For decades, Baby’O has been one of the most exclusive places to party in Acapulco. With its architecture reminiscent of a cave, the logo with giant letters covering the facade and tropical vegetation as decoration, the mythical place attracted politicians and celebrities, who soon made the nightclub a meeting point to conclude business, celebrate in private or simply enjoy the music and lights. The nightclub was born from an idea by Eduardo Césarman and Rafael Villafañe, two young people from wealthy families who convinced their parents to support the opening of a nightclub in the tourist resort they had frequented since they were children. They came up with the name while traveling, inspired by the song Baby’O by Dean Martin.
The first night of the party (of many more to follow) took place on Tuesday, December 28, 1976. Stories from the time speak of champagne, music, dancing, and guests who didn’t leave the place until after six in the morning. But after the initial enthusiasm, the owners began to struggle to attract new people, so they had to go to beaches and restaurants to personally invite anyone they could find to keep their business afloat. By 1977 the difficult times were behind us, although at first the club remained almost exclusively for foreigners.
The stars of Baby’O
The splendor and glamor of the place attracted politicians and celebrities, including Luisito Rey, who smuggled his son Luis Miguel in when he was still a minor, so the club practically became his “playground”. El Sol developed a close friendship with the club’s owners and staff, always having a good table and entering through the back door to avoid being approached by curious fans. “Luis Miguel was very simple, at that time he would arrive and we would have our drinks, we would invite friends, actresses, to create chaos,” Jorge recalled. The donkey Van Rankin, one of Luismi’s friends, in the new documentary Baby’O’s eternal night. The singer’s presence aroused the curiosity of Mexican customers, so the place acquired a cult character and became part of the port’s identity.
Other celebrities who visited the nightclub in its heyday included Jaime Camil, Bono, Rod Stewart, Juan Gabriel, Mijares – who threw “palomazos” when he visited – Brooke Shields and Michael Jordan. According to anecdotes from insiders, the NBA player went to the location on the condition that they hand over the night’s CCTV material, as he was involved in a legal battle over his divorce and if he had been caught with other women he could have lost millions in the process. Among Baby’O’s more unusual stories is one in which a cleaner barred Princess Stephanie of Monaco from entry because she was wearing a pair of sandals, which went against the place’s strict dress code.
The controversies
The debauchery of disco also brought some problems. On one occasion, the hot tub had to be closed after a young woman fell and ended up splitting her head. But the most delicate episodes were committed by the sons of politicians who insisted on entering accompanied by their escorts, heavily armed men with very little patience. “Those sons of politicians came in with Uzis (machine guns) taking off the chains. They shot me three times at the entrance. Alcohol, arrogance, power: it all went together,” Carlos García, director of Baby’O, told Who magazine.
Information indicates that two people died in clashes outside the area. One of them was the companion of Mario Moya Ibáñez, son of the PRI ambassador Mario Moya Palencia; the other, Marco Hernández Albarrán, son of Captain Salvador Hernández, then director of the Acapulco Traffic Police. After this last incident, the club was closed for a short time, although it reopened on the orders of Alfredo del Mazo González, governor of the State of Mexico, close to the family of one of the owners.
In its history, Baby’O has also had to deal with two major fires. The first, in 1999, was accidental: a welding spark fell on the casing structure, which was highly flammable. The second, in 2021, was deliberately provoked by three armed men who entered through a back door, pointed a gun at the security guard, doused the place with flammable liquid and set it on fire. The Baby’O was declared a total loss and temporarily closed. Added to this blow was the devastation of Hurricane Otis, which hit the port and drastically reduced the tourist influx. Despite this, Baby’O managed to reopen with the hope of contributing to Acapulco’s economic recovery. And although its glory days seem like a distant memory, its myth – and the legends that once visited it – continue to attract curious people who want to experience first-hand the iconic favorite club of their idols.
