We (wife, 13m son, me) just came back from our 1 week stay at CI and though I’d share some of my experiences and address some of the comments made here about the resort. This is by no mean an extensive review, just a recollection of my time at CI.

Needing to use allocated points before they expire, we stayed in a 2 bedroom with ocean view, #808. And what a view! The open patio gave us a 180 degree view of the bay. Picture the Corona commercial with the two lounge chairs, even better than that. The second bedroom was almost a contained unit with a separate bathroom with shower, double and single bed with private patio and TV. As requested a crib was awaiting us. The main bedroom can be closed off from the living room/ kitchenette area. The living room is not really big when the sliding patio doors are closed but seriously why would they be? This place is made for outdoor living with the dining table outside. The rest of the outside area is made of two hammocks on each side, two lounge chairs and two pool chairs, open shower, enclosed shower, toilet and dip pool. I wish there had been a bath in the room so we could give our son his bath. We used one of the bath room sink and made no qualms about it. The room can easily sleep 6 with the pull out couch.

The infamous dip pool. First of all this is a dip pool NOT a Jacuzzi, it is meant for you to dip in to cool off. For all your water immersion needs there is a kid’s pool, an adult’s pool with swim up bar and oh yeah the friggin Pacific ocean! Second the filtration system is on a time that runs at least 2h a day if not more. It’s all written in that binder that contains all the info about the room and resort, you just have to read it! We saw the staff at least once come in to clean it and may have done it more often; we probably were out of the room. To be honest I went in it once, too cold for me. Showers it was.

Building 8 is right next door to the construction next door. Noise was present but limited. Maybe it was much worse in the previous months but it was nothing to write home about, it never prevented my son to fall asleep for his nap. The sound of the crashing waves was much louder!

If you visit the resort during or right after the raining season, there will be insects, you are in a tropical environment, deal with it or come at a later time, like January! That being said, I did get bitten but nothing like insects during the summer in NB.

As stated by many guests the resort is on the side of a hill and walking around requires you to go up or down stairs/paths. They way I see it, was a good way to burn off that extra (make that two) cerveza. Else you can call the “limo”.

Should you or not purchase the meal plan? We made our own breakfast and ate outside the resort most often but still ended having lunch twice and dinner twice (Friday night buffet is not to be missed) so getting some points would have saved us some $.

Playa La Ropa is very beautiful and the resort has a fenced off area with chairs. Otherwise you can walk down and try the restaurants off the beach. Water was just perfect, slightly refreshing, you could stay in for hours.

The Staff was always eager to help, very friendly were very quick to repair our sliding doors and even leaving a note about the work done.

I found that there were not a lot of activities at the resort and the bar closes at 6pm. That being said if you have no little ones with you, grab a cab and go downtown to enjoy the nightlife! The cooking class with Chef Eduardo is not to be missed and the walk through the market was very educative and gives you many pointers for your next visit to El Mercado. Too bad the Zi bar is closed, the view is breathtaking

To get around you have two choices taxi or walk. We did both but mostly the latter. I would suggest taking the cab right from the resort as they will take the number of the cab. The 10 pesos you will save by walking to the cab station at the top of Calle Adelita is not worth it since at this point you should just walk the rest into town. Walking to El Centro is quite feasible, there is a sidewalk on La Escenica La Ropa and from there you can take Calle Adelita all the way to the walking bridge at the end of Playa La Madera or the take the beach access and take the boardwalk on La Madera which brings you to the same bridge. We would at least once a day walk into town with my son in the backpack carrier. I would suggest going in the morning as things gets hot in the afternoon.

Would I come back? Oh yeah! Especially now that know how to get around and where things are!

