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FAM REPORT #1 "PEARL OF THE PACIFIC" By BRIENNE HERBERT EL CID MARINA HOTEL, MAZATLAN, MEXICO A LOOK INTO THE L ocated just at the entrance to the Sea of the Cortes, Mazatlan is home to beautiful beaches, colorful vil- lages, rich history, vibrant culture, andmouth watering cuisine. Bordered by the Sierra Madre mountain range and the Tropic of Cancer crossing through its territory,Mazatlan is affectionately known as the "Pearl of the Pacific".During my stay in Mazatlan, my experience was enhanced by the warmhospitality of the El CidMarinaHotel http://elcid.com. Nestled in the heart of Mazatlan overlooking the Pacific Ocean, El Cid features 204 spacious hotel suites with Mediterranean-style accommodations, 15 bars and restau- rants, 27 holes of golf, full service spa and salon, and a private beach. El Cid is completely equipped to provide an atmos- phere of relaxation and tranquility. With theMazatlan InternationalCenter (MIC) a short car ride away,Mazatlan is the ideal destination to not only vaca- tion, but host any destination conference or convention as well.Located onlyminutes fromtheGolden Zone and with a hotel infrastructure of more than 10,000 rooms, MIC offers over 95,400 sq. ft. of area for events, bringing its maximum capacity to 4,500 persons in an enclosed area.Other features include 17,114 sq. ft. of terrace space and 17 halls of meeting space, making it one of the largest conference spaces in Mexico. Shuttle service is available from MIC to El Cid Marina Hotel for guest convenience. Upon arrival to El Cid, I was personally greeted by the staff with tropical cocktails, and was pleasantly surprised to find, in my suite, fruit and wine courtesy of hotel manage- ment. El Cid provides all the guestroom amenities of a first class hotel:Wi-Fi and high-speed Internet access, cable televi- sion with HD flat-screens, and individual suite climate con- trol.However, what truly separates El Cid from many other hotels and resorts of its kind are the miraculous ocean front views. Each suite comes equipped with its own private bal- cony showcasing either an oceanfront or marina view with outdoor seating, perfect for watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.Like El Cid,many of the hotels and resorts of Mazatlan share a similar characteristic,breathtaking beaches. Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay http://pueblobonito.com is another private, secluded hidden jewel overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As the only AAA 4-Diamond hotel in Mazatlan,Pueblo Bonito features an award winning spa, gor- geous gardens, and whimsical Neoclassic architecture. Travelers can play at Estrella delMarGolf and BeachResort http://estrelladelmar.com with an 18-hole championship golf course and an active SeaTurtleReserve.For a longer stay, Isla Mazatlan http://islamazatlan.com features 25 fully furnished world class villas on a private manmade island with all of the amenities of a top notch hotel resort. For a small group ofwriters,our journey began after check in at El Cid with an intimate dinner at Pedro y Lola, conve- niently located inOldMazatlanHistoricDistrict.Mazatlan is without a doubt known for its mouthwatering seafood, and Pedro y Lola offers up some authentic fresh ocean catch. With outdoor seating in the cobblestone paved town square and live acoustic entertainment, one can expect to be trans- ported into a scene from one of your favorite foreign romance films.TheOldMazatlanHistoricDistrict is home to most of the authentic Mexican culture that travelers crave Black Meetings & Tourism January/February 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 23