BajaNomad - Estero Beach hotel

Estero Beach hotel

bacquito - 9-13-2010 at 04:25 PM

Compared to a year or so ago, the rates are down (the crisis!!) Also, it depends on what your looking for,

bajadock - 9-13-2010 at 05:37 PM

Late lunch there with Punta Banda kayak team on Friday, 3 Sept. Quiet and peaceful, just before Labor Day.

A resort guest asked when I arrived, as she and her crew had not seen many there since their Thursday arrival. I was disappointed that she marked me as a tourist and not part of the staff. =)

Soulpatch, I'd go with your call or justshowup and name your price.

And the chicken caesar salad was delicious at 120 pesos. Tortilla soup also got high marks. 3 waiters were there serving 3 tables.

capt. mike - 9-13-2010 at 05:49 PM

it can be cheap. you have to call and deal!

bajaguy - 9-13-2010 at 09:09 PM

The Chef(???) Mario makes killer cocoanut shrimp......may not be on the menu, but just ask

bajamigo - 9-13-2010 at 09:15 PM

They don't seem to realize there's been a huge drop-off in tourism. Try calling first, but don't expect them to give you a bargain. That offer I made to you a couple of years ago still stands; you're welcome at our home in Punta Banda.

DENNIS - 9-13-2010 at 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
Anyone know of a code or discount to get a better rate here?

9mm should do it. :lol:

Debra - 9-14-2010 at 01:19 AM

No pets allowed.

Bajahowodd - 9-14-2010 at 02:22 PM

Been at least a couple of years since they've filled the place. Maybe they don't wish to change the prices on their website lest when times improve, they'd have to raise them. Agree with Bajadoc about showing up and negotiating. That's what we did last two times. Got oceanfront for the website price of the parking lot rooms.

DENNIS - 9-14-2010 at 02:31 PM

The owner, Novelo, is just plain stubborn.....and wealthy. I doubt they will be swayed too much by bargaining. Doesn't mean you can't try.

Bajahowodd - 9-14-2010 at 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
The owner, Novelo, is just plain stubborn.....and wealthy. I doubt they will be swayed too much by bargaining. Doesn't mean you can't try.

It's worked for us. Probably depends on how full the place is. Just kinda think that no matter how stubborn or rich he is, can't imagine that he would purposely run the place at a loss.

Debra - 9-14-2010 at 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
Seamus has holed up quite nice there a number of times......

Quote:

HUM? I was told no pets when I was meeting up with friends staying there. And Seamus is much larger then Kujo ,not that it mattered as they didn't even see him.)

Udo - 9-14-2010 at 08:44 PM

My normal method of getting a hotel's bottom dollar quote is to just walk in and ask...

I was driving in the area and checking out different hotels and wanted to know what your best rates are.

Sallysouth - 9-14-2010 at 10:28 PM

Soulpatch, check your U2U

astrobaja - 9-15-2010 at 08:11 AM

Great place! Its fine to ask for better rates but remember a comparable place in San Diego would be 4-5X's the rate!!! The waiter staff is first rate Pancho has been with them for over 20 years, says something about the management!

ElFaro - 9-15-2010 at 01:08 PM

We stayed in the RV park the weekend of July 10-11, 2010. Most if not all of the RVers/tenters were Mexicans from El Centro/Mexicali/Yuma area. Virtually no Gringos other than us in the RV park or hotel for that matter. Mario is back at restaurant as head waiter. They were closing the restaurant a couple days a week. Alot of permanent homes/lots 4 sale. Many couldn't find buyers and ended up giving their places back to the owners. The big house behind the owners "white house" on the estero has sat unfinished now for 4-5 plus years. On the way down to Ensenada I saw what looked like "4 sale" signs in front of a hotel of the owners. Real Estate bust for sure...

right on man!

capt. mike - 9-15-2010 at 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by astrobaja
Great place! Its fine to ask for better rates but remember a comparable place in San Diego would be 4-5X's the rate!!! The waiter staff is first rate Pancho has been with them for over 20 years, says something about the management!

see you when i take a side trip out of SQ this fall or later!

