Huatulco Accommodations: Choosing where to stay

Resort, Villa, Condo or Hotel and Where?

Huatulco, being an up and coming tourist destination, offers a variety of accommodation styles with everything from luxe resorts to huge private estates. This results a wide variety of options when deciding where to stay in Huatulco.

Before diving into all the different areas, below is a table showing the distance from the various bays/neighborhoods to both Santa Cruz (the cruise port) and Tangolunda Bay (the resort bay).

Different areas within Huatulco

Here is a quick breakdown of available accommodations in each of the areas; listed in the order they appear above.

Tangolunda Bay

With the majority of the luxe resorts located here, Tangolunda bay is the place you will likely be staying if you choose a resort. Some of the main resorts in this area include Dreams, Las Brisas (which used to be Club Med), Quinta Real (which is the most elite boutique hotel in the area), Barcelo, and the Camino Real Zaashila (which offers both resort rooms and privately owned condos and villas).

There is an elite residential area located on the cliffside which is known as Balcones. It is here you will find many of Huatulco’s luxurious estates. My Huatulco Vacation‘s villa pick for this area is the stunning 5 bedroom Villa Caray.

La Bocana

This Remote, quaint, village style, surfing location offers a total of 2 villas, 1 apartment, and no hotels. One week in La Bocana will leave you feeling absolutely relaxed and unwound! For those of you looking for picturesque sunsets and rises, private beach walks, million dollar views and the true local Oaxacan experience – this is where you will find it! My Huatulco Vacation’s villa pick for this area is the amazing, Villa Vidu.

Conejos

An elite, gated, residential community that consists of all villas; no hotels or condos. Each property sits on approximately an acre (or more) of land. (Side note: this area is still under development so there is construction going on as of June 2011). There is currently a fractional ownership property being developed on Tejoncito Beach which will offer hotel style condos. This is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in late 2011. My Huatulco Vacation’s villa pick for this area is 4 bedroom Quinta Caracol.

Arrocito

Considered an upscale neighborhood, located in between Tangolunda Bay and Chahue Bay, this area offers great beaches and beautiful homes. The majority of the vacation homes in Arrocito are three or four bedroom properties with private pools. Because of its rolling hills, the villas in Arrocito all offer beautiful views and wonderful ocean breezes.This area offers a couple of hotel-style accommodations, small condo developments and many villas. Arrocito Beach is a favorite with Huatulco’s full-time residents due to its calmer waters and outstanding snorkeling conditions. My Huatulco Vacation’s pick for this area is the beautiful 3 bedroom Vista Hermosa.

Chahue

With one of the largest beaches in Huatulco, including two private beach clubs (available for public use), Chahue offers a wonderful beachfront setting for its tourist crowd. The majority of the private villas in Chahue are clustered around the private yacht club area. Only one of these villas is offered on the vacation rental market with the others either occupied full-time by local residents or simply not rented. In recent years, the condo development in Chahue has really taken off. Properties such as Sueño del Mar and VillaMar have been completed and are now considered some of Huatulco’s most sought after condo rentals thanks to their proximity to the beach and town. My Huatulco Vacation’s villa pick for this area is the stunning 4 bedroom  Casa Buena Vida (which can accommodate up to 14 people).

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz proper consists of all condos, with the cruise port and many shops and restaurants located here. This is a VERY popular area with long term vacationers/snowbirds. You are literally in the heart of the action and a stone’s throw from almost any amenity you could want, including: restaurants, markets, entertainment, marina, tour booking kiosks, shops, boutiques, cafes, and more! You will also find some of the more basic hotels in this area, offering decent accommodations at affordable rates.

The area referred to as Punta Santa Cruz is located about 7 minutes up the hillside of Santa Cruz – between the town area of Santa Cruz and the beaches of Chahue. This area offers some of the regions most stunning views of the bays and the town. There has been a huge amount of development in this area, again thanks to its great location. The more popular developments include Sueño Real and Cruz del Mar, where you’ll find a large number of condos

My Huatulco Vacation’s condo pick for the central Santa Cruz area is the spacious 2 bedroom condo, Real Marina Blue.

My Huatulco Vacation’s villa pick for Punta Santa Cruz is the ever-popular 4 bedroom villa rental, Villa Maya.

Playa el Violin

With one large gated development, this beautiful, seemingly remote location offers the feeling of peaceful privacy along with the benefit of a very central location. Surrounded by Huatulco’s National Parklands, this clifftop location is one of the most stunning vacation spots you will find in Huatulco. Boasting rooftop terraces (where you can stargaze like never before) and a total of four large pools, this spot is paradise within paradise.  It truly feels like you are in the middle of nowhere when in fact it’s an easy walk to both Playa Entrega and Santa Cruz. With a total of 3 villas and 6 condos, my Huatulco Vacation’s pick for this area is the luxurious 5 bedroom Villa Playa El Violin (complete with its own private elevator).

Sector O

You will find many snowbirds nestled here as this is a prime location for long-term stays. Situated a short distance from the ocean, this area gives you great value for the price, with amazing jungle views and privacy. You can get a three bedroom accommodation here for less than a two bedroom condo in Santa Cruz! My Huatulco Vacation’s pick for this area is the ridiculously affordable 3 bedroom Villa Paxia (accommodates up to 10 guests).