We took our family to El Rancho for Christmas 2011 and had a wonderful time. We love the beach, the lush gardens, the private villas, and the quiet, laid-back atmosphere. And the food in their restaurant was superb. The weather (and pool) could have been warmer but we adapted in the hot tub, and walked more. We frequently walked or ran all the way to Cerritos Point (past The Rui) to a great coffee shop/internet cafe, The Looney Bean. Nearby we could watch the surfers. We like the area. There is evidence of a recession all over the city but also signs of recovery.

We stayed at the Villas El Rancho resort for 10 days at the end of January. I usually don't write reveiws but this place was too good to not share with others. My girlfriend and I came for a much needed vacation and we were very pleased with our choice. We were greeted at the airport and taken directly to the resort. There are trees and plants every where you look. It looks like a little oasis! We reserved a poolside villa and it was very impressive. It was not new, but very clean and bright. The people who work here appear to be very happy to be there and are very friendly. We spent some quiet time alone and enjoyed both the pool and the private beach. There is also a very romantic jacuzzi where you can watch the sunset. Most of the guests that we spoke with were there to relax and enjoy some quiet time too. When we wanted more action, the staff happily suggested places for us to visit in town and helped arrange transportation too. The restaurant La Fonda is very nice, It has great margaritas and makes the best food too. (We had a seafood platter for two including lobster for only $39!) It was a very relaxing and quiet place. The individual units makes it feel like you are the only people around. We greatly enjoyed our stay and will be back again in the future. Thank you to everyone there that made our vacation so great!

We visited Mazatlan in January 2012 and stayed at the Villas El Rancho much to our delight. It is a small cozy resort with individual villas, so you don't have to worry about people hearing your conversations through the walls like in highrise hotels! Like any other good resort or hotel, we were not the only guests there, so one night we were able to hear a few other guests having fun and enjoying themselves on the beach but they were not totally out of control and they did quiet down after a bit. Overall it is a very relaxing and laid back place. Our villa was very clean and bright with an "Old Mexico" flavor in the decorating. One whole wall is glass so you have an amazing view of the ocean, we even saw several dolphins one day! The food was great and the staff very friendly and efficient. Totally recommend to anyone looking to relax and kick back!

We had a wonderful holiday at El Rancho. This was our 2nd stay in 3 years and I wouldn't hesitate to go again. There were 7 of us ranging in age from 17 to 75 years and we felt safe the entire time. The villa we stayed in was lovely, comfortable and clean. The staff were friendly and very helpful and did not hesitate to help us with anything.
El Rancho is a peaceful bit of paradise located outside the Golden Zone which is only a short bus trip away.