Sallysouth - 9-15-2010 at 09:43 PM

Yes , soulpatch, I am pretty sure you can get a deal on your room!!There won't be anyone there, which is nice, but the restaurant may have limited hours.Ask at the front desk.I love it there when it is sooo quiet and all you hear is birds and surf.

lizard lips - 9-16-2010 at 05:08 AM

At $90.00 per night at a nice resort is not asking a lot. I would bargain though. I have know Tony Novelo and the family for many years and like all businesses in Ensenada they have been hurtin for customers. I have seen many hotels raise their rates trying to make up for lost business but Estero has not and they employ a lot more staff than any other hotel in the city.

The grounds are very clean and I have never heard of any car thefts or criminal activity at any time there in the last 20 years. That has to account for something plus the food is very good. It's nice to be able to go somewhere and park the car for the entire weekend and just enjoy yourself instead of worrying about being ripped off.

Iflyfish - 9-16-2010 at 06:20 AM

The lagoon is one of the best birding spots in all Baja. Mrsfish has photographed endangered migratory birds in that estero.

My first stay there was in a sleeping bag on the beach in 1962. It has changed a lot!

We love to stay at this place both on the way down to decompress and on the way back up to wash off the sand!

We have met some wonderful perminant residents there.

They had a great sushi nite there the last time we visited!

Iflyfish

jorgie - 9-16-2010 at 06:35 AM

I concur with iflyfish . It's the right spot for a night or couple of days after crossing into Mexico . Safe and a quick taxi ride to shopping or a look around the city . Across from the Goverment offices is a sporting goods store for tackle and fishing licences . The big shopping , banks etc are all there within a block on both sides of the Hwy passing through the city . The eats in the resturant are the best around and the costs are realistic . The bar serves cold , cold Tecate and the first one is free !!!

durrelllrobert - 9-16-2010 at 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
Anyone know of a code or discount to get a better rate here?

If you get an Ensenada Disinguished Visitor card :
www.rosarito-ensenada.com/ensenada/ensenada_card.htm
you get 10% off + you get to use the emergency vehicle lane to cross back into US at San Ysidro, which is even a shorter wait than the SENTRI lane. :bounce:

Sallysouth - 9-16-2010 at 09:01 PM

In all of my years there, never heard about a "first free beer". :?:

jorgie - 9-16-2010 at 09:28 PM

It's happened to me , twice .......................and I drank it both times .

Sallysouth - 9-16-2010 at 11:21 PM

Yes ,Estero has changed a lot, but the feeling, the birds and the magic is still there.Good to hear that Mario is there.Curious to know which "White House" El Faro is refering to, as there are two. One is on the boardwalk, the other, behind it.They were both originally built by two of the Novelo sons.One by Gerardo, the other son(name unknown right now, my least favorite).They were built intended for their private residences.And good for you jorgie! At least you were there!!

DENNIS - 10-9-2010 at 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
The place was a ghost town. I sure hope they stay open

I'm betting they will. The owner can handle the pressure and there are subtle indications that things are turning around.

DENNIS - 10-9-2010 at 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
That would be great, what a beautiful piece of property and for the price, what a luxury after two weeks in the dirt!
Hey, I plan on a little fishing/camping trip down your way in a month or two with my family.
Love to meet some of you locals in person down at Villarino's when we do.

Sounds good, Frank. Do you have tentative dates? Maybe they'll coincide with some of the local insanity.

By the way....there's a new game in town....a restaurant with a micro-brewery out on the spit , back bay side of the hotel. This place shows lots of promise. It should be rolling along full speed by the time you get back down.

.