Second stay at Club Intrawest, oh my, what a difference a great unit makes! Unit 519 wai a very comfortable, well-appointed one bedroom/two baths, perfect for a family of two and a kid. The terrace was HUMONGOUS with a MILLION DOLLAR VIEW of Zihuatanejo Bay. Seriously. You could host Hollywood parties there. It's literally breathtaking. There was a small private plunge pool ("cooling tub") on the terrace and both indoor and outdoor showers. It's also very private because of high location - You could sunbathe naked if you wish, which we did on occasion. A turret on top of the building was a hidden gem with even more breathtaking views.

The Club itself is in a beautiful location, on top of the hill facing the most beautiful beach in the bay, Playa La Ropa, and surrounded by luxury resort properties. There is construction next door but it appears to have been suspended. We have not noticed any activity, and other than being an eyesore, it was not a bother at all. It's a short cab ride or a 20-30 min walk to the town centre (you'd probably want a ride back). Beware of posted taxi fares, they are a rip-off. Negotiate lower fares when you hail a cab in the street.

The resort is very well-designed and maintained, with amazing locally authentic interior and exterior details like palm thatch roofs, adobe walls, custom furniture, ceramics and glassware, and wooden deck chairs and loungers. There was nary a piece of plastic in sight. Great beach frontage and two pools, for kids/family and adults only. The pools are nice but smallish, the adult pool has a swim-up bar which is more of a waddle-up, and could get crowded at happy hour.

Because the resort is built on a steep cliffside, there are many flights of stairs from the beach and pool to the restaurant, reception and top-level units. This was not a concern for our healthy and active family, but could be problematic for some people. There is a golf cart "limo" service to address their needs.

The Club has a high-end Zi Restaurant with a diverse and generally well-executed menu and polished service, combined with amazing views in outdoor open and covered seating areas. The chef may have been a bit ambitious with a few items, but overall food quality was very good. Mexican Buffet Fridays are not to be missed. Surf Club by the pools has a shorter lunch menu.

Some people were not impressed with restaurant prices and meal plan... we found prices a bit high but you pay for quality and convenience. There is an option to cook in your unit but it's not easy due to lack of a proper stove, limited cookware and a small bar fridge. With some ingenuity and planning, breakfast is possible in the unit, with lunch and dinner at one of many cheaper restaurants either nearby in town, or on the beach.

Resort staff is extremely friendly and always at your beck and call. They'll bend over backwards to accommodate you. There was a bit of pressure to attend sales presentations ("membership update"), but they left us alone after a few tries. There were both free and paid activities, like massage, spa, meet and greet, tequila tasting, Rosca de Reyes (the Three Kings Day when local kids get their Xmas gifts), yoga, sailing, parasailing, snorkeling, running, paddling tours etc. Bike tour to Isla Ixtapa with sea kayaking and snorkeling is highly recommended - Xavier who runs these tours with his Explora company is a great guy and a very knowledgeable guide with perfect English.

Mosquitoes were absolutely not a concern early in the dry season. Pick your travel time wisely, and you will not have a problem. Weather was fantastic as well.

Great place, would love to visit again.

I am writing this because Christmas is here again, and in 2010, and 2007 my husband, teen daughter and I spent our Christmas in Zihua at the Club. We stayed in the same 1-bed,2-bath unit both times and love it, with a huge balcony, and view out to the bay and beyond. We are planning to go back next Christmas. We did some exploring, but used taxis and buses rather than expensive tours. The first year, we took a taxi to the dock on Christmas Day, and ferried over to Ixtapa Island for snorkling and quesadillas on the beach. Last year, we took a local bus to Petatlan, about an hour away, to visit the historic church, where miracles are purported to be performed. Never saw any, but did witness a priest outside of the church blessing a car and sprinklling it with holy water. We were the only non-Mexicans on the bus, but felt completely safe. We did notice a huge difference in the drop in numbers of tourists in Zihua our second time there. In 2007, you couldn't get into some of the popular restaurants in town, but for our lovely Christmas dinner in the newly renovated Coconuts restaurant, there were many empty tables. We found this everywhere we had our meals. The Zi Restaurant at the Club always had very good food, and we did use the points plan, and had some breakfasts and dinners there, and lunch down at the pool bar. Their breakfasts and generous sized and delicious. The restaurant was under a different manager the second visit, and was much better organized, and staff seemed more relaxed. We also love Il Mare, La Casa que Canta, Elviras and Patty's, and walking into town and eating at one of the little beachside cafes. We were not bothered by the construction from the condo project next door much, but I gather it has gotten a lot noisier because of what stage they are at in the project. I am surprised (well maybe not - it's Mexico) that the building has not been completed yet. I agree with many comments that the staff are the best, always have a smile for us, and remember our names. Can't wait to go back.

