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    Mayan Palace

    3.1 (46 reviews)

    Mayan Palace Photos

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    Mayan Palace Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Jalisco with Vidante

    POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE! They didn't honor their word for a 500.00 credit on departure as they did for the past 7 visits to Mayan Palace in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. They sent an email and for the FIRST time they put a code on the bottom of the Reservation in-SMALL print and they DID NOT let me know when I made the reservation to Please give me the code OR say now we need a code so please open the email and it's under the # NO INSTEAD THEY SAID WE WILL NOT HONOR !!! As for the Managment of reservation will continue to get A BAD REVIEW AS A HOTEL THAT DOESNT HONOR THERE PROMOTION ON EMAILS

    Patrick M.

    I just spent a week here as a solo traveler and I would suggest the name Mayan Prison. The place got off to a very rocky start with me as I arrived very early at 1130am and was not given access to my room until almost 6 PM. I am not sure if this was a housekeeping issue or logistics issue or some weird process they have as the room I was finally given seemed like it had been open all day. PROS - great daily housekeeping service. They are on it! - nice towels - helpful bell team - great cozy bed - decent balcony (but they placed the railing at a weird height so can't see everything when you sit!) - easy walk to Marina restaurants and shops - wristband makes it easy to enter your room and worked flawlessly CONS - only one way of getting to your guest room or to the pool or beach or into the building. Big pet peeve. - the staff does a creepy hand-on-my-heart gesture when you walk by. It happens super randomly but made me uncomfortable - no guests allowed or more work than it's worth - adjoining door I had made my neighbors LOUD. I think this checked in and out 4 times during my stay and every time was noisy - Friday was super loud even above neighbors dragging furniture - beach area is not well kept and not great service. Often did not see anyone for two hours. They also lack chairs and instead have a strange never used volleyball court. 30 more chairs would be way better. - I had a standard room and only 2 outlets in this room. I had to unplug the TV to make coffee - I understand this is Mexico but no smart TVs and only about 4 channels in English - they have a pool with a swim up bar, but the water was freezing here in January. Can't enjoy a cold beer if the pool is even colder. - the staff is definitely tip focused and I watched several times them chasing people down to sign tip checks including myself and when I was only using the restroom. - Slow internet. Oddly works the fastest on the beach - I was looking forward to evening cocktails at the Sunset bar but very strange layout. No staff and zero bar chairs. They also have weird shallow couches that can't relax into, and outlet plugs that don't work. I used my guest room balcony instead Overall the place needs a-lot of TLC. It has some charms to it but overall I found it very hard to relax. I am not their target market, but this place lacks essentials for me.

    Moldy curtains
    Loc V.

    Horrible experience at Mayan Palace - avoid at all costs! I stayed at the Mayan Palace for a week with my family and it was the worst vacation ever. The resort is a scam and a rip-off. They charge you hidden fees, they don't clean the rooms properly, they don't let you use all the amenities, and they treat you like prisoners. Here are some of the issues we faced during our stay: We had to pay a resort fee of $550 within days of reservation, which was not disclosed when we booked. They also put a $1000 hold on our credit card upon check-in and charged us 1000 pesos for additional guests who arrived earlier. When we checked out, they tried to charge us the resort fee again and refused to refund the 1000 pesos. We had to argue with them for a long time to get our money back. We found a live cockroach in the bathroom and ants on the kitchen counter and cabinets. We reported this and asked to be moved to another room, but they said there were no other rooms available. They fumigated our rooms without telling us what chemicals they used and without giving us an alternative place to stay. We asked for the list of chemicals, but they could not produce it. We were worried about our health and safety. The rooms were old and dirty. The decorative cushions had a disgusting musty smell, the curtains had mold stains, the faucet handle broke due to corrosion, and there was a continuous rattling in the ceiling when the air conditioner was running. The phone did not work either, we found out that the wires were hanging out of the wall. They advertise Vidanta World as a whole resort, but they do not allow you to use all the facilities. We went to a pool and tried to buy a drink at the bar, but they said they could not serve us because we were not staying at that section of the resort. We had to go to another pool, which was crowded and noisy. They also reserved all the best spots for "Vidanta The Estates" guests, who had their own pool under maintenance. We felt discriminated and unwelcome. The pool was also dangerous. I touched one of the underwater lights and it popped out of the wall. I could have been electrocuted or injured by the sharp edges. They have shuttle service to get you around the property, but it is very slow and unreliable. We had to wait for a long time to get a ride or walk in the heat. They stored our luggage after checkout, but they did not let us leave until almost 2 pm. They said they did not have personnel available to retrieve our luggage because check-ins took priority, even though check-in time was 5 pm. They also said that Uber was not allowed on the property and that we had to wait for their taxi service, which was more expensive. We asked to speak with a supervisor, but they said they were all busy. We almost missed our flight because of their incompetence. This resort is a nightmare, and I would not recommend it to anyone. It is not worth your time or money. Stay away from Mayan Palace and Vidanta World!