[Edited on 10-9-2010 by DENNIS]

Sallysouth - 10-9-2010 at 03:53 PM

Dennis, Where exactly is this new place you speak of?Which hotel??On the peninsula? :?:

bajaguy - 10-9-2010 at 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sallysouth
Dennis, Where exactly is this new place you speak of?Which hotel??On the peninsula? :?:

http://oldmissionbrewery.com/

DENNIS - 10-9-2010 at 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sallysouth
Dennis, Where exactly is this new place you speak of?Which hotel??On the peninsula? :?:

Hi Sally....The hotel is the closed one out on the Spit in Punta Banda. Where all the houses were expropriated.
The restaurant is on the back-bay side, the south side, the side toward Maneadero.. The building was going to be a beach club, part of the hotel empire. It's a large building with a great view.
You can sit in there, look up and see blue sky through a few parts of the roof, but they tell me it doesn't leak.

DENNIS - 10-9-2010 at 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy

Quote:

Originally posted by Sallysouth
Dennis, Where exactly is this new place you speak of?Which hotel??On the peninsula? :?:

http://oldmissionbrewery.com/

Oh, yeah....I guess I could have done this. Thanks Terry.

bajaguy - 10-9-2010 at 04:44 PM

I'm here for ya, Dennis

Sallysouth - 10-9-2010 at 10:19 PM

Thanks all.I haven't been to Punta Banda in many years.When I get to Estero, it is taxi to town for dinner or eat what we catch from the bay.Driving around that area is so strange for me anymore.In the "days" it was drive to Naranjo for Carne Asada and tortillas and staples.Two lane road.What I remember is the old "casino" cement building that was never finished in the area the restaurant appears to be now.Things sure have changed.We used to jet ski there and go inside and howl to get that echo effect and maybe do some other things I can't(won't) tell you about!! :cool:

The menu looks really nice and I would fer sure consider a visit.Can you get there by boat from Estero? Now that would be awesome!

DENNIS - 10-10-2010 at 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sallysouth
Can you get there by boat from Estero? Now that would be awesome!

Maybe a small boat that you could run up on the beach on a calm day at high tide and all that stuff. Doesn't sound like a good idea.
A Kayak might work, but the water in the inlet is really rough.
I think you had best drive over.

ELINVESTIG8R - 10-10-2010 at 07:57 AM

When I was a homeless kid in Baja some 43 years ago I sold bait from a bait shack just outside of the Estero Beach property on the southwest side. I used to see all the tourists back then and wondered what it would be like to stay there. I now know and love it. I have been there at least 6 times and had a wonderful experience every time. If you can get into their big presidential suites which are the Akumal Suite and Uxmal Suite. Both are large living areas with full amenities including kitchen and Jacuzzi with full ocean views. The other places with ocean views are nice too. I've stayed in all areas and had a great experience in both sides. You'll love it. When I was there Mario, the Maitre 'di very friendly and very helpful.

PS: I could never find a coupon to get better prices, but I did haggle a little and did receive a small reduction. That said there is never a guarantee you'll get it.

Sallysouth - 10-10-2010 at 08:08 PM

Jeez El, i remember that bait shack.Iused to ride one of the horses there every day that was a feisty little filly.Also bought bait from probably you!!WOW!! :wow:

knuckles - 10-10-2010 at 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sallysouth
What I remember is the old "casino" cement building that was never finished in the area the restaurant appears to be now.Things sure have changed.

Quote:

We used to camp in the dunes and explore the old "casino" when we were little kids back in the 60s. We could pull buckets full of steamer clams out of there. Of course that was a different Baja. The adults would leave a campful of kids with a babysitter and head to Hussongs all night. Amazing I am not scared from those experiences.
:wow:

ELINVESTIG8R - 10-11-2010 at 04:46 AM

Hi Sally I slept underneath a boat that was upside down to one side of the bait shack. My friend Felipe's dad owned those horses you remember and all the property from the outside of Estero Beach to the old wine warehouse that's now torn down all the way to El Faro Beach. I seem to remember an unfinished cement building across from Estero Beach Resort on what I think was called Punta Banda. Felipe and I used to take a boat across and beach the boat near the structure. I remember the razor clams in the mud when the tide was low... There was also a coast guard station on the bluff above the beach where the bait shack was located. God that was such a long time ago. Hey, we probably do know each other...What a small world.

osoflojo - 10-11-2010 at 05:59 PM

i have always walked in, shown my FM-3 and never paid the posted rates////////////