurants, and Playa Las Gatas near Zihuatanejo is one of the calmest snorkeling spots on this coast
+The pool complex includes water slides and water games, and the daily program runs pool activities, beach volleyball when the tide allows, bike tours on 14 km and 4 km routes, DJ nights, live music and dance shows, all inside the all-inclusive rate
+The Junior Suites are genuinely large for this price band: 60 square meters for the king version and 45 for the double, both split over two levels with ocean views
+Ixtapa Golf Club, a Robert Trent Jones Jr. course, is minutes from the hotel zone, which is rare at this price for a family all-inclusive
+Humpback whales pass Zihuatanejo Bay from roughly December through March and local boat tours have good sighting rates in that window
+Costs a fraction of a comparable Cancun family all-inclusive, which is the main reason families who have done the Caribbean side keep landing here

Cons

−The renovation is rolling, not finished: owner group BF Hoteles, formerly Fontan Hotels, still describes itself as a group of hotels in total renovation, and guests in January and February 2026 described parts of the property as very old. Ask which categories have actually been redone before you book
−Every restaurant included in the all-inclusive plan is a buffet or a casual counter. Real Palapa, Miramar and Jardin are buffets and Cafe del Mar is a snack and taqueria stop, so there is no included a la carte dinner
−The three better venues all carry a surcharge and are open to the general public: Kantina Sport Bar for pizza, burgers and wings, Restaurante Hacienda for cuts served skewer style, and a seafood snack bar doing ceviches and coconut shrimp
−Miramar's dinner service runs according to the season per the official site, and guests in February 2026 reported only one restaurant open with lines around two hours
−This is a big house of roughly 470 rooms and the most repeated complaint in early 2026 was too few staff for the crowd: long waits at the bars, a scramble for loungers and food that gets repetitive over a week
−Playa El Palmar is open Pacific, with surf and currents that shift with the tide and the season. It is good for bodyboarding and poor as a calm wading beach for small children
−Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo airport has thin international service. The hotel lists air connections from Mexico City, Guadalajara and Morelia plus seasonal links from the United States, so many travelers connect through Mexico City

Rooms run from a 29 square meter Deluxe Double up to two-level Junior Suites of 45 and 60 square meters with ocean views, and a Premium tier that adds a minibar, robe and slippers. The categories labeled Pent House are only 31 square meters despite the name, so read dimensions rather than titles. Dining is honest about what it is: Real Palapa does a Mexican buffet, Miramar and Jardin are the other two buffets, with Miramar's dinner service seasonal, and Cafe del Mar covers snacks and a taqueria. Kantina Sport Bar, the Hacienda steakhouse and the seafood snack bar all cost extra. Owner group BF Hoteles, formerly Fontan Hotels, has the property in a rolling renovation, which means a mixed house: guests through 2026 praise the staff and the activity program and in the same breath describe tired areas, long bar lines and crowding at the buffets.

This works best for families who want an inexpensive Pacific beach week and will spend real time off the property. Water taxis reach Isla Ixtapa in about ten minutes for four beaches and reef snorkeling, Playa Las Gatas near Zihuatanejo is the calm-water option with a pre-Columbian breakwater to swim over, and whale watching boats run from roughly December through March. Ixtapa Golf Club is minutes away. Travelers who want included specialty restaurants, a spa-led stay or a sheltered swimming bay should look elsewhere, and families with toddlers should know that the beach has surf. BF Hoteles is a certified B Corporation and the hotel runs a B Artesanal shop selling work from local artisans, which is a real difference from the chains up the coast.

Common Questions

Which restaurants are included and what costs extra?

The all-inclusive plan covers the buffets and casual spots: Real Palapa for Mexican dishes, Miramar, Jardin with salad, meat and dessert stations, and Cafe del Mar for snacks and a taqueria. Miramar's dinner runs according to the season, so in slow months fewer venues open. Kantina Sport Bar, the Hacienda steakhouse serving cuts skewer style, and the seafood snack bar with ceviches and coconut shrimp all carry an additional charge and are open to non-guests as well.

Is Playa El Palmar safe for swimming with children?

