BayouGal

Thinking about a trip to PV and Yelapa during last week of May. Is this a bad time to go? What's the weather like? Hotels, restaurants open? Activities still available during this off season?

Have to wait for kids to get out of school to travel there, but wouldn't want to go during a bad timeframe so need your advice.

Thanks for the help!

Stewbear

May is a good time to go. A bit humid but not like July to October. Much more peaceful than high season but still most places open. PV really has become a 10 month resort with only September, October real slow, I've done May & next to Thanksgiving time it's my favorite season.

BayouGal

Thanks, Stewbear! Any HOTEL recommendations (preferably close to or on beach, and where we can walk to most of the action)? I've read that for our first trip to PV we should stay in the old town area. What's your opinion?

Thanks for your help!

Stewbear

Well I agree about staying in Old Town. Depending on your budget a nice medium priced place on the Beach is Los Arcos right on Play de Los Muertos. Another nice option Is The Molina de Auga in a lovely garden setting right in the heart of Old Town next to the river island. Both little cottages & modern hotel type rooms. Lovely peaceful pool. It's on the ocean but a few steps from the beach. Nice café. Lots of other options.

BayouGal

Thanks! It will be my 2 daughters (17 & 23) and I. Special graduation trip for both. We'll have about 1 week to 10 days there. Well be flying from New Orleans.

All advice is greatly appreciated!

CaliNurse

Stewbeart, thanks for info about Yelapa/PV climate, as I'm going Nov 7 through 14. From what you write, that's a good time weather-wise?
The last night we (nurses learn-Spanish group) stay in PV at older hotel nr the beach, by the start of the boardwalk-- Hotel Rosita. It gets mixed reviews , but looks pretty basic and non-resortlike, which is fine. Do you know if that is the "Old Town" area?

Stewbear

Actualy it's at the start of the Malacon in the "Downtown area". Old town is about a 10 minite walk from there across the river. The Rosita oozes with old Vallarta History. It's the oldest hotel in PV & it's where Richard Burton/Liz Taylor "shacked" up while making the "Night of The Iguana" before they purchased there villas across the street from each other. in Gringo Gulch. It has good basic rooms but get one ocean side as the street side can be noisey. Another option is Los Cuatro Vientos high in the hills over looking the down town on Matamoras the street behind the church. It is the second oldest hotel/Inn in PV. The Resturant there (Chez Elena) was Director John Houston's favorite resturant in town often dining there with other celbertys. The rooms are small, quaint & a bit noisy. The Inn is lovely 3 storeys but diffently for the Independent travler. No A/c. No Phones, No TV. It has a winderful roof top bar the best place in town to watch the sunset. Also the Deepest, Coldest swimming pool in all of Mexico. The pool was built for the orginal owner Elema a very large women & they had little space for it. Only 16 rooms & suites. Owned & operated by Ms. Gloria Whiting for over 35 years. I stayed here every year from 85 to 97.

Stewbear

PS The Weather in November is excellent. A bit warm, but every thing is clean & green with lots of flowers.

faithie

So ..... , Cali !!? It's done , your going ? I think that's great . That hotel sounds like a cool spot , I will have to check it out ! Faith

suze

hotels:

north of the river/El Centro:
Hotel Rosita
Cuatro Vientos
Hotel Rio

south of the river/old town:
Posada de Roger
Hotel Posada Rio Cuale
Casa Andrea

old town/on the beach:
Molino de Agua
Hotel Eloisa
Playa Los Arcos
Tropicana

suze

May is a fine time of year to visit. There's no "bad" timeframe in PV, truly. Just in the summer it will be hot, humid with more rain than in winter.

It is a year-round kind of town for restaurants and activities.

CaliNurse

Stewbear: first, apologies for misspelling your name with the extra "t"-- must've been thinking of "heart" as in Valentine's Day.
THANK YOU for your very interesting history of Hotel Rosita, and other facts. Love that kind of info!! If I don't stop eating, will seek out that deep pool built for Senora Elema!
I recall when "Night of the Iguana" was being filmed. Those were my days of avidly reading "Photoplay" Magazine! Sue Lyon also got lots of publicity in PV --she'd already starred in "Lolita."
Hotel Rosita is where our nurses' group is housed, apparently in "not facing street" rooms. The group leaders have used it for years, so I assume are happy with it.
Suze: thanks for your feedback re: weather, as I start a "PV file"
Mme Faithie: YES, SI, OUI !! It's booked; deposit is paid. Amazing, your influence! Faithie returns from Yelapa/PV. Within days, Dyer goes, I and a friend send deposits for November, and other nurses apply for the appropriate leave days, hoping they too will have time off approved. (Dyer's friend too maybe?) See what you started, all the way from "La Belle Province" !! The Quebecois snowball builds up steam, somehow melting, and turning into an ever-growing cactus!!

faithie

LOL !!!! I love it ...... AHHH!! The POWER ! It's all a master plan . Kidding of course . Lets just hope my unbridled enthusiasm is catching once you are actually THERE !!! lol . I am truly happy you are doing this , spontaniety is a wondrous thing I say !

BayouGal

Thanks for all the great info, everyone, and happy to share the thread, CaliNurse! ;-) I am a Louisiana nurse. I'll post a trip report on where ever we wind up. It's a graduation gift to my 2 daughters (one high school, one college) that I get to share in!

cjnow

is there any diving in yelapa?

faithie

Some not too far .... Marietas Islands I believe ? But if you are going looking for a dive destination , think Belize , Roatan ...