Nestled along Mexico’s Pacific Coast is an all-inclusive resort waiting to become one of your family’s vacation favorites. Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlan Golf & Spa Resort offers parent and kid-approved amenities that will make everyone in your crew happy and ready to have fun.
Here’s why this family-friendly, all-inclusive resort that falls under the Hyatt family of brands needs to be on your radar.
Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlan Review
“Welcome home!” Those were the first words I heard as I stepped out of the car after a short 5.5-mile ride from the airport.
The staff at Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlan immediately urges guests to make themselves at home as they arrive and get their first look at the expansive beachfront resort situated within the exclusive Estrella del Mar gated community, about 30 minutes from downtown Mazatlán.
Making yourself at home at this resort is not a difficult thing to do, even if you’ve brought along the kids. Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán is an all-suite resort featuring terraces or balconies with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the resort’s pools. Some rooms even offer an exclusive swim-up experience.
If you can avert your gaze from the ocean for a minute, you’ll see something else from your terrace perch — an on-site waterpark with slides and a lazy river! We’re just skimming the surface here, though. Let’s get into these parent and kid-approved amenities in more detail.
KID-APPROVED AMENITY: Kids Clubs
Let’s start with the kids. The minute they find out there are two kids’ clubs just beyond the waterpark, they will want to go there right away!
Kids Clubs are a great way for kids to safely test their independence and give their parents a break. Parents can enroll their kids in two clubs tailored to specific age groups. Both are overseen by trained staff who are ready to engage with your kids.
Explorer’s Club: This club is for kids aged 4-12. Explorer’s Club attendees enjoy video games, crafts, movie nights, sandcastle competitions, storytelling, and music as well as weekly campout adventures.
Core Zone Teens Club: As the name suggests, this club is for teens aged 13 – 17. In the Core Zone, attendees enjoy activities such as arts and crafts, video games, movie nights, and mini discos.
In front of the kids’ clubs, you might find an additional adventurous attraction like a bungee trampoline with kids gleefully launching themselves toward the sky as club staff look on.
PARENT-APPROVED AMENITIES: A World-Class Spa and Golf Course
The Dreams Spa offers a variety of ways to pamper yourself. From spa treatments that include massages, facials, and body treatments to hydrotherapy tubs, sauna, and steam rooms, and a cold plunge pool, there are a variety of ways to achieve relaxation in this spa.
The Dreams Spa even features a Hammam, a traditional steam bath experience. Often associated with Middle Eastern cultures, Hammams offer numerous benefits, including deep cleansing, relaxation, and improved skin health.
Estrella del Mar Golf Course is located next door to the resort. An 18-hole professional golf course, guests of Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán enjoy discounted greens fees. The par-72 course features newly enlarged greens and additional tee boxes with six holes along the Pacific Ocean.
WATERPLAY: POOLS AND BEACH TIME
Now that we’ve covered the main kid and parent-approved attractions, let’s move on to two spaces where the family will likely come together during the day- at the family pools and the beach.
Families can enjoy volleyball, ping-pong, or a rousing game of basketball poolside. There are two large family pools to splash around in. A third pool tucked away from the main resort area is for couples only. Between activities, you may want to join the kids at the Dolce Ice Cream Parlor to cool off with a sweet treat.
If you were to ask this California girl, the beach alongside Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán is the star of this show. It is sweeping and expansive.
Free of the vendors and beach chairs that crowd other Mexican resort beaches, it’s great for a peaceful morning walk with your partner over coffee or a reconnecting stroll with your kids sans the distraction of devices and modern life. The sunsets are stunning on this beach. They are frequently the backdrop in the family portraits of guests.
There is also an opportunity to learn about marine life preservation on-site. There’s a small turtle sanctuary where guests can participate in local conservation efforts to protect and release olive ridley sea turtles.
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AN ARRAY OF RESTAURANT CHOICES
How many of you have spent part of your time at an all-inclusive resort in line for restaurant reservations? There is none of that at Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán because no reservations are required!
There are four à la carte restaurants, a grill, and a buffet to choose from. There’s also a 24-hour café serving coffee and snacks, as well as a poolside ice cream parlor that attracts a lot of kid traffic.
Here’s a handy overview of the resort’s bars and restaurants:
| Restaurant | Cuisine Type | Meal Time | Guest Type |
| Barefoot Grill | Snack time, Lunch, and early dinner | Snack time, Lunch, early dinner | Family |
| Coco Café | Coffee and Snacks | Open 24-Hours | Family |
| Desires Sports Bar | Sports Bar: 6:30PM Music Lounge: 11PM | Bar | Adults only at 11PM |
| Dolce Ice Cream Parlor | Dessert | Lunch, Dinner | |
| El Patio | À la carte restaurant offering authentic Mexican cuisine | Dinner | Family |
| Meraki | Mediterranean-Asian fusion — À la carte Mediterranean-Asian delicacies | Dinner | Family |
| Oceana | Open-air bar featuring panoramic ocean views and custom cocktails. | Breakfast Lunch Dinner | Family |
| Portofino | Italian and Mediterranean — Tuscan-Italian gourmet dining served à la carte | Dinner | Adults Only |
| Rendezvous Lobby Bar | Open air bar featuring panoramic ocean views and custom cocktails. | Bar, Open 11AM- 11:00PM | Family |
| World Café | A buffet-style restaurant serving local and international specialty items and classics. | Breakfast Lunch Dinner | Family |
Are you interested in dining without the kids one night? I’m going to let you in on a bonus parent-approved amenity: childcare services are available. They are separate from the two kids’ clubs. The concierge can fill you in on the particulars. Room service is also available 24 hours if you simply want to dine in.