    Beach view
    Billy V.

    This must be one of the oldest Mayan Palace resorts in Mexico. It's old, but the location is nice and the staff were all friendly and helpful. There's an OXXO & liquor store right across the street and the marina with tons of restaurants, shops and massage spas within a one block walk. The bus picks up right out front for a $.50 /$10 peso ride to downtown...which takes about 25 minutes. The food at the resort is good, but prices across the street are much better.

    The use of the coffee pot is not free.
    Stephanie E.

    First of all, I hate giving bad reviews because I understand most everyone likes to aim for excellence in the hospitality industry. However, our experience at Mayan Palace in Puerto Vallarta did not earn/meet much in the way of positive experiences. Don't. Do not stay at the Mayan Palace in Puerto Vallarta by Vidanta.com. I DO NOT recommend you waste your money here! Do not be pulled in by positive reviews because they were probably written by hotel/resort employees. You'd be better off putting a couple thousand US dollars in a pile and just setting it on fire to roast marshmallows. This review is a bit long, but I have a lot to complain about. Hopefully it won't be pulled down before a few people are able to read through it. First of all, we reserved our vacation through travelzoo.com. They apparently have partnered with resorts that sell timeshares and that's what you get exposed to when you travel with travelzoo.com vacation packages. Not recommended. It infuriating to say the least. Our 'grand deluxe' room was ridiculously small and in (46 year old) disrepair, nested on the outside edge of a brand new gorgeous resort. Free wifi, only when it's available, a couple of hours a day. The 'queen' sized beds are barely bigger than a U.S. single twin sized bed but you do get two of them. The bathtub drains very slowly. We had to unplug the bedside lamp and the alarm clock to plug in our phones. We had to unplug the refrigerator to plug in the coffee pot. There are no other outlets. A bottle of water costs extra to make your morning in-room coffee. The coffee also costs extra! The use of the coffee pot probably also costs extra!! There is a tax or surcharge on literally everything you use in your room. Daily. Disgusting We did complain at the front desk and asked for an upgrade, even offered to pay for an upgrade, but they claimed that they are overbooked for "marketing week", so that was an impossibility. Management does not care that you may experience inconveniences. This place also nickels and dimes you into bankruptcy. We were forced to sit through a four and a half hour "60 minute" sales pitch for time share plots to the resort, so that we could qualify for the 'free breakfast'. My time is worth more than that, a "free meal"! By the way, just as a warning, if you say "no" to the $160,000 Vidanta resorts sales pitch, your services and access to amenities, drops to practically zero. And they do it to you on your very first day here. If you put it off until your last day of you're stay, you are badgered and hounded and harassed multiple times daily or until you sit through the (60 minute 4-5 hour) sales pitch. The restaurants do serve amazing food but you'd be better off eating at four star $$$$ restaurants at home because they're just as expensive and better portions. Not worth it! The resort is gigantic, but as a guest of the Mayan Palace you are only allowed to use the amenities for the Mayan Palace specifically or you will be kicked out by security and escorted through the property like a criminal. They will provide you with a free shuttle from the airport to the resort, but then you have to figure out your own way of getting back to the airport. Taxis are hideously expensive here and inconsistent in pricing. $60 USD one way, $40USD to get back to your original destination. You have the ability to walk around the resort without using any cash, because you can just charge everything to your room. However, there is a fee for this and final checkout is going to be expensive. Expect sticker shock. Very expensive ! There is a daily surcharge, just to be present on the resort, even if you don't use any of the amenities, which most have extra costs on top of everything else. I am a global traveler, I'm used to certain conditions and pricing. However, at the Mayan Palace they are deplorable. I would honestly rather stay at Motel 6 in North Platte, Nebraska during a blizzard or just about any other hotel resort available in Puerto Vallarta, where guests are treated much better and the rooms come with better quality of everything, than stay at the Mayan Palace in Puerto Vallarta. Buyer beware, to those whom go through travelzoo.com, or if you spend your money staying at the Mayan Palace in Puerto Vallarta. Please do yourself a favor and stay anywhere else.

