fishinrich - 5-4-2004 at 10:31 AM
I have been hanging out at punta chivato for two weeks and have visited the hotel a few times for c-cktails and dinner. The italians that run the
place have an excellent operation going. The dinner I had there sunday night was great. The presentation and service were something not often found
in baja, just perfect! To stay there it is 200dlls per couple per night and that includes three meals a day and usage of all the sporting equipment.
I am camping on the beach, the cost is 10dlls per night with nice fresh water showers and clean pit toilets with trash pick up and the best part is I
pretty much have the whole beach to myself. I will hang here for another week then head on down to agua verde. fishin rich
Nikon - 5-4-2004 at 10:39 AM
Thanks for posting. When people whine about the room prices there, they don't mention meals are included. If the cuisine is good as you say, that
makes a hundred bucks/person/day a real deal. Oh wait! This is Baja and "it's supposed to be cheap", I forgot the mantra.
Bob H - 5-4-2004 at 12:21 PM
That hotel has almost been completely renovated. The only rooms left to remodel are the ones on the far south end. They have been gutted and I was
told they will make junior suites out of them. They really did a first class job on the renovation, that's for sure. But, the restaurant/bar area
doesn't even open until noon! We were there at 11:15am and wanted a cold Pacifico, but was promptly and politely told they didn't open until Noon.
Bummer. So, we got back in my truck and four wheeled it over to the sandy beach. Nice area. Open camping. Not crowded at all.
Bob H
[Edited on 5-4-2004 by Bob H]
How 'bout itemizing out dinner/drinks, Rich?
Hook - 5-4-2004 at 02:34 PM
Sounds like you may only be checking in on the 'net here and there but could you tell us specifically what your meals and drinks cost and what you
had?
Really would like to know if the margaritas are as good as before and how expensive they are.
what about that incredible view from the cantina patio? Did they maintain that?
sorry to disagree...but it simply explains why
capt. mike - 5-4-2004 at 05:08 PM
that place is ALWAYS empty. Basic economics......$200 a night is too much even with meals. even at $160 rack rate for the back rooms maybe.....but not
when you can fly into punta pecadero at $140 for 2 incl meals and 4th night free if buying 3 nites!! plus killer views - all rooms face the ocean, the
east cape ambiance and better rooms (refers, TV sat, cold AC 27/7)
Face it, the merits of what Marceleto has done with the place have been debated hotly long since he took it over nearly 5 years ago and started the
renovations. the bottom line is its simply a money laundering operation for some rico stuck up italians who could care less how much red ink it
bleeds......give me back the old days of friendly Bill Alvarado and great food, drinks , clean rooms, avgas AVAILABLE!!
The majority of comment at the BBP aligns with:
1. unfriendly staff, uppity attitude, food not 5 star.
2. lack of services we want, like a restaurant open to sell you a frickin cold drink in the morning.
3. nobody (other guests) around to even share a story with, it's like the empty hotel in The Shining movie. Very wierd....all the staff hanging
around and no customers.....wonder what THEY are thinking?? it's like a twilight zone episode...
4. they don't want to be involved with the sport fishing community, told guests they couldn't even bring their tackle/gear nor ice chests from their
truck into the rooms!! what nerve.
contrast all that with a class act like Don Johnson's hotel Serenidad! there is NO comparison!! Don goes out of his way to make all guests happy, it's
a fun place!!!That's why we go to baja fer krissakes!!!
i hope someone else gets ahold of it some day and creates a realistic price structure that would allow it to fill up often, then it could actually
MAKE money, what a concept!! i'd go a lot, in fact the Flying Sams used to base all of our trips from there for about 6 years.
sorry, this is a real sore subject for me, i have a deep seated love for Punta Chivato but not for the proprieters of the hotel currently. but it's
theirs to do with as they see fit so i'll butt out now.....
:moon:
I agree with you Capitan Miguel,
Ken Bondy - 5-4-2004 at 06:03 PM
I was there about two years ago and found the place empty and the help disinterested. The renovations were pretty spectacular but we thought on
balance it was grossly overpriced. I heard that the Italian owners were trying to package tour groups from Europe combining stays at Chivato, their
hotel in Loreto (Posada de los Flores - a pretty spectacular place in its own right), and another one in La Paz.
++Ken++
[Edited on 5-5-2004 by Ken Bondy]
Agree 100% - to be avoided
JZ - 5-4-2004 at 09:42 PM
We crossed with two boats from San Carlos and landed in the Bay. About 8 of us went up to the hotel.
We where able to get a few Pacificos, but the service was terrible with a capital T. And no one was there.
