Samba Vallarta: Amazing resort

My bf and I spent a week at Samba Vallarta. The food was absolutely amazing and the staff were very helpful and resourceful. Want to give a shout out to Bernardo specifically who was very helpful. He was fantastic and he always checked in on us. We had a fun time and made a lot of friends. One thing I noted was that the activities ended at 6 everyday so we were unable to engage in vball and other activities later in the night. Other than that it was great. However it does seem this resort is mo [... read more]re for families versus a young couple.

Krystal Grand Puerto Vallarta: Had a great experience at the Hilton

We stayed at the Hacienda (Adult only), however at many meals on the family side. We found the food was good, lots of variety and good fruit and salad selections. There was no limit on the number of all restaurants that required a reservation so we tried the all, some twice. There were only a few times when we found it busy, mostly there was lots of space and staff seated you and brought you drinks, coffee, juice etc. so you only needed to go to the buffet for food. Staff were amazingly help [... read more]ful and the one big bbq dinner and entertainment they had was held outside on the beach so again much better for COVID worries. I would stay there again without hesitation.

Riu Flamingos: Amazing Resorts

What an amazing trip!!! We spend 7 days at Riu Jalisco last week. I was amazed by the hotel cleanliness. We always seen someone cleaning jeeping everything organized. Entertainment was rhe highlights of the trip , great group of peoe high energy and always really excellent shows. Food was great more than we need however food and drinks were always available anytime of the day. I recommend this resort people with family or without...Definitely i will go back .

Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments: Compact resort, walking distance to Old Town

Our overall score for this resort is 7.5 out of 10. The good: - the location can't be beat, closest all-inclusive to old town and the marvelous Malecon shops and restaurants - compact, easy to get from your room to lobby to restaurants to pool to beach - super friendly service from every corner of the resort (even met and had a long and fruitful chat with the GM) - Sunset Restaurant is outstanding, Best place for a la carte breakfast and dinner. Great beachside views. - all grounds well-ma [... read more]intained, clean and highly attractive - our king renovated room with small balcony was modern, comfy and spotless - Mexican Fiesta night was a 10+. Food stations were well staffed, short lines, quality of the food was outstanding. Wonderful entertainment right on the beach. - Pools, though small, were clean and well-maintained. Of course, like every other resort, getting the best lounge chairs poolside required early morning towel and book placement. Never a problem on the beach. Lots of umbrellas. The not-so-good: - main buffet was hit and miss for dinner, OK for breakfast. - front desk staff, though patient and friendly, could use some more fluent English speakers - very few oceanfront/oceanview suites

Grand Decameron Complex Bucerias Trademark: Very Disappointing

We have been to the Royal Decameron Complex over 15 times. Up to now, we have been very satisfied with the resort. My, how things have changed! The resort used to be much more welcoming to Canadians. Many staff have left because of COVID, and it appears as if the replacement staff does not have nearly the English speaking skills as their predecessors. In addition, signage was poor, and very little English was spoken. It appears as if the marketing has switched to Mexico, and away from Cana [... read more]da. The pools were disgustingly filthy. On most days, we could not see the bottom of the pool. Absolutely a health hazard. In our 1 week stay, 3 of the 5 pools were closed for at least a day in an attempt to clean them. Never before, have we seen line-ups out the door for any of the buffets, even when the resort was at 100% capacity. This trip, the resort was not full, yet the line-ups persisted. COVID protocols required all staff to wear masks at all times. Guests had to wear masks in restaurants until seated, and throughout the night show. Performers also wore masks, which really destroyed the entertainment value of the show. In addition, the shows have been cut short, and now are barely 45 minutes long. Plexiglass screens at bars and the lobby were annoying, only adding to the communication problem. A la carte restaurants no longer have menus due to COVID. Instead, the waiter rattled-off the selections, and a quick decision had to be made. The relaxing dinners at the Piccolo Restaurant have turned into a 43-minute race to finish. Perhaps this review would be more positive if we had never been to the resort before. We will likely never return.

Barcelo Puerto Vallarta: Wonderful Resort, Mostly!

We had a wonderful 10 day stay at this Barcelo. The hotel and all the amenities were topnotch, the staff were friendly, helpful and professional, our room was luxurious and the weather was just right! The only aspect that really disappointed us was the food. Whether at the buffet or at the specialty restaurants, the quality and variety weren't up to the standards we've come to expect from this resort chain. Especially disappointing was how difficult it was to find out about gluten-free food op [... read more]tions. We eventually managed to get a translated card from the concierge to show to the serving folks, but they never seemed too interested in helping me understand what my gluten-free options were. We presumed that this may well be due to covid supply chain challenges, so hopefully things change soon again as we'd love to come back here again!