    View from private beach at the Mayan Palace
    Anna C.

    The resort is across from marina and has a private beach access with cabanas that are free to use with a sand volleyball court near the beach. There is a pool bar and another towards back of property by the beach that was always empty every time we walked towards the back. Resort is super clean and room service was awesome. Resort has a older crowd of 50+ of age. If you see any younger people, it's probably one of the guest granddaughter/grandson. There is no washer/dryer inside suites. They charge about $7 for 1 wash & 1 dry cycle but you have to get a laundry card from concierge and leave a deposit of 150 pesos. (About $8) and they will credit that when you return the laundry card. This was an inconvenience. The property accepts no cash at bar or restaurant, they require a min.deposit of $300 in a major credit card and you provide your room # for purchases. To exchange dollars for pesos was a long process that we dreaded to go through when we ran out of dollars. Front desk staff are the slowest moving people I have ever seen working. The bellman are very friendly and they recommended the best authentic mexican food. Dont eat across from marina. That area is very americanized and their food is not all that good. About a 25 min cab ride to Melacon and downtown. The checkout was a hassle, we did it the night before for a "smooth checkout " as our reminder check out paper stated. This took about 1 hr and 20 min. We had 3 separate charge accounts and moved slower than a sloth as they tried to get our accounts closed. My family and I wouldn't return because it was more for a retirement crowd and we're no where near retirement age.

    James H.

    Love to stay here the hotel grounds and pools are so relaxing, there is a really nice beach setting rooms a bright clean and comfortable, the staff could not be more friendly . 2 for 1 bar drinks and the food rocks. It's my second time here and won't be my last

    Permanent stains on the mirror.

    If I could put negative stars I would. 1. The rooms are SOOO OUTDATED! 2. There isn't any WIFI in the rooms. 3. DO NOT upgrade to a suite. They're ugly. The top all of this off... two days after arriving and exchanging money at the front desk, I received a call from the lobby saying one of my $20 dollar bills was fake. First they said I was the last one to exchange money the day before. I didn't exchange the day before I exchanged it June 8 not June 9. Secondly, I checked my bills and so did my boyfriend before we even exchanged it. Thirdly, if this hotel checks bills, why wouldn't they check them before they gave me pesos. We also came to speak with the person in charge and she was very defensive. They even sent security when we should be afraid of them. We are in Mexico alone and something could happen to us. PLEASE DO NOT STAY, DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY, HARD EARNED MONEY to this unprofessional, run down hotel. I have been coming to puerto Vallarta for the past three years. STAY AT THE MARRIOTT!

    Cecilia G.

    This Review is for Bakal buffet. Polite servers, breakfast buffet was omelette station, fried empanadas, taquitos, cereals, fresh fruit, pastry, Mexican hot chocolate, oatmeal, salsa bar, yogurts, mini smoothies, basics like beans, county potatoes, red and green chilequiles, sausage, waffle, hot cakes. Cooler air conditioned dinning area. $18 usd per person. Food tasty, would come back. They also have themed diner nights like Mexican and Italian. We had both nights and the food was excellent.