Didn't even seem interested to take our money.
with aLL DUE RESPECT to Fishin Rich
capt. mike - 5-5-2004 at 05:20 AM
cause he knows his mierda. Rich had a good experience there and i'm glad for him. may be things are changing there. i even heard recently it was for
sale. As Ken says, they did want to fly in rico Italianos and hop them around their 3 hotels, a few days at a time at each. Were going to get 3 or 4
turbo props and do a charter in-out. The pax would start by arriving los cabos connected from Europe. hit la paz, loreto and wrap a few days at
Chivato. so far hasn't happened once.
Concurr with the Captain
Hook - 5-5-2004 at 09:47 AM
I was looking for a judicious way to break down what still seems like highway (maybe waterway or airway would be more appropriate) robbery. Wanted to
see some details on itemization.
Not that I will ever go back to the hotel in it's current style/price structure. My memories go back to the Alvarado days, too, as well as the
generally satisfactory service given after the ejido "re-took" it.
You know, they could have simply cleaned up the rooms and raised prices 25% and I would still be a loyal customer. Is there ANY better location, in
terms of a seaside location? Yeah, it's becoming built up around there. But there is still no better view, still no better shelling beach, still no
better proximity to great snorkeling and almost no better sandy beach that that general area. Portected anchorage and good strip to boot. And all
within a few hundred yards. What a waste.....
Believe me, even the local residents still mostly avoid the place, though they'd like nothing better than to have a convenient bar for the occasional
frosty one......or two or three.
Still holding out hope that it could be sold to some locals who could realize it's potential.
Hey, let's a bunch of us SoCaler's with all this equity, cash out and buy the place!
I'll manage the panga fleet from the deck of my Skippy. I need an ocean view oficina
[Edited on 5-5-2004 by Hook]
Right on Hook!!
capt. mike - 5-5-2004 at 11:09 AM
I'll volunteer to run the airport!!!
We'll give ultra light rides along the beach.......too.
Still looking for a Rest/Bar manager......
Hook - 5-5-2004 at 12:21 PM
...someone to run a general store, a repair yard/fuel station.
Why not a bakery/tortilleria on site?
Damn, I hope I don't wake up from this daydream.
Bob H - 5-5-2004 at 02:40 PM
Don't forget a decent la tienda de tobbaco that would sell fine cigars!
Glaring omission
Hook - 5-5-2004 at 04:05 PM
I think there is some other kind of business establishment we are missing.......
Ouu-la-la! 
Come to think of it, we could continue to charge those rates if we offered this service.
The hotel just needs a little, uh, repositioning in the marketplace is all.
tim40 - 5-5-2004 at 06:43 PM
Just let me know when....I too use to love that place way back when....it is simply too freaky currently. All dressed up and no place to go...kinda
deal.
not always empty
fishinrich - 5-11-2004 at 01:45 PM
In the two and a half weeks I was at punta chivato I visited the hotel three times. Twice for drinks and one time for dinner. There were always
guests staying there. From a low of three rooms occupied to a high of eight rooms occupied. I am in loreto now and visited there hotel here and I
have to say it is quite a difference in service and attitude with the nod going to the punta chivato hotel. Hook!! As far as my dinner at the punta
chivato hotel here is the break down. I started with a few margaritas made just the way I like them---herradura reposado, fresh lime juice, controy
and a splash of sprite. In the three c-cktails that I had I could taste the tequila, so yes they put some in the drinks---On to dinner. Beautifully
set table out doors, crisp linen and fresh flowers, started with ceviche presented very nicely accompied with fresh hot chips, next tortilla soup
with fresh baked crusty bread then on to sauted shrimp,carrots and rice and finally flan for desert. The cost of the drinks was 60pesos each and
dinner was 230 pesos plus tax and a generous tip for the excellent service from the staff. fishin rich
Thanks, Rich!
Hook - 5-12-2004 at 12:42 PM
Well, that is a bit pricey for the food. Can you even spend that much on the seafood combo at Los Equipales?
As to the margaritas, I'd probably pay that price if I could sip it with the same view. What about the patio bar...is it still there?
Still have fond memories of the old Chivato hotel maggies....a huge doble of "your call" tequila on the rocks for 3.00. But, hey, times change.
Bob H - 5-12-2004 at 03:55 PM
60 pesos is a good price for maggies at a place like that - and the view. We were charged $12 American dollars for two maggies at the La Pinta in
Catavina - imagine that!
I remembered what I will miss most
Hook - 5-13-2004 at 11:47 AM
It was being able to bring your catch to the hotel restaurant, uncleaned, and have them prepare it. A big pargo, deep-fried, would be placed on a bed
of lettuce, tomatoes, raw zucchini with beans and rice, chips and salsa. 6.00 at the time and it would feed four people.
Add the view and the maggies and I've never had a better restaurant experience in all of Baja.