Plaza Pelicanos Grand: Totally happy!

We have no complaints about this resort. The food was very good. We were very happy with our room - we were in the older part of the resort- however everything was in very good working order. Location is 1/2 ways between the melicon and the airport.

Grand Decameron Complex Bucerias Trademark: Not so amazing

To start I have to say we have been to the Royal Decameron at least 10 time prior to this trip and loved it, I can’t say that about this trip. They are short staffed for sure, but there are rule for some that other don’t follow and aren’t enforced. You couldn’t sit at a pool bar because all the tables and chairs were removed by these guest with no consideration for other guest. As for food we never had a hot meal there unless it was breakfast and you ordered Eggs or omelettes. The pools  [... read more]were never crystal clear as they always were in previous trip two were even closed our last two days there, they were green. We will never go back unfortunately, the staff work extremely hard, they really need more help. The Decameron is really in need of upgrading and maintenance that is much needed.

Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta: Amazing resort

Grounds kept clean, meals were very good. Booking for them was a bit of a chore having to be in a early line up to book for only one day ahead booking. We never knew what the dress codes were either. Other then that all good.

Canto Del Sol: Very nice Resort

I would stay there again. Its excellent location For everything ,shops to theAirport. Kids frindly.The only thing we didn't like the bathroom need to update. Everything else in the resort is nice. We really enjoyed our trip staying in the resort. I will definitely recommend to my family and friends.

Riu Palace Pacifico: Best Resort Yet

As a seasoned resort guest and frequent traveler to Mexico I can honestly say this was by far the best resort we have ever stayed in. I didn't think there would be much difference between a 4.5 star and a 5 but there was. First off the food was amazing. Absolutely amazing. Don't bother with the A La Carts and stick to the buffet which changes themes every night. You could live on seafood alone there is so much of it. Fruits were so fresh and all the other dishes were great. Our only dis [... read more]appointment was the Steak house where the cut of steak was horrible but that is to be expected in Mexico. Service in the buffet was to the highest standards with Janet in the morning/lunch and Lucerra at dinner. I wish we had servers like this in Canada. Most of the bar service was very quick and even with the hotel at full capacity you could easily get to a bar to order a drink and there were plenty of chairs around the pool. Only top shelf alcohol served, even in the fruity slush drinks. Ventured down to the Vallarta and they had to go behind a door to pour my Jim Beam. As per usual towel hogs were out early reserving chairs with the irony of the fact that they don't show up till after noon. Really sad. Wish one hotel would stop this and I would be a committed patron for life. Trips to Bucerias were quick and cost 100 pesos. We rode the horses on the beach down there once and that was 500 pesos each. Great trip. Le Negra in Bucerias was really nice for dinner. Expensive but nice. Recommend reservations Can't go wrong with the Palace.

Las Palmas by the Sea: Very enjoyable stay

We had a great week. Everything was up to what I expected. They have done a wonderful job with covid-19 prevention. Masks were enforced especially at the bar. The only wish I have is that they would have frig's and coffee machines in the rooms. Top marks for service, food, grounds, pool and bartenders.

Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta: Beautiful resort with amazing food but limited entertainment

My wife and I spent one week at Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta in mid-April to celebrate our honeymoon. We were housed on the 4th floor, in the main building. Seems like most rooms in the main building have a partial view of the ocean. I wish to dedicate a special shout-out to the Aileen (the manager) and Patricia (concierge) for making our stay a memorable one! Pros: - Very clean and well maintained - Beautiful architecture including infinity pool - Rain showers in each room! - Main buffe [... read more]t was right by the beach/ocean, so you can enjoy incredible views during meals - The Resort was small, so regardless of which building you were allocated to, everything is within walkable distance even for those with limited mobility - Food was clean and delicious, especially snack bar (fried fish tacos + cheesy nachos were the bomb) and the A La Carte (Grill & Italian restaurants were the best, followed by Japanese, and least favorite was the Mexican). I would advise skipping the Mexican unless you’re really curious. We ate at the buffet daily and did not have any GI issues, despite eating freshly cut fruits or cold cuts - All hotel staff were diligent about COVID protocols and were wearing masks, which gives us confidence that management takes this seriously Cons: - Guests left their towels overnight on the beach/pool chairs for the entire week to reserve those spots, which is selfish and inconsiderate to say the least. - No money exchangers / banks on-site, which makes it difficult to exchange money to tip hotel staff - Have to get up at 6:30AM to make A La Carte reservations (especially the Grill & the Italian) EVERY morning, unless you’re an Altitude Member (in which case you can book 2 days in advance). There were at least 30-40 seats that were empty during our entire dining service, which was unfortunate as individuals likely booked but didn’t show. - Very limited entertainment (No live performances in the evening, no access to water sports like kayak or catamaran, no access to board games or sports) - Access to the Games room (Ping Pong, Table Pool, Darts, XBOX & Playstation) were limited only to Adolescents under 18 years old. - The waves were very strong in the week that we were there, and ocean was not clear enough to snorkel Recommendations to Resort improvements: - Please have an on-site money exchanger (even if it is small), so that your hotel staff can receive more tips - Please have someone clear out all beach towels left overnight, so that there are no “reservations” of beach/pool chairs for the whole period. The $25 cost of each Beach towel lost will surely have some Guests thinking twice about trying to reserve these chairs - Please limit each hotel guest to booking the Grill and Italian once during each 7-day stay, so that other Guests can get to experience it too - Please grant Adults access to Ping Pong and Table pool too - Please provide some board games where Guests can loan these out and return them for entertainment