Nightly family-friendly entertainment can often be found in Energy Plaza, the open-air venue connecting many of the resort’s restaurants. The entertainment schedule can vary.
Read about another Dreams all-inclusive resort in Mexico we loved- Dreams Bahia Mita Surf and Spa Resort.
FUN EXCURSIONS
Some vacationers want to settle in at an all-inclusive resort, enjoy everything that comes with that, and never leave. If you’re interested in seeing more of the sites, Mazatlán is a fun and enjoyable place to explore.
Known as the Pearl of Mexico’s Pacific Coast, you may enjoy a walk along the Malecón, the longest esplanade on the Pacific coast. One of the many sights you could encounter is the harrowing feats of the cliff divers at El Clavadista.
An opportunity to wander the cobblestone streets of the colorful Centro Histórico, admiring the vibrant colonial buildings, is a bit more relaxing than watching cliff diving. My favorite was Angel Flores Street, a bright and vibrant row of homes that made me think of San Francisco’s Painted Ladies.
Mazatlán is known for its shrimp dishes, and there are plenty of places in town where you can purchase them from street vendors right off the boat. The concierge can assist in arranging an excursion at an additional cost.
Here are some more specific excursion suggestions the whole family will love:
Hire a Pulmonia
Pulmonias are open-air cars that are unique to Mazatlán. Many riders will find them to be a cross between a golf cart and Fred Flintstone’s car. They date back to the 1960s when they were introduced as a modern mode of transportation. One immediate way to know that you’re stepping into a pulmonia vs. a regular taxi is the absence of doors.
Spanish speakers are probably already asking, doesn’t pulmonia translate to pneumonia? Why yes, it does! Cab drivers wanting a stake in this market launched a smear campaign claiming that customers would surely get pneumonia from riding in these little cars. The name stuck.
You can flag them down a pulmonia just like you do with regular taxis or book one in advance. They are convenient for navigating the compact streets of the historic center, and you benefit from a knowledgeable driver familiar with the area’s history.
Gran Acuario Mazatlán: Mexico’s Largest Aquarium
Mazatlán is home to the largest aquarium in Mexico. Focused on education and research around the Sea of Cortez, Gran Acuario Mazatlán offers guests an opportunity to learn about the array of species that live along the open sea, corals, and coastlines.
Visitors get a close-up look at the 25 habitats, which house over 350 species. Sharks swim over your head in the aquarium tunnel. Seahorses wind their prehensile tails around seaweed as you watch. Jellyfish mesmerize as they bob in the blue space of their habitat- and this is just for starters.
Observatory Tourist Park 1873
Perched atop El Vigia hill, the Observatory was initially built as a military observation post. It was intended to protect Mazatlán from incursions by enemy ships and pirates. Today, it’s a destination that combines history, nature, culture, and breathtaking views.
Whether you choose to access the park via the scenic funicular or take the panoramic stairways, some of the features you’ll enjoy include a 360-degree view of Mazatlán from the Sky Bar, a walk-in bird sanctuary, entry into the National Whale Interactive Museum, and interacting with over 200 iguanas.
Faro Lesa Zipline
Do you have a family member who finds all that has been laid out so far to be relatively sedate? This is the perfect activity for them!
If you look from the Observatory out toward Creston Island, you may not notice the Faro Lesa Zipline right away. It starts at El Faro Lighthouse and ends at the Observatory. It will more likely get your attention if there are screaming people flying on their cables like superheroes!
Any adrenaline adventurers in your crew can enjoy a guided nature hike to the top of the lighthouse before flying through the air over the Pacific Ocean. The zipline, which spans over 1,260 meters, enables you to soar through the air at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. You must be at least 12 years old.
Disclosure: The author was hosted by the Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlan Golf & Spa Resort for the purpose of this article. All opinions are her own. Lead image courtesy of the resort.
My family has been traveling since our kids were very small. Many have thought we were crazy for hopping on planes with little kids. My response to that is, “There’s a handle on the infant carrier, so you can take them with you!”
I wanted to tell travel stories because one of my children is on the autism spectrum, and I wanted to show other families that a diagnosis like that did not necessarily mean a life of being homebound.I’m proud to report that my son has a passport full of stamps; it just took a little extra preparation to get him into the world.
I received my degree in Journalism from San Francisco State University in 1990. I have a vast writing background that includes newspaper reporting, web content for high-tech companies, and feature writing.
I have frequently collaborated and contributed to other family travel blogs, including the Hilton Hotel blogs, Hilton MomVoyage, and Hilton Suggests.Visit California named me a Digital Feature Entry Winner for my story titled, “Silicon Valley Tour – Adventures for Geeks of all Ages.”I am also the leader of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Travel Massive, a travel community connecting thousands of tourism professionals, travel media, creators, and startups from around the world.
I live in Mountain View, CA, with my husband and son. I also have a daughter, who is in college. While we currently don’t have any pets, we will soon adopt a golden retriever through a rescue organization. My favorite things (besides travel) are spy novels, hanging out at the San Francisco Presidio, Greek food, wandering through bookstores, plants, and my greenhouse.
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