Much improved since the last reviews. This was my first visit to PV and Almar, staying for 4 nights with my partner over 4th of July week 2018. The staff are friendly, helpful and accomodating. We found everything we needed provided for including a late night request for extra bottled water from the front desk and a replacement for a lost room key at no charge. Getting taxis were a breeze from the reception area. The AC in the room was always a welcome relief and a must in PV. Rooms have amenities including appliances, microwave, iron, fridge, coffee maker, hair dryer etc., but you have to request the mini bar be stocked. I recommend skipping that and drinking on the convenient rooftop bar or at the beach club below. I like the comfy robes; I wish I could take one home! Views were awesome, and the location is convenient to the romantic zone, bars, clubs, restaurants, shopping are all walkable. Just have to get past the drug solicitations on the streets nearby. Water pressure and temperature were good, with nice showers and finishes. We also enjoyed the in-room jacuzzi. Everything was kept clean and well-cared for in the rooms and public areas. The exterior of the building not so much in certain places, but they have a lot of construction under way, although it was not loud during our stay. Acoustics could be better between rooms, but it was fine. We came in low season when it was not very busy. The tour coordinator made our excursions easy to reserve from the hotel lobby and helped us pick out the best tours for our interests. We went snorkeling, horseback riding up to some waterfalls, and enjoyed a buffet lunch with an open bar on a remote beach with a dozen other straight tourists. Gay cruises in the bay are also popular and easily booked at the hotel. The Botanical Gardens are worthwhile. We enjoyed seeing the countryside on the way by taxi. I wanted to do a Mezcal tour, but it worked out better tasting a few kinds in shots at a nearby restaurant, since only tequila tours were available. We missed the weekly art walk at the galleries downtown, but the staff helped us identify where to go. Angel was so sweet and welcoming to us. We liked him. Leo and the other guys at the front desk were ok. Margarita, our concierge, pressed us hard to sit through a timeshare presentation that we knew we did not want. They offer free massages or credits to the room if you do it, but I'd rather spend each hour of my vacation taking full advantage of the time off. You're better off skipping it. For great massages and spa services, I recommend Acqua Day Spa, nearby, see separate review. The hardcore press from the concierge was a negative point, but not a big deal if you are prepared to say no multiple times throughout your stay. The rest of the service was excellent. Everyone was helpul and courteous. Breakfasts were included with our stay (certain drinks extra, and gratuity is excluded, naturally). It was convenient charging meals to the room from the rooftop bar and from Mantamar, the associated beach club right below the hotel tower. Both have beautiful views, but the service can be slow at times, especially when getting the check, even though it wasn't that busy. Our favorite server was Luis. He was really on top of things, professional, and sexy to boot! See review of Mantamar for more on the beach club. Overall, I recommend trying it. It's a great LGBT hotel, and we had a wonderful time. I would come back given the chance to visit PV again. Things are getting better at Almar as they get more organized and continue working through their growing pains. read more

This is a review of the Almar "Experiences." This time I was not a guest at Almar. In fact I wasn't even in PV. Two dear friends of mine were celebrating their anniversary at Almar and I wanted to make it special in any little way that I could. I called the resort and was connected to Margarita. Wow, she was special! We arranged for a champagne delivery to my friends in their room. They arranged a beautiful display and delivered directly to the room. My friends happened to be there...so Margarita reported back to me the surprised reaction. The service that I received over the phone was top notch! More than a business encounter, I felt that I was engaged with a friend who really wanted to share in the celebration. Thank you Margarita and Almar staff! I look forward to meeting you in person my next time in PV. read more

The room size was nice. Very spacious with a small kitchen and good sized balcony. The staff ( with a couple of exceptions) were not helpful and bordered on being rude. The whole vibe is pretentious, as if they are doing you a favor by letting you stay there! As a self proclaimed "luxury" resort, the room amenities were more like a 2 Star hotel would offer and the linens and bath towels were threadbare. The pool is actually not on the property ! It's down a set of stairs, walking by a stream of water that stinks , and across the street. The floors in the unit are tile which means you here noise every time someone moves a piece of furniture. The walls are so thin, I could hear someone gagging and throwing up ( poor guy must have had a rough night). The building curves away from the ocean so many rooms are not ocean view, but they insist it's ocean view. As soon as you check in they pressure you to attend a "breakfast" presentation to get you to buy a timeshare or a unit. I booked an ocean view room through Expedia and was given a room with a building view. I asked to be moved to the room type booked ( and already paid for - don't pay in advance is the lesson I learned), and was told they were full, but "check with us tomorrow ". This went on for a few days until a staff member told me they were just lying to me and would not change my room because I booked through Expedia. I sent an email to the General Manager explaining the situation, and never received a reply! Spoke to a few friends that live there, and apparently the hotel does not have a good reputation. Seems that my experience is consistent with what they had heard before. I should have done more research! read more

