My biggest gripe about this place is the food was mediocre at best, inedible at worst. 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... read more

My wife and I went here for a friend's destination wedding. 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. read more

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We stayed at Velas Vallarta for a week at the end of August. Kinda cousins have a 2bd 2ba timeshare that they bank every other year, so that in years that they use their timeshare they have two 2bd 2ba units and can invite family and friends to use the 2nd unit. We lucked out with an invite this year and shared the second unit with my brother and sister-in-law. The resort is beautiful and SO relaxing! We hung out mostly in the swimming pools and on our balcony listening to the peaceful sounds of ocean waves and wildlife, mostly birds. It's super clean, staff are super friendly, and the location is close to the airport, the marina for shops and dining, costco, and not too far from downtown PV. It was SO relaxing and chill, hanging with family (during the tourist off season). After our first full day, the pool crowd went away (we went down to 30% occupancy) and it felt like we had the resort to ourselves. And the wildlife came out. It was epically awesome and we definitely want to go back! read more

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Went in Feb 2025 and resort is right next to the airport. I thought I'd be hearing airplanes all day, but no, it was not bothersome at all. Three pools: first one closer to lobby I didn't really use it, but second pool is in the middle of the resort, right by the kids club and kids had the best time of their life there. Third pool was nice, right by the beach, can watch sunset and goes all the way to this little slide. My 5 and 6 year olds were with me and they love the big pool because they like jumping in the water. Service was good; very nice staff although the restaurant closest to lobby, there was a staff who I didn't like his attitude because I'd ask other staff members for help and he's like I'm your server, you ask me but it's like dude, I couldn't find you. If I need service now and if there's a staff, then I'll ask right there and right now. But obviously, I want a drama free vacay and I'm like ok? Two restaurants in the resort, but they always have different menus. Different activities each day. Different guests, usually towards Friday and weekend, it's younger. A lot of elderly people, like 40% and family oriented is like another 40% and just couples is like 20% and these couples, I don't really see because they'd be hitching a ride downtown to go out to eat and stay out at night. Uber ride works, about $5-10usd to go downtown. It was a relaxing trip where I woke up with kids, don't need to worry about cooking and cleaning, just get ready to eat, put them in kids club, then they'd come back with mask, backpack from their win on a game, decorative things and drawings. Housekeeping was 2x/day and it usually happens afternoon at 3ish and later in the evening at 7ish. I just loved watching the sunsets everyday around 7pm because I had the time to do that. read more

Velas Vallarta - Sunset on the beach - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

I have been to Velas Vallarta annually for 6 or 7 years now with a friend and we have enjoyed ourselves immensely! The food is great, the two bedroom accommodations are wonderful with full kitchen that have most of what you need to cook, if you don't pay for the all-inclusive. The people are truly the best you can find as far as support staff and the spa is really nice. The activities are varied and fun and they have yoga on the jetti 6 mornings per week! The instructor is an older gentleman who is absolutely wonderful and I never miss a class when I am there! Unfortunately the sales experience is awful though the people are nice. Don't sign anything until you have a lawyer look at the documents. My friend and I have paid thousands to get ahead on the annual maintenance just to be told it didn't cover the 'bonus' weeks. But, you can rent out those bonus week! They don't tell you how much work it is for you. Once the contract is finished, we won't be back just because of the horrible runaround we have gotten. read more

Velas Vallarta - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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Came here for a wedding in November. Great value - plenty of food, activity, and water for the price. It is super close to the airport so i felt very safe going to and from the resort even though the travel advisory was raised for Jalisco. There are not many food options but the food was ok. Maybe Jalisco has a different type of cuisine but the tacos didn't hit like the mexican street tacos I am used to. read more

This resort was recommended to me from a co-worker. For an all-inclusive resort, this place was a great location. However, I had a few things to nitpick here. 1. Lots of points for the convenience of how close it was to the airport. I know some people do not like how it is close to the airport because the airplanes might be too loud... or etc., but it was actually really nice. After traveling by plane, the only thing I want to do is immediately get to my hotel room so I was relieved that it was truly only a 10 minute drive. 2. There are only two restaurants in the area that serve similar meals for lunch and breakfast. Dinner is the only time the food differs so there isn't that much variety. There are two obvious bars - one in the pool and one near the burger joint. I wasn't sure if there was one in the lobby, but if there was, it wasn't really obvious. But you can also get a drink in the restaurants and walk around afterwards with the drink. The food is just okay! Nothing mind-blowing but the mango margaritas are to die for! Very refreshing. 3. The biggest thing that disappointed me was the service. Whenever my party and I ordered room service, they said it would take a certain amount of time, it would take an additional 20 minutes on top of that. Whenever we needed room service and called, no one would pick up the phone. If we had questions and needed help from the front desk, they wouldn't pick up. I also wasn't sure how I felt about having only one swim towel and then needing to return it, like checking out a book from the library. It was quite odd. The pool was also not the cleanest. Overall, not a bad place to visit, but I think next time I would love something more with better service, more amenities (they didn't have a hot tub/jacuzzi), and probably adults-only where the bar is open much later than 10pm! read more

