In 1997 during our first round of golf at Estrella, we discovered the storied history of this private resort on the Isla de la Piedra in Sinaloa, Mexico. The history touches Art Linkletter's life story and many Hollywood actors and dignitaries from the 1950s and 1960s. Who knows, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, John Huston, Ronald Reagan and Walt Disney, cinema industry associates of Mr. Linkletter may have stayed at the Villas and played golf on the original nine hole course, today ... the front nine. Mazatlan, as the oldest port city in Mexico, offered easy access by ship from Los Angeles. The Villas at Estrella offered a leisure lifestyle the actors and dignitaries were accustom to.

Estrella Del Mar is a spectacular Golf and Beach Resort located 10 minutes from the Mazatlan International Airport and 30 minutes from the city of Mazatlan. The Condo is situated in a gated community with 3.5 miles of pristine beachfront on the Pacific Ocean. The private resort is secure and is tropically landscaped and impeccably manicured.

The golf course is consistently rated in Mexico's top thirty with six holes on the ocean. The original nine hole golf course was restored and expanded by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1996. Estrella Del Mar provides country club style services including driving range, practice greens, lessons and golf bag valet and storage services.

The La Paloma Restaurant and Bar, Pro Shop and Fitness Center are housed at the ocean side Clubhouse. It's a casual atmosphere so … you can make a reservation to play golf or just show up to play. Afterwords, enjoy lunch or dinner at the restaurant or order your food and drinks to be delivered poolside while you walk back to the Condo past the Turtle Sanctuary on a private beach.

The Condo is an end-unit with abundant light. It is on the 3rd floor near the stairs in a building served by an elevator. The lanai (covered balcony) with a table, 4 chairs and a BBQ has an ocean view overlooking the infinity pool, hot tub and beach. It is a splended spot to watch stunning sunsets or whales, porpoises and seagulls frolicking in the surf.

The Condo is furnished with indigenous furniture and art. The full kitchen is well equipped with microwave, ice maker, dish washer and every gadget and small appliance for the gourmet cook. A washer/dryer is furnished. Linens, beach and bath towels are provided and the space is air-conditioned. Big screen TVs with cable are in each room, CD player and WiFi serves the Condo. Weekly housekeeping is included and additional housekeeping services can be arranged.

The Las Villas Hotel and Spa offer elegant and casual dining in three distinctive settings at the Los Delfines Restaurant and Bar. The Spa features a beauty salon, massage therapy, a steam room and sauna, and another state-of-the-art fitness center. A complimentary short shuttle ride back to the Condo is available after enjoying your visit to the Hotel and Spa.

If the exquisite golf, touching the first breath of nature at the Turtle Sanctuary or taking long walks on a secluded sandy beach is becoming routine, then try tennis, horseback riding, shore fishing, bogie boarding and kite surfing … all of which abound in this secluded resort.

Complimentary shuttle service is available throughout the resort. If you choose not to rent a car, shuttle service from the airport can be arranged. Shuttle service to Mazatlan is available several times daily for a fee and round trip private taxi service is available to Mazatlan or Villa Union. Groceries and beverages can be pre-stocked upon arrival and can be provided during your stay.

Keywords: condo, golf, beachfront, resort