Nightlife in Manzanillo is much more exuberant than you might expect, but then Manzanillo is not only a resort town -- it's a thriving commercial center. Clubs and bars tend to change from year to year, so check with your concierge for current hot spots. Some area clubs have a dress code prohibiting shorts or sandals, principally applying to men.
El Bar de Félix, between Salahua and Las Brisas by the Avis rental-car office (tel. 314/333-1875), is open Tuesday through Sunday from 2pm to midnight, and has an $8 (£4.40) minimum consumption charge. Music ranges from salsa and ranchero to rock and house -- it's the most consistently lively place in town, with pool tables. The adjacent (and related) Vog Disco (tel. 314/333-1875), Bulevar Costera Miguel de la Madrid Km 9.2, features alternative music in a cavernous setting, with a midnight light show; it's Manzanillo's current late-night hot spot, open until 5am, but only on Friday and Saturday. The cover charge for women is $10 (£5.50), for men $15 (£8.25). Also very popular -- with a built-in crowd -- is the nightclub at the Club Maeva Hotel & Resort (tel. 01-800/849-1987 in Mexico), on the inland side of the main highway, north of the Santiago Peninsula. It's open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 11pm to 2am. Couples are given preferential entrance. Nonguests are welcome but must pay an entrance fee, typically $20 to $30 (£11-£17), after which all drinks are included. Note that when Club Maeva is fully booked, entrance to nonguests may be difficult to impossible -- ask your hotel front desk if they can secure a pass for you. The fee varies depending on the night of the week and the time of year.