Came here for a wedding weekend. Unlike other all-inclusive resorts I've stayed in Mexico, this one has a mix of timeshare residents and resort visitors. This resort is on the smaller side compared to past resorts I've stayed in. Food: 2 restaurant options. Both restaurants have menu items you can order and buffet (at the same time). Beachside restaurant is more casual and the indoor restaurant (Andres) have a dress code and require reservation at night. The food overall was a hit or miss. The quality was not consistent in my point of view. The first night we ordered a ribeye steak and it was fantastic. My last night there I ordered a lamb ossabuco which was decent. Their poolside burger was also decent. Everything else was a bit disappointing. Drinks: The bartenders do a fairly good job with the drinks. They have some decent quality liquor, but you must specify the type of liquor you want if you order a cocktail otherwise they'll give you bottom barrel stuff. Service: The staff there was very friendly and accommodating overall, I don't have any complaints. Environment: They're located right next to the beach, so you can walk right to the beach from the resort. They have mom n pop vendors selling goods and offering massages on the beach. There's also 8am yoga at the beach which was fantastic. The resort is catered first to the senior crowd and 2nd to families. If you're looking for a spring break party vibe, you're not going to get that here. With two kids, this worked out very well for me, but I found it odd that a resort like this didn't have anything open past 10:30 pm. Price: They're priced in the mid-tier range for resorts. You can definitely find nicer places, but at a higher price. This place is pretty good bang for buck overall. Food: 3 Drinks: 4.5 Service : 5 Environment: 4.5 Price: 4 read more

Velas Vallarta - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

Please stay away from this overpriced (Resort) NOTTING is convenient here No water pressure , restrooms, Small beds ,and the worst part We had to leave for emergency and they won't refund ur money THIEFS!!! There's way better options look around Will save u money , and be more comfortable in a better room at least with Water u can take a shower . read more

When I think of all inclusive resorts I tend to think of boozy spring break trips, bachelorette parties, and girls' weekends. That was the frame of reference I had when my wife announced her friend was having a destination wedding. I was pretty excited as I'd never been to Mexico, and a long weekend away with just my wife sounded fantastic. Overall going to Velas Vallarta was a great trip. From the first moment you arrive the compound is just beautiful. When we were in the spacious lobby checking in we were brought some towels and then fresh juice. From there we went through the courtyard up to our room. The landscaping is really specially and was a highlight of our stay. The hotel is just eye catching. There are flowers everywhere, water features, and it just feels open and sunny. We got a studio which was a great fiscal deal, but disappointing in that it did not have a balcony. We weren't in the room during the day so it didn't matter, but I'd recommend skipping the studio if a balcony is important to you. There are three pools, two for adults and one for kids. The adult ones are connected through a short river. The main one overlooks the beach and has a swim up bar. There are a couple of smaller stands scattered around where you can get drinks as well. There are two restaurants, Andrea which is more formal and then La Ribera which overlooks the beach. We found Andrea to be underwhelming and ate most of the time at La Ribera. The breakfast was fantastic. Made to order waffles, pancakes, and omelettes plus dozens of other buffet items and menu options as well. Lunches and dinner were fine but underwhelming. Anytime we got a Mexican dish it was decent to good. Anytime we got someone else, particularly Italian it was underwhelming. This was the major problem with Andrea where they have Italian four nights a week. On the beach there are tents and chairs which were typically open. The beach is relatively rocky and the water isn't crystal clear like you get in the Gulf of Mexico or Hawaii. As a result people weren't really in the ocean. I mainly chilled in the beach chairs and read my book and only went in once. The pools though are packed. Grab a chair early or you will be out of luck. I thought it would be a spring break destination, but the resort was far from it. It has a lot of snowbirds, many of which own or have time shares in condos that are on the property. There is also a very family friendly vibe with kids activities throughout the day and a "kids' corner" run by the staff. The wedding we went to was on the beach and beautiful. They got married on a jetty then the reception was right on the sand. The food for the reception the night before the wedding was great but for the actual wedding pretty average or below average. The ambiance made up for it. Finally, wow what an amazing staff. I don't think I've ever seen staff so welcoming, helpful, and attentive as I'd seen at Velas. Everyone in our group commented on it. They really made the experience special. So the staff and the pure beauty of the compound made this a 5 star experience. read more

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My favorite hotel in the world. The staff here is attebtive and friendly. If you need it, they will get it. Bar tenders, room service, maids...all of tjem are the best!! read more

i will give you the breakdown of this Hotel. PROS: Great rooms with balcony's Awesome service Beautiful pools. CONS: Beach is to rocky to swim Dress code is for men only, women wear anything they want Night entertainment in the lobby is horrible Only have 2 restaurants in this large hotel read more

Best vacation spot ever! Went and had an absolutely great time with thr family. All thr staff are great and friendly, the food was top notch and everything g was clean and well maintained. The amazing jungle in the middle is stunning and such a great environment to walk through all the time. Highly recommended read more

