Going Glam in Acapulco

Maybe it's the weather -- sultry and damp, with a lemon drop sun that never seems overtaken even for a minute by clouds. Maybe it's the glitzy restaurants and nightclubs, filled with well-heeled patrons so glamorous they might as well be on the set of a Beyonc� video. Or maybe it's the history -- this metropolis of 800,000 cradling Mexico's Pacific coast has long been a playground for Hollywood's biggest luminaries.

Whatever the reasons, Acapulco oozes seductive appeal. This is a place that sparkles and shines, from the stars like Madonna who frolic on its beaches, to the lights from the homes on its hillsides, which twinkle with iconic splendor when darkness falls.

Acapulco was where Frank Sinatra hid out from the mob, where barrel-chested and perpetually oiled Tarzan Johnny Weissmuller invented the infamously potent coco loco cocktail, where Zsa Zsa dropped jaws when she jumped naked into her hotel pool. There's a gleam of decadence to Acapulco, too, which just might be its best feature.

Where the Jet Set Met

Celebrating its 60th birthday in 2017, Las Brisas, has played host to more big names than Taylor Swift's little black book. Rumor has it that Liz Taylor honeymooned there following a half-dozen or so of her weddings. Likewise, JFK took Jackie there after he slipped the ring on her finger; Sting's no doubt practiced tantric sex on one of the resort's supremely comfy beds during his stay.

Other famous faces have included Maria Sharapova, Madonna and Sophia Loren. Most of them agreeably left their handprints behind in pink cement, hung like pop art throughout Las Brisas' public spaces.

The resort is a testament to romance, with private casitas tucked away on 40 hillside acres overlooking the bay, most boasting their own pool. While the Valentine-themed color scheme is delightfully retro (Las Brisas isn't called "The Pink and White Paradise" for the sake of hyperbole), spots like La Concha Beach Club, with two saltwater grottos open to the bay and a freshwater pool with swim-up bar, are lavishly modern.

See and Be Seen

Las Brisas offers it share of fine dining establishments -- La Concha, the beach club's eatery is worth a visit for the over-the-top tropical drinks alone. But there is plenty of head-turning fare to be found outside the resort's walls.

Two of the best restaurants, Zibu and Becco al Mare, are located a stone's throw from each other and although their menus couldn't be more different, they share a singularly swanky appeal. Zibu, candle-lit and spread out beneath a soaring, palm-frond ceiling, admirably mixes Mexican cuisine with Thai. Becco al Mare serves upscale Italian in a jaw-dropping, two-story room fronted by a glass wall overlooking the water.

For a sampling of classic Mexican dishes, book the new Ruta Gastron�mica de Acapulco tour. Tooling around the city for more than three hours, stops include the beachside Restaurante La Cabana, where guests learn to make ceviche as well as a visit to Diego Rivera's magnificent tile, glass and stone mural on Calle la Pinzona, where he came to mourn after Frida Kahlo's death.

Where the Boys Are

Perhaps more than anything else, Acapulco is known for its legendary nightlife, and there are enough great gay bars within its limits to keep even the most ardent club-hopper happy. Demas Factory is king of the hill and snares both tourists and locals. Shirts are optional and the strippers are the city's hottest.

Meanwhile, Reinas Bar dishes up karaoke and cheap drinks and best of all -- no cover. Usually busy, mostly loud and always a good time, Papitos Picante Acapulco is a throbbing dance club that spins pop, electronic and Latin music while presenting the occasional drag show, too.

Should you want to see more gorgeous flesh, hit up the La Quebrada cliff diving show, made famous in the Elvis flick "Fun in Acapulco." Lithe locals in tiny speedos leap from as high as 115 feet, intent on smacking the water as the waves crest below. Should they miss it, catastrophe would result. It's awe-inspiring and more than a little bit sexy.

Aeromexico offers departures from more than a half-dozen U.S. cities to Acapulco, including New York and Los Angeles. For information, visit www.aeromexico.com.