hey suze. have a good time. We just booked eight nights in PV for the July 4th week. I think we are going to do four nights at Garza Blanca and four at the Westin at the Marina.

hi tom, thank you, i'm pretty much packed and ready to go! Your July plans sound wonderful too.

Where are you staying this time suze? Two weeks would be a dream for me!

Have a great trip, suze! Is Trio still around? I used to love that restaurant, had the best soft shell crab I've ever had in my life there (with avocado and asparagus and some chili oil...mmmm). But that was over 10 years ago. I know things change. :(

Zumba on, mi amiga.

Leely2 - I was just researching PV restaurants and Trio is still around. I also ate there my first trip to PV and liked it a lot. Second trip we ate at Vitae, which I believe is its sister restaurant. That was very good also and has an added benefit of being right on the Malecon so we got a view of an amazing sunset.

Bernhard & Ulf's two restaurants are still thriving after 18 years of quality.

Thanks Leely2.

Yes Trio is still there and the sister restaurant Vitea on the Malecon. Both excellent restaurants.

And you know I will! (zumba on that is, i've got 2 classes a day on the schedule - whoohoo)

Have a most Vallarta time Suze!

Suze, we are considering PV for our annual escape winter vacation in February. I am watching this thread. We've been to Cabo twice and that was enough. We like to stay in condos, prefer ocean views, love to walk, eat, boating excursions.

Hello Suze. I will be going to PV 6/30-7/4 for the first time. I want to be as close to as much as possible: restaurants, shopping, nightlife. And then not to far from the beach just to check it out. Any recommendations on where to stay? I seen the map ov various zones but unsure what is where.

Great Mapa Carbon!

Have a look at the Buenaventura. It is in the hotel zone at the beginning of the malecon and walking distance to everywhere. It is also on a good beach (for in town in PV), sonthat would be my choice. There are also hotels in the romantic zone area, but those are all near so much construction that it's not relaxing. Being out of that chaos is your best bet IMO. Enjoy:)

Have a look at the Buenaventura. It is in the hotel zone at the beginning of the malecon and walking distance to everywhere. It is also on a good beach (for in town in PV), sonthat would be my choice. There are also hotels in the romantic zone area, but those are all near so much construction that it's not relaxing. Being out of that chaos is your best bet IMO. Enjoy:)

slw~

Sorry i missed your question, I've been in Puerto Vallarta for two weeks -haha.

For condos look at www.vallarta-getaways.com Saska or www.puerto-vallarta-rentals.com Jeff Musto those are the two i have used with nice selections in the Romantic Zone.

Also www.pvrpv.com has a huge inventory and a good search engine on their website so it's handy too.

Star1~

The maps cabron linked will show you how things are. Take some time to study then & really get the hang of the various zones and how they lay out in relation to each other.

Because of all the construction in Zona Romantica (south of the Rio Cuale) right now, I do hesitate to recommend some of the usual favorite places. But the ones on the beach aren't affected by the building that is happening more up on the hill or heading inland- say The Tropicana or Hotel Playa Los Arcos are both OK.

Or look in Centro (Hotel Rosita) or the Hotel Zone (Buenaventura as suggested above).

All good options.

Hi Suze, welcome home!

It appears that we will not be going to Puerto Vallarta this year. But since I've done some research on it, it means it would be easy to plan a trip for another year. I do appreciate your assistance on this, and I will let you know when we will be going to PV.

Just came across this. We often rent villas in PV and that area and I was about to give you my recs. Where are you going instead?

Crosscheck, I am always interested in your recommendations!

After conferring with friends who own a timeshare in PV, and re-checking weather sites, we decided that PV in November isn't of us. Temps in the 90s and equal humidity is not my idea of a tropical vacation! Our friends only go to PV in Dec/Jan/Feb.

Suze, I knew you were in PV, I just posted when I read this thread otherwise I would forget. :-) I will come back later this summer to check on your recommendations, thanks. Got a week in Sanibel first and we won't go to PV until February. Welcome back, hope you had a great time.

Crosscheck, I would be interested in your recommendations.

Kathie, Wow, I didn't realize November is that much warmer than December, when we go. When we stay in town, we rent villas in lower Conchas Chinas. It's the ideal location, on the beach but walkable to everywhere. Don't have a lot of restaurant recs because we always eat in our villa. Many of the villas are B&Bs during the non-holiday weeks, so you can totally relax with chef service.

Places we frequent:

Red Cabbage - a must for dinner, in a converted house on a side street off the beaten track, amazing mole, woman owned (go back and explore that neighborhood during the day)
Dee's Café - coffee and amazing baked goods after your morning power walk (expat hangout)
My Mexican Kitchen - cooking class in Bucerias for a fun evening
Lucy's CuCu Cabana - well-curated folk art
El Moreno - stellar street tacos, corner of Madero and Constitución

And, for day trips:
Yelapa - remote fishing village accessible only by boat for hikes, waterfalls, beaches, glittering tropical beauty, old hippie hangout
Sayulita - one of Mexico's coolest surf towns (find the chicken lady)