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We have been coming now to the Velas Vallarta at least once a year for several years now, and we always love our experience. Everything is handled so smoothly - the food is readily available and quite good, the staff are extremely helpful and friendly, and there is no nickel and diming which one often encounters at other resorts. I want to give a special shout- out to Christina, the dining room manager at breakfast. She is just wonderful!! This was actually the only time we've ever had a problem with a room. We arrived in our room, the first night to an overwhelming smell of mildew. There was a humidifier already in the room, but it was doing nothing. I went downstairs and asked to be moved, but the woman behind the counter told me that was not going to be possible. The next day we asked again to be moved, and this time we were. When Juan Carlos came by our table at breakfast to see how everyone's visit was going, we told him about the problem. He went directly to that room, ascertained that it was, in fact, a major issue, and the next thing we knew we had champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and two free beach massages from him to apologize. We very much appreciated his concern and we hope they are able to fix the problem. Another wonderful stay at the Velas! We will be back soon! read more

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This resort offers all inclusive vacations for families, right on the beach and not far from the PV airport. It is one of the more affordable options, so it's financially accessible to more people. However, you get what you pay for. The property has two restaurants and two pools, with an additional small pool for small children. Overall, I was comfortable but not impressed. The food was alright, but not exceptional, and oddly it was more often than not served lukewarm. There were minimal activities and their night time programming was.... questionable. As in, weird. What I wish I knew before coming is that the beach is sandy but the surf is rough and very gravelly until you get past the break. There are very few souls willing to brave the surf, most emerging with battle wounds. The on site spa has very limited services too. The boardwalk in town is good for souvenir shopping and has some good food and bar options. I'd also like others to know that ADA isn't a thing here. Visitors with limited mobility will not have access to the beach or pool. If it's your first all inclusive beach experience, and you want an easy, shorter flight, and are on a budget, this is a good option. If you're looking for more, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. read more

Velas Vallarta - A view of the boardwalk - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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I will not be returning to this resort. The cons- the shower glass door shattered on my daughter and cut up her hand. Super scary moment. There were cockroaches in the shower too. The food is sub par and only 2 restaurants for a large resort. We had to change rooms 3 times. Which is a hassle when you're on vacation. The Pros- it's right on the beach. The staff was very attentive and nice when my daughter got hurt and cleaned her up. The pool and drinks were great too. read more

We booked an "ocean front suite" and received a room with no view, a horrible smell, and was incredibly dated/not well kept (missing knobs etc) - also incredibly noisy. We went to the front desk to see if there was something else available and the first response was "well can't you see the pool?" 1) didn't request a room with a pool view and 2) you could see a small section of the pool through the trees. We were moved to a different room the next day, which smelled better/actually had an ocean view, but the "king" bed was actually 2 beds put together. Internet was really bad - tv constantly went in and out and could not use cell phones or laptops in the bedroom because the internet would not stay. The food was not good - nothing had any taste. We ended up leaving the resort for 2 dinners so we could get a good meal. Drinks were not strong at all. Booked salon services (blow out and make up) about a week in advance for two of the days - confirmed via email (dates, times, services). Showed up for my first appointment and was told they had no record of it, so I showed the email confirmation and waited for about 20 minutes. Only received the blow out - salon did not even have a curling iron. I did not go back the next day. Overall, was very disappointed and would recommend staying elsewhere. read more

Paradise! I think Velas Vallarta has the nicest grounds out of any resort we have stayed in in PV. But lets start at the beginning. This resort is close to the airport (more about that later) so it was a quick van ride once we got off the plane. There were a few people in line at check in, but very quickly a server brought us some fresh juice and wet rolled towels to refresh us. Nice touch! The lobby is quite large with a crepe station in one corner, a large screen to watch sports, and plenty of space for entertainment. Once we got to our room, we were welcomed with nice cool air from the a/c and a very large clean room. Maybe one of the cleanest rooms ever! The living room opens out to a balcony with beautiful views of the ocean. There are two TV's, a dining table and a kitchen with pots and pans and plenty of cups and plates. The fridge was stocked with soda, water and beer. The bathroom was a nice size too. The bed and pillows were just perfect- we had amazing sleeps here. The views and the grounds are gorgeous, but it is the staff that keeps this place running. From room service, to the hostesses and servers that work their butts off, and the concierge, everyone was friendly and helpful. A big asset to this place is the beach area. They offer shaded seating with servers to bring lunches and drinks. As for activities, they have 3 pools, a kids club, a pool bar, tennis courts and a pickle ball court. So what could the downside be? Well, not much. The resorts close proximity to the airport means you do regularly hear planes taking off. And like so many all inclusives, the food is good but not great. Breakfasts consisted of yogurt, granola, lots of fruit, eggs and sausages and a station for waffles. In one restaurant, they offer a different theme each evening so the menu is changing. In the restaurant closer to the ocean, they switch between steak night and Mexican night. Room service is always an option, although that menu is pretty limited. But believe me we did not starve! Velas Vallarta has entertainment in the evenings in the lobby. While we were there, they offered karaoke, a casino night (with fake bills), a dance group and a magician. Generally evenings were pretty quiet- this is not a party resort. The only bar that is open in the evenings, is the one in the lobby. We stayed for 5 nights which was perfect. It is a lovely place to unwind and enjoy resort living. And you can't beat the staff- they were awesome. read more

