The History
of
Catalina Beach Resort
Zihuatanejo enjoys a wonderfully colorful history that spans
nearly three centuries. From the early pirate enclaves and marauding
Spanish galleons, to present day movie stars and global dignitaries,
the once tiny village of Zihuatanejo has long been home to a
luminous array of adventurers drawn to the tranquility of this
comfortably hidden retreat. 
Built by Mr. Alfonso Galindo Mackintosh in 1952, Catalina Beach
Resort (former Hotel Catalina) was the first hotel along Zihuatanejo's
beautiful and protected bay shoreline. Nestled between lush
tropical plants on a dramatic cliffside, overlooking a pristine
bay of virgin white beaches alive with tropical birds, animals
and incredible area fauna, the Hotel Catalina remained the prominent
commercial property along the magnificent La Ropa Beach bay
front for almost a decade.
In 1956, Mr. Carlos Breuer and a group of investors purchased
the Hotel Catalina from the Mackintosh family. By 1973, Mr.
Breuer had both married and purchased sole interest in the Hotel
Catalina. Carlos and his new bride, Eva Bergtold, began building
an enchanting 35-year vision of hotel expansions and service
improvements, which quickly became known among the more elite
circles in continual search of unaffected and peaceful hideaways.
National and international artists, movie stars, writers, aristocrats,
diplomats and dignitaries all eventually found their way to
the relaxed seclusion of the Hotel Catalina. Peggy Guggenheim,
King Umberto of Italy, Count Stauffenberg, the Ludwigs, the
Guinnesses, the McNie's, Alice Adams, Henry Calvin, Lauren Hutton,
Larry Rivers, John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Liz Taylor, George
Hamilton, Grace Jones and Mick Jagger have all frequented the
warm and gentle privacy that have long been the heart and spirit
of Carlos and Eva's vision.
 With deep condolences from a virtually global community,
Carlos passed away in January 2002, leaving sole ownership of
the Hotel Catalina to Eva. In her unabashed style of forever-unwavering
devotion, Eva is currently engaged in a new series of property
upgrades, beginning with the recent renaming of the hotel to
the new Catalina Beach Resort. For over five decades now, the
Catalina Beach Resort has been an unrivaled treasure of truly
intimate and unspoiled seclusion. From its very inception to
this present day, the new Catalina Beach Resort, continues a
long tradition to "Fulfill The Promise", the promise that will
always remain the inimitable Zihuatanejo.
Press review
Articles about the Catalina in newspapers and travel books:
- NY Times
loves Catalina Beach Resort -
NY Times (May 19th, 2002) "A few days into my
weeklong stay in Zihuatanejo in January, I got the distinct
feeling I was getting away with something just by being there
... My husband, Matthew, and I had come to Zihuatanejo for a
belated honeymoon. We were looking for a typical sunny setting
in Mexico, one slightly off the beaten beach path. But, being
city people at heart, we wanted to be near a good selection
of restaurants and shops ... Zihuatanejo, for us, turned out
to be a perfect and amiable alternative. It's often described
by guidebooks and brochures as "a sleepy fishing village," though
it's home to nearly 40,000 people, several of whom pointed out
to me that it hasn't been a sleepy fishing village for the last
30 years, not since Ixtapa arrived on the scene and Zihua began
catering to the new influx of tourists to the area. What is
indisputable is Zihua's authentic small-town charm ...
Our hotel, it turned out, dated from the fishing village years.
The 1950's-vintage Hotel Catalina is the town's oldest lodging,
... The Catalina's terraced, stucco bungalows all have ocean
views, and white-washed, fan-cooled interiors, with attractive
bamboo furniture, minifridges and basic, shower-only bathrooms.
Suites also offer large, partly shaded private balconies strung
with hammocks.
The Catalina resembles a big Swiss Family Robinson treehouse,
since its buildings and amenities - including a pool and two
bars - sprawl over a steep, tropical hillside and are interconnected
by networks of stone staircases, often draped with vines ...
Playa La Ropa is a half-mile crescent of powdery sand snugly
bookended by glistening cliffs."
Frommer's México: Sotavento and Catalina Beach Resorts*
"Perched on a hill above the beach, these hotels are meant for
people who want to relax near the ocean in a beautiful and simple
setting and don't want to be bothered by televisions or be closed
up in air-conditioned rooms. The Catalina consists of a collection
of bungalows tucked away in the tropical vegetation ... The
bungalows in the Catalina are more decoratively furnished with
Mexican tile floors, wrought iron furniture, and artwork. Some
(all) come with ocean-view terraces. The restaurant serves good
food ... There is a pool down by the beach ..." Frommer's Acapulco
& Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo Book: Catalina and Sotavento Beach
Resorts* "Perched high on a hill close to each other and managed
together, these two attractive hotels were among the first in
the area and retain the slow-paced, gracious mood of Zihuatanejo
in its early days as a little known hideaway. The Catalina has
recently remodeled many of its rooms with Mexican tile, wrought
iron, and other handcrafted touches; these also have lovely
terraces with ocean views and come with two queen-size (or one
king-size) beds ..."
Lonely Planet Survival Kit Mexico Book: "Places to stay
top end. Most of the top-end places are in Ixtapa-the
giant resorts- but Playa La Ropa also has some good top-end
hotels. A favorite, the Hotel Catalina-Sotavento on the hill
overlooking Playa La Ropa, has one of Zihuatanejo's most beautiful
settings..." *
* The hotels are now separated and independently operated.
The Catalina continues to operate under the same excellent management
it has had for over 30 years.
Further mentioned in:
* AAA Travel Book
* Fodor's Mexico Travel Book
* Karen Brown Mexico Travel Book
* Cathy Matos "My Mexico" Book
* Kate Simon Mexico Book
* Articles in Times Colonist and other Canadian and American
newspapers
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