Treat it as an open Pacific beach rather than a bay. Waves and currents change with the tide and the season, which makes it fine for confident swimmers and good for bodyboarding, but it is not a calm wading beach. Check conditions with hotel staff before letting children in, and if you want genuinely sheltered water, take the water taxi to Playa Las Gatas near Zihuatanejo, which is close to lagoon calm. The hotel's own pools, including the slide area, are the safer everyday option for small kids.

What is the difference between Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo?

Ixtapa is a planned resort zone built from the 1970s onward: a boulevard of hotels, a shopping center and the golf course. Zihuatanejo, about 7 km south, is the original fishing town with narrow streets, a working harbor, a central market and the best seafood restaurants in the area. Most visitors sleep in Ixtapa and go into Zihuatanejo for dinner and shopping, and the taxi between the two is short and cheap. Having both within a few minutes is the reason to pick this coast over a single-purpose resort strip.

Which airport should I use and how hard is it to get there?

Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International is the local airport and it is close to the hotel zone, but service is limited. The hotel lists air connections from Mexico City, Guadalajara and Morelia, plus international links from the United States depending on the season, so a Mexico City connection is common for North American travelers. Long-distance buses also serve the area from cities around Mexico. Arrange a transfer in advance rather than assuming a taxi rank.

Which room category should I book?

Read the square meters, not the names. Deluxe Doubles are 29 to 40 square meters with two double beds, Deluxe Kings run 33 to 35, and the two-level Junior Suites are the largest at 45 square meters for the double and 60 for the king, both ocean view. The Pent House categories are only 31 square meters. The Premium versions of each add a minibar, robe and slippers. Because the renovation has been done in phases, it is worth confirming at booking that your category has been refurbished.

Restaurants (5)

Type	Restaurants
Buffet	Real Palapa, Miramar, Jardín
Mexican	Café del Mar
Steakhouse	Restaurante Hacienda (extra charge)

From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. Venues marked "extra charge" are not covered by the all-inclusive rate; the others are, per the resort.

What's nearby

Zihuatanejo
9 min drive · 5.1 mi
Playa La Ropa
12 min drive · 6.5 mi
Isla Ixtapa boat trip
14 min drive · 5.2 mi
Playa Linda
14 min drive · 5.2 mi
Troncones
30 min drive · 19 mi

More things to do (18)

Playa Blanca · beach25 min drive · 15 mi
Whale watching cruise (December to March) · excursion10 min drive · 5.5 mi
Playa La Madera · beach10 min drive · 5.3 mi
Ixtapa Club de Golf Palma Real · golf3 min drive · 0.6 mi
Playa Principal (Zihuatanejo) · beach10 min drive · 5.5 mi
Parque Estatal El Limón · nature10 min drive · 3.9 mi
Museo Arqueológico de la Costa Grande · museum10 min drive · 5.5 mi
Marina Ixtapa · marina10 min drive · 3.0 mi
Zihuatanejo Municipal Pier · marina10 min drive · 5.5 mi
Sportfishing charter · excursion10 min drive · 5.5 mi
Sunset sail on Zihuatanejo Bay · excursion10 min drive · 5.5 mi
Playa Majahua · beach11 min drive · 4.5 mi
Playa La Ropa turtle camp · wildlife12 min drive · 6.5 mi
Playa Quieta · beach13 min drive · 5.1 mi
Playa Larga · beach20 min drive · 9.7 mi
Playa Las Gatas · beach20 min drive · 7.8 mi
Barra de Potosí · town30 min drive · 19 mi
Soledad de Maciel Ruins (Xihuacan) · ruins30 min drive · 23 mi

Amenities

Water Slides

Fishing

Kids Club

Snorkeling

Free Wi-Fi

Nightly Entertainment

Buffet Dining

Beach

Seaweed & sargassum

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

Every all-inclusive in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo →

Google Reviews★ 4 · 11,533 reviews

Aida (.

5 months ago

“Cristian Morales in The Main Restaurant, was super nice and attentive to service exided expectations, Dulce Cristal in the Zumba class was excellent, very nice music and very fast ritdem, it was hard to keep up, but it was a lot of fun.The food in th...”

Manuel G.

6 months ago

“Very nice place and service. Food is good, nice pools and the beach is beautiful right in front of the hotel. The facilities could use a little more maintenance.”