    The view

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    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - Mayan Palace

    “! The food at Bakal is above average, but my favorite is their breakfast buffet on Sundays which included menudo and birria soups”

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    Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit - Bathroom

    Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

    4.5(94 reviews)
    7.4 km
    •$$$$

    This is hands-down the best all-inclusive resort that I have ever stayed at in my entire life and…read moretrust me. I've stayed that many. I was recently here for a president's club trip and it was beyond phenomenal. Special shout out to our concierge Dulce! I thought I lost my wedding ring and wedding band and she was on top of it! The food is phenomenal. The pool is so big and a perfect temperature. The sheets felt like butter and the pillows were so comfortable. In your room, not only do you have a mini bar but there's an entire drawer full of snacks and they leave you goodies that turned down each night. The housekeeping staff always did an amazing job and paid attention to detail. The food at this resort is absolutely incredible! We ate at Piaf, Luca, the pool bar and ordered room service- I never once had a bad meal. 10 out of 10 across the board.

    I really love this resort! It's such a relaxing spot for families, and the property itself is…read morebeautiful. The pools and overall atmosphere are fantastic, and we had a great time. I do wish the beach cabanas were a little more updated, but that's just a small detail. We did have a couple of disappointing moments--one with the beach activities staff who brushed me off and made a rude comment because I don't speak Spanish. I'm a middle eastern American and I look like I speak Spanish. Another with a group of guests at the pool who were rude and took over our pool tables and moved our umbrella. I complained to the staff and the guests proceeded to make rude comments about us in Spanish. It was very odd. But the resort staff were incredibly kind and accommodating, and immediately brought us a new table and umbrella. We loved the kids club overall, but I do wish the staff were a little more engaging. The first afternoon I dropped my kids off, I actually got a call asking me to come pick them up because they said they wanted to leave. When I arrived, my kids told me they were just bored and actually wanted to stay, but the staff still asked that we sign them out. It didn't happen on any other day, which was a relief, but it was concerning at first because I worried about making spa or dinner reservations and having them interrupted. Overall, even with those hiccups, this is still a wonderful place to stay and we would definitely come back!

    Photos
    Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit - Health club  fitness center  gym

    Health club fitness center gym

    Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit - Beautiful arches

    Beautiful arches

    Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit - Restaurant

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    Restaurant

    Vidanta - Our rooms from the hallway

    Vidanta

    2.7(361 reviews)
    4.4 km

    Jose Pablo gave us an incredible tour and presentation. He was so kind and courteous he was amazing…read moreand friendly very straight forward and gave a great offer we just weren't able to move forward. Overall the resort has been amazing!

