Acapulco (Officially: Acapulco de Juárez) is a city and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 300 kilometres (190 mi) southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay. It is a port of call for shipping and cruising lines running between Panama and San Francisco, California, United States. As of the 2005 census, the population of the urbanized area was 616,394, while that of the administrative municipality was 717,766 people. The municipality, which has an area of 1,882.6 square kilometres (726.9 sq mi), includes numerous small localities outside of the city. The tourist resort city of Acapulco is the largest city in the state, far larger than the state capital Chilpancingo.
In 1933 Carlos Barnard started the first section of Hotel El Mirador [2], with 12 rooms on the cliffs of La Quebrada.
The principal architect and visionary for the development of Acapulco was Miguel Alemán Valdés, as president of Mexico from 1946 to 1952. The main avenue that runs along the Acapulco Bay is named after him.
In 1949 Carlos Barnard started the "La Perla" restaurant, adjoining his Hotel El Mirador at La Quebrada.
Teddy Stauffer (Mr. Acapulco) was also important. He created the first discotheque, "The Tequila a Go-Go", and the most glamorous hotel at that time (Villa Vera).