Old Acapulco: this well-known tourist spot has a star-studded history. (Living in Mexico).

An unpretentious pink hotel hugs a craggy Acapulco bluff that sweeps down into the wide, blue Pacific Ocean. It has neither concierge nor golf course, unlike the skyscraping hotels a few miles away on the Costera. It doesn't even occupy a prime location on the beach. But this doesn't seem to dissuade guests from staying here. To them, it offers much more: the opportunity to soak up the ambience of the 1950s, when reining Hollywood icons made this place their sanctuary in the sun.

The hotel Los Flamingos is one of the oldest in Acapulco, built in 1936 when tourist inns started appearing in earnest in this city. But it didn't attain its cachet until several decades later, when a group of Hollywood buddies got together and bought it. In 1954, John Wayne, Johnny Weissmuller, Fred McMurray, Red Skeleton and Errol Flynn took possession of it and entertained the likes of Roy Rodgers, Rex Allen, Richard Widmark and Gary Grant. Collectively, they were known as the "Hollywood Gang."

It was the Duke's idea to buy the property, which he called his "secret hideaway in Mexico," because it was indeed quiet and secluded from the rest of the town. Located in what today is known as Old Acapulco, they kept it so private that it was closed to the public and visits were by invitation only. They entertained guests like Mexican actress Dolores del Rio and politicians such as former Mexican President Miguel Aleman. They defined an era of glamour and easy living.

The Gang sold Los Flamingos in 1960, but their memories live on in the self-styled photo gallery gracing a veranda at the hotel's entrance. Several dozen old black and white photos show movie stills of Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller when he acted in Tarzan films with his costar "Jane" (Maureen O'Sullivan) and Chita the chimp. Frank Sinatra and his "Rat Pack," Wayne and the rest of the Gang are in other photos.

ITS OWN STAR ATTRACTION 

Several of the stars appear in photos with hotel manager Adolfo Santiago Gonzalez. Originally from Oaxaca, Gonzalez took a menial job at the hotel in 1957 and eventually worked his way up to manager. He won't say how old he was when he came here but he did say that the hotel was "exclusive" back when only friends of the owners were allowed in. The photo gallery he cares for is like a shrine to the era.

Wayne had his own personal suite of rooms built apart from the hotel in a round building called the Casa Redonda (Round House), which contained his seven-foot-long bed. Today it's called the Tarzan Suite after Johnny Weissmuller. The long pathway leading from it, which dips down to the edge of the cliffs, is built in the shape of the jaws of a crocodile, a reminder of his many Tarzan flicks. His sidekick Chita is immortalized in a big round bush in front of the Casa, which is perpetually trimmed in the shape of the chimp's face.

The hotel may have been the movie stars' royal retreat, but physically it was plain in design--so plain that it could be mistaken for a motel were it not for the lavish tropical gardens. Located on the highest peaks of Acapulco, its unassuming one- and two-story buildings are shaded by the gardens, each with a perfect view of the untamed ocean and nearby Roqueta Island. For some reason, the stars preferred its simplicity to more opulent hotels located in the hills above the bay.

The Hollywood Gang most likely socialized with Teddy Stauffer, a Swiss-born entrepreneur who also played a major part in Acapulco's jet set era in the 1950s and 60s. A resident of Acapulco, he cavorted with some of the most famous beauties of the time, like Rita Hayworth, whom he romanced, and golden-era Hedy Lamarr, to whom he was briefly married. He was better at business than marriage, and has gone down in the annals of Acapulco as the most divorced playboy of the time.

He founded the Villa Vera Hotel, once the most exclusive place to stay in Acapulco, with a businessman from Omaha named Carl Renstrom, and opened the Tequila-A Go-Go discotheque in the 1960s, where the rich and famous danced into the night.

The coco loco, one of Acapulco's most famous drinks, is rumored to have been invented at Los Flamingos by a barman named Cresencio Calleja, Gonzalez said. The ingredients were many: tequila, rum, gin, wine, limejuice, coconut milk and one that was secret, which Gonzalez said he intends to keep that way. Whether or not it was first concocted for the Hollywood Gang is open to speculation. One version says that it was created during World War II for a Mexican politician who was entertaining a German diplomat.

The coco loco, served in a green coconut, is still the signature drink at Pie de La Cuesta, the place to watch the sunset in those days. Fronting an open sea about 30 minutes' drive up the coast from Acapulco, this rustic, unpopulated beach hasn't changed much since the 1950s.

In the days before air conditioning, all luxury hotels were built on cliffs to catch the cooling sea breeze. When guests wanted to swim, they headed for La Caleta, which used to be the hottest beach around. Sitting in the curve of the cove is the modest open-air La Cabana seafood restaurant, which catered to celebrities including bullfighters and the late Mexican screen diva Maria Felix and her songwriter lover, Agustin Lara, whose photos now look out from behind the bar. The baby shark tamales, which made the place famous, are still on the menu.

A few feet from the restaurant, the beach is dotted with Mexican families and vendors selling peeled mangoes from trays atop their heads while, offshore, more vendors in small canoes sidle up to swimmers, hawking seashell souvenirs made into jewelry boxes, crucifixes and key chains.

RICH HISTORY

Many of the landmarks of Old Acapulco still attract travelers and are worth a visit. The tree-lined Zocalo, for example, is a place to people watch and get your shoes shined. The Nuestra Senora de la Soledad church, with its pure white facade and exotic looking bulb-shaped domes, sits at one end of the square amid shops and small eateries.