Velas Vallarta - Lots of room around the pool. - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

Our family enjoyed our stay at Velas Vallarta. The staff at reception were all so kind and they even upgraded our room from a 2 bedroom to a 3 bedroom suite. The swim up pool bar was a great place to hang out with the other guests. Our family will be returning for sure. read more

Velas Vallarta - Beautiful view from our suite! - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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The food was terrible and the gym equipment is not properly maintained. Worst vacation ever.

We loved our family vacation at Velas vallarta. This Beautiful oceanfront property has perfectly manicured gardens, amazing pool areas with plenty of loungers, a lazy river, kids pool and swim up bar. They have 2 restaurants Andrea and La Ribera the serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. What I loved the most is the menu keeps changing (nightly themed dinners) so you are not eating same food everyday. Andrea is more upscale but I prefer the location of La Ribera as it's ocean front. Food is absolutely delicious and the bars serve top shelf alcohol. Spa is small but I highly recommend the aromatherapy massage, very reasonably priced. We stayed in 2 bedroom ocean view suite, which was very spacious, had full kitchen and huge balcony with great views of the ocean. The one downside is beach is not swimmable and it's very murky looking. The best part of this resort is their amazing staff. They do EVERYTHING to make your stay great. If there is a particular food you want, just ask, they will make for you. Our special thanks to Jaiker at check in, he got us great rooms, Oney, Alan and Valeria at La Ribera for dinner service, Angel at La Ribera during breakfast and lunch, Christian and Hanin for resort activities. Christian taught my son to make different kinds of bracelets, he is so funny. We also loved playing Mexican bingo and water aerobics. They arranged for covid testing in the resort and the nurse Esther was so good. Everything at this resort is well organized. Downtown is $5 by taxi. We were celebrating birthday and anniversary and they sent special deserts and wine for us in the room. Will definitely return read more

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This is Jason's wife writing this review. I just got home from a week long girl's trip vacation from Velas Vallarta and I don't even know where to begin....WOW. Just WOW. If you are looking for a resort with clean and spacious rooms, the friendliest staff you'll ever meet, incredible views, equally amazing food, large pools, and to completely relax then this is the resort for you. We traveled as a group of 6 women and were a little nervous if we would feel safe or not. Once we arrived, the thought never crossed our mind. Being in the resort we felt so incredibly safe. There are doormen who check every person in and when we left the resort they would ask where we were going, when we would be back, and our room number. We loved the extra safety measures as we were a group of women traveling alone. The hotel itself had sturdy locking doors and in all rooms. Since there were 6 of us, we booked (3) 2 bedroom suites. WOW. I know I am going to say this alot but that is the way to go!! Each of us had our bathroom, own bedroom, and there is a living area, full kitchen, and fully stocked fridge. We overlooked the pool area which is a true oasis as well as the ocean. The grounds are kept up so beautifully and made for a view in-itself. Because this was a special girls trip, we opted for all the upgrades and because this hotel is all inclusive (at least the package we chose) it was very kind on our budget!! We had the welcome guacamole party which after a long day of travel was great to enjoy a cocktail and some fresh made (literally made in front of us) guacamole. I read one review on here about food standards and health and we did not have that experience the entire week we were there. All servers or food handlers we saw used gloves, had masks, and our tables were sanitized before we sat down. None of us got sick and we ate only at the resorts. Yes there are only two restaurants but the restaurants change themes nightly so you are not stuck eating the same food every-night. There are Italian nights, french food etc. Then for breakfast and lunch you had such a large menu to choose from. Unless you are the pickiest eater in the world, you could never eat the same meal twice even if you tried! There was just too much to choose from!!! We decided to book the beach dinner one night and I highly recommend if you want to feel like royalty. We couldn't even believe this was our life when we saw the set up. We got to watch a sea turtle climb out of the ocean, dig a hole, lay her eggs, burry them, and submerge back into the ocean. That alone was worth the trip and made it a trip of a lifetime. But the beach dinner was surf and turf and I am mostly vegetarian but didn't want to be disrespectful. The server noticed I wasn't eating much and asked why very politely. I explained I don't like meat that much and within 5 minutes they brought me a new pasta dish that was delicious! That was seriously so kind and thoughtful of them and my daughter that was with me was more than happy to eat what I hadn't- the food was THAT good! Anytime we needed to go somewhere in town, we would ask the front desk to call a taxi for us and it was such an easy way to get around. When we got back home we actually missed not being able to call for rides when we needed it haha. When I say you live in luxury at Velas, I mean it. It was very hard to come back to reality!! While we were there, the front desk told us about some popular things to do. Tuesday we booked the ATV's through Puerto which we HIGHLY recommend, then Wednesday we hung out at the resort (night of the beach dinner), OH and on Thursday we did the massages!!! You check in at the Spa and then they walk you out to this private area on the beach where you are literally getting the best massage of your life on the ocean (don't worry it's private no one can see you). It was the most magical experience!! Then that night we did the Rhythms of the night tour outside of the hotel which was so spectacular. We all literally cried when we left and it was a vacation we will remember forever. I'm sure I'm missing some things but if you are looking to visit Puerto Vallarta, there is nowhere better you can stay. This resort was spectacular, the staff was so friendly, and all around the most incredible week of our life!! read more