Almar - Management stated this was the ocean view!! - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

I've traveled all over the world, and the Almar Resort was one of the most fun, memorable trips I've ever taken! The facilities were immaculate, WIFI was fantastic, resort staff was great, food and drinks were reasonably priced, location was surreal with proximity by foot to beaches, nightclubs, and restaurants and I could go on and on. Rodolfo at the front desk was excellent, Irving at the Eden bar was a highlight of the trip and the massage by Chino and Isaac was unforgettable and completely relaxing. I HIGHLY recommend this place. The infinity pool and sunsets and view fireworks was also superb and its right on the beach! read more

Almar was such a let down. Our check in was good. We upgraded to a better room for $60 extra per day, great. We then received some wrist band like we were at the club. Nothing worse than having to wear a wrist band on vacation and to top it off, get a horrible tan line. We were then escorted to some gentleman who's trying to sell us on some timeshare and such. We literally just wanted to get to our room and relax. Finally made it to the room. Seemed very damp in there. I get that PV is humid but the tile floor shouldn't be like a puddle. It was so wet one day, that I busted my ass. Loved that it had a kitchen though, but where's the kitchen towels to dry dishes and hands? Called front desk and was given a rag. A rag!! Paper towels would've worked. Second day I had to go to front desk and ask for a new band for my wrist. I may have been tipsy and got annoyed and ripped it off. Didn't quite understand why I had to wear it. Gentleman at front desk said I need to find it or I would be charged $25 American dollars. Wtf. No one told us that. So annoying. Food at the restaurant upstairs is ridiculously expensive. View is great though. We watched Drag Race Finale and that was awesome though. Lastly on check out day we asked for late check out. 1 hour was complimentary. Each additional hour was $20. Like seriously! Money money money. I probably won't stay at Almar again. Last year I stayed at V Azul and it was great. My friend stayed there this year and jealousy was an understatement. read more

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I though (and so did they) that I will stay at the resort for one week. However, as soon as I walked into the resort I wanted to walk right out. Construction, dirt, and gross misrepresentation on their website and other marketing channels. The guy at the desk had the nerve to argue with me. I showed him very quickly that his argument will end bad, very bad, for him. Luckily, after 10 minutes, he understood that I am not bluffing, and that I will die before I sleep there even one night. They ordered me a taxi and I unleashed out of their as fast as could. Stay away!!! read more

The service was fantastic and timely. Our room was spacious and offered many elements we didn't even know we wanted. It's location to downtown was ideal, it was incredibly walkable. Angel the concierge went above and beyond to ensure our experience was exemplary. The view of the ocean was spectacular during all hours of the day and night. We plan to stay at the Almar everytime we visit Puerto Vallarta, it feels like your staying with friends. The value exceeded the cost 2x over. My only advice for a potential guest is the location of a room. All of the rooms are fine but opted for a room with an ocean view above the 8th floor. read more

Really over priced, and the Top bar staff act like they've never been a bar before. And blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah.

I arrived on the 3rd of November expecting a luxury experience however what I received was quite the opposite. Upon arrival I was informed there was construction going on throughout the hotel. My room was on the floor directly above the lobby and due to the construction the stairs were out of order. This was both inconvenient and a safety hazard. The construction was also noisy. On the first night the water in the hotel went out and did not come back till 11am the next morning. Then the pool is located down at the beach at the MantaMar beach club. As a guest at the hotel you can get a sun lounger on the beach for free however the beach beds are taken away at 2.30pm as the beach has to be closed by government guidelines. Your options when the beach closes to go into the beach club where you can pay 1500 pesos Monday to Thursday for a cabana or 3000 pesos from Friday till Sunday as they don't have any sun beds by the pool. There are a handful of sun loungers on the second floor of the beach club away from the pool that the host will let you use Monday - Thursday if it's not busy but isn't an option from Friday to Sunday. So not only is the pool not in the actual hotel you are expected to pay to use the pool. For a resort that refers to itself as a luxury resort my experience ha been nothing but the opposite of luxury. I am deeply disappointed with my experience and I will not be staying here again. read more

