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    Velas Vallarta

    3.7 (128 reviews)
    ModerateHotels
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    Holly D.

    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.

    Sam T.

    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

    Brian G.

    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.

    My beautiful wife and I on the beach!
    Matt R.

    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

    A view of the boardwalk
    Ashley G.

    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.

    Karne N.

    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!

    Lots of room around the pool.
    Treena C.

    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.

    Beautiful view from our suite!
    Lupita M.

    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.

    our girls at the beach dinner
    Jason S.

    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!!

    Priya K.

    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

    Eric R.

    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.

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    11 months ago

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

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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

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    Velas Vallarta Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Velas Vallarta

    The main pool (the one with the swim up bar) is where we spent most of our time.

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    Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa - Mahi Mahi Tacos lunch at Las Casitas.

    Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa

    (269 reviews)

    $$

    This hotel has my utmost respect. We were staying here when the cartel violence in Puerto Vallarta…read morestarted and we were told to shelter in place. This hotel took care of everyone. The workers that couldn't go home were housed. The guests, like me, that were checking out were allowed to book another night, even though they were in a sold out status. The hotel mgmt took care of all of us in such a beautifully kind manner which allowed us to find some safety while the town was burning due to the car fires. The property is right on beach, has a family pool and adult swim area with hot tubs in both areas. We booked a hotel room that had a small pool access from the patio. They have 2 swim up bars, a children's play area, spa and an excellent workout room. I was told they will be renovating the hotel this summer 2026, which is needed in some areas, such as the spa. It was a very enjoyable visit other than the cartel action and I would stay here again if I come back to Puerto Vallarta.

    Great place for adults ; not many kids. Pools were well maintained, adult pool warm, larger pools…read morecool which was nice. Two swim up bars. Food: Several excellent restaurants but Buffett pricey, instead a 15 min walk to marina area for much more reasonable food. Great ice cream in lobby, opened til 11:00 pm too ! Gift shop needs expansion. It could be a money maker if it had more products to sell. Bummer. Water was pricey! 5$ for a bottle. Room: beautiful and get an ocean view. The sound of the ocean at night is awesome! Pillows were Devine.

    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV - Calamari

    Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta HRHV

    (188 reviews)

    $$

    We were really disappointed with our experience for a number of reasons. This trip was our "family…read moremoon" after my wife and I got married, we wanted to take our kids for a family friend all inclusive. The frustrations started with check in that took SO long. they required us to show proof of payment. our name and ID was not enough despite seeing our reservation there so i was forced to go through my old credit card statements from months prior to show them. Then the most egregious thing I have EVER HAD HAPPEN TO ME, is they required me to show proof that my children were MY children. They dont have the same last name as me so I had to pull up their birth certificates and I was required to email them to the front desk. My kids are 14 and 12 and never in my life have I ever had to do this. Its incredible offensive and as a queer/trans person with a blended family and with a woman of color wife, it just reminded us how invisbilized we are and treated differently. Then we finally got our rooms and asked for a cot for one of my kids since we paid for 2 rooms for the 4 of us. We never got the cot that night and had to ask 2-3 more times and finally got the next night. We had to do the same thing for a dental kit for my daughter who forgot her toothbrush. took a day. The room service always took at least 40 minutes, for dinner the wait was always 45m in - 1 hour. It was nearly impossible to find a place to sit by the pool unless you got there at 8am like all the others who post up with their towels and belongings and hog the same space ALL day. There were a handful of kind/helpful workers - Juan at the pool, the entertainment people really trying to show people a good time, and you can see the workers/servers are doing their best but they seemed understaffed and thats a hard rock issue. The food was ok. but my wife did not feel well on the last night and we think it was the dinner. The only time we had attentive front desk people was the folks trying to sell you on the thing they say is NOT a time share at a hotel next door (sounds like a timeshare). As soon as we were not interested in that, they were not really interested in helping us. Even when i was asking about other tours, they just kept saying they could give to me free if I agreed to this 90 min presentation and was very hard to get them to help me book something if i didnt agree so i gave up on taking my kids on a tour outside the resort. They explained a bit about the "resort credits" of $1200 - its somewhat helpful if you look at it as a reduction in cost but the spa/salon services are overly expensive so youre basically then paying 35% of the regular cost and then tip. If you look at it as a discount --its not bad but its definitely NOT free credits. Then we requested a late checkout from the ipad in the room. several times. no response. we went down and said we would be happy to pay $120 fee to keep one room until 6pm and they said they couldnt. but they could let us stay until 4pm on the property. the next day when checking out they claimed they didnt have that so i had to push back to get them to allow us this. we had already booked a massage for 4pm so we needed to stay there and have a place for our kids to hang out before we left for the airport. the last thing was they claimed transportation to/from the hotel/airport was included (a $200 value). But i never got instructions on how to book this. so i paid out of pocket $90 to get a van to get me and my family to hard rock upon arrival. i tried to book for the return as it was allgedly included and they said it was too late becuase i didnt give them the flight info 7 days in advance. so i then had to pay out of pocked AGAIN to get a cab to the airport (uber is WAY cheaper only cost like $15 with tip). Overall, I just dont think its worth the amount of money you pay to be constantly trying to be upcharged at an all inclusive and I wasted so much time of my very short vacation trying to get staff to take care of needs like cots, toothbrush. and then the inflexibility on transportation, check out time, and requiring me to show BIRTH CERTIFICATES of my own children. Offensive and rude and uncalled for. Puerto Vallarta is amazing. I would just find a different place to go.

    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.