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Our first time staying in this hotel. It's in the Marina area, very close to the airport. The hotel grounds is well maintained. Actually beautiful lush landscaping and there's even a gorgeous peacock roaming around! Staff are all very friendly and accommodating. The front desk, the hostesses, the servers, etc! The rooms are a little dated but very clean. I heard that there's plans to update the hotel soon. There are only 2 restaurants. Andrea and Ribera. Kudos to the chefs/cooks in both restaurants because we actually really liked almost all of the dishes we had. The very attentive and friendly staff is a plus! It's definitely not a five star resort, and they don't claim to be but if you're looking for some R&R or just to get away from it all, this is the place to be. Although at it's room's current state and limited restaurant choices, it's a little pricey but I think totally worth it. Would I recommend the resort? Absolutely! Would I go back? There's other resorts to try still, so maybe. read more

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So a frank and honest assessment of this resort from an all inclusive point of view is that this place is like a Royal Caribbean cruise ship on land. Similar experiences and vibes. Pros: - great weather in winter, still some humidity though at night - close to the airport - generally personable and attentive service - fairly close to the downtown area, though we didn't go - ocean water is warm - amazing shower head, but it will cause leakage - comfy bed Cons: - close to the airport, you will hear jets taking off and that is not pleasant, especially at night - terrible Beach, really the while area, sand is gray - water is dark and murky, water bed is full of large pebbles making it very painful to walk in the water - resort only has two, average restaurants...food really is cruise ship quality (and not stellar), also, there's a real problem with the food not being hot enough across the board - liquor is low quality and watered down - room bathroom lighting is shite - hair dryer is weak -please work on the coffee, put in a coffee bar in the lobby with quality roasts and iced coffee - no hot tubs or saunas.... Coin Flip: - the crowd here is most amiable Caucasian who are here to relax and party Pro tips: - at the airport, do not engage with anyone inside the airport for a taxi or shuttle service. Go outside and get a taxi at the curve. - once you go outside and get a taxi with an agent, it is $17 to $22 for a nearby resort. The wait for taxi can be long and you'll be waiting in the hot and humid line. - bring lots of dollar bills for tips. Make sure the tip your staff at the resort, for the most part. They do well to reserve your patronage and tips. - the marina is nearby, a 15 minute walk from the resort. There you will find a whole bunch of quality restaurants that you can eat at. Is also a Starbucks there to get proper coffee. We plan to eat there on our last day because the restaurants here are so poor. read more

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Absolutely amazing experience! The staff and service make all the difference. Be sure to visit with Karen. She will hook you up! read more

Velas Vallarta - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

I'm giving this resort 3-stars only because it wasn't great for us. I'll start with the positives: Location is great if you just want to land and be on the beach in 5 minutes. Grounds are lovely. Staff is incredibly kind and helpful. The negatives: As with most all inclusives...the food left something to be desired. Crepe station was good. Drinks were plentiful but no real top-shelf if you're wanting that. For us... the biggest negative is that there is nowhere on site for adults only. Not even a bar. You have to thoroughly enjoy children to come here. I'm listening to a screaming, unsupervised child as I write this. read more

Velas Vallarta - View from our 8th floor balcony - Hotels Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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I've stayed here twice before - in 2007 and 2021 - and now in 2024. The VV has progressed steadily downhill in all ways with the exception of the service - there is still enough staff to attend promptly to all your needs, and they do so with warmth and enthusiasm. The rooms are outdated and run-down with dark cheap curtains, tiny bathrooms and chipped paint everywhere you look. The food and drinks are mediocre at best - cheap carbs and junk food fill out the food menu while the wine and booze is totally uninspired. As if the food downgrade isn't bad enough the 'upscale' dining option at Andrea has seriously declined in that it's no longer a truly sit-down restaurant experience. In the past it was a fully seated meal for all courses; now you order an entree but serve yourself from the buffet for salad and dessert. All this said the property seemed busy with plenty of people who seemed happy with what's on offer - not because it's any good here but because the cheap downgrades result in self-selection of the clientele. I will never be back after this latest stay. read more