We purchased our membership 2 years ago and were told to bring our family and reserve 2 or 3 rooms so we wouldn't have to try and use all 4 weeks in a 3 year time span. This became a good idea since we were locked down for over a year and desperate to get out and enjoy ourselves. We decided to invite family from Mexico as well as the USA to Puerto Vallarta to rest and relax in this beautiful city. We arrived after almost 12 hours of travel exhausted and stressed and had to endure almost an hour of additional registration at the hotel. We finally got to our rooms and had a bite to eat while waiting for the rest of our family to arrive from Mexico City. When they arrived we were told that our nephew would not be allowed to stay at the resort since he was 17 years and 8 months old. The hotel has a policy of 18 and over and would not make an exception. We felt embarrassed, humiliated, exhausted and frankly angry since we had been sold this membership with the suggestion and ultimately the intention of inviting family to join us there. We were forced to wander through the Zona Romantica at 9pm looking for a hotel that would accommodate our nephew and his parents for the night until we could speak to the general manager in the morning. In the morning we asked to speak to the manager and were brought to meet with Almendra Niño someone who had no customer service skills, showed us attitude, and didn't have an ounce of compassion for our situation. We explained that we'd been told by the sales representative we could have a wedding and and we could invite family, which turned out to be a lie. She told us their policy, we said we'd be willing to sign anything they wanted if they could make an exception for our nephew and his parents. Almendra then explained that she was not the person who could make that happen and revealed that she was not the general manager. As we left after wasting more time talking to someone who was not in a position to help us she sarcastically wished us a "nice day". We couldn't believe our ears that someone in her position could be so callous and have such disdain for the clients she serves. We since found accommodations for us and our entire family and will enjoy the remaining time we have in Puerto Vallarta. It angers me and saddens me because as gay men we have known discrimination all to well. And to see that a resort that claims to serve the LGBTQ community can discriminate against us for wanting to share this resort with our family. read more

This hotel is an active construction site - a large backhoe worked below our balcony every day morning til night. Construction of an addition over the entrance, bangs knocks and drilling that resonates through the walls. Staff said there is a major addition going in between Mantamar and the hotel to open in Nov 2020 -- so this will go on all season. Room was very nice but balcony unusable due to construction noise and the thumping from Mantamar. read more

Although this is a very nice resort, relatively new, and much superior to the Blue Chairs, I would not recommend it for several reasons: 1. I obtained food poisoning from their restaurant and was in bed for three days. Although I told the staff no one from management contacted me to enquire or check on my status. The staff are very nice, however management has one goal, to see you a Time Share. 2. The disco music from the beach club begins early afternoon and continues into the evening and can be clearly heard from your hotel room, even with the doors closed. I guess if you are a young adult this might be ok, but personally if I want this music I go to one of the clubs. 3. The construction on this hotel is at a VERY slow pace. The promised gym is still yet to be seen, and it's been over a year since I first visited the property and they said it would be available soon. On my last day they informed me that I could have access to a nice gym, however it was on the other side of the Zona Romantica, not easy access. Really, now you tell me on the last day!!! 4 Housekeeping was very inconsistant with supplies. 5. Don't purchase a Time Share here as you can get rooms for a good price online. 6. The hotel front desk did recommend a physician, who came to my room and was very nice. I received medication, paid cash, and was assured I would receive a receipt via email however never did. I asked the front desk staff to please contact her to get my receipt, and they knew her very well, however still never received anything. I am therefore not able to bill my insurance company for the $350+ charges. read more

Such an amazing experience!!Mariana was extremely helpful and the overall staff and service was beyond what I would have imagined! They really go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable! I highly recommend an ocean view room on the higher floors! We were on the 11th and the views each day were stunning! The breakfast at the Top bar and restaurant was included in our package daily and it was delicious! The rooms are clean and the beds comfy! The area is very safe and the bars, restuarants and marts are a short walk! We spent most of our days at their pool Mantamar! Which is right on the beach and has plenty of seats in the pool that are shaded with great djs! It was perfect for meeting other travelers, made so many new friends who were also staying at the hotel! We just returned from our trip this week and I cant wait to go back!!!! read more

