Is this hotel currently being in the process of renovation? What do you think about this place? Good location? Clean? etc.

I think it is one of the best hotels in the city, but I don't know about renovations now. The location is a short (& cheap) cab ride from downtown and has the best hotel beach in town in my opinion. Top notch service and the restaurants at the hotel are very good. We currently stay at the Krystal because we always have at least one child with us and it has more for kids to do, but if going without kids I would certainly recommend the Camino if it is within your budget. Maybe someone else can respond about the renovations?

We were at the Camino Real last month and saw no renovations going on. The hotel is very nice, on a beautiful beach with lots of shady palapas. If you can afford, or get upgraded to, a club room (if you are a Hiltons Honors member, they may upgrade you which they did for us after I nicely asked) that is ideal as you get a very nice buffet breakfast and cocktail hour gratis. I think if you called the 800 number for Camino Real,they would tell you whether renovations were going on.

In the opinion of people who go to PV, would you recommend staying at a place like Camino Real or would you think Molino de Aqua is a better spot to stay? Is the later noisy or in a bad location? Thanks.

These would both be good choices, but totally different types of places. Camino is in a little bay on it's own with very nice beach that the hotel always maintains beautifully. You are a little bit away from town, quiet spot, but still a short cab ride away from the action. Molina is right in town but when you enter the grounds a bit you wouldn't even know it. It has a tropical feel with lots of vegetation. Most of the rooms are cabana style along pathways, but there is a 2 story building of rooms right on the beach also. Nice advantage to this spot is the location-you step out of the hotel right into downtown PV. I have not had the pleasure of staying at the Molina so I can't tell you how the service is or the inside of the rooms, but I would like to try it someday. I pick up a home tour bus there every year, so I visit the hotel annually and I didn't think it was loud. I would say the Camino is a "nicer" place, but either one would be good in my opinion.

For Kim, I would choose Molino de Agua because I LOVE to stay in the "old town" area of PV. It is right in town on both the river and the ocean, definitely not a bad location. Town is noisy but Molino is situated as a large walled garden (old mango grove?) so reasonably quiet once you're on the property.<BR><BR>Camino Real is a resort with its own beach but at least 10-15 mins. taxi or bus ride from town. I like to be able to walk around El Centro (downtown), the Malecon, the different neighborhoods, go to the main local beach (Playa Los Muertos).<BR><BR>For Molino de Agua I would skip the cabins because they're quite small and situated along the garden path everyone walks on (don't feel very private). There are two other options, the ocean "view" rooms which are older set back from the beach but nice airy Mexican style. And new 2-story brick building with fancier suites, slate floors, good furnishings, and private patios that overlook the beach and ocean. The hotel has two large pools, very well kept gardens, a couple outdoor restaurants.<BR><BR>Feel free to email me direct if you have other specific questions I might answer. I've vacationed enough times I figure it adds up to about 7 months in PV. I don't have experience in the resort areas, but I know the heart of town like my own hometown.

Hi,<BR>Just a correction to Susan's post. The Camino Real is a 5 minute cab ride to town or if you want to save the 3 dollars you can take the bus that stops at the entrance to the camino real and takes you right into town in about 10 mintues for 4 1/2 pesos (about 50UScents).

I agree, the cab ride is pretty short, 5 minutes is probably more accurate than 15 minutes. It would probably take 15 minutes from Camino to the Marina (quite a bit north of downtown), but not to old town.

OK~ now you've all got me curious ;-) Honestly the time I quoted was repeating what had been posted by previous hotel guests (obviously a dangerous habit!). <BR><BR>One person said Camino Real was "walking distance" to town at about 25 mins. Isn't that right along the edge of the highway without much room for pedestrians? Possible but pleasant??? I've walked the beach as far south as El Set which took about 40 mins. and that still wasn't quite to Camino Real (private cove). Siempre, muchas gracias.

Hi,<BR>I just got back from the Camino Real Puerto Vallarta recently. I didn't see any signs of any major renovations going on although I did see that one of the floors in the CR Club tower that looked like it was being redecorated (curtains down and furniture piled up inside.) The Camino Real is absolutely great and I'd highly recommend it. <BR>PS Susan, you are right the the walk to town from the CR is along the highway and is ok but you walk right by the traffic which isn't the greatest. I walked it several times and I'd say 25 minutes is about right.

