Cala de Mar (Capella Ixtapa) Honeymoon in Mexico

Two years ago, Holden and I had a dream-like honeymoon in Ixtapa, Mexico- a small tourist spot bordering Zihuatanejo. When choosing our destination, we decided that we wanted somewhere with a short flight so we could make the most of our vacation time. Originally we had been looking at resorts in Riviera Maya, but couldn’t agree on a property. My husband, Holden, is a stickler for aesthetics and didn’t like the architecture of my first choice hotel.

Then our travel agent swooped in and saved the day. She had been meeting with my dad about business and happened to mention that Cala de Mar (formerly Capella Ixtapa) was running a really good special where each third night booked was free. My brother and his wife had stayed at the Capella Pedregal in Cabo after their wedding last April. They raved about the quality of the hotel and excellent service.

I loved that each room was ocean-facing with a private plunge pool. Holden liked that it was built into a cliff because it reminded him of Lord of the Rings… Either way, we were both completely sold.

After a long morning of travel that began at 4am, we were anxious to get to the resort. Our “personal assistant” from Capella met us at the airport as soon as we left customs. She said she was so excited for us to see our room and that the view was beautiful.

She wasn’t exaggerating.

Unbeknownst to me, our travel agent had requested an upgrade for us which Capella confirmed a few days before our wedding. After checking in, we were escorted to our room… a penthouse suite!

I was beyond overwhelmed. The panoramic view of the ocean and cliffside from our open-air terrace and outdoor living room took my breath away. I couldn’t wait to change into my bathing suit and jump in our private infinity plunge pool.Capella had decorated our bedroom with fresh flower petals in honor of our honeymoon. We were also welcomed by notes from the hotel manager and our travel agent. Every square inch of Capella Ixtapa is outrageously beautiful and picturesque.We had a delicious breakfast every morning surrounded by bright pink bougainvilleas. (Their freshly squeezed pineapple juice was heavenly).
Capella Ixtapa’s Spanish-style, stucco architecture of the hotel was unique and expertly designed. When facing the building, our penthouse was at the very top, furthest on the left.
The main infinity pool was gorgeous with amazing views of the ocean and rocks below.
But our favorite spot in the whole resort was still our own private terrace in the plunge pool.

I spent hours just staring out at the horizon; completely relaxing for the first time since before we started planning for the wedding. Whenever I feel overwhelmed now, I close my eyes and try to relive that blissful tranquility at Capella Ixtapa.

We never wanted to leave our room, and didn’t really need to very often! At 4pm every day, complimentary guacamole and cervezas/beers were delivered to our terrace.
We loved our balcony so much that we ordered room service for dinner most nights and ate by candelight right next to our pool.Part of our hotel package included one night’s dinner in their formal restaurant, A Mares.
With an ever-changing, seasonal menu, A Mares Restaurant features cuisine based on the best local produce and seafood of Guerrero, Mexico. Paired with the best international cuts and wines, every dish is prepared to represent the Pacific Coast’s authentic flavors of clean, innovative, and contemporary Mexican cuisine. Each dish of the four course meal was unbelievable, but Holden’s mahi mahi, which was the catch of the day, topped every seafood dish I’ve ever tried.Capella Ixtapa was voted most romantic hotel in the world for good reason. We often felt like the only couple on the property. One drawback of the hotel is that the beach is not swimmable. Because the hotel sits on a cliff, the beach is very rocky.
Our hotel arranged for a tour guide to escort us to Isla Ixtapa so we could spend a day in the ocean.
Holden’s aunt had visited Ixtapa before and told us about an island we could reach by ferry with excellent beaches.
While the beach was beautiful, nothing could beat the views and relaxation of our penthouse suite terrace…I could spend hours watching the sunset from the hammock.There were so many incredible details about Capella Ixtapa and our once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon, but the best part of it all was spending every moment with my love.
We’re hoping to go back someday- maybe for our ten year anniversary. This year, we stayed closer to home and had a staycation in Dallas.Until then… Te Amo, Ixtapa. I’ll see you in my bougainvillea-filled dreams!