Fontan Beach Resort

The hotel was over capacity. The resort is too small for the amount of people staying there. We never swam in the pool and were unable to get a single chair. [Details]

I stay in Fontain Ixtapa for one week, our room was renovated one and was pleasant and clean. Lobby and evening bar needs some face lift. Buffet restaurants were ok for 3* selection of the food could be better. At lunch they had tacos chips but no tomato salsa or guacamole. On weekends and Mexican holiday very crowded with local people so all property is very noisy. One a la card restaurant has good food but very long wait for service. Drinks were poorly done and white wine was sweet. The biggest problem is launch chars in the shade. To get chairs on the beach you have to reserve them around 06:30 when is still dark outside or stay by the pool in sardines style in full sun. The shows are OK, some better then others. [Details]

Given the price paid reasonable but an "old" facility. Badly needs upgrades, especially to lobby and rooms. [Details]

The location was perfect. The beach was very nice. The hotel was adequate accommodation. The influx of Mexican weekend guests pushed the Staff and the hotels aging infrastructure to its limits. Be prepared for long waits at the bar and buffets on Thursday to Saturday. The front desk staff were very unwilling to assist. Ixtapa and its surroundings are well worth the visit and we will probably return sometime in the future. Just not at the Fontan resort. [Details]

I really enjoyed my stay in a “history” of Ixtapa – hotel Fontan was build 40 years ago and is maintained lovingly …
The staff in the front desk, security and maintenance folks, are top notch. They put in effort to keep you happy and they are all always friendly. They work night and day and still manage to smile when they greet you.
Not so many English speaking personnel (this is the best way to learn Spanish) but very helpful to accommodate your needs.
Pool and beach area - the staff worked tirelessly to keep the area clean, neat, and in working order; lots of activities offered daily.
Food is plenty and delicious, drinks are NOT watered :-) [Details]

We had a great time. Staff were pleasant, other hotel guests were easy going. Great location. [Details]

We stayed at the Fontan from March 22-29. It is an older hotel that shows it age, but it was clean. The food is good a little bit repetitive after 7 days but that can be expected with a buffet. I did not like the plastic chairs and table used in the dining areas. They were unstable and felt like they were going to break at any moment. The hotel caters to Mexican families and was extremely busy from Thursday to Sunday night. This was not really an issue except for the pool area and long lines, the pool area was to small to accommodate this many people. Hotel staff were always very polite and the front lobby staff would write out places we would like to go to show to the taxi and bus drivers. If you are looking for a cheap, clean hotel in which to explore Ixtapa then this is the place. If you want to relax by the pool, you may want another hotel with less families. [Details]

The hotel was very clean and the staff very nice. The
areas of improvements are as follows: Buffet Area: the chairs could be replaced. They should definitely make one of the pool for adult only. That is a necessity, especially on weekends when there is more families visiting. [Details]

We arrived at 2:00 pm expecting to have lunch. There was nothing available so had to go to a restaurant outside resort. Lots of broken lawn chairs, cutbacks on buffet. This was our 4th time at the Fontan. We return as we like the staff. [Details]

Hotel itself was what we expected for a 3 star one, bed was rock hard, but we liked it, others might not! Renos needed as plaster fell off the ceiling and drapes were barely hanging in place.....but overall, clean and ok. Food was good, we are not picky eaters. Worst part was the crowds of Mexican families with their screaming kids everywhere. Different standards for Mexicans and tourists. Mexicans allowed in bare underwear without shirt or shoes in the restaurant, appalling!
Beach was the best, sand and sun made it a holiday. Pools were dirty due to overcrowding! Will not go back. [Details]

I would look for somewhere else as they seem to cater to the local people and do not designate 1 pool for adults only. [Details]

This is our third time at the Fontan; We know what to expect. That being said, for a small hotel it is very clean, the staff are very helpful and friendly and the food is good. The staff are also very helpful with us learning Spanish. [Details]

We have been going to this Hotel for 14 years, that should say it all. [Details]

Food is fine, beds are still nice and hard. Staff is always friendly and helpfull [Details]

Very clean close to everything, had a great time [Details]

The Fontan is clean, tidy etc. the staff are hard workers, efficient and polite. Some have good English, they do try hard to give you what you need.

Poolside palapa restaurant is the best, the garlic shrimp is awesome, I had it about 5 times in a week :-) Buffet food is boring and bland, omelets are good. Tea is never hot. Lots of watermelon, papaya, pineapple, some oranges. BBQ ribs for breakfast was strange tho! Snack bar has good burgers and fries.

Evening shows in the convention centre are great, the ones in the buffet restaurant are good too. Kareoke night is awful.

I found Ixtapa itself to be boring, nothing to do other than go across the road to stores and restaurants and pesky vendors and beggars selling junk.

Get on the bus for 9 pesos and go down to Zihua and go to the beach there, see the market, admire the view. Go north to Playa Linda and see the crocs, take the boat to Ixtapa Island for $3.00. No need to take an expensive tour there, the bus goes right there.

I wont go to Ixtapa again, it's a manufactured town, doesnt look like Mexico, rather it looks like Florida. If you want the beach and ocean, then it's great, but there's nothing else to see.