Can I give it a Zero rating? Responsible people should not stay at this facility. People that think it is wrong to tranple on other people's rights should not stay at this place. People that think it is okay to ruin the vacation of others should not stay at this place. This place is good if you are deaf or want to be deaf. Beginning in the morning and until after midnight on some nights they BLAST big booming base music, all damn day. The entire surrounding neighboorhood was up in arms recently because of the deafening music disrupting the lives of hundreds of guests in nearby lodging facilities. Calls to the police, city hall and other municipal agencies seemed powerless to get them to stop their anti-social behavior. The manager of a neighboring told me they thought the owners of this facility weere paying off local officials so they could ignore and violate local noise ordinances. I urge anyone and everyone to star far away from this or surrounding properties if you expect to get a descent nights sleep at a resonable hour. Lodging right on the beach is not cheap and to have a holiday disturbed and ruined to the extent that this property has caused countless people is anti-social beyond imagination. If you frequent this property you are simply supporting these scumbags and their behavior. read more

I'm going to try and cancel the rest of my reservations here. We got two suites. For me and my friends that came together. The booking showed beach view suite. They argued that is not what we saw or paid for. I usually stay at blue chairs but wanted to stay here since I had so many issues with blue chairs resort. Almar is actually worse. 95 pesos for a bottle water. They charge for this. They charge for that. Omg I am afraid to use a towel. I actually had to call and ask if they charge If I used the small soaps in the shower after a friend needed to rinse off and opened it after spending time at the beach. I come to PV a lot. I have friends here. My friends stayed here for a few hours visiting. The front desk calls and said I have to charge you $65 US dollars. You signed papers saying you know that they can not stay more than three hours. "Oh you mean the ones that you said "just sign here for your bracelet". .. yes that one. They said. Hmmmmm I call shady.... Going to call the booking site in the morning. Asking to speak to management does nothing here. Oh, and don't get me started on the "personal concierge". I'll let you know in advance that is the title for "let me try to sell you something" person. I'd highly recommend you take an hour or two to read the fine print before signing anything. Don't sign the electronic pad unless you see the screen on the computer as to what you're signing for. And screen shot your booking before showing up to prove what you paid for. I just locked my credit cards on my bank site. I don't know what they're going to hit me with Im charges while I'm trying to sleep a little ... Off to bed to try and sleep... worried that the napkins at the complimentary breakfast will be $30 now ..... read more

The Almar is an absolutely a gorgeous time-share property/hotel with an excellent beach front location and excellent views of the ocean with a very specifically gay, up-scale, clientele in mind. I stayed there during BeefDip in February 2017 (it has been the host hotel for a few years) and the staff and management were incredibly helpful and focused on the high-quality guest experience. If you want to see videos of the poolside, Mantamar beachclub, (part of the property) you can type BeefDip into youtube to see more of the beach-side of the property. The food options for breakfast and lunch were excellent beachside (sushi to mexican), and a very nice pool setup with very well trained, fast waiters serving to the beach chairs. Remember it's a time-share property so you will likely experience a sales presentation during your stay (they do offer a nice bar tab to compensate you for your time), but it's not the high-pressure ones you might get elsewhere. I didn't end up buying (yet), but I'm continuing to think about my once a year trip to this property. The concierge staff are top notch, the rooms and general facility is very clean and well maintained with very nice amenities. If I have one criticism, there is still alot of building going on (which doesn't interfere with your stay) but if they ever finish the rooftop development, this will be "THE PLACE" to be for sunset drinks. I totally recommend this property. You will enjoy your stay! read more

This post is for the Almar Resort Luxury Suites and Residences (if this is the correct one). I was there for my bother's performance and the staff was amazing and so friendly. The rooms were clean and airy, and the sound of the ocean and view was refreshing. They are open to all individuals lifestyles and that's beautiful. Thanks for a great experience! read more

DO NOT STAY HERE! This place is a bait and switch time share. The rooms are okay but not as all "luxury" as advertised. We paid for a "full ocean view suite." We got two adjoining rooms with a view of the construction site. They are also building the bar on the roof so we got to enjoy construction noises 8am to 7pm. We complained to the manager and they could not have cared less. Would never stay here again and would not recommend to my enemy. read more

Almar - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

We booked this hotel last-minute for a one night stop. The people here were great and the room was luxurious. Clean, surprisingly quiet, and amazing views. The sky bar was nice, too, with great views. They even have hot tubs on the tables in the bar! You could relax here or party all night. Options for all. read more

