Xpu-Ha Palace, Palace Resorts’ eco-centered property located in the Riviera Maya region of Mexico, is pleased to add the family pet to the guest list.

Starting in 2009, guests are welcome to bring a maximum of two pets (first pet is free of charge and the second pet is $50 per stay), at least five months old and less than 40 pounds, to the resort.

While at Xpu-Ha Palace, our furry friends will receive a welcome treat and water upon arrival, special bedding and personal water/food bowls, access to the Pet Club where they will be able to play and exercise in an intimate and secure area under the supervision of expert personnel, and a relaxing grooming session that will be provided once at the end of the pet’s stay.

For the safety of the animals, guests and staff, certain restrictions apply.

Top-of-the-line Cuisine:

New for the 2009 season, Palace Resorts is pleased to announce the expansion of their wine cellar to include wines that carry the Wine Spectator rating of 85 and higher to their entire line of properties.

Additionally, in the effort to further distinguish all of the Palace properties as leading five-star, all-inclusive resorts, Palace Resorts has upgraded the beef they serve at all of their restaurants to Certified Angus Beef.

The resorts have also upgraded their coffee and tea line and will now serve Café Britt, gourmet Costa Rican coffees, and Bigelow teas. 

New premium liquors, such as Chivas Regal, Tanqueray, Absolut, Johnnie Walker and Jack Daniels, will now be served at all of the resorts. 

The Comeback Kid

Acapulco has had its ups and downs, but it keeps reinventing itself. Its er­ratic evolution-from glittering “celebrity central” in the ’50s and ’60s to a faded C ­list town in later decades-ended in the late 1990s, when its rebirth began. Accord­ing to Radilla Calderon, the development of other tourism destinations in Mexico­ and indeed, around the world-required that Acapulco remain “cutting-edge.”

As a result, there have been record-break­ing investments in the tourism infrastructure over the last few years, boasting the re­modeling and renovation of existing hotels in Acapulco, new condominium develop­ments, hotel and spa openings, and more. Acapulco has also become the selected site for a multitude of international conventions, movie festivals and sport tournaments.

“The city’s continued growth and transformation is high­lighted in Acapulco’s Diaman­te area as well as in projects in locations throughout. First off is Mundo Imperial, an ambi­tious development comprised of the Casa Imperial hotel, which will feature 800 de­luxe guestrooms and suites; 501 Imperial, a spa focused on traditional Chinese wellness therapies; Foro Imperial, a 4,OOO-seat theater; a meetings and conven­tion center named Expo Imperial, which will have the largest ballroom in all of Mexico; and the Paseo Imperial cultural corridor. “Set to open in the spring of 2008, this mega­complex will establish an unprecedented level of luxury and excellence in business, hospitality and entertainment in Acapulco” explains Radilla Calderon.

Goodman Hospitality Investments recent­ly acquired two of Acapulco’s most famous properties, The Fairmont Acapulco Prin­cess and The Fairmont Pierre Marques, though Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will still manage them. Goodman is set to invest $50 million in a renovation of guestrooms, ex­pansion of the Willow Stream Spa and addi­tion of a multi-functional conference center, as well as the redevelopment of its two golf courses and the construction of a golf and beach club.

As for the future, Radilla Calderon is cer­tain that the ongoing improvements to tour­ism infrastructure and highways will allow Acapulco to continue to be “Mexico’s most revered resort destination for many years to come. The Mexican government remains committed to building upon Acapulco’s iconic appeal and it is expected that within the next two years, development will begin of a new ‘Tourism Corridor’ that will traverse the coastal region between the important resort destinations of Acapulco and Ixtapa ­Zihuatanejo, further enhancing our appeal and accessibility.”

San Miguel (population 60,000) is the only city on Mexico’s largest island, Cozumel – 28 miles (47 km) long and 11 miles (15 km) wide. Cozumel rests in the Caribbean 12 miles (19 km) off the coast of Quintana Roo, some 42 miles (68 km) south of Cancún.

A scrub brush jungle covers the northern half of the island, which is virtually uninhabited (along with the southern portions, the interior and the windward east coast). A road loops the entire southern part along the sea, then cuts back into town, dividing the island in half. The windward eastern beaches, best suited to beachcombing and shell collecting, are rocky, dramatic, impressive, gorgeous and too rough and dangerous for swimming (Playa Chen Rio is the exception.) The leeward western beaches feature picture-perfect white sand, gentle lapping waves, warm turquoise blue water and a series of vibrant living reefs. They offer good swimming, snorkeling and diving.

Two ferry services – a car ferry from Puerto Morelos and a people ferry from Playa del Carmen – serve Cozumel from the Yucatán mainland. Reach Playa using one of the frequent public buses from Cancún’s downtown terminal; a cab will take you for about US $30 (negotiated). The ferry service from Playa to Cozumel (45 minutes, US $5) changes schedule as often as we change underwear so check at one of the ticket booths.

San Miguel also has an international airport with some direct flights from the United States and numerous 15-minute connecting flights from Cancún (call Aerocozumel at phone 98/84- 20-00). If you’re on a cruise, you’ll find taxis lined up at the pier to take you downtown or on an island tour. Even if you are just there for the day, we’ll point out the best places to eat and shop, as well as what to do.

Cozumel streets are laid out well and it’s easy to know where you are once you get used to them. Av. Rafael Melgar is the main road running along the western waterfront. It becomes the North Road and South Road out of the downtown. Streets running north and south, parallel to the water, are avenidas and those running perpendicular to the sea, east and west, are calles. The sole exception to this is Av. Benito Juárez, which cuts San Miguel and the island into northern and southern halves. The streets north of Juárez are marked norte and have even numbers (2, 4, 6, etc.). All the calles south of Juárez are sur and are given odd numbers (3, 5, 7, etc.). Vehicles traveling north and south are supposed to have the right of way, while those traveling east and west are required to stop on every corner.

Besides taxis (a good choice when going direct from one place to another), three types of personal transportation are available: motorbikes, bicycles and rented cars or Jeeps. Many major hotels rent motorbikes or cars and every street corner downtown near the dock has men hawking rentals. The prices are pretty much the same between individual renters, especially near the dock, but you could try going to some of the shops in town or waiting until the crowd disburses before negotiating.

Parking can sometimes be scarce in town so be careful of No Parking zones (including red curbs). Your car could be towed or the license plate removed so that you pay a fine at the rental agency.  If you are in a group, or want to really see every detail of Cozumel’s wilderness, try getting a good deal on a Jeep.

Last but not least, pick up a free Blue Guide to Cozumel, available all over the island and at the ferry. It has some valuable discount coupons and fun-reading tidbits.

In Mexico, scuba divers are often able to swim with the dolphins and sea turtles. To many, this alone is worth the cost of scuba diving.  Aside from swimming with sea animals, you can also spend your scuba diving trip examining the life and environment underwater.  Just a few of the many sea animals that you may see in Mexico include lobsters, eels, sting rays, and a large number of different kinds of fishes. The fishes found in underwater Mexico often include puffer fishes, spotted fishes, and parrot fishes. 

 While the sea animals found underwater are the most exciting part of scuba diving, there are other underwater activities that you can participate in.  Many scuba divers enjoy diving along coral reefs that are found along the coast of Mexico.  Coral reefs are not only home to a large number of sea animals, but they also make for great adventures. You may find it exciting traveling in, over, or around the many different sized reefs. For good reef diving, you’ll love scuba diving and snorkeling in the dazzling waters of the Caribbean in Cozumel, Mexico.