From their vantage point on the hotel's 21st floor, he and his friend Barbara gazed upon the post-storm chaos, with Jaime exclaiming, "You're kidding. Acapulco has been destroyed."

Earlier, while the storm was hitting at 1:00 AM, they found themselves huddled together on the floor, facing a relentless onslaught from the hurricane.

Hurricane Otis, one of the strongest storms ever to hit Mexico's Pacific Coast, roared into the beach resort of Acapulco early on Wednesday, smashing buildings and vital infrastructure and leaving the city incommunicado and without power.