Four night is PV
 

Finding ourselves unexpectedly having four nights in Puerto Vallarta, before we head south to our final destination. Dates are mid-February.

Thinking we would like to be close to the old town area for restaurants, but I'm not a big fan of the beach there, so a nice pool would be a good thing. Looking at Rosita, but also open to other suggestions. We don't want to be totally on the cheap, but not necessarily looking to blow a lot of money on what is really a short addendum to our travel plans. Unless, of course, you know of a place that is so amazingly wonderful, it's worth spending a few extra dollars/pesos.

Any suggestions?

Check out Los Cuatro Vientos, PV's second oldest Inn. High above but still a easy walk down to the Malacon (Cab back) it is quaint, charming with great views from the El Nido lounge of the roof.Excellent food. Small, but deep pool
Not luxary, but clean, neat & friendly

I think Hotel Rosita is a solid choice. Do spring for an ocean or pool view room there, because the cheaper rooms are on the backside of the hotel right on a very busy street (traffic noise).

The most amazing pool I know of is at Selva Romantica, a lovely condo complex up on the hill on the south-side but I'm not sure about renting for only 4 days there. You can google it, several local property managers have units available there.

For on the cheap my best recommendation is www.hotelposadaderoger.com. I've stayed there a dozen times. Kind of like Mexican summer camp. It does have a small sunny pool and rooftop sundeck, 2 blocks in from Los Muertos. Very basic, but clean and really reasonably priced.

For a better beach you lose the convenient of being in town but could look at someplace like Costa Sur (budget) or Casa Karma (splurge) on the south shore about 10 mins. outside the south end of town by taxi or bus.

If you have other places you're considering, do post. I am in PV twice a year every year and stay in Old Town.

Also once you get settled where you'll stay, if you would like restaurant or other recommendations for things to do, transportation, anything... just ask.

I wouldn't consider Rosita (even though I love it there) because you want a beach and it really doesn't have one. To be honest, there are not really great beaches in PV, but if you want a great one you have to be further out (north or south). I you're willing to give up a great beach I would look at Buenaventura. Especailly for a short stay because they have a decent beach and walking distance to the malecon. If you want a good beach and don't care about walking around town and just want to relax, look at the hotelsin Nuevo> The Riu Jalsico/Vallarta, the dreams villamagna. Great beaches and sold resorts.

I always feel a sense of History whenever I walk through the Rosita. I still feel the spirts of Liz, Dick, Walter and other ghosts in the hallways

The Rosita is great, our oldest hotel opened in 1948, a long time before Vallarta became famous. Great location with lots of history.

<would like to be close to the old town area for restaurants, but I'm not a big fan of the beach there, so a nice pool would be a good thing>

I took this post to mean they know about the beach, and are willing to overlook it, because it's more important to stay right in town for the restaurants and such.

OP here - suze, you're correct; I'm not that concerned about having a beach. (We're heading south after four days and will be staying on a nice beach in a small town). I was thinking staying in town would make things easy, because we'll be taking the Primera Plus south, and it would be simpler to get the tickets and then get to the place to catch the bus from a downtown hotel. Also - I prefer to be in an older Mexican hotel, rather than a resort-type place.

So - I decided to go ahead with Rosita - we haven't stayed there before, but have friends who have, and we spent an afternoon there with them a couple years ago.

But - I tried booking on their website, and even though I notified my credit card's bank, it and another card were automatically declined. The website seemed a little glitchy, so I called the toll-free number on the website, and talked with a woman who answered the phone. She spoke no English, but my Spanish is good enough to make a reservation and put it on the card.

She said everything was okay - and they would send me an email to confirm in 20 minutes. After a day, and no email, I looked at my credit card transactions, and there is a "pending" charge for El Pescador Hotel in PV.

Not where I want to stay.

I don't quite understand why they did that, unless the two hotels are somehow affiliated. The phone number was from the Rosita website.

Now I don't want to call them back and try to figure this mess out in Spanish - my Spanish isn't THAT great.

I guess I will contact the credit card bank and cancel the charge - I have to wait until it's not pending to do that, though.

Ugh, this is turning into a hassle.

Well that's not good :-(

el Pescador is their sister hotel. And it nowhere near as nice as Rosita (I wouldn't stay there).

I know people have gotten Rosita reservations thru booking.com.

I've always booked direct with PV hotels, but then their front desk staff has always spoken English.

Sorry for the hassle. Hope you find a good resolution.

Could you have called the wrong number? seeing that the Pescador and the Rosita are connected.

No - the toll-free number is apparently for both hotels, even though it was on the Rosita website I was looking at, so it wasn't clear to me that I was booking El Pescador. When I went back to look at the website this morning, I did notice a very small logo for El Pescador at the bottom of one of the pages, with a small printed "Our Sister Hotel" next to it. I was looking for it, or I would never have noticed it.

Shout out to my credit card - Capital One Venture - I called today to see if they could take the charge off my bill (it is no longer "pending") and they got me a fluent Spanish speaking agent who made a conference call with me to Rosita to try to straighten it out.

Turns out that Rosita is full for my dates, so they booked me into El Pescador. It is entirely possible I missed that fact when I called over the weekend - my Spanish is elementary and the connection wasn't the best.

Anyway, I think it's taken care of - I have canceled the El Pescador reservation - but now I am back to Square One, looking for a hotel with pool near downtown PV.

The Tropicana
Hotel Playa Los Arcos/Casa Dona Susana/Los Arcos Suites
San Marino
Hotel Posada de Roger
Hotel Encino
Buenaventura/Villa Premiere
Sheraton

After a lot of back and forth, finally wrangled an ocean view room at Rosita for four nights. A little pre-holiday before we head south for our two week "real" beach vacation.

So - it turns out we will be in PV for Valentine's Day, and are thinking it would be nice to go to a romantic restaurant. Have been in many other Mexican towns and cities for Valentine's over the years - and always love that there is so much more observation of this holiday - Dia de Amor y Amistad - in Mexico than in the US. Rose petals and votive candles ... and lots of frilly decorations everywhere that will stay in place for months, lol.

Any suggestions for a nice dinner? suze?

hola~ Oceanfront Rosita is a wonderful 'solution'!

Sorry I don't know who decorates, I'm never down that time of year.

My favorite places for the food are: el Mole de Jovita, Joe Jack's Fish Shack, Cafe de Olla, Anejo Limon, The Red Cabbage.

But favorite places for view and atmosphere would be: La Palapa, el Dorado, Daiquiri Dick's, or Vitea.

I have never been but this place is up near your hotel and gets good comments over at Trip Advisor (and has view):

http://bistroteresa.com/

Thanks, suze. They all look good - especially that new one.

And the decorations? Well, Valentine's day is second only to Christmas as far as decorations. And it seems as if they don't take one set down until it's time for the next holiday celebration ... sometimes those fancy Christmas decorations are still in place in February, dusty and a little forlorn looking. I love that about Mexico - have been traveling at all times of the year - and almost all areas of the country - since the early 1970s.

Very romantic ? Casa Isabel, up on high with a magnificent view, or on the beach at La Palapa, who have a special Romantic Dinner http://www.lapalapapv.com/romantic-dinner/

cabron, I do love the view at Casa Isabel and would certainly go for drinks at happy hour (which I have done in the past, the view is killer!) but no one seems to like their food lately? It gets lukewarm reviews at best.

I understand that Palapa and El Dorado are both being run by the same owner now and are very elegant and right on the beach (can eat under the palapa in the dining areas or out toes-in-the-sand.