There is a glimmer of truth in all of the reviews (positive and negative) I've seen here. This property truly has all the elements of greatness....yet currently falls short in what could be some critical vacation-ruining ways for some people. Yes, the views can be breathtaking, and the architecture is fabulous. Yes, the staff is friendly and can be great. On the other hand, there ARE bugs. Mosquitoes, specifically. I can confirm that the property does require walking up and down steps, and most importantly, there is very annoying and LOUD ongoing construction (as of Dec 2011) that doesn't look like it will end anytime soon.

I write my experience as a Hilton Grand Vacations member. We traded for a week here, checking in on a Saturday for seven nights. I'll start at the beginning of my experience with the airport pickup. We had booked a transfer with the property, thinking that it meant that a hotel car would pick us up. Nope. The "service" consisted of a guy waiting in the arrivals area who walked us out to a regular commercial taxi. So if you go, don't book a transfer with the property. You can head straight to the taxi desk a few steps away after exiting the customs area and buy a pre-paid taxi yourself for the same service.

It took about 20 minutes to get to the hotel and we were greeted with cold towels and chilled bottled water. Staff used the phrase, "Welcome home!" which was a nice touch. The staff was efficient, friendly, and we were soon whisked off to our "vacation home". We stayed in a one BR villa with a plunge pool and living area that opened out into a huge balcony. Since we arrived on a Saturday, there was no construction noise and we had no idea about it. I was absolutely thrilled with the room and the property. Our view of the ocean was mostly obstructed by another building, but that didn't really bother me - I loved the decor, the unique architecture, the outdoor shower, and the immaculate condition of the apartment, considering that the accommodation is partially outdoor. When we first arrived and I looked out over the fabulous balcony, I turned to my spouse and said, “This stay just justified our entire maintenance fee for the year". We walked into town (a short 15-20 minute walk), got acquainted with the area, enjoyed our fabulous balcony and splash pool, and settled in for a peaceful night's sleep, lulled by the sound of crashing ocean waves. It couldn't have been more perfect.

And then...Monday at 8am happened. And I was awakened by the sound of...jackhammers. And once the jackhammers start, they don't stop for 10 hours. I can confirm the other reviews that there is construction, and it is LOUD. Another review compared the sound level to a Judas Priest concert. It's not that bad, but when it goes on ALL DAY LONG, the effect is like someone poking you in the forehead every three seconds, and you have to deal with it ALL DAY LONG. Can you live with it? Yes, but its dang annoying. Elsewhere it's been reported that the construction is supposed to end in December 2011, but that estimate seems to me to be around two years off. As of December 3, 2011, the building being remodeled is literally a pile of cement and rebar, with very little hope of being completed in a year, let alone this month. I've uploaded pictures I took of the state of the construction as seen from my otherwise fabulous balcony - judge the status for yourself. If I were going to give one piece of advice to anyone considering a stay here, it would be to absolutely wait booking a stay until after the construction is fully completed. If you do go and are unfortunate enough to be put in a room right next to the construction as we were, prepare to be jarred awake at 8 am to the sound of jack hammering. In my opinion, the rooms near the construction should be considered unusable and it's almost criminal that they put guests in them. That said, you can't really get away from the sound during the day. There is literally nowhere on the property that is free from the sound of the jackhammer until around 6 pm, with perhaps an hour or two respite during the day for lunch or work breaks. The sound is everywhere, including the beach, pool, and restaurant areas. For me, listening to heavy machinery all day long is not my idea of a relaxing vacation.