Occidental Nuevo Vallarta: We will return! 14 fabulous days!

From the moment we checked in until the moment we checked out, we were impressed! We had asked for a quieter room, higher level, king sized bed. Upon checking in, they said they tried to accommodate all our requests, but could not get a higher level floor. We were given room 246. It exceeded our expectations! The room was spacious, so clean, so bright, with a huge deck overlooking the Royal Pool AND the ocean! (We did NOT upgrade to Royal). It had two chairs and table, plus two loungers!  [... read more] It was so quiet at night, the air conditioning worked perfectly. The only thing with our deck was that it was too hot to sit on it from about 3-7 PM. The floors above us had covers but we did not. The pool bar shut down around 8 PM, so there was never any issue with noise after 8. We could see the shows from our deck! All staff were friendly and helpful. The buffet food was scrumptious and huge variety! We ate breakfast every morning at the buffet, and three nights at the buffet. Lunch was always at the Mariachi, and always lots of choices! We tried each a la carte at least 2-4 times and loved them all! The service at each a la carte was exceptional! To make a reservation for an a la carte you go to the lobby each morning about 8:20 and line up. You can start reserving about 8:45. The times are 6, 7, 8, 9 and I believe 10. It is a pain to do this every morning, but it is also a nice way to meet people from around the world! They used to allow you to reserve a few days in a row, but because people would reserve then not bother to show up, they had to change to one day at a time. Reservations can be made between 8:45-4. Please help them out by cancelling your reservation if you do not decide to go. That allows someone else to be able to use that time slot. The shows were from 9-10 PM each night and very professional! They had many activities, water aerobics, Zumba, yoga, fun games and activities and so much more! I could go on and on. The one small thing that could be improved upon, (but could be a staffing issue) is the beach and lounger area. It would be nice to see it raked and cleaned up a bit better, and the lounge chairs and tables cleaned more. There are so many people to thank, so here are a few, as some I didn't get their names. Eric (helped us with Spanish) Puk (funny, friendly, terrific service) Ana, who helped us with Spanish, Irene (fabulous! (Beach server), Stephan - so personable! (reservation man), Jose, (Esther and Jabier at the shopping shack) Raphael and Alberto at the Italian, Blanca our maid, fabulous! Fania, Francesco at the buffet who helped us with our Spanish! Valeria and her Harris hawk, Sahara. There are so many to thank and I feel so bad I didn't get all their names. The young ladies at the Lobby Bar at night were also fantastic! The two activities men! This resort is a 4 min walk to the Riviera Farmers Market every Tuesday from 9-2! We noticed ramps everywhere and there are elevators if anyone has mobility issues or uses a wheelchair. Paradise Village Mall is a 2-3 minute walk from the resort! The beach is lovely and flat to walk on! If we had any issues, for example, we were out of our room every morning before 9. We asked if it would be possible to have our room cleaned before noon, not late in the day. It was done! We had a couple of days when we did not get coffee or water. We went to the front desk, and it was brought up immediately. We just asked politely, and any issue was taken care of! We will return! Mucho gracias to all staff who made our stay so memorable! I had hoped to post photos along with this review, but it did not give me that option! Covid protocols were met in all areas. Hand sanitizing and wearing of masks entering restaurants and leaving but not once you’re at your table. You didn’t have to wear a mask walking around the lobby or hallways unless you were too close to another person.

Decameron Isla Coral: Wonderful vacation

I want to stress how wonderful the staff was especially Rubi. She was amazing. Spoke English, touched base with us regularly and helped us as needed. The resort’s COVID protocol was good. Our temperature was taken upon arrival, masks were worn in common areas (by most guests) and the resort was clean. They cleaned consistently. Due to COVID, there is no shuttle between resorts. It only cost 40 pesos each way - if you wanted to go between them for al a carte dinners. On the beach, 15-20 [... read more] minute walk to one. Food was good. And you can choice which al a carte restaurant you would like between the three resorts. Our room was basic but clean. No fridge and little drawer space. We travelled with Air Transat. Please be aware, there is no representative on site at any of the Decameron resorts and the excursions are not accessible.