    Let me frame this honestly from the start. VidantaWorld is an extraordinary place that falls short…read moreof its own ambition in ways that matter, and understanding that gap before you arrive will make your experience significantly better than ours was at the outset. Also known as Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta, this is not a hotel. It is closer to a self contained vacation city sprawling across more than 1,000 hectares on Banderas Bay, just north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific coast. The nearest airport is Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco. Think of it as the DisneyWorld of Mexican beach resorts, multiple hotel brands including the Estates, Grand Luxxe, Grand Bliss, Grand Mayan, and Mayan Palace, dozens of pools, beach areas, around 25 restaurants, a golf academy with three Greg Norman designed courses that hosts a PGA TOUR event, spas, entertainment venues, shopping, and a gondola system connecting different areas of the property. They are also building a theme park with roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. The scale is genuinely staggering. Anywhere you turn there is beauty. The landscaping is immaculate, the flowers and palm trees are abundant, and the wildlife surprises you at every turn. Raccoons, iguanas, turtles, and tropical birds appear throughout the property as natural residents of what was clearly built in the middle of a rainforest. That coexistence between luxury construction and natural environment is one of the most distinctive things about Vidanta and worth appreciating every time you notice it. The entertainment options are serious. The Santuario area hosts live music, theme nights, and concerts from names like Maroon 5 and Robbie Williams. There is also a Cirque du Soleil residency called LUDÕ, a water themed dining and performance show that we unfortunately missed because we did not check the schedule carefully enough. Do not make the same mistake. Ask your concierge on day one and book it immediately. For activities, the Par-tee Zone golf simulator and virtual games are genuinely fun, pickleball courts are available with rentable equipment, and adults only pools are one of the better features of the property. Now for the honest assessment that the resort website will not give you: The check in process took four hours. We were promised the room would be ready upon arrival and it was not. When we finally got in, the room did not have the ocean view we had requested since the original reservation. What Vidanta calls ocean view is in many cases partial or obstructed at best. Our Grand Luxxe 3 tower room was spacious and well appointed with two bedrooms, private pool, jacuzzi, and full kitchen, but all three toilets required maintenance calls shortly after arrival. More critically, a storm knocked out the air conditioning for our entire building for 28 hours. Enduring temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with no climate control in a luxury resort is unacceptable. Several pools, the lazy river, and multiple restaurants were closed during our stay with no proactive communication from the resort. The VidantaWorld app, meant to help navigate the property, runs on inaccurate information. The timeshare presentation we were talked into lasted three hours instead of the promised sixty minutes, and when we declined to purchase without reviewing the contract terms they failed to provide, the interaction turned sour. One practical tip: visit a nearby supermarket on arrival. On site food markets are convenient but expensive. Take a taxi out and return by Uber since rideshares can drop guests but cannot pick them up on property. The employees are the heart of this place, warm, proud, and genuinely committed to your experience. The problem is that the property's size exceeds its staffing capacity even during low season. Four stars earned by the staff, the natural beauty, and the food when it delivered. VidantaWorld is impressive and at times magical, but it needs to close the gap between what it promises and what it consistently delivers. For my next beach vacation I will be looking for something smaller and more intimate.

    Photos
    Vidanta - CrêpeSuzette flabeed tableside.

    CrêpeSuzette flabeed tableside.

    Vidanta - Iguana

    Iguana

    Vidanta - After room service

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    After room service

    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV - Calamari

    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV

    3.5(189 reviews)
    6.3 km
    •$$

    We just got back from a 5 night stay for my mom's birthday and had 9 adults and 2 children with us…read more No restaurant at the resort could accommodate that large of a party without a hassle. With that being said-- don't stay here if you have a larger party. Food was mid to low tier and the drinks were watered down. Also forgot to mention upon check in we found a poop in our hotel room toilet. And in my mom's room there was a water leak from the ceiling. One of the worst Hard Rocks we have ever stayed at.

    Room: 1) There is a leak and all the bath towels are wet…read moredaily, we have to catch the room cleaning person to get new towels daily. The technicians couldn't fix the leak (after 1 hr....I knew he wouldn't bc he looked like he just screwed and unscrewed things all day) so they moved us to another room after 2hrs on a the ground floor and the girl at the reception was so unaware. I'm sure the guy who ran the beach shack for boogie boards would've done a better job of managing guests than the people at the front reception. 2) There is a huge tub in the middle of the room which was completely useless. 3) Bathroom has an unhygienic setting - no vent, glass window / shutter from bathroom to room so people in room can smell your business. Food: we are vegetarian so it was more misses than hits. -Frieda: food was completely flavorless. -Ciao: 1) Caprese: served with HUGE tomatoes and a giant piece of burrata cheese and flavorful balsamic. 2) Bruschetta di Ricotta: same thing as Caprese. 3) Tagliatelle con pesto: no flavor at all, zero salt. 4) Parmigiano Melanzano: too much tomato paste and sugar. The entire dish tastes like sweet sauce. -Zen: Omg this place was a nightmare, the evening we came a kid was crying nonstop so loud the server said I'm sorry I can't do anything. Everything tasted like shit. Soup: white paste with slices of raw red onions and 2 pieces of tofu...wtf is that! Banana Roll Sushi: tasteless with rice that was overcooked and old. Sadly we saw this same item and many others from Zen at the breakfast buffet the next day. That really made it sad to be here. -Marketplace: the food was so limited it was sad. We as vegetarians really survived on Banana Crepes, fruits and omelette station. The Crepe lady made the kids day every day! She was the only gem this place had for food. 1) flu shots and breakfast smoothies are awesome. Drinks are never ending which is nice. Pool near Waterslide was soooo cold; it was uncomfortable to be in the water. The ocean was better. Ocean Rentals: boogie board, Kayaks were amazing. Kids had a blast and the guy who was at the shack was hilarious and so amazing! He got the kids all excited to do stuff and they loved it. This guy also looked like he MC'd the pool dance out which was hilarious and entertaining. Photoshoot: the idiot called us at 9am and told us the sun is in a great spot to take pictures! Sebastian was dumb as hell, but the guy with him who was clearerLY smarter wouldn't take the pictures. Sebastian was completely off putting and looked like he didn't know jack. He wasn't even at the desk (no one was) when we called us the next day at 9am to come look at the pictures! That tells you how professional they are overall. Cafetto: great chocolate ice cream and lattes. I would avoid this resort - the all inclusive package is a boring headache.

