Carol27

My daughter and I are planning on vacationing in Puerto Vallarta in November of this year.

It has become overwhelming trying to pick a hotel out of the many available choices .

We would like to be in the old town, near the beach and have two double or twin beds . I think we have narrowed it down to these choices.

Hacienda Alemana which is a distance from the Beach

Casa Amorita which is also a distance from the Beach

Playa Los Arcos which is definitely on the Beach and gets differing reviews

Hotel Posada de Roger which receives good reviews and closer to the Beach than the first and second mentioned places.

Does anyone have any comments that would help us choose a place to stay from many miles away?

Carol

KVR

I have stayed at the Playa Los Arcos. It's a solid 3* hotel with a nice pool. Great location to walk to the Maceleon and several restaurants/bars. Make sure and get a suite. The regular rooms are small and the bathrooms are tiny. We literally had to squeeze around the corner of the sink to get to the toliet. The ocean was red flagged our entire trip. It's not something I would want to swim in anyway. The beaches there are quite subpar compared to the Caribbean side of Mexico. We chose the hotel due to price, pool and location and got what we expected.

suze

Hacienda Alemana and Casa Amorita are by far the nicest on your list!!

HA is 'on the flat' located inland in the Zona Romantica ("southside") on B. Badillo so about 6 blocks to Playa Los Muertos. My favorite part of town.

CA is in Centro ("downtown") at Matamoros & Inturbide which is near the church (with the crown on the top that's a symbol of PV). As you can tell by the view photos from this hotel, it is way UP a steep hill.

Hotel Playa Los Arcos is beach-front but would be my last choice of the 4 because it's a very busy family-oriented hotel. 3-stars at best. It offers All-Inclusive packages. It's the most different from the other three.

I dearly love Posada de Roger myself, and have stayed there a dozen times over the years, but it is an extremely basic budget hotel. It gets good reviews because it's a local family-owned, clean & friendly place to stay, but it's accommodations and amenities are nothing like the level of the first two you're considering.

Does that help? suze

Rohelio

I once stayed in the AI San Marino hotel on the beach. We upgraded (small charge) to a room right on the beach (two double beds)on the second level and the view was fantastic especially the sunsets right from our balcony. We had breakfast and lunch there everyday but chose to have diner at local restaurants nearby. Like KVR mentioned, the beaches in PV are not the greatest so make sure you get a nice swimming pool which San Marino has by the way. I have been to Posada de Roger but chose not to stay there.

suze

And I would never stay at the San Marino.

gabriele

I am not a fan of Old Town Puerto Vallarta but loved the Hacienda Alemana. It's an elegant and warm oasis in an otherwise nonelegant neighborhood (which is how I would describe most of Old Town). Their standard room remains my favorite after having subsequently stayed at the Sheraton, Fiesta Americana and Riu Palace. Also has a good restaurant and the owner was very pleasant to deal with. And is an easy walk from the beach.

suze

Those of us who adore the Old Town of Vallarta, it isn't because it is "elegant". That's true enough.

Carol27

Thanks so much for all your input. We have now decided where we will stay. Your prompt replies certainly made the decision much easier.
Oh and by the way Suze you helped my daughter (mlgriffi) plan her first trip to PV in February. It is because she loved it so much that she has convinced me ,her Mom , to return with her this trip. I am so looking forward to it.

suze

Wow, I'm truly flattered. Helping two generations get themselves to Puerto Vallarta. I hope you come to love it as much as I do.

Mlgriffi

Hi Suze! Remember me? I'm "the daughter"! My husband and I had such a wonderful time in PV that this time I'm taking my mom. We visited Antiqua, Guatemala together a few years ago, and since she loved it, I know she will also love PV.

I am currently working to book Hacienda Alemana based on the comments above.

We will surely write another trip report. You may have started a family tradition. Thanks again!

M

suze

Hi M, Thanks for the shout out, I appreciate it! I love helping people "discover" Puerto Vallarta. Pretty much everyone I've ever help plan trips, falls in love with it. That's sweet you're taking your Mom.

I've never stayed there but I know Hacienda Alamana has really upgraded in recent years, added a pool, etc. (it used to be a more budget basic place). Their German restaurant on site gets great reviews. Plus I like most any location south of the Rio Cuale best.

cabron

Hacienda Alemana is barely 7 years old. Mike Pohl, the owner built it from scratch after first building the restaurant, it was never a 'budget basic place'

suze

Thank you cabron for the live-from-PV correction. Obviously I am very mixed up! I thought it was the same property where the German restaurant had been located for years?

suze

OK, they straightened me out over on the Trip Advisor PV forum.

The same owner Michael used to rent his restaurant at Café Frankfurt/Hotel Frankfurt which was the budget hotel I was thinking of. The Hacienda Alemana is a new from the ground-up building.

I apologize sincerely for making that mistake or causing any confusion.