Stayed at Velas in the way off-season in May of 2023 with an all inclusive package. Gonna dive right in to the pros and cons. Pros: *Immaculately kept grounds. The resort isn't big but it's kept pristine. *All the wait staff are exceptionally nice and doting. If you need anything, someone will always come to your aid. *It's dead in the off season. The resort was around 30% capacity and it felt that way. If you value your privacy and want freedom to roam and an available beach chair at any time during the day, you're set. *Further to the point of deadness, most guests are octogenarians or middle aged, so noise wasn't much of an issue there. The few families we encountered had well behaved kids, adding to a sense of serenity. *There are nightly shows and entertainment that's pretty fun for all ages. Ribera, the seaside restaurant has live music nightly. *You're extremely close to the airport and the town. *No one bugged us to buy a timeshare. Now the negatives- Cons: *The food is DISGUSTING. And I mean it. God save my pallet. Eggs cooked in bitter oil that's been used and reused, sinewy beef, bland and tasteless tuna. It doesn't leave a little to be desired, it's everything to be desired. The coffee is an abomination to all that is holy about the coffee bean. *Only two restaurants that serve equally horrible food, with similar menus. But you'll need a reservation at Andrea , and it opens at 6 PM. *Playing dueling banjos with the hot and cold water in the shower. The temperature was never consistent. *If you're keen on swimming at the beach, it might be a challenge. The rocks might cut your feet. Together with the gritty sand, it lends to an unimpressive beach experience. *Construction noise that started in the room next to ours at 8 am! Come on, I'm on vacation and I want to sleep in! *You're extremely close to the airport. *If you're a people person that's coming to mingle and have fun with other guests or even people watch, May isn't your time to come. It's mostly a mature crowd and you might be bored. read more

Don't get me wrong, the hotel was very nice, clean, well kept... except you really feel like you stepped into a cruise ship. The average age was probably retirees. Came here for my friends wedding- we were the youngest group. I was not impressed after being in another all inclusive Cabo resort just 2 weeks before this. This all inclusive sucks. Overall food: 2 stars. You only get 2 restaurants- one buffet-La Ribera- on the beach/pool... which was a joke by the way) it turned into a steakhouse at night for a la carte menu. Oh they opened the other one due to overflow. Ya think?! Then you have Andrea, reservations only, which btw was so hard to get unless you want to eat at 8 or 9! They have the same food everywhere. It wasn't any different. It was pretty horrible. Better off with room service!! Then bars... not everywhere. You have the pool bar, the La Ribera side bar, and the "hotel lobby bar" which wasn't really a bar. Want some late night drinking? There's only the hotel lobby bar. The best food items I had here was my friends wedding dinner- the filet mignon, but they don't serve that nice of a filet at Andrea. I tried both. And the a la carte ribs at the buffet was good. That's about it. Omg! Do not get the Cabernet! It was the worst wine I ever had in my life. I think it was spoiled due to improper storage and the heat/humidity. It was so disgusting!! I usually can down any alcohol but could not with that red wine. The pool, 4 stars- nice and big. But everybody saves chairs very early! Even though you're not supposed to, but you get there and everything is saved. Not cool. They don't enforce it. So get there early and save away! The pool service was pretty good, once the guy knows you and you tip. Pool food was okay. Only the cheeseburger was half decent. Ceviche was Acapulco style meaning cooked fish. Not a fan. Rooms: 4 stars. My room was nice and big and cleaned everyday. It was a good room. Very big! No balcony or view though but I was okay. AC worked well. Room service orders at least 25 minutes. Staff around resort was friendly. Maids were very detailed, even folded my clothes!! Lol. Overall, totally not impressed or will be returning to this all inclusive. I had much much better ones. Too Limited in food options and limited bar options. Good distance to airport though. read more

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Vacationers beware!!! This was our 4th time staying at Velas Vallarta. We always loved it till this time! DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT put anything of value or $$$ in the room safe. We had $2000 stolen out of our locked room safe. We were called liars to our face by the less then pleasant hotel manager and director of security, our room was searched. We had to file police reports and go to their government building to file. Wasted 2 days of our vacation to do this! Horrible experience! We then could not get cash from either of their ATMs, the American one not working, the other would only give so much. The place has changed in the 4 years we have been going. As beautiful as the resort is, the food quality is horrible, pools are not very clean and drinks are weak. Also, check your final bill when you check out, this was the second time we had extra charges for things we did not use, like golfing and room service when we had all inclusive. I'm sad we will not be going there ever again, because they do have some great employees that always took very good of us. Lesson learned for us! read more

I absolutely loved my stay at Velas Vallarta. I came for a work trip in November and I have to say I had the best time at this resort. The rooms are so spacious and the bed was comfy. I loved spending the day drinking in the pool and the on site COVID testing. The food was just OK but the breakfast was where it was at. The staff went above and beyond, always attentive and helpful. When our flight was pushed back, we were able to come back to our original rooms and stay one more night. read more

We just had a family vacation here during off season (early September) and we loved it so much that we plan to come back once a year! We got the all-inclusive package and it was a steal for sure. The food is AMAZING at The Ribera, Andrea, and even room service! The service is TOP NOTCH, literally every single employee was sooo nice, attentive, helpful, and made us feel right at home! The resort was super clean and all employees made sure it stayed clean. Our room was spotless everyday, room service would take trash with them, they basically did everything to keep it clean. This resort is also family-friendly, our toddler had so much fun and the employees interacted with him wonderfully when he tried getting their attention. We wont be staying at any other resort in PV ever. We'll always stay at Velas Vallarta. read more

