Juldie

I will be booking an RCI exchange for a week in PV. I have read reviews on Trip Advisor and they all seem to be a mixed bag.I don't want all inclusive and it is important to me that the rooms, bathrooms and property are well kept and clean. I would like a nice pool but I would have to say that the most important factor besides cleanliness is a property on a beautiful, clean beach.

Has anyone stayed in an RCI resort that they can recommend to me on the beach? I am familiar with the timeshare sites but I trust Fodorites for the best advise. Thanks.

missmolly1

March 2006 we spent 2 weeks in PV, one week at Mayan Palace PV and one week at Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta. We really liked the accommodations at both, but NV was newer and had an exceptional pool. Would definitely stay at both again! An advantage to Mayan PV was the proximity to the marina. We greatly enjoyed looking at all the boats, and they had a fantasticly fun restaurant right on the wharf - can't remember the name but you will know it as it had the most patrons and activity. Loved both Mayan Palaces - try them out.

Juldie

missmolly1:Yeah, from looking all the RCI resorts up on Trip Advisor these 2 Mayans looked the best. The Grand Mayan NV sounds incredible with the lazy river and all but there were so many negative comments about not staying in Nuevo Vallarta because of how out of the way it is from PV (30-40 minutes)and how it is so much better to stay in PV.

I see on RCI's site there are 2 Mayan Palace PV on the marina. It looks like maybe they are right near each other. I also see 3 Mayan Palace's in NV. Did you stay at the Grand with the lazy river pool or another in NV?

Can you describe how the beaches at the Mayan in NV compare to the Mayan in PV at the marina? Is the beach at the marina just a man made beach or are we talking beautiful sandy, stretch of beach?

Also, did you dislike staying in NV and being so out of the way from PV? If you were going back and had to decide one location over the other, which Mayan location would you choose?

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

suze

i'll flip it around and say people are not so much negative about staying in Nuevo, it's they are so PRO-Vallarta.

if you just a beautiful resort and beach, and are not interested in the city of PV, you might enjoy the Nuevo resorts very much.

Puerto Vallarta is a large, busy, hussle and bussling city. Not everyone is crazy about it. it's just those of us who are (myself included) are very vocal about it. PV has a dedicated fan-club, in a way that Nuevo doesn't, i believe is part of what you are seeing in the reviews.

this might not matter to you at all
;-) suerte, Suze

suze

You can check over on Trip Advisor. Go to the Forum (not the hotel reviews section) there are two lively branches of posters... one for Nuevo and one for PV.

Juldie

Thanks Suze, I'll check the forum out. Your previous post was helpful. What I am having trouble picturing is how the hotels are on the Marina and also on a beach. If you are in PV and on the beach or at the pool are you hearing the hustle and bustle of the city?

suze

Depends what hotel/resort you are at what the answer it. PV is a noisy, festive, busy kind of place.

The only Marina hotel I know is the Casa Magna, which has a narrow beach out 'behind' the property.

Juldie

Can someone tell me the difference between North, South and Central hotel zones?

If I stay in PV my choices are: Raintree's Club Regina PV, Mayan Palace PV, Canto del Sol Plaza PV, and Universal Vacation Club at Villa del Mar. Can anyone help me out here with how they compare - location, beach, cleanliness, etc? Thanks very much.

suze

anyone? topping for Juldie (sorry I am not familiar with any of those hotels myself)

jetsetj

TTT for more recent info

MichelleY

Velas Vallarta appears to be very nice. I have never stayed there, but would consider it.

suze

What you describe is exactly how the timeshare sales works. That's why most people strongly caution people to avoid them.

jamie99

aliice would you stop topping old threads with your anti timeshare spam?

diann24

I was wondering about the Raintree club Regina. We are also with RCI and we can were contemplating PV since we have not been there. It looks like most people on here are not familiar with the TS properties that are in PV. I will look on trip advisor. I see this a very old thread.