On Day 3 of our Zihuatenajo odyssey, we did request a room change because of the construction noise, which was quickly accommodated. Kudos to the staff for being so responsive. We were offered a room that was further away and a far more tiring uphill walk from the beach, with even less of a view and far less privacy. It faced the reception area and road leading up to it. Nonetheless, we took it, since it was quieter than the more private but noisier spot we were initially given. Had the construction noise not been a factor, I would have normally considered this a very substandard room location. But after hours of jack hammering pounding on your brain, you take what you can get. HGVC members, take note - the other comments/reviews that you might have read about not getting good room locations seem to be borne out both with my experience and staff attitude (my impression is that it was not their fault, but rather Intrawest policy).

Now for the mosquitoes. I can confirm the other reviews on that note. Yes, there are mosquitoes, they are aggressive, and they are everywhere at night. I probably ended my week with no less than 50 bites, despite taking precautions. (Luckily, you can buy hydrocortisone cream at the pharmacies in town. 2.5% strength for a large tube was 120 pesos) This makes the balcony virtually unusable at night. Now consider this and add in the loud construction during the day - not exactly conducive to relaxing on the balcony. You see what I'm getting at. As wonderful as the suite was, the best feature about it was simply unusable due to the mosquitoes at night and construction during the day. You must keep the unit closed with the air conditioning on to keep the mosquitoes at bay. They did fumigate the room mid-week, but that did nothing to improve the situation. The mosquitoes are genuinely a problem specific to the property, because we spent a lot of time off-property outdoors both day and night at other locations around Zihua, but did not get ferociously bitten except when we were on the property.

We did not get the meal plan because we like to get out and try something different every day. The drinks we ordered beachside at the property were weak. Go to Paty's just a few feet down the beach (go to the beach and turn left) for decent drinks at half the cost of Intrawest. The downtown area is a mere 15-20 minute walk away to a plethora of dining choices. Just walking around provides ample opportunities to try something new and tasty. I had to laugh reading another review that complained about staff pushing the private lobster dinner - we experienced exactly such a pitch within just a few hours of arriving. That said, we did see the setup for the dinner and it looked nice, though not exactly in the most private location. (They set it up in an area adjacent to the beach lounge chairs, and right next to the entrance from the beach to the hotel)

Several reviews mention/complain about the number of steps. Yes, there are steps, but it's not like you have to climb Mt. Everest every day. I've been to worse locations with steeper and scarier steps (Santorini comes to mind). It's really not that bad. And if walking up and down a few steps bothers you, the staff will happily pick you up and cart you around to where you need to go on the property.

The pool and beach sitting areas are very small. I don't know what the total capacity of the property is, but it seems to me that these areas could fill-up very quickly in high season. Our visit was during a bridge week, so finding a beach or pool spot wasn't too much of a problem.

At the end of the day, would I recommend this place to a friend or go back? While construction is ongoing, ABSOLUTELY NOT, unless you plan to be off-property from 8 am to 6 pm every day, and you don't plan on using your room, the pool, beach, or restaurant during that time. I personally found the constant construction noise to be stress-inducing, and that is not what you want when you are on vacation. Without the construction, yes, I would recommend it and consider coming back, but not without appropriate caveats on the mosquitoes (come prepared mentally, and with strong chemicals) and potential crowding in the beach and pool area during high season. It really is quite a nice property otherwise, with unique architecture and a great location. The staff is as great as it can be, but I do feel that they are stifled somewhat by Intrawest Corporate. Additionally, coming home covered with mosquito bites and lack of sleep from the noise can truly spoil a vacation for a lot of people.