Hi - we are a couple in our 50's planning a trip for late April '07.Never traveled to Mexico or Central America but would like ideas. We enjoy "budget luxury", nice restaurants, a couple of cocktails at a nice bar, sightseeing and beach! Any suggestions for us? We enjoyed the Bucuti in Aruba and Grand Case in St. Martin for example. Not sure about AI places because we like to try new restaurants. Help please!

Puerto Vallarta might fit the bill? I don't know the two examples you gave to be able to compare. But there are loads of great restaurants and bars in all price ranges, sightseeing, and beach (although it it the Pacific coast so more rough not as smooth white/turquoise water as you find the Caribbean beaaches).

Thanks, Suze! The two places I meantioned are smallish hotels, not huge resorts, both on great beaches. Do you have any specific suggestions in Puerto Vallarta?

If you like Grand Case ( I lived there in the late 70's) you most likely prefer something a bit less intense then PV. Checkout Zihuatanejo basically PV 35 years ago. Lots of small intimate Inns including the Solimar, Las Brisas Del Mar (not to be confused with Brisas is Ixtapa) & a the Catalina. Check them & others out at www.zihuatanejo.net. PV was my favorite beach destination in Mexico until I found Zihua. It is still my second favorite but Zihua is just SO special. Small bay with 4 beaches, wonderful restaurants & very nice people.

Stewbear - i just cked out the websites you suggested...I am pleasantly shocked by the low rates (vs the carribean)...is there a catch!!???

If you would like the beautiful blue water and white sand of the Caribbean look at Isla Mujeres or Tulum. Playa del Carmen is also an option, although lots busier.

I don't know what kind of rate you are looking at for the Pacific coast, but I just booked ocean front on Isla for $110.00 per night in January.

Nope. No catch but hurry as the rates unfortunately are going up many places in Zihua. Still you can get a full dinner at places like the Ricomar (table service al fresco) in Pozole Alley for around $3 US. Lot's of really nice places foe $6 to $15 US for dinner. The three hotels I mentioned are all middle class, Safe, clean & secure with the Las Brisas the best. It is on Playa Madera my favorite beach with the best beach café in all of Mexico, MJ & Richie's on it. Not the fanciest but the best staff, food & prices. Now if you want high end check out The Villa del Sol & Interwest with $500 to $600 suites & rooms. Not my cup of tea but there if you are looking for that.

Thanks so much for the information! No, we can do without $600 rooms, Stewbear. JeanH, do you have a website to recommend?

Sorry, the places I stay myself in Puerto Vallarta are very "budget" so I don't think my particular hotel choices are quite what you are looking for.

Suze, you are on the right track. we do NOT want 5-600 buck a nite rooms. Not unless we get to take home the furniture. We have paid in the 200 range in the Aruba and SXM - and some of the rates I saw on the PV accommodation websites were so much lower ...I had not realized we could do so much better in Mexico, pricewise. Would love you to share your favorites with us.

Recommend www.costalegre.ca
www.tomzap.com
M (SMdA, Gto.)

but my favorites are of the $50/night variety!! www.hotelposadaderoger.com

i'm pretty sure it's not what you want but might give you an idea of what you get for the price in that part of town. it's spotless, clean, safe, but very very basic. kind of like summer camp near the beach.

maybe some place like:
www.htropicanapv.com
www.quinta-maria.com

oops sorry, new website address for the Tropicana is:
www.hoteltropicana.com

www.hoteltropicana.com/tropicana_puerto_vallarta

Here's one of the main Isla websites. http://www.isla-mujeres.net/

The hotel I was speaking about is Hotel Playa de Media Luna.

If you'd like to see our pictures of Isla, e-mail me [email protected]

Thanks, suze and jean - anything else you can think of please post. I have gotten great advice in the past from these posts.

I'll look forward to seeing what you pick. I think you have gotten excellent suggestions (if I do say so myself -LOL)... Zijuat, PV, Playa del Carmen, and Isla Mujeres are each special places that would make a good introduction to Mexico (and have a beach).

La Guadalupana - Coyoaca - Mexico City

no beach in Mexico City

AS far as beaches go, of the places I've visited in Mexico, the beach at Cancun was the best. The sand is like flour - white and very soft. I thought the sand at Puerto Vallarta was rather coarse and dark, Mazatlan was OK but not memorable. Another downside to our visit to Puerto Vallarta was that most of the resorts were far outside of town and required a $20 taxi ride each way to get anywhere. Cancun has a good local bus system for about $1 per ride and it's easy to get around to both the touristy areas and the real town.