    Photos
    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV
    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV
    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV - Drinks

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    Drinks

    Velas Vallarta - Cheers

    Velas Vallarta

    3.7(129 reviews)
    1.1 km
    •$$

    My biggest gripe about this place is the food was mediocre at best, inedible at worst…read more I'm a food creator - I understand I have a high bar, but I've also been to all inclusive resorts my whole life. I know what to expect, which is not much. And still they missed. Quick interlude - the staff here was amazing. Friendly and helpful. The rooms are great too. And the location is super easy from the airport. So as long as you don't care about the food, you're in good hands. But if you do care about enjoying your burger by the pool, or a nice sit down meal with family, or a late night order of chips and guac (actually that one was ok), I'd keep looking. They had a burger shack but the burgers were so salty and poorly made. It's a burger - you can make great burgers with cheap ingredients and little skill. And as a burger stand, this was kind of your only job. I couldn't believe they missed here. The restaurant on the beach was beautiful. The food was not. Everything felt hastily thrown together, bland, and overcooked. We got better at ordering as the week went on - it was survival at that point. You can, for example, get a breakfast burrito and add hashbrowns and breakfast sausage and end up in a pretty good place. But thinking back, there wasn't a single meal I genuinely enjoyed for the food. And also...why don't resorts in Mexico have taco stands? That seems like such an easy win...I feel deep shame that I spent a week in Mexico and did not eat a taco... Anyone know any food forward AI resorts in Mexico? I still love this format for big family get togethers, but a guy's gotta eat...

    My wife and I went here for a friend's destination wedding…read more We booked thru Costco Travel as they had a much better pkg deal than booking individually. They include ground transportation and that's a worry free deal Airport tip: when exiting the airport you are going to inundated with people trying to get you to take their ride OR sell you an excursion - take the free tequila and move on. As for the resort - amazing. 1st class. During check in, more tequila in the form of a good margarita. Or dos. So on to the room. We booked a studio room. Tip - small and no view but the cheapest. When we checked in, we upgraded to a jr suite (not sure if that's what it is called) and by upgrading at the front desk, about 1/2 the cost if we had booked that room originally. It's a gamble as they maybe booked up, it worked for us as off-peak. Additionally, we did all inclusive. This room was great. Separate bedroom. Large living room. Good view of resort and decent of. Each. Higher up the better. Well stocked kitchen. Firm but comfy bed. Nice bathroom, but small if two are trying to get ready. Nice balcony view. And cold A/C. The food. Two restaurants. One inside and more formal - dress code and reservations (at night). And one beachside. They call it a steak house but steakhouse it is not. Much more diverse menu. Buffet. Salad and fruit bar. Lots of options. Breakfast is great. Open all day. Ice cream bar as well. We never ate at the formal restaurant- just don't fit the schedule of our timing or vibe. Only heard good things. The pools. One smaller that is for adults only. One in the middle that's a kiddie pool. And the big one that's for everyone. Swim up bar is nice. The adult only and large one for everyone is connected via a walking "lazy river". Pool side service for food and drinks. Lots of sitting area. Additional, there is a row of lounge chairs that face the ocean. Very relaxing. On the beach, there are numerous cabañas with chairs and lounge chairs. No reservations needed. The wedding was awesome on a pier that shoots out over the water. It was as my wife called it, "very traditional Hispanic wedding". Service was over and above. Top notch. Room service was quick when needed. The only negative to the resort was the lack of an indoor bar. You can get drinks in the lobby, but no bar. Odd. Not a lot else to say. Definitely one of the nicer ones. Considering the price point, I don't think a lot of spring breakers will be here. Not a lot of late night partying from what we saw and we were there Wed-Mon. A lot more snow birds than young'ens. We had a great time. You should to.