    The Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta - Free "healthy" snack included in Resort Fee

    The Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta

    (180 reviews)

    $$

    We had an amazing time at the Westin. We were a little worried about the construction, but honestly…read moreit wasn't too bad- sound was only during the day, and pool areas were not impacted. I think the worst part was that the gym area was moved halfway outside and some of the machines I had seen in pictures weren't available. Pros: * Staff is incredible. From the front desk, to Antonio on the beach (great guy), the breakfast staff (shout out to the auntie making waffles and omelettes like a machine), everyone was very friendly, helpful, and made us feel comfortable and welcome. The one exception was the towel lady who was a bit brusque- but that stood out because everyone else was so great. * Breakfast was solid, with varieties of bread, fruit, omelettes/waffle station, bacon, eggs, sausage, potatoes, cereal bar, green and fresh orange juice every day. We ate there every morning and didn't get too bored. Cons: * Walls seemed pretty thin. I could hear other people using their key cards (just the clicking sound) late at night when I was in my room, and sound of other TVs and chatter in the hall. The people above us seemed to be dragging furniture around frequently which was also noisy. * The property as a whole is pretty dated and needs some renovation. We checked out the Marriott which had nicer pools (infinity pools) and seems much less run down. They also have a nice looking spa and a much larger fitness center (available for Westin guests while the construction is happening). The room seemed somewhat dated, and particularly the bathrooms could use a refresh. * The construction was a minor annoyance- a couple restaurants on site were closed.

    Stated at the Westin on points for 6 days, the construction can't be missed. They do a great job…read moreworking around it and the service is great. At the pool, there is no relaxing, all you can hear is the loud construction and service was a bit hard to come by. All the restaurants are incredible. We got coffee, ice cream, ate at the Taco place, the pool, the breakfast buffet and the hamburger place. Every place had incredible offerings. I added all the menus in photos! I recommend eating off the ala carte menu for breakfast, it's half the price and the potions are great. The room was nice but not updated. We appreciated the extra seating and table. The added crib wasn't clean, once we wiped it down, it was a big difference. We are glad we stayed on points, not sure it is worth it to pay while during construction. I heard it's becoming all inclusive in 2026, it will be well worth it for that type of business once construction is done. 15 minutes walk to Marina where there is a Thursday Market.

    Occidental - The sun setting from our view

    Occidental

    (99 reviews)

    $$$

    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.

    It was a really great stay. The only thing I wish food wise was that there was a little more…read morevariation in the buffet from day to day, but it was cool that the snack location was pretty much open all the time. The activity people were very fun and they had great events from kids events with paw patrol and sonic to mariachi. The bar tenders are wonderful, especially Francisco at the main bar by the lobby. Night time gets a little bit loud with parties beginning around 10 pm and lasting long into the night... and you need to be ready for beach peddlers to truly insist on selling you stuff, but we found quiet shade down in front of the snack place and it was calm in the corner for the most part. One other frustrating part is the concierge was completely unhelpful. You have to book the restaurants in advance, but not too in advance. One night she put us down that we had 2 coming to eat when there was 5 of us. The other night she said she would put us on the patio and the men didn't have to wear pants that way, but we got there and they had a table for us inside - then forced the men to go all the way back to the room to change. Meanwhile there were other guests inside eating in sweat pants and t-shirts. Other than the night time loudness and the concierge, everything was magical and I would totally come back

    Mayan Palace

    Mayan Palace

    (29 reviews)

    $$$

    Two girlfriends have a timeshare here and I was invited to come. This experience did not…read moredisappoint! The Mayan Palace is one of the older hotels as they continue to build more luxury accommodations but when you're in Mexico, you spend most of the time outside, pool side or on the beach that I hardly spent time in my room. The room was large with a king size bed, a large living room with two day beds and two trundles, a dining table and chairs and kitchen. It had everything we need! We spent our days by the Beachland pool, happy hour 2 for 1 drinks was between 11-1. There are several great restaurants on property (Sweet Paris, Gong, La Cantina, Tramonto) and since we were there in November we just walked right in with no reservations. I'm sure during peak times it is best to reserve table. The Joy Luck Club offered some great poolside games and water aerobics, the beach is so close to the main pool you can easily take a nice long walk on the beach or swim in the ocean. There's plenty of entertainment live music dancing and shows at the Santaurio. There are two golf courses, La Plaza with a grocery, more food and alcohol, floral, pastries, deli, froyo and more. You can walk via beach to town, maybe 20 minutes to enjoy more local restaurants and shops. The property is massive - I mean really massive and one of the reasons we like the Mayan Palace is that it is close to the plaza, main pool and beach. If you stay at one of the newer places, it can be a long walk. They have a shuttle service but often times you can wait a bit. I say enjoy the scenery and walk the path to your destinations. One day you spent an hour and a half walking the property. There are beautiful views, water views, a tram, mature landscapes and cool lizards and animals to see. What I can say is the staff is extremely helpful, show respect and focused on providing the very best service. The check in process is a little long but I take that with a grain of salt.

    We were fortunate to stay in this hotel with family. The entire Vidanta property is stunning. The…read morelobby area of the Mayan Palace is beautiful. But the room is extra muggy and stuffy feeling. The room itself was nice. We had two rooms and a living area. There was enough towels and beddings for a group of 6 people. We had room service daily but they don't wash dishes. They will wash dishes for an extra fee. There is coffee for the coffee maker and a bottled water next to it but it cost money so no complimentary coffee. There is complimentary shampoo, lotions and bar soap. They'll also refill it if they see that you're using it. Overall, it was a decent hotel to rest after a day at the pool but I would expect more if this is the timeshare you paid for at this resort. Be aware that there is only one pool you can go. The pool is beautiful and is next to a really good eatery called Balche. But the pool does get crowded so go early to get chairs.

    Velas Vallarta - hotels - Updated June 2026

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