I checked in to the Almar for a 2 night stay. I have stayed here about five different times. Every time I've stayed here I have had a really great experience. Every time I stayed here I have had an ocean view room. This time we were put in a room that has a humidifier due to dampness in the room and it smells similar to mildew. The view is of a building and the room is much smaller. I approached Alfredo at the front desk to ask about changing rooms. I was charged an upgrade fee for doing this. Now I know why the online deal was so good because they get you here and they gouge you. We were at the beach today and you're supposed to be able to charge things to the room. It is 6000 pesos they charge to your card when you check in. That part is fine but once we went down to the beach and had food and drinks, the server would not allow us to charge to the room. This has been a terrible experience and this hotel and the service has truly gone down hill. It is 100% not a luxury hotel experience. I will never stay here again and I come to Puerto Vallarta almost every year. read more

Almar - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

Four years ago, I visited Puerto Vallarta for the first time with a couple of friends to celebrate my birthday and we stayed in an Airbnb. During our visit we discovered Almar Resort and Mantamar. We loved the fact that the hotel promotes itself as an LGBTQ+ inclusive resort, so we became members and bought a certificate for 2 weeks (14 nights) of stay in the hotel. During the contract discussion Almar agreed that we could split the 14 nights into however many stays we desired. Back then my friends and I decided that we would use this certificate to celebrate my birthday for the next 3 years. I made reservations at the hotel during the April timeframe for 2018, 2019 and 2020. During both 2018 and 2019, my group of friends who visited Puerto Vallarta with me grew larger each year. I recommended staying at Almar Resort, which they did. I thoroughly enjoyed staying there and knew my friends would enjoy the experience as well. I know for a fact that the hotel clientele grew thanks to my purchase of that certificate in 2017. Now in 2020, we can no longer travel to Mexico because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. I contacted the hotel and asked to reschedule the stay for a later date or to get a voucher that I could use to make a reservation in the future. Almar Resort denied my request and told me that since I was not able to travel to Puerto Vallarta that I was going to forfeit the certificate value used on the reservation and that there was nothing they could do about it. Their reasoning was that my contract expired in 2019 and I was supposed to use the certificate before then. There are multiple issues with this reasoning: First this was not part of our initial discussion when we bought the certificate. Regardless, it was addressed by the fact that I booked the future stays before the certificate did expire. Second, if I was supposed to use the nights before the certificate expired, why did the hotel originally approve my reservation for April 2020? Lastly, I am not cancelling my trip due to a personal schedule conflict or poor planning. My trip was cancelled due to international travel restrictions that are out of anyone's control. It didn't matter how many times I tried to reason with the hotel management, they didn't care. It became abundantly clear that the business only cares about making money and lacks any principles or ethics. Almar Resort does not care about their guests. This showed not only how little Almar Resort values their guests who have pre-paid for their stays, but it also shows how little empathy they have for those affected by circumstances out of their control. If they refuse to be accommodating during the time of a global pandemic, I cannot imagine how they will treat customers when everything seems to be fine. Almar Resort does not deserve money or time from anyone. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else. Don't be a fool and pre-pay for multiple nights stay on a contract basis, because once they get their money, Almar will have no incentive to accommodate you should you need something from them. Puerto Vallarta is a wonderful place to visit, with great people that will make you feel very welcome, but Almar Resort is not one of them. I encourage anyone to visit Puerto Vallarta but stay somewhere else where you will be valued and appreciated. read more

Almar has construction and pounding sound is really bad. Stay away from it till July 2020 when it's over. Also, the Sales team is not going to accommodate you. read more

Had a terrible customer service experience. I was pressured into a time share breakfast meeting that was promised to be 90 mins. In exchange I was promised a cabana by the pool and two massages. After 3hrs I declined the sale and was pressured into a 3K exit deal... after being misled the money had to be refunded. After 3 hrs I finally made it to the pool, they had given away my reserved cabana because I was too late from being in the sales pitch. I complained to several individuals both at the Beach/pool club and resort. Nothing was ever done, no one apologized, nothing! And... surprise, the massages never happened! If you stay here avoid the time share breakfast at a costs!! read more