    Photos
    Velas Vallarta - Velas Vallarta

    Velas Vallarta

    Velas Vallarta - Fantastic team!

    Fantastic team!

    Velas Vallarta - Our girls at the beach dinner

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    Our girls at the beach dinner

    Occidental - The sun setting from our view

    Occidental

    2.7(101 reviews)
    6.3 km
    •$$$

    Recently visited Occidental for an annual beach trip with friends from my EMBA cohort. The service…read morein each of the dining options, bars, spa, and valet was PHENOMENAL! Those teams remembered our party, our orders, and made the trip incredible. The front desk staff could use some improvement in consistency, responsive, and guest service - aside from a gentleman that worked overnight. He was incredibly responsive. The first room I was in had a ceiling link in the restroom. I fell asleep waiting on them to come so I could point out the issue, as they said they would be sending someone up, resulting in me missing the Michael Jackson themed entertainment When I woke up around 4AM, the leak was so bad that the water was out into the hallway. The gentleman I previously mentioned immediately asked if my belongings had been damaged, checked the list to see the request hadn't even been logged, before sending maintenance right up. It seemed to be resolved but the leak returned later that morning, so I requested a room change when I went down for breakfast. The front desk told me that would be possible but I needed to be out of that room by noon and they would let me know when the new room was ready around 3. I pushed back on not having access to a room for several hours so they let me keep my current space. It was also quite the challenge to get washcloths. They were in my friends' rooms but were never placed in mine so I had to request them each day. One day they even removed the clean/unused ones from the towel shelf when straightening the room. The others didn't have any issues with their rooms, so I'm taking that as a fluke. The activities were so much fun - it's the first time I've done water aerobics and now I'm hooked. Pool bingo and Papi Chulo were also some of my favorite engagements. It did get pretty loud with karaoke and live music at night, but that ended around 11 - so bring noise canceling headphones if you go to bed early. All in all, we had a great time. We can't wait to go back! Side note: the concierge did mess up our dinner reservations one night so we didn't get to eat at one of the restaurants we were looking forward to, so double check your confirmations! And make all of your reservations ASAP because they apparently fill up quickly (but the restaurants have empty tables ).

    I came here for my very first all-inclusive vacation hotel stay and it really was a lovely resort…read more Service was great, our room was upgraded for our original stay and we really loved the food quality at the buffet and at all the specialty restaurants. The evening entertainment was well-choreographed and very entertaining -- even the shows for children that we saw were lovely! I was quite happy with the service level and the activities (especially water aerobics and BINGO) were good too. I appreciated the fact that you didn't have to walk far to get from rooms to restaurants or from the pool to the beach. The resort had enough great features to keep us busy yet relaxed on vacation. When we unexpectedly had to extend our hotel stay due to a situation in the country making travel home temporarily impossible, the resort honoured the price that we paid through our travel agent initially. We had to go back to a regular room (and I definitely found the upgraded room better) but the resort still did their best to take care of us despite the fact that the situation meant that they were running into staffing issues. We still had great food and drinks, the pool and the beach to enjoy while awaiting our safe return home. I would wholeheartedly recommend staying here in the future. And I would certainly entertain the idea of going on another all-inclusive vacation like this one, or staying at another resort by this brand.

    Photos
    Occidental - The view from our room.

    The view from our room.

    Occidental
    Occidental

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    Mayan Palace - resorts - Updated September 2026

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