51 Best Hotels in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

A pair of displaced Guadalajarans have created a cluster of pretty cabins on their property about four blocks from the plaza. Comfortable futons in each room provide a place to sleep, nap, or watch TV. The double-sided fireplace heats the bedroom and adjoining sitting room. Bed coverings and matching drapes of earthy, muted colors are all good quality. This is the most modern place to stay in San Sebastián and is geared to adults but accepts children, too, for an additional charge of about $20 per child.

The very large and well-appointed suites in this boutique hotel overlook the marina in Nuevo Vallarta and, if you're in the rooms facing west, you'll see spectacular sunsets, too. All suites have washers and dryers, hair dryers, toiletries, air conditioning, and several other amenities. The master suites accommodate up to eight people; larger suites also have full kitchens and balconies overlooking the marina. There's a brand-new on-site restaurant offering mostly seafood and local specialties, and there are a few other great dining choices within walking distance.

Come here if you're looking for an all-inclusive bargain with a wealth of activities. On the one hand, rooms have strong air conditioning and amenities like hair dryers, irons, and ironing boards; on the other, they have small tubs, cheap doors, and uninspired modern decor. There's an extra charge, inexplicably, for the use of in