Words cannot begin to describe this lush
resort. It is listed as one of the top 400 resorts in the world. Every
amenity that you ever wanted is provided at this resort. People from all
over the world stay here, as it is known about all over the world.
Besides the main hotel Las Hadas is composed of many white washed
Arabian looking buildings nestled on the sides of a steep hill. It is
situated on a peninsula (Santiago Peninsula) and overlooks on of the
bays in Manzanillo.
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Las Hadas offers an
excellent way to enjoy the amenities without actually having to
stay at the resort. $20 buys you coupons which you can use on
drinks and food and allows you to use any of the amenities for
one day. This fee also gives you free covered parking. They have
a very large pool in the back of the hotel. This pool is
surrounded by many chairs and sunbathers. There is a old looking
wooden rope bridge crossing over the middle of the pool. This
bridge receives constant use from not only the tourists but also
the staff who are always on the move bringing poolside food and
drinks to the hotel guests. One of the more noticeable parts of
this pool is their swim up bar. |
They have stools mounted about 1 foot
under the water level and a covered canopy overhead. After a refreshing swim you can leisurely swim up to the bar
and demand a vodka on rocks from the young bartender. You can sit
sipping your alcohol, half immersed in the cool refreshing water, and
think of places better then this. You won't be thinking those thoughts
for long. There are seldom places this luxurious and relaxing as Las Hadas.
Most topics of conversation around the pool were centered on what the
drink specials were on that particular day. Everyone left the pool area
when the bar closed. I found this the most relaxing time. The air was
still quite warm and the crowds had disappeared and I had the pool
entirely to myself.
Only a 100 foot walk or so from the pool is the open bay and salt water
for more swimming. This water is much warmer then the air conditioned
pool, but it is also enjoyable. There are two large platforms that you
can swim out to and mingle with all the other young people who are
showing off their dives to their girl/boy friends. As you make your way
from the pool to the swimming bay you will pass hundreds of people
soaking in the rays from the sun.
The marina and boat launching facilities are located near the pool and
swimming bay. Chances are you will see people fishing from the docks and
piers. This is a good place to watch small as well as quite large fish
swimming in the waters in the marina. I saw fishermen swimming among the
rocks, catching fish with their bare hands, and then tossing them out of
the water onto the cement walls. I also saw several fisherman catch some
quite large fish. They were straining to even bring these fish out of
the water. Then once they were on the deck they had to wrestle with the
fish and beat it over the head many times before it died. The marina was
a great place to get a sense for the local fishing industry as well as
taking fishing action photographs.
Las Hadas boasts an exercise room, 18 holes of golf, 10 lighted tennis
courts, as well as 3 dining rooms. Las Hadas offers a mini-golf package
which entitles you to 3 rounds of golf on a fairly empty golf course.
However, recently only guests of the Las Hadas Resort are able to take
advantage of this package.
If you get a chance I highly recommend the drive out on the northern
part of the Santiago Peninsula. The road leads to a high point on the
peninsula from which you have spectacular views of the both the northern
and southern bays. There are some incredible photographs just waiting to
happen from this road. On one side you have Las Hadas and on the other
side you have brightly colored umbrellas lining the already palm lined
beaches. The water is an incredible shade of blue, there is a warm
breeze blowing, and you know that life doesn't get much better then
this.
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