I would agree, the road is too narrow to walk comfortably from the Camino to town without being too close to the traffic, but I guess that depends on your "risk tolerance!" I would personally not recommend it.

How difficult is it to get a cab to town? How late do they run? Is the Club Tower worth the extra money--e.g., is the happy hour nice and the breakfast good? Why do you think the Camino Real is so nice--isn't it older than other places? How expensive is transportation to the airport? Would you suggest airport transfers that cost $36 for roundtrip for 2 people? Thanks

Cabs are plentiful all over PV. You will find a line of them waiting at the hotel waiting for you (this is true at any large hotel in PV). You should be able to find a cab back to your hotel easily at any late hour of the evening. The food and drinks at this hotel are excellent, the gourmet restaurant La Perla is one of the best in town. The hotel is one of the older ones in PV, but it is meticulously maintained, has excellent service, and if you like a good beach at your hotel this one is the best. Yes there are wonderful beaches you can "day trip" to around PV, but Camino's beach compared to other hotels is wonderful-it is away from all other hotels, so it is almost private (legally, no beach in PV is private). I would think a cab to and from the airport would be a bit cheaper than the airport transfer you are considering, but someone else should confirm that. Also, I have not stayed in one of the new Club Tower rooms, so maybe someone else can also comment on that part of your question. Have fun!

Regarding PV airport taxi service. The cabs out of the airport are regulated (white). The rate into Old Town was $23US or 200 pesos 12/01 (Camino Real is a bit further). But returning to the airport you can take a normal town cab (yellow). We paid 75 peso (approx.) for the return trip, again from Old Town area.<BR><BR>So that $36US quoted doesn't sound like a real-deal or a rip-off either one. Whether is it as convenient as simply hopping in a taxi, I couldn't say.

I just got back from the Camino Real this week. I think the extra cost of staying in the Club Tower is actually a good deal. All of the Club rooms have nice-sized shaded patios with beautiful views of the beach; I think the majority of the rooms in the original tower have railings so that you can open the sliding glass doors but no patio to sit out on. "Wake-up" coffee, tea and/or juice is brought to your room -- that ALONE is worth the extra cost to someone like me who is incapable of even flopping on a lounge chair without coffee!<BR><BR>The breakfast buffet is fabulous: omelettes made to order, wonderful fruit, cereal, eggs, bacon & sausage, potatoes, a great assortment of bread and rolls, 2 or 3 classical mexican dishes such as chilaquiles, tamales, and mollettes and more (and more!). I'd estimate that about 15% of the items change daily so that you could have a different breakfast every morning if you wanted.<BR><BR>Unfortunately we never managed to make it to the cocktail hour but it looked good with a nice (and plentiful)selection of hors d'oeuvres -- and the people there seemed to be enjoying it.<BR><BR>About the only Club Tower feature that doesn't live up to its billing is the private concierge. I think I only saw her at her desk one time during my entire stay. But the front desk staff are very helpful, as are the bell boys, so it's no great loss.<BR><BR>I'd be happy to answer any other questions you've got about the hotel or PV.

Thanks everyone for your response. Dede--did you book with the hotel or did you book thru an agent? What are the rates for a club room?

Kim, room prices are dependent upon the time of year -- much lower now during low season (May to October?) than during peak season. I'm not positive but rates may be even lower during the rainy months (June through August).<BR><BR>The best Club room rate I was able to find was $150/night on Expedia. It was also the best rate my travel agent could find through the packagers she has access to. Other online travel agents and the hotel's website were quoting $180/night. Last year we made our reservations with the agent but this year I booked through Expedia because I was able to get a terrific airfare online and didn't need the full package.<BR><BR>I was speaking with another guest at the hotel & he said that he didn't like the rates he was finding (not sure if they were through an agent or online) so he called the hotel directly and got an excellent rate: $90/night (he was not staying in the Club tower and is a VERY frequent repeat visitor, like 4X a year for the past 15 years). All that being said, it still may be worth a phone call to the hotel. The phone number from the US is: 011-52-322-15000.<BR><BR>Good luck.

We're planning on staying at PV Camino Real in August~~we're from Texas, so there's no fear of the searing heat here!! Anyway...I was wondering if the hotel is under renovation or not...has anyone stayed there recently?