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I've spoken to Juan Carlos, a dear and very kind manager from the front desk/concierge area. He should not have to be in a position to defend poor hotel policies (a "wedding pass fee" for example) but I applaud him for his integrity and careful handling of things. My initial review is thereby removed for now! Juan Carlos - you are an asset to Velas Vallarta. read more

So we stayed here the week of 4.10 to 4.15 prime time spring break week! So where shall I start?? Beware of the airport people if you arrange transportation from the shuttle by hotel than look for your transportation outside. Don't let them fools inside try to fool you. Check in process was easy. Our standard studio room suckedddd. I asked for an upgrade upon check in and offered to pay for it but they said they had nothing available. When we checked in the room was so small, I was sooo unhappy and really upset. I didn't feel comfortable at all, we walked out to grab a bite. Upon our return they had left us strawberries and champagne welcoming us. It was a nice gesture but I still hated the room. We went back and asked if there was absolutely anything else. The girl called the Manager and sure enough they were able to accommodate us in a bigger room for a minimal charge. They helped us move our bags and I was so much happier with the new room. Room 2316 was the room number but definitely get the bigger room don't book their standard room, it's not worth it. This review is definitely long overdue so I can't remember everything but I will say the restaurants were okay. I wasn't impressed, the first night we had some horrible food. The restaurant by the beach Riberas was okay I didn't really care for it, the pizza was awful and had too much sauce and too much cheese nasty fake stuff. They need to fix this. Foodies was awful too it was just for the show just the pretty flowers but the food was garbage. Entertainment was good the singer she was nice to look at. Andreas by far was top notch, best breakfast and dinner. I loved their vegetarian menu. I loved the service I loved everything about this restaurant. The room service was a hit and miss. All in all the food was 3 stars but straight up their service was 5 stars at every single restaurant. Every night there was a special event there was magic shows, casino night, carnival, music/karaoke, a sea lion show, we had soooo much fun!!! If it wasn't for this I would give this resort a 3 stars but they made my son feel so comfortable especially during the carnival nights and star wars show. Oh the spa was horrible, the lady who gave me a massage was horrible, I didn't like the massage and it was a complete waste of money. Save your time and money, skip the spa, nothing relaxing about it. Old rooms and nowhere to hang out at afterwards. Their service is OUTSTANDING!!! The pool was fun, the grounds were clean, peacocks everywhere, peacocks always opening their beautiful feathers. If your okay with having average food but having great service I would book this place. Service was AMAZING, I will give it to them and not to mention the activities. The beach was small, the sunset views are great. Keep up the great work. I wish I could remember the names of all the people. But if anything Andreas restaurant staff was TOP NOTCH the whole time. In addition, the people working the night time events for the kids were great! read more

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Not worth 600 usd a night, I got in 1am no lights on only one person in reception no valet parking rooms are big just really updated

So this review is a bit of a mix. We stayed in the time share part where its not all inclusive and the room we had was major sub par out of date and just not cute-but the AC worked and that was enough for us. They give you a welcome bottle and dessert when you arrive as well as hot towels and drink. The staff here is excellent! Super nice efficient and attentive all throughout our stay. Our all inclusive friends ate so much and drank even more but the food is not the best but its ok. The grounds are great and so are the pools. They have nightly shows and/or Mariachi in the lobby. Short drive from the airport and easy cab ride anywhere to Vallarta old or new. So if you decide to rent make sure your read the time share/owners review and rating before booking if your picky. We saved over 1000 dollars this way so in the end it worked for us. Lots of koi ponds, Peacocks and iguanas everywhere a bit of tropical paradise. I recommend Velas no doubt. We came for a wedding and had a wonderful time. read more

