We stayed at the Belmar on a Fri & Sat night in February 2007. Originally we had wanted to stay at the La Siesta Hotel but they were booked so we headed down to the Belmar.

We stayed in an ocean view room, #320 for $335 pesos tax included. For this price, how can you go wrong? The room itself was REALLY dated! It was probably not used in awhile as it was really rather dusty. The paneling there is very dark - but it was all a part of the Belmar experience. Our sheets smelled clean and we liked the location so we decided to stay. Ok, our bathroom needed some help. It was really run down, the toilet seat was kind of falling off and the shower was umm interesting :)

This place is for budget travelers who are looking for some history. The Belmar needs some serious renovation. BUT - for some reason, we liked this place. We imagined it as it used to be and could see how this place could be very beautiful if it was better taken care of.

The elevator was kind of scary so I decided to use the stairs. There are many places where you see the concrete or plaster kind of falling off the walls or ceiling! The courtyard was probably beautiful once, as was probably the pool. I didn't notice anyone swimming in there, it had a lot of sand in the bottom and probably really needed a paint job and then would have been pretty dang nice. Oh well. This is a great hotel for a base camp to just come back to at night.

After being there one night our room was cleaned well by the maid so it was a bit better. There was a little (13 inch?) tv with basic channels (no cable) and you have to ask the front desk guy for the remote. The balcony was a good size and fun to watch the malecon & street happenings. We did not have air in our room, but we did not need it as we had a great breeze and a ceiling fan as this time of year it wasn't very hot.

I wandered the halls of this hotel as it is quite large and enjoyed basking in the history of it. I think with renovations, this place could be fantastic. In regards to the hauntings of the Belmar, no weird happenings in our room - BUT we did wander into a fairly deserted area and walked into an open room with a fancy chandelier and different furnishings and got a REALLY weird feeling from the room. Both of our hair raised up on our bodies and we bolted :0 Not usually a strong believer in the paranormal, but maybe my imagination helped me out a bit.

There are free calls to the US & Canada here from the front desk as there are no phones in the rooms. The front desk guy was so nice and extremely helpful. There was a bar there as well that a few people hung out in. The entrance to the Belmar was cool with huge wooden doors and old furniture.

I am not sure if I would intentionally go back here, but I did enjoy my stay there and wouldn't be opposed to staying again. I would probably try La Siesta just because I had originally wanted to stay there.

Anyway, if you are able to get past the age of the place and go for the experience of staying in the first waterfront hotel in Mazatlan and enjoy a historical experience - I say go for it. If you are really picky definetly do not stay here!

I first went to Mazatlan about 8 years ago and was told to check out La Siesta for nice, affordable rooms. La Siesta was full, so on the advice of the desk clerk, I trundled down a couple blocks to the Belmar.
It's not the Ritz, by any means, but it has a some elegant features and a staff that treat me like family.
One year my dad was with me and fell ill after a day of marlin fishing. Joseph, the hotel's manager loaded my dad and I into his truck and took us to the Military Hospital. Joseph translated to the nurse and made arrangements for my dad to see a doctor. After a bit of a wait and some hilarity between the sweet nursing staff and my dad, the doctor arrived and without going into too much detail, all was soon well. The bill totalled about $32 US. (I tried to tip the nurse but she refused, so I took them a dozen white roses the next day.)
Last year I lost my bank card and the Senora at the Belmar's front desk made about 10 calls and located the card for me.
These are simple things when you're in your hometown, but when you're 1,000s of miles away and don't speak the language, they are very unsettling events. People like they have at the Belmar mean the world to travellers.
I first stayed at the Belmar because of the price and beautiful location, but I go back every year because it's like home to me now.

I just returned from Mazatlan, and althought I stayed a block away at the La Siesta, I visited the Belmar Hotel. The valley view room overlooks downtown, while the front rooms are Pacific view. Both rooms were very clean, comfortable and secure and included a couple of cable TV stations. Although it's old it is in fairly good repair. Contrary to a review I read prior to traveling, the swimming pool was crystal clear and perfectly maintained. The rooms were about 7 or 8 bucks cheaper than other hotels in the area. I would have gladly moved over to the Belmar to stay, but I enjoyed the La Siesta so much I remained there for two weeks. Great beaches, great people, no problems.

We had the pleasure of staying at the Hotel Bel Mar last November and once again enjoyed our inexpensive ocean view room. Having stayed at this hotel many times since 1988 we have found the staff to be professional and courteous, from the management through the maintenance staff. They are always willing to help with any problem from arranging air, ferry or day trips around the area to instructing you which bus to take to the grocery store. We know that this hotel is not for everyone and that is certainly part of its charm. If I wanted to stay with "gringos" I would just stay home or go to the north end of town. There is also a library around the corner just go south and at the bank turn left. A half a block and you're there. If you are fortunate there is an ongoing cribbage game which is open to all. We always enjoy our time in Mazatlan and leave with a desire to stay much longer. The Hotel Bel Mar while not for everyone is a glimpse of "old Mazatlan".