Question for Suze re: Puerto Vallarta
 

Suze - do you still recommend Posada de Roger as an accommodation in PV? We’re looking for something near downtown and accessible to the beach. Is it very hilly getting from there to the beach? Are there any other similarly priced places you also recommend? We’ll be in PV 5 nights. Thanks for any recommendations you have.

Hola, Just happens I'm in Puerto Vallarta now :-). Hotel Posada de Roger is still a nice place but it is not as inexpensive comparitively as it used to be since it is so popular. No hills. It is a flat walk between the hotel to the beach, only a couple blocks. I would still recommend it without hesitation. Was just walking by this morning and it looks very festive because everyone's decorated for Day of the Dead (this past weekend). The area is better than ever with more cafes, restaurants, shops, bars than you could get to in a month.

I started staying in condos/apartments for quite a few years now. I have rented through several local agencies, most recently thru PVRPV. But for only 5 nights probably a hotel would be better,

Hotel Rio Malecon and Hotel Encino would be two other similar places, but I am less familiar with them personally.

Feel free to ask anything. I was just getting ready to make a post, but not that many people seem to be interested in PV on this forum lately :-) so glad I stopped by to see your question!

Not Suze, but a suggestion
 

I suggest Posada de Roger is simply your basic overpriced, overhyped, budget hotel, in a good location, based on my one visit about five years ago. An alternative I heartily recommend is Hotel Rio Malecon, also a budget type place, but priced more attractively. As with most hotels, you'll find positive and negative comments, but based on personal observations, I liked the Rio over Roger's place. Our room satisfied our need for a comfortable place to sleep, in a good, walkable location, with a shared balcony for limited viewing of the Malecon and the adjacent indoor market. An interesting , fun experience, only a short walk away, is the "swinging" bridge over the Rio Cuale; hang on tight, then go down and walk along various restaurants and vendors. After that, walk a few steps up to street level and on to the nearby romantic zone and the beach. To summarize, I've stayed at the Posada de Roger one time and Hotel Rio Malecon five times. 'Nuff said.

I can't compare the two as I've never stayed at Hotel Rio Malecon. Just stopped by to tour and ate at the restaurant. I don't like how the pool is right in the restaurant but that might not bother others if you don't care about swimming or sunning. And depending which side of the hotel you are on can be noisy from street traffic.

As far as my opinion about Posada de Roger, I've stayed there maybe 20 times. And have seen it as recently as... well this morning :-)

Thanks
 

Thanks for your replies Suze and Pelon. I’ll check out your recommendations.

Suze - have fun during your stay and if you have any tips on things not to miss during a 5 day visit, I’d sure appreciate it.

When is your trip? What month? I ask because there could be special events and celebrations you would not want to miss. Like last weekend was Day of the Dead. December 1 to 12 is the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe. And so on.

Don't miss walking the Malecon. It's a seawall promonade in Centro (downtown) with beautiful sculptures, often artists painting or rock piling or doing sand art, acrobats doing their act, teen breakdancers, Aztec dancers, never know what you might see. Sunday night is a big time there with food booths added.

Don't miss sunset from the Pier on Playa Los Muertos. Stop into the church sometime (the one with the crown on the top in Centro) when there isn't a service happening. It's very peaceful and beautiful and important to the community.

There are various Farmer's Markets that are big fun. Again depends your month of travel. The one I was at last Saturday is the Olas Altas Farmers Market in Lazaro Cardenas plaza (sparkly tile park) but it runs only Nov thru about April maybe mid May. Closed for the summer.

Also there are lots of paid tours and activities you could do depending your interest. Cooking classes, day trips to the mountains, parasailing, ATV, ziplines, etc.

Thanks for all the great tips, Suze - very helpful. We’re looking at going the last half of January.

Thanks for the month. Weather should be very nice then, hot quite as hot & humid in the winter high-season as it is right now. The only 'downside' is rents and rates are higher and availability more competitive in the popular winter months. Can't think of any special events on the local calendar for January. There's always plenty to see and do no worries there, but I can't think of any particular holiday or happenings in January, after the New Years Eve parties are over.

Sounds good - thanks so much for your help.

How about restaurants, shopping, taxis, airport transportation, that kind of thing?? Once you pick out where you are going to stay, post back (if you'd like) and I can list my favorite places and some 'insider' tips so as not to reinvent the wheel :-).

Please let me know if you book the trip, where (approximiately or specifically) you are staying, and I'd be happy to list restaurants, bakeries, pharmacies, shops, outdoor markets, nightlife, etc. depending on your interests. I was in PV Halloween thru Nov 10 this most recent trip. One before that was end of May/June. Always in Zona Romantica aka old town.

No one on this forum is vacationing in Puerto Vallarta this coming winter season?

My daughter has been there for the last week. They stay at the Costa Sur which requires you take a bus or taxi into town. They like it there and have stayed several times but is going through new ownership so don't know what changes will occur. I like staying there as you can get an oceanfront room and hear the ocean all night. It has a small lagoon where you can swim or snorkel. She says it is not kept up as well as when they first started going there- its clean but some of the pool chairs need repair and a few other things.

My daughter says that much of the Malecon is torn up- not sure why. She thinks they were removing cobble stones.

Costa Sur is a property on the "south shore". Outside of town a ways (why I have never stayed there myself). So yes a taxi or bus or uber is needed any time you want to go into town.

It is not "much of the Malecon" that is torn up... rather it is currently being extended to the north more towards the Hotel Zone, up past Hotel Rosita a ways into 5 de diciembre colonia. That's why there is construction going on. But it's not happening where most people would be on the main stretch, say between the Rio Cuale up to Hotel Rosita.