What a racket this place is. They can't get the reservations correct. Threatened to charge us for two rooms because they couldn't figure out a reservation cancellation. I had to spend two hours on the phone with a third party booking company because this hotel couldn't find the cancellation. To top it off the room next to me was screaming loud and playing music at 130 in the morning. I had to call the front desk 4 times to get them to try to handle it. They said this is a place for everyone to have fun. I told them it's 130 in the morning. So apparently this hotel does not have a quiet time. Would never come back here again. read more

This place is a a bit of a disaster, from service to state of construction. BEWARE...this place is under major construction. We were told the noise is limited to a 'small' area but in reality the noise is from 7am - 10pm!!!!! ...concrete saws, banging, NON-STOP. When we complained they said they are in a rush to get more rooms open for season. (NOT MY PROBLEM-YOU LIED!!!). That's fine but be HONEST when people are booking. That is just the beginning....we reserved a king room to arrive and the room had a double bed. Asked the front desk to resolve and were flippantly told 'sorry'. Only until we threatened to leave to go back to the always spectacular GRAND MIRAMAR did they get the housekeeping crew change out the bed to a king. (Side note: we have been coming to PV for years and tried different places, but without a doubt Grand Miramar is by far the best place to stay in Old Town/Concha Chinas/Los Muertos. Yes, it's high on the hill, but a 24/7 shuttle to anywhere in Old Town and reciprocity at two beach clubs on Los Muertos makes the Grand Miramar a no brainer - Four Seasons style service, beautiful views, great food and multiple pools). Back to Almar now: there is no bar/restaurant at the property as it is basically a time share they bill as a resort. No spa either. You can get access to the affiliated Mantamar beach club which was cool when it opened a couple of years ago, but now showing its age in both poor service and poor quality food and drinks. In fact, on a holiday weekend they ran out of a lot of menu items. Now Almar states you can get room service (from the Mantamar kitchen) but when we asked for breakfast one morning to sit on our ocean view balcony albeit with construction noise all around, we were curtly told, go to the club and they hung up on us. This place will not be complete for several years...do yourself a favor...DO NOT STAY HERE!!! Call Grand Miramar directly as they always offer a better rate than online and you will not be disappointed. (And, NO, I am not being paid by Grand Miramar, I just expect exceptional service and quality when I travel and I am willing to pay for it, I just don't like being duped!) read more

I would want to rate this place 0 stars, me and my girlfriend decided to travel from LA to Puerto Vallarta. We have traveled to Cancun, Cabo and decided to try Puerto Vallarta. We came across this resort because it was so called "GAY FRIENDLY" and that's hell of a lie! Don't get me wrong there was only one guy at the front desk that was super friendly but the rest of the people suckkkkkkk ass! They were not friendly at all! This place is under construction and that wasn't mentioned either. To top it off our room was literally 4 feet from the construction. We did not enjoy our sleep because we were always waken up by the loud noises the construction workers would make. We spoke to the receptionist and they didn't bother moving us room. They stated they were all "booked." They literally don't take care of their customers. I am beyond disappointed and dissatisfied with this hotel. My girlfriend got the lover suit and it comes with a jacuzzi. We couldn't even use it because we had zero privacy. The jacuzzi was located outside on the balcony and like i stated before construction workers were there working and employee staff would take their break there as well. Like honestly, i don't understand how the owner and person who designed this resort layout came up with this. They literally have zero common sense!! I would not recommend this place at all. Expected more .. read more

First visit to Puerto Vallarta and Almar Resort was a nearly perfect choice. Beautifully designed and built with care, the hotel is a great full-service resort experience with Style beaucoup. Clientele is almost exclusively LGBTQ (emphasis on the G part!) but heterosexuals are clearly welcome. Large quiet rooms with balconies and a jaw-dropping view of the ocean. Good firm beds with fine linens and large fluffy towels galore. The outdoor restaurant/bar on the top floor ("The Top") is exceptional with a panoramic view of the bay and the city. You can have a fine breakfast here and then you can come back late at night for a nightcap at the bar and take in the city lights and fireworks across the bay. Shout outs for our waiters Roberto and David who were terrific. The large staff is very welcoming and is clearly well-trained in attending to most every need. Our concierge Carlos Dominguez is a true professional, and was so helpful. It's about a mile walk into the center of town where there are many good restaurants. Go to restaurant Casa Traditionales for the best Mexican cuisine anywhere. The Miramar Beach Club across the street (Wow!) is also part of the hotel and is included in the price of your room. (Day passes for non-guests are 500 pesos - about $30, so it feels like extra added value for free.) In addition to the awesome beach itself, there's plenty of deck chairs and beach umbrellas and a small pool, tanning deck, lounge areas and a nice restaurant. Staff here is also terrific; a special thanks to to our waiters Billy and Juan. The only caveats that prevented a glowing fifth star are the VERY loud music that blares at the beach club from noon to sundown, the numbers of wandering peddlers that comb the beach offering you anything from cigars to jewelry, clothing, jewelry and more (!) while you're on the beach. From arrival on, people will try to interest you in buying timeshares, until you are abundantly clear in saying No. Make clear from the outset that you are NOT interested, and you won't hear about it again. We're looking forward to visiting here again despite these few annoyances. Excellent value for a very reasonable price! read more

