I have stayed in a number of different hotels all around the world, not just in Mexico, from 2 stars to 6 stars, and thelocal Hotel Mazatlan has really stood out in every aspect
The hotel grounds itself is quite upscale and contemporary, with everything kept clean at all times. My room was perfect, furniture was new decor, and all the sheets, towels were clean, no issues. Bed was med-firm, just right. Foot traffic overall was very quiet at the hotel. My floor was exceptionally quiet, I couldn't hear my neighbors, so the sound proofing seemed very decent. I booked an ocean view suite, and the view was out of this world - waking up to it each morning was like a dream come true. I would highly upgrading to the ocean view as oppose to the city view, as there's tonnes of vehicle traffic facing the city side.
I came for the beach and pool, and the pools here were amazing. Temp was just right, not too hot, not too cold. The multi-level infinity pools are unreal. Better in person than the pictures. Beach is one staircase away, and if you walk south for 5 mins to the beach in front of the bigger resort "El Cid El Moro" and you'll find it to be less rocky for swimming. You can also rent boards there for body surfing.
I had the breakfast inclusive option. Food was great, good selection of traditional mexican breakfast dishes, omelette station, fruit & juice bar, pancakes and waffles.
Location overall was perfect for me as I like to walk everywhere. It's not right in the heart of Golden Zone, it's about 15 min walk from that area. But because it's not close to the Golden Zone/Malecon area there's also less cars. For me it's nice to come home to a quieter area. Cerveceria Chapultepec, a beer bar which is literally right next to the hotel has everything on their menu during day time hours for $19 Pesos if you are hungry. The steak house across the street, La Casa Country which is good. Convenience store at the gas station, also across the street, has all your basic needs for snacks, beer, water etc. There's a club "El mal del Puerco Tragos y Garnachas" that plays live Banda & DJ spinning Reggaeton for the night owls. Even with the club next to the hotel, I couldn't hear a darn thing.
There's a large gym with all your basic free weights, weight machine, benches and cardio machine. Everything in clean working order, and there's also bottled water and towels provided. The hotel also provides free bike rental outsourced to Blue Foot Rentals on the Malecon, which was a delightful bonus for me as I came to Mexico so I could ride around by bike.
The staff were extremely professional and I think they were the highlight of the hotel if not my whole trip. Everybody was friendly and very eager to help you even down to small items not completely related to the hotel. This is the 6th time I have been to Mexico, and every hotel I would stay, there would be some staff member that would give you some attitude and make your concern seem insignificant or annoying to them. There was none of that nonsense here, and in fact they treated me like a king. I felt very at home here during my stay!
I want to take the time to thank all the front reception staff, sorry I didn't get their names, except for Katy/Cathy who made me laugh and said my Spanish was not garbage. Senor with the glasses who helped me with my bike bookings. I also want to thank Enrique and Ricardo from the breakfast dining area for always smiling and servicing from their heart. Alejandra (it might not be her name, but she is the one with the very sweet voice on the phone from administration/service management) for being so attentive and thoughtful. Lizabeth from housekeeping on the 14th floor for paying attention to detail and working so darn hard.
Finally, I want to make an extra special thanks to the pool concierge, Iran Espino. His energy is absolutely incredible, making sure all your needs are met to standard and beyond. He is very hard working, I watched him patrol the pool area (which is not small!) and he surely puts his steps in just to make sure everything is running smoothly. You can tell Iran has a very strong work ethic and that customer service is his ultimate priority. But most importantly, Iran has such an spectacular heart, he made me feel that I was taken care of in every aspect like a family member that is living in the Casa Blanca! You can tell his attention to care is not just to suffice a job, but that it is coming from a genuine place. Thelocal hotel definitely has an very important asset in their company, and I really hope to see him again next time I come back to this hotel.
Overall, without a doubt, I highly recommend this hotel, and would surely come back here to stay on my next return to Mazatlan. I have talked another guest at the hotel, and he stays here every single time he visits Mazatlan, and he says he comes back 3+ times a year! The reason is right there in the evidence. Everything was better than the photos, and I'm super glad I made this choice over something $20-30/night cheaper on the busy traffic infested Malecon.
