All-inclusive in PV: which hotel is best?
 

Hi,
Planning an all-inclusive vacation in Puerto Vallarta in late January 2005. I have never been and have read mixed reviews of various hotels in the downtown area (we want to be near downtown). Any recommendations or recent personal experiences to share about hotels or all-inclusives? All will be welcome. Thanks!

Go to tripadvisor.com for reviews of various PV hotels...
I would have recommended the Camino Real, but it's now an Al, and under renovation...
PV is known for great restaurants, so Al doesn't seem like the best idea to me.
Spend your time in the older section (south of the river) and you'll love PV...
I'm sure some PV experts will have some great ideas for you...

The reason you're finding mixed reviews is the all-inclusives in the downtown area aren't that great. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE puerto vallarta dearly. But I stay at small local hotels and eat out in all the fabulous restaurants. The better A-I resorts are out in The Hotel Zone, The Marina, or further north in Nuevo Vallarta. I'm not recommending them either, again I LOVE downtown... it's simply the two (A-I's and El Centro PV) don't really go together.

These two websites also have bulletin boards similar to this one but specific to PV:
www.allvallarta.com
www.puertovallarta.net

Also if you have specific hotels in mind and want to name them, I'm happy to comment if I know about them.

I asked this question on the BB I mentioned above, and the reply confirmed what I had heard before.

The Buenaventura is fairly close to downtown to the north, and offers A-I with good food. Near/on the beach on the southside Los Arcos and The San Marino both offer A-I. Los Arcos and San Marino have the better location closer to El Centro, but Buenaventura has the better food and is a bit more upscale hotel.

I agree w/Frankie try trip advisor.com and you can read the reviews. I don't recommend all inclusives in P. Vallarta there is too much to see and do. However Dreams the former Camino Real is under renovation but is all inclusive now. It has a great beach but the reviews have been mixed. From what I have read the renovating s/b over by the time you go. My husband and I stayed there when it was the Camino Real and we really liked it but like I said before I wouldn't go all inclusive in P. V. If you do not have any children with you you might want to consider the Premier hotel read good reviews on trip advisor. Good Luck

There are some places where AI might make sense in some circumstances for some people. Vallarta is definitely *NOT* one of those places.

As others have told you, Vallarta is a town with *LOTS* of very affordable, very GOOD restaurants. It is exactly the kind of place where AI makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

Thanks for all your replies! We've actually been narrowing down the choices and the Buenaventura seems to be the top choice for us right now, in terms of value for our dollar. Apparently there have been some major renovations there in 2003 and reviews I have read so far have been positive. Plus, it's close to downtown. Suse, have you been there b4? Any comments? Thanks again! Can't wait to go! Two more months!

No sorry, only driven by it on a bus, never stayed or visited the Buenaventura Hotel. But that is not meant as a negative comment, it's only that I always stay "south of the river" and not in an A-I hotel. For what it's worth, I think it would be the best bet for an A-I + walking distance to El Centro combination.