Amazing service, amenities, and room! The free breakfast every morning at Mantamar was such a good deal and fantastic. Loved every attendant I met from the front desk to the beachside cocktail service. Special thanks to Manuel, Oscar and Gerardo! The view from the room was gorgeous, and there were so many shops and great restaurants within walking distance. Other reviews complained of construction noise but I didn't hear it at all, although you can see it when you walk down to the beach. Absolutely will be back. read more

Almar and Mantamar (date of visit March 2019): Staff are friendly and courteous... Building is clean and aesthetically pleasant, but not completely finished. Don't make the mistake of being booked in any of the rooms ending with the number 15 (e.g., 615, 715, 815, 915, 1015, 1115, 1215), you just might get deeply disappointed! We were informed later that such rooms have the greatest number of complaints from hotel guests. Said rooms are located on the east wing (away from the ocean), therefore have no ocean view and have lesser 4-star hotel amenities. Items wrong with the room we were in (Rm 915) are as follows: temperature was difficult to regulate, room felt wet and cold at the same time; king bed mattress was not even... outer part of the mattress was soft and sunken, and middle part was firm and convexed; the bed sheets, although claimed to have been washed and changed, smelled like unwashed gym socks... housekeeping sprayed a strong and unpleasant citrus fragrance to mask the mildewy air in the room... we had to open the wooden windows and the sliding door to the balcony to get outside air in and get rid of the obnoxious faux-citrus fragrance; since restroom did not have ventilation, you must open the wooden window behind the commode exposing your glorious behind for the people on the street, next to a cliff, to see (you must see this to believe)... said wooden window's hinge btw was unhinged and posed an immediate safety concern... to be fair, their maintenance staff responded quickly and apologetically and fixed the unhinged wooden window behind the commode right away; although the shower had great water pressure with functional heat/cold manual lever regulator, excessive water splashes under the plexi-glass door onto the dry dressing area when showering, hence causing a trip/safety hazard on the now watery dressing floor area... putting a big dry towel on the dry side of the shower plexi-glass was not enough to soak-up the splashed water on the dressing area. Almar has a good size gym with a great ocean view on the 13th 1/2 floor which can accommodate 12 people to work out at the same time; lots of weights, aerobic work-out machines, drinking water dispenser, etc. It also has a good and competent gym trainer whose service costs $30 per hour (a bargain if you ask me!). Although we didn't patronize it, Almar provides professional massage and pedicure services on the same floor. The "Top" bar on the 13th floor has a spectacular view of the Banderas bay and PV town.... You have to order an out-of-this world mixed drink from their 18-year-old mixologist whose name escapes me at the moment! This young lad is truly a master of the alchemical craft of mixing inebriating libations, fruits, herbs and exotic flavors! Worth every sip! Breakfast at Almar's Top bar and at Mantamar was above-average... they can certainly improve on their breakfast menu. Lunch menu at Mantamar was likewise above-average consisting of Mexican and Asian-fusion (Japanese, Chinese and Thai) cuisine. Service was attentive, overall pleasant and courteous. I didn't see/meet lesbian women on their staff. It would be nice to see more GLBT persons on their staff in addition to their friendly and great looking staff of men and women. We will come back to Almar (but avoid the rooms ending with number 15) and we'll also patronize the ever-so-fun Mantamar whether we're a guest at Almar or at another Hotel in PV... we believe that this type of business is a prudent move towards the right direction, that is parity, thus worthy of being supported! read more

My partner and I went for 80 minute massages. We both agree, that from the beginning of our sessions that the therapists apparently were not trained and were just winging it. I came away feeling disappointed and ripped off as this was much more expensive than other most massages in PV. I would bot go back for another treatment there under any circumstances. read more

