Just back from Puerto Vallarta
 

Not a question.... I just wanted to report that prices in the area are about the same at restaurants and hotels that you might find in the US. Except for liquor in bottles, everything was quite expensive, I thought, i.e. dinner and drinks for 4 at a nice restaurant.... $100-$150 US. Daiquiris at a nice restaurant.... $9.50 US each.
Vendors on the street much less likely to bargain with you... just want you to pay what they ask....
Maybe this is good for Mexicans but I am unsure whose pockets all this money is going into.
Puerto Vallarta is not the place to go for an inexpensive vacation. Maybe other places in Mexico are still reasonable for people on budgets.

Sorry, but I must disagree. While it is true you CAN pay the prices posted above in Vallarta, you don't have to. It depends entirely where you stay and where you choose to eat.

There are still plenty of nice cafes & restaurants where you can get a nice meal with a drink for ~$20 per person. There are many hotels for ~$50/night in the Old Town.

I am not doubting mikepapas' experience stated above, in fact I'm sure it's true. But just because he had an expensive vacation I don't think it's fair to say that PV is not the place to go for an inexpensive vacation... because it can be. I know, I do it.

Suze is correct. The Red Cabbage is one of the best in town & we have never spent over $18 a plate including salad & desert for dinner. Lot of places you can eat for under $10.
PS I have dreams about their incredible Carnitas.

For the *average* tourist who especially is going there for the first time, will more than likley stay at a top name resort or hotel and end up eating on the Malecon,Marina or at the resort.For that PV has become very expensive. I was just there last week, been there now 4 times at a resort in which i now own a timeshare at and then previously on a cruise several times.Yes, you can go there with very careful planning and research specific restaurants that are inexpensive to eat but most dont want that.Bottom line for the average tourist, it has become very expensive.Vendors dont want to bargain the way they used too, cab rides are up and good restaurants are VERY expensive, I agree with you MikePapas.

I agree with lvitaly. We went to PV for the first time in December after going to the Caribbean side of Mexico for years. We did the research and got a great priced vacation package for an AI hotel. However, we did eat/drink outside of the hotel a few times and found the prices to be on the high side. However, it seems like all food/drinks prices outside of an AI hotel anywhere now is on the high side. Some destinations more than others, which is way we keep going to AI resorts and just pay for a few meals outside of the resort instead of all meals.

If a person is willing to not stay and eat/drink in the tourist known areas, they probably will get by on a less expensive vacation, but most people on vacation don't want to do that, which is what those establishments are hoping for.

Taxis have not had a rate increase recently, so they maybe trying to inflate their charges, ask to see the rate chart, which they are required to carry.
There are many places to eat and drink for far less than north of the border, but you must do a little Googling to find them.
For example here's a list with prices of many good, but not expensive, restaurants:
http://vallartainfo.com/puerto-valla...sider.html#bar
US$1.00 beers and US$2.00 margaritas are not hard to find, just walk away from the heavy tourist areas, - the Malecón. Although there's one bar there, "The Cheeky Monkey" which does offer US$1.00 beers and US$2.00 margaritas

Well I humbly still disagree...

I DO stay in a "tourist area", the same part of town I've stayed in since my first trip to Puerto Vallarta (18 trips ago). And it doesn't take any research to find $10 meals. Just walk down B. Badillo ("restaurant row").

I'll also propose that there is no *average* tourist. I don't think you can generalize about what most people do or don't want. Proved by the crowdes of tourists staying on the south-side (Zona Romantica) in less expensive local hotels or renting condos or apartments.

Plenty of first timers choose to go this route, not going to high-priced all-inclusive resorts in the Marina and Hotel Zone, and find their way around inexpensive local bars and restaurants just fine.

I am not in disagreement that you CAN spend as much in Vallarta as you would at various resort destinations in the U.S., but I am simply saying you don't have to.

I guess it all depends on what you are looking for, I agree that places that were reasonable a few yrs ago are not any longer We would go to high end places and every other night go to cheaper ones that were very good too. Now the cheaper restaurants are up to what the expensive ones were. We calculated that we spend approximately $250 a day for tipping eating lunch & drinking at the hotel and going out to dinner w/taxis that is for 2 people and we eat breakfast in the condo we rent but it is at a resort. If I have to cut back on what I enjoy I would rather not go, however that all said I do agree that the prices have gone up especially in the last few years. Hopefully that won't stop me from going because that is the case all over.

I do agree prices have gone up as PV continues to grow. That same $50 hotel room used to be $18!

Here's an interesting recent link to a frugal trip report to PV (from the New York Times).

http://tinyurl.com/2v32rq

Sigh...I should read more carefully. The article is from 1998...I thought it said 2008. Clearly I need a vacation - good thing I leave for PV in just a few weeks.

;-)

beanweb24~ in a way that article illustrates my point. It says a single room at Posada de Roger (where I usually stay) was $33 in 1998. Now it is $44 low season rates. $11 in 10 years is not all that shocking of a raise in prices imo.

We were there in January and found it to be very reasonable. Our best meals were at Barcelona Tapas and for the 2 of us (with drinks) ran about $50, which I think was very good for the quality. It's certainly less expensive than other "sun break" destinations such as Hawaii and Palm Springs.

If you choose to eat at expensive restaurants and stay in expensive "top name resorts", then yes, sure, it is expensive.

I'm just saying there are many many other options if you want to vacation in Vallarta and are on a budget.

If you choose not to frequent the more budget friendly hotels and restaurants.... that's certainly your choice. But it's not fair to say all of PV is expensive, because it is not.

If anyone *is* interested in how to take an inexpensive vacation in Old Town Vallarta, just ask, I'm happy to list the hotels and restaurants that fit a more modest budget.

I'm interested in yummy but inexpensive restaurants where dining alone won't be an issue. I am staying at Marriott Casa Magna - my first solo trip ever - but prefer not to have my meals there.

Is Barcelona Tapas okay for single dining? I tried to book a table for 1 online at Open Table and was rejected...but when I upped the person count to 2, they had availability. Am wondering if they frown upon single diners.

beanweb24~ My best suggestion is to take a bus or taxi from the Marina district down to the south-side ("Zona Romantica") one evening (maybe 15-20 mins. away). Get off at the corner of Vallarta and B. Badillo by the Posada de Roger hotel.

From there you can easily walk to: Joe Jacks Fish Shack, Cafe de Olla, Fajita Republic, Roberto's... even Il Torrito sports bar. I have eaten at all of these places solo very comfortably many times. All are reasonably priced.

Sorry never been to Barcelona Tapas or tried to make reservations for dinner anywhere in advance in Vallarta.

Have you been to the PV forum over at Trip Advisor too? Lots of people posting there who also can help to make your 1st trip go smoothly. Or feel free to email person-to-person from TA (suze2you) with any specifics.

Also... Cafe Roma near the church, and La Piazzetta on Olas Altas near the south-side beach are two nice casual Italian places.

Thanks for the recs, Suze...and I will go check out the TA forum!

p.s. for beanweb~ Casa Magna Marriott is a beautiful hotel! i was there just 1 night in an ocean view room when Alaska Air couldn't get our plane out & that's where we got the voucher to stay. Great open air lobbies, tropical landscaping, fantastic pool area, helpful and efficient staff in my limited experience. Restaurants more $ than downtown, as expected. It's convenient to the airport and not too far from downtown.