If you can get it for about $300. plus tax as we did, then go, but it's not worth anymore money than that. [Details]

It offers more than what we expected for a 3 star (been to quite a few), but the hotel is targeting Mexican families especially on weekends and is very busy then. While courteous to English rarely use it. Very little to offer after the brief evening show. [Details]

Would recommend for the price. Good food. Older hotel but very well maintained. Beds and pillows could be improved. Bedspreads were changed during our stay. Safe at front desk. One speciality dinner per week. Shows amazing. Mexican Fiesta was in the Convention Centre attached to the hotel.
Combo Tour we took too expensive and would recommend going into Zihuatanejo by bus yourself. [Details]

Positive overall impression but overcrowded for a few days. Probably some deal - kids stay free.Daycare atmosphere, noisy and busy all days. Evidently lack of beach-chars and umbrellas. [Details]

great for the price [Details]

We have been staying at this hotel for 13 years (16 times in 13 years),needless to say, we love it. It is Mexican owned and staffed, spotlessly clean, service is excellent, people are wonderful, food is good, something for everyone. Internet access free plug in, using your own lap top only. Beach is beautiful! [Details]

overall good vacation, weather is allways perfect there, the location is great beutiful scenary, you can find all your shopping across the street in the plaza or the fleemarket there is also lots of restaurants in the plaza if you get tired of the hotel food. Visit the nabouring town lots to see there too. The hotel is aging and could get a facelift but everything is clean and well kept, swiming pools are good, bar for the pool and beach is good with good service, the restaurants open according how many guests thay have at the time,if the crowd is small only the smaller buffet restaurant opens, both are open air. for lunch you have a choice of alacart, buffet or burgers and fries from the coffee bar. The food could use some improvement but there is alwys something to choose from, coffee and deserts are excelent. Hotel was half empty through the week but Fri to Sunday gets bussy with Mexican families, thay are not pushy or get preferential treatment like some reviws say. For nightlife you have to go off resort.People are friendly. Don't get discuraged by bad press, I felt safe everywhere I went. Good relaxing vacation I'd go again. [Details]

Had a lovely time. Not one complaint comes to mind. Will definitely return... [Details]

We had a great time at this hotel. It was amazingly clean. There are 4 pools, and the walkpaths around the pools get bleached. Every day they clean the pool. There are deckchairs at the pools and at the beach. There are showers for you to rinse the sand off at every entrance from the beach area to the pool area. The food was good. It was a little repetative....you sort of knew most days what would be on the menu, but there is enough variety that you have no problem having enough food. You really feel like you live in Mexico at this resort. The folks at the front desk have perfect English, and the waiters have a limited amount of English, but the cleaning staff speak almost no English. The beds are comfortable, the room is cleaned very well every day, and they leave little personal touches like a towel figurine with flower petals draped over it on your bed, and little flower petals in the bathroom. I would highly recommend this hotel for either a family or for a couple. There are activities every evening. Shopping is just across the street - everything from high end clothes to your tourist purchases. [Details]

it was great. I definitely will go back there again. [Details]

I had such an interesting vacation at Hotel Fontan in Ixtapa.
I've spent the same week in San Jose del Cabo and loved it, but, found that Ixtapa has nicer evening temperatures. Cabo gets chilly this time of year.
The Hotel Fontan was a study in opposites. On one hand you have amazing views of the ocean and the beach is fantastic. There is a real sense of safety when you walk the beach along the hotel zone and up to the marina. The sunsets are amazing. My room had a beautiful view of the ocean, I enjoyed sitting on my small balcony and watching the evening sun melt into the ocean.
One web site mentioned that internet was available in the room for a fee, but when I got there, I found out that wi fi was only available in the lobby...I adjusted.
Front desk, bell boys etc everyone was fantastic, and very friendly. While I do speak spanish, I did note that the staff speak excellent english.
The pools and pool area were fine, I did sort of wish for one pool set aside for adults and quiet, but...there just isn't space for that at this resort.
Definitely a family resort.
Food...probably one of the weakest points about the hotel. I just found the food rather lack luster and boring. At the end of the week I found I was heading off resort to eat for the most part. There were bright moments with the food, one night there was an amazing turkey dish and the New Years Eve dinner and festivities were quite spectacular.
Now, just the room to review...
The room I had, while it had an amazing view, was rather spartan. The bed, while a king size bed was very hard. I also had issues with my pillows but, that's all personal preference stuff.
The room also smelled quite musty. My chamber maid kept me very well entertained with her animal creations made from towels and flowers. On my last full day she created the most amazing design. I was very grateful to her for always making the room look and feel so clean. [Details]

This was THE BEST holiday to date -- I cannot stress enough what a lovely place Ixtapa is -- no wonder they have a 40% return-rate of visitors!! I will never travel anywhere else in Mexico again. And I highly recommend the Fontan Beach Resort -- it had phenomenal food, staff and amenities. If it was not to others' liking, I don't know what they are looking for in a trip!! Fantastic beach, wonderful pools and great variety of restaurants within the hotel -- we only ate there as a result -- and were never disappointed. I am booking another trip to the Fontan for February now!! [Details]

We were not expecting more than a three-star hotel so we were prepared for the Fontan. We choose our destinations for the beach and weather more than the resort. Overall, we were satisfied with the Fontan considering the price we paid. Location was excellent, service was fantastic. However the buffet restaurant was one of the poorest we have seen in Mexico (very poor selection, food was cold). Daily use of the a la carte restaurant (Miramar) near the beach allowed a great selection of food for lunch. The garlic shrimp was our favorite and the club house was fantastic. The Hacienda Restaurant (a la carte dinner) just opened for the season and guests are only allowed to dine there once a week. That was unfortunate as the food there was very good. However, with the many stores and restaurants available across the street, finding good food was not a problem. [Details]

The hotel was what i expected for the price but it was so clean and the house keeping was amazing! [Details]

with all the surrounding huge beach hotels the Fontan Hotel was a small gem in disguise. no wonder many locals frequent this place. we liked it too! [Details]