The Fortress of San Diego is a must see, especially since it has been remodeled. It was first built in 1616 to ward off pirate attacks when Acapulco traded with the Philippines. Silver from Mexican mines was exchanged for trade goods such as spices, silk, porcelain and ivory from Asia. Overlooking the harbor, the fortress was destroyed by an earthquake in 1776 but rebuilt to its original likeness not long afterward. Turned into the Historic Museum of Acapulco, 15 rooms surrounding the courtyard have been converted into lavish salons with displays and videos tracing Acapulco's past. Among the exhibits are Olmec-like sculptures from pre-Hispanic times, colonial kitchens, samples of trade goods and a list of famous buccaneers, like Sir Francis Drake, who menaced Spanish galleons. The story ended in 1821, when Mexico won its independence from Spain. Explanations are in English as well as Spanish, and air conditioning makes touring very comfortable. A light and sound show was also added this year.

The Casa de Mascaras (House of Masks), first opened in 2000, is one of the resort's newer attractions. It sits half a block from the fort. The Casa hosts a private collection of over 500 hand-carved masks. Most of them came from small villages surrounding Acapulco in the state of Guerrero. Still used in religious pageants today, the masks are hand-painted in traditional earth-toned colors. Some depict the popular "Dance of the Moors and Christians," while others are anthropomorphic in nature or point to the blending of pre-Hispanic and Christian beliefs so prevalent in Mexico after the conquest.

Another place to visit is the downtown Municipal Market, which has a more authentic flavor than the shops and boutiques of Acapulco. It's where you can hone your skills at bargaining for rugs, sarapes, hand-painted gourds and boxes made from the fragrant wood of Olinala.

One of Acapulco's most famous artists-in-residence in the 1950s was Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. He spent two years as the houseguest of Dolores Olmedo, his one-time model and mistress. Visitors can still see a mural depicting Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god of the Aztecas, that he made out of seashells and colored tiles on the outside of Olmedo's home. The left-wing Rivera originally incrusted a hammer and sickle into the mosaic, but the Mexican government ordered him to remove it.

Old Acapulco became increasingly glamorous when Hollywood began to film here, including such productions as the Tarzan series, The Lady from Shanghai, with Rita Hayworth, The African Queen, with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, and, later, Rambo II, featuring Sylvester Stallone. Even Elvis Presley flew in to make Fun in Acapulco, in which he jumped off the La Quebrada cliffs to win the girl. Mexican producer Rene Cardona and actor/producer Hugo Stiglitz also made movies in Acapulco.

DIVING HIGH

One of entrepreneur Teddy Stauffer's more lasting ventures was the creation of the pearl diving shows at La Quebrada cliffs, a stop on every visitor's itinerary. Contrary to popular belief, the divers never dove for pearls. In the 1930s, they were young fishermen daredevils who plunged into the water to retrieve their lost fishing spears. Soon they vied with one another to see who could dive from the highest plateau. It was also a surefire way to earn coins from onlookers.

In the 1940s, developers threatened to build a hotel on the cliffs, but Stauffer loved the spectacle of the divers and subsequently came up with the idea of putting a nightclub into the cliffs opposite the dive site. He actually saved the cliff when he opened La Perla and integrated the divers into the dinner show at the club. A couple of years later, the number of willing divers became overwhelming, so a contest was created to select the best. The eight winners formed what is now known as the La Quebrada Divers Union of Acapulco. Today, the divers come from two extended Acapulco families that dominate the "industry."

A diver starts to train at about age 13 and can expect to perform for as long as 25 years. He often prays at a shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe at the top of the cliff before executing his dive. At night, the divers dive in pairs and with lit torches, creating dramatic and spellbinding effects.

Visitors can view the spectacle from the staircase built down the cliff, or more comfortably from La Perla during the evening shows. Stauffer sold the club to El Mirador hotel, which still runs it, but as a restaurant rather than as a nightspot. Patrons are obliged to buy either a buffet or drinks package to see the show from there. Annual diving competitions are held in the winter months at La Quebrada and draw competitors from all over the world.

Most of the Hollywood Gang is dead now, but their presence can still be felt at Los Flamingos (482-0690). It now includes air conditioning, a pool, and additional guestrooms, bringing the total to 120. The Casa Redonda goes for $2,500 pesos a night and sleeps four to five people. A standard double costs $650 pesos to $850 pesos, depending on the season.

WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE

Other lodging choices in Old Acapulco include El Mirador Hotel (483-1155) at La Quebrada, which has retained its Old Acapulco ambiance. Red tiles and hand-carved Mexican furniture decorate the 130 rooms and suites, some of which have balconies sitting on the edge of the cliff, with unbelievable views of the ocean. A double goes for US$80 to US$125. The Boca Chica (Caletilla Beach, 483-6388), with peeling paint and an old hand-plug telephone switchboard, is situated on a lovely cove of tranquil Caletilla Beach, with a sushi bar and full breakfast included in the price of a room.

La Cabana restaurant is located at Playa Caleta Lado Ote.( 482-5007). Other places to dine are Mi Amigo Miguel (Juarez 31 at Jose Anzueta, 483-6981) and Pipo's (Almirante Breton 3, 482-2237), both near the Zocalo. They're also known for their fresh seafood, and Mi Amigo Miguel has a second floor balcony with a view of Acapulco Bay. If it's all out swank you crave (with prices to match), head for Coyuca 22 (Coyuca 22, 482-3468), one of the most beautiful restaurants in Acapulco, built on a terraced hillside with towering Roman pillars and a magnificent vista.

The Fortress of San Diego (Homitos and Morelos, 482-3828) is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is about US$3.

The Casa de Mascaras (half a block east of the fort, 486-5577) is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A donation is appreciated.

The Municipal Market is at Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Constituyentes (about a block from the downtown Costera). Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

For more information on Old Acapulco, visit www.acapulcocvb.org.

Patricia Alisau is a travel editor and writer who used to live in Mexico City.