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I want to start this review by first of all thinking each and every Staff there, they are the one who is making this place a Paradise. We stayed there for 5 days from Jan 25th for our Anniversary. I dont have single point to complain about this place. We already feel home and I am sure we will be there again n again. Thanks to all the reviews here, so we avoided the Timeshare presentation altogether, and did not see anyone asking us for the same. So, no complaints about Timeshare Presentation. Our room, 4508, AWESOME. Higher the floor better the view Choose room with Balcony, all suits have ocean view DO NOT book Studio, no view When we arrived, we were greeted by font door staff and took bags and lead to the lobby. This is were I met a very good human being, who helped us finding the best room in the resort. His name is Sergio at Front Desk. He also upgraded to a Suite with Balcony, in the 4th floor, we stayed at 4508, will never forget this room. The Staffs were great and you will always find one when needed, they are 100s of them ready to serve you. I want to name a few, who were exceptional in their own way Alvaro Amaral, Oscar Corrales, Ernesto Chaire, Juan Estrella, Edgar Saul Lopez, Alejo Rolon and Ruben S @ Aqua Bar Actually everyone there helped us served us like VIPs. Please TIP them, you will not regret. Highlights *** The entire staff was so pleasant *** Aqua Bar: Including my 5 year old enjoyed this Aqua Bar, he swims across for his favorite Strawberry Smoothie. You stay in in the pool and sit at seats and service was a treat for everyone. The make great drinks and cocktails. *** Pool: The Pool is great size and different flavor and very well connected through the Lazy river. Also the aqua aerobics in the pool is pretty famous. Also water volleyball and the most popular swim up aqua bar. There are three pools with a lazy river connecting the two main pools. The third pool area is a kiddie pool complete with toys and floaties *** Kid Friendly: The third pool area is a kiddie pool complete with Kid's Club staff, toys and floaties. Also they love the Aqua Bar, Ice Cream on wheels. Yummy treats what more they need. *** Very close to Airport and don't pay more than 100-150 Pesos. *** Food: The thumb rule of All Inclusive resort is to find a place with lot of restaurants, so that you wont get bore during your stay. But this place has only 3 restaurants but never repeat the menu during our stay. We never felt boring with our food and restaurant. Great food and ample of choices. Andrea - Italian Restaurant La Ribera - Ocean side American blend Cantina - Upscaled recently Mexican Cuisine and in Lobby the Crepes Bar and they take reservation too. *** We also went to downtown/Malecon taking a taxi, only 20 min drive. Great break during our stay. *** Room Service: We even ordered food at 1 am and they made food exactly the way we wanted, lot of wines, drinks and Mini bar was always refilled. *** Great Mariachi band and international dancers in the lobby area. Once again Thank you, each and every staff, you were great. I would definitely recommend this resort to everyone, GO and ENJOY and thank me later :) Stayed January 2017 read more

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This is my first time in Puerto Vallarta and I am here to be a keynote speaker for a conference and they put me in this amazing & beautiful hotel! It's an all inclusive resort with a few pools, lazy river, swim up bar, two amazing restaurants; The Ribera (beach casual dress code) & the Andreas (casual dress code), a mini sundry store, boutique, and a couple of local pop up shops that sell handmade crafts. Upon arrival, the valets are immediately there to help with your check in process. They'll wait patiently while you get your room keys and escort you with your baggage to your room. (Everyone speaks English pretty well.) My room was a bit overwhelming as it had so many amenities. A full size kitchen with almost every appliance you need if you're doing an extended stay. A large living room, with connecting balcony to the master bedroom. The view of the ocean and lush landscaping with the pools are a breath of fresh air. The bathroom has a waterfall shower head and the option for a bath should you want to soak. In the closet, I found house slippers, iron and roomy closet with a safe that's easy to use. They have great room service, food menu has a vast variety of selection and is delivered pretty quickly. (To be fair, I was here off season). The restaurant on the beach is The Ribera, it has a variety of selection to choose from with themed menus, I went on steak night and enjoyed the view of the sunset while enjoying a cold beer & tequila with super friendly service and a delicious pork chop grilled perfectly. The second night, I was at Andrea's- Italian menu with live entertainment, soup, salad, appetizers & main course - so amazing! I love that the chef was interactive and made his personal recommendations which I decided on at was happy with the delicious decision. If I ever come back, I'll probably choose to come back here, it's near the airport, the views are amazing, and the customer service is impeccable. I will say that this resort is a bit far (about an hour) away from the main part of Puerto Vallarta, but if seclusion & relaxation is your thing, this will be good for you. I want mention the peacock on campus is a nice addition- I did not meet the iguana but I did meet "Brad", the condor. So awesome. For those with kids, there's many places for kids to enjoy, kiddie pool to a kids center. If a spa vacation is what you need, this could be your serenity get away. Enjoy! :) read more

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We didn't stay at the resort but fell for the promise of free stuff and discounts on excursions if we visited. The value of several things they gave us were grossly exaggerated (the 600 peso cab ride really cost about 150 pesos as an example) but they did give us each a free 1 hour massage and a bottle of not very good tequila. Next time we'll pay for our own massages and buy better tequila. read more

My family and I stayed at Velas Vallarta over the holidays for about 5 days. We had an amazing time when we were there! Everyone who worked at the resort was super friendly and helpful if we had any questions or requests. Our rooms were also very clean and we had no complaints about where we stayed. The resort itself has a bunch of different events and activities on a daily basis. We were able to participate in a few - instructor led yoga and water fitness classes and we played pickleball and tennis on our own! If you're not interested in doing a ton of fitness activities, the pools, bean and nighttime shows are also very relaxing and fun to just chill with your S/O, family and/or friends! There are three restaurants at the resort, and they all were pretty good. Definitely not the most amazing food I've ever had, but there were plenty of cuisines offered so you could get whatever you may be craving. My main critique is that I wish they had a few more vegetarian options at the restaurants. Some nights were a little limited in what the menu had to offer. Overall, we had a great time at Velas Vallarta. It's a family friendly resort and I'd recommend folks coming here if you are looking for a vacation but don't want to break the bank! read more

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