Grand Decameron Complex Bucerias Trademark: Bucerias - Decameron Resort

The resort is a little older, but well maintained. Super clean resort. If you are a food snob, this might be a challenging resort for you. I am a food snob and can always find something great to eat. Ceviche everyday is my favorite. Also the chocolate ice-cream for dessert is amazing...I wish they had hot Churros available daily though. The white fish that they prepare is awesome and there seems to be lots of it. The grounds are really mature and pretty, not to mentioned well maintained. Pools a [... read more]re clean and you have a choice of many of them. There is a quiet adult pool as well and it's large. We go every year and have been for since 2010. Love this resort, it's so laid back and casual. They installed all new A/C units that are very quiet and work well. Beds were a little more comfortable this time around, so I think that they changed out the mattresses as well. It would be great if the next upgrade was the bathroom taps and shower heads. But I can imagine that due to Covid the past 2 years have not been money makers. I think that all trip facilitators should remove the quote that "tips are included in the package" THEY ARE NOT. As a traveler you should always tip the people serving you, it's common curtesy. Don't just tip your bartender. Tip your maid, your restaurant server, towel provider, etc...Most of the staff at resorts are paid minimum wages, which is 140 Pesos per day, which is equivalent to approximately $10 a day Canadian, depending on the exchange rate. Also remind yourself that you are a guest in this country and should use the terms, please and thank-you. Overall, great trip, comfortable resort and the location is awesome.

Friendly Fun Vallarta: Overbooked

The hotel was good and the staff were great but the hotel booked a company seminar that put up to 4 adults in a room. We were told there were 1000 people in the group for a hotel with 270 rooms. The good thing is they were out all day. In the morning they overloaded the breakfast buffets until 8am so if you wanted breakfast at this time you lined up for it. We went after they left for the day but by then the buffets would be out of things like bacon and one morning bread. This should not happen. [... read more] In addition they closed the al a carte restaurants, I guess due to the crowds they could only feed this number buffet style so we had to endure buffet dining all week. The food was OK but Similar every night. They did have a taco only restaurant buffet restaurant but with tacos being offered at the other buffets for lunch and dinner I really didn’t see the purpose other than to feed the large crowds. The lobby at night was packed and turned into a frat party wth these seminar guests chugging tequila out of bottles bought at the local store, so I think not all of the company seminar group did had bar access. They also brought cases of beer to the beach after the day time seminars ended. As for coved policies we had to sign a waiver that we would wear a mask in common places but this was not enforced at all and only a few people in the large company seminar group wore one. We left the lobby early every evening as we did not feel comfortable/safe with the large groups of people. In addition all the services were overwhelmed at night. The very good coffee bar was a 30 min line up at night.

Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments: Home away from Home

We were a group who stayed at this resort March 28 for two weeks. We were so happy to see Gustavo,Eduardo,Fausto,Herman, Omar and Daliha. Our room was perfect and very well maintained. The meals were very tasty. The one thing that changed was the pool bar was closed at 10 pm which was a shock. We all missed sitting out there. The top bar also closed at 10 which left the lobby bar open until 1:00 am.. please reconsider reopening the pool bar. We were also happy that the smokers are still very muc [... read more]h accepted. Kudos. God willing we’ll be back

Riu Flamingos: One of our favorites

This was our 3rd time at the Riu Jalisco. It is time for a refresh but still a grand hotel. We had some specific requests, like a room facing the courtyard, and they were well met. The hotel was clean and the staff was always friendly. The grounds are well kept and the pools and beach areas are well maintained. Our 4th floor room overlooked the nightly entertainment. The entertainment was popular and well attended. The poolside activities included daily exercise and water volleyball. The foam pa [... read more]rty was big hit. Lots of lounges were available and as usual, early birds get prime locations. More seating at the beach. Easter week was busy so there were lines for drinks, but no huge problems. The food in the buffet was well presented, with many choices for picky eaters. The a-la-carte restaurants were popular with 15 minute line ups most nights. We preferred the Italian for selection and portion control. Over all it feels like his hotel is recovering from Covid restrictions. Masks were optional and rarely seen on guests. Every staff member continues to wear a mask. Our over all review is that this is a great place to enjoy the Mexican sunshine.

Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta: Great place!

We truly enjoyed the view from our room, overlooking the main centre area of the complex & further the ocean. Meals were very good & the beverages were refreshing. We missed not having nightly adult entertainment but found things to keep us busy. Covid may have still been an issue. Looking forward to our next getaway. Thank you Karol for your attention, prompt responses & making this trip happen for us.