Rosarito Beach Hotel
Opened in 1925, this is Rosarito's most emblematic hotel and practically the birthplace of tourism here: the town grew up around it. Today it is a full-service beachfront resort on the main beach, with around 500 rooms and suites split between the historic building and newer towers, plus a spa, several pools and two restaurants with real personality. If you want to sleep where it all began, this is the place.
History is its best amenity. It opened on May 25, 1925 as a modest dozen-room lodge on a then-empty coast; soon after, entrepreneur Manuel P. Barbachano turned it into a grand hotel and casino, and in 1932 the stately lobby was built — it still greets guests with murals and carved wood. In 2025 it turned one hundred, and it remains the heart of the boardwalk.
In its golden age it was Hollywood's favorite escape: Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Gregory Peck, Spencer Tracy, Vincent Price, Mickey Rooney and Debbie Reynolds all passed through. You can still feel that past in the original building's hallways, lined with photos from the era when the stars crossed the border looking for privacy.
On the practical side: tower rooms have balconies with Pacific or city views, there are three outdoor pools, a spa with massages and treatments, an events center and direct access to the sand, steps from the pier and the "PLAYA ROSARITO" letters. You never have to leave to eat: the Azteca restaurant-bar serves Mexican food from breakfast to dinner off the lobby, and Chabert's offers fine dining on weekends in what was once the founding family's mansion.
It isn't perfect: it is a big, century-old property, so room condition varies quite a bit depending on the tower and its last renovation. Even so, nothing else in town matches this combination of beach, history and dead-center location.
What it offers
- ◆On the main beach, next to the boardwalk
- ◆Three outdoor pools and a spa with massage services
- ◆Azteca (Mexican) and Chabert's (weekend fine dining) restaurants
- ◆Bar, events center and oceanfront weddings
- ◆On-site parking
Great for
- ◆Sleeping in a piece of Baja history
- ◆Beach + boardwalk without touching your car
- ◆Oceanfront weddings and events
Good to know
- •No pets allowed; only service animals with management pre-authorization (plus a cleaning fee).
- •Rooms vary a lot between the historic building and the towers: ask for a renovated tower room if you want something modern.
- •On holiday weekends, spring break and event dates the hotel (and its pool area) packs out; weekdays are a different world.
- •You don't need pesos — dollars are accepted here and all over Rosarito. Rates change by season; confirm on the official site.