It’s not among the most high-profile spots along the Mexican Riviera, but in some ways that just makes Manzanillo all the more alluring as a meetings destination. This hard-working port city on the Pacific coast is a place where local culture and the natural environment have yet to be overwhelmed by tourism and resort development.
That’s not to say, however, that Manzanillo lacks world-class hotels. Among them is the stunning Barcelo Karmina Palace, an all-inclusive resort which offers 324 luxury suites with sunken living areas, marble bathrooms and spacious balconies. For relaxation, there’s a secluded beach cove, adjacent Pete Dye-designed golf course, three restaurants, several bars, an open-air theater with nightly entertainment, and eight interconnected lagoon swimming pools with cascading waterfalls.
With eight meeting rooms, ranging from board rooms to a grand ballroom, the Karmina Palace is both group-friendly and affordable. Group packages, especially from late August through mid-December, are a bargain, starting at just $120 per person, double occupancy, and including suite accommodations, all meals and alcoholic beverages, meeting space, coffee breaks, activities, and entertainment.
Along with enjoying Manzanillo’s beaches, famed sport fishing and the string of seafood restaurants along the waterfront, side trips into the countryside, an emerald green wonderland of tropical fruit orchards and flowering trees, should be on the agenda as well. Just south of Manzanillo is El Tortugario, a turtle sanctuary where sea turtle hatchlings are raised before being released into the sea.
Heading up into the Western Sierra Madre, a dramatic mountain landscape brings cooler temperatures, towering volcanoes, archaeological sites, and the charming colonial city of Colima. Overlooking the main plaza with its swan-shaped iron fountains is the neoclassical Government Palace, whose walls are lined with murals depicting the history of Mexico. The palace also contains a fine collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, including fanciful terracotta sculptures of two dancing dogs that have become a symbol of Colima.
More treasures from local archaeological sites are on display at the University of Colima’s Rangel Hidalgo Museum in the quaint town of Comala. Located in an historic hacienda, many of the items are from nearby La Campana, where visitors can explore tomb shafts, stone pyramids and other remains from what was the largest pre-Hispanic settlement in western Mexico.
For More Info
Barcelo Karmina Palace 949.548.8625
www.karminapalace.com
Turismo Colima 011.52.312.316.20.21
www.visitacolima.com