Would not recommend Almar. They are in the midst of a major addition and have heavy equipment going all day. Front desk staff said this was going to open in November 2020 and also an addition over the entrance so this place is a construction site til then. Very noisy during our stay and there was banging, drilling and sawing sounds that just echoed through all of the walls. Plus, the thumping music from Mantamar (basey club beat) pounds your room every afternoon so if you like to nap before going out like we do on vacation -- impossible. Recommend you stay elsewhere. A number of comments about supporting an LGBT hotel here -- while Almar is caters to a gay clientele, it is NOT gay owned. We felt this place charged for everything extra - resort fee above room cost, for additional coffee packets, bottled water, bring a guest back. Mantamar the same. It feels like this place takes advantage of the gay community by overcharging on everything. read more

HELL NO! These people are nuts. Have never been treated so badly anywhere in Mexico. Reserved Grand Almar Suite that was to have a kitchenette. It was in the adjoining room. The door to the adjoining room was locked until day three. Please see the photos and compare to website. There was a hole in the countertop where the range top was supposed to be. No microwave or refrigerator, only a wine cooler and a coffee machine (The capsules are 25 pesos ($1.25 US) which make about two ounces of coffee). Asked for a microwave at the front desk every day from day one. Finally got one in the room the last evening after I threatened to buy one at WalMart and deduct the cost from my bill. Our room flooded at midnight mid-stay. The hotel was full, after a couple hours they put us up in the display suite that they show to the time share customers. Nothing worked except the air conditioner. They were constructing a roof-top bar above our room. Jack hammer and drilling from 8 AM until sunset. Sounded like the roof was falling in. No naps this vacay! No other beachfront gay-friendly rooms available. I tried contesting the fees I was charged but my credit card company says since I signed the credit card receipt at the end of the stay they cannot refund anything. They put a $5,000.00 hold on my card when we checked in, I was afraid if I didn't sign they would charge the five grand. I tried several times during our stay to negotiate a more reasonable fee in line with the accommodations we received without success. Always "you need to talk to so and so but they are in a meeting now...". Yesterday I spent two hours on the phone with Erica and my credit card rep (3-way call) who was supposed to be the general manager only to find out at the end of the conversation that she was the reservations sales rep. She in so many words called me a liar and kept telling me I was "changing my story." Still working with Capital One but it looks grim. read more

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We made a reservation for a room with a king bed and ocean view. We just expected any room to be fully furnished and working. When we arrived we were given a nice welcome including glasses of juice. When we arrived to our room we found it was not fully furnished; nothing to sit on except the bed or a couple of random chairs. The outdoor terrace had two chairs but no table. There was a rolling rack for our clothes. When we spoke to the manager he said they were scheduled to install a permanent safe in all the rooms (they put a temp one in that was not bolted down) and install the wardrobe and other items the next day for the room. We voiced our concern that we would be gone the entire next day on a tour and felt uncomfortable with construction workers coming in and out with no supervision--especially with a safe containing cash and passports anyone could just lift up and carry out and be mixed with all the other safes being installed in other rooms . We felt we had 2/3 of what we ordered. Ocean view and a king bed but not a fully furnished or completed room. (Not to mention the noise from early morning to late evening from construction). He apologized and said he would upgrade us to a better room the next day. When we arrived back from the tour the next day he said he had good news and bad news; good news was that he moved us up a couple of floors; the bad news was it was not a king bed but, rather 2 double beds. But the room was completely furnished. When we packed and went to the room we found it was even closer to the construction and not much of an ocean view anymore. Our view was now of a big hole in the ground and construction equipment. So, now we have only 1/3 of what we paid for; just a completely furnished room. No king bed and so small of an ocean view you had to go to the very corner of the balcony to catch a glimpse. We had prepaid for the room so we had no choice but to stay since it was a non- refundable rate. I again asked for a room with a king bed since my partner is very tall and we both could not sleep in a full bed. We were told if one became available he would let us know. But no one ever reached out so this is the room we had to spend our vacation and had to sleep separate from each other. The beach club is nice but if you're planning on renting a cabana be prepared to be pushed back to the end of the line unless you're a beach club member. I wasn't very impressed with this place; it might be better once the annoying construction is over and the rooms have been finished with the remodeling. Do yourself a favor and check out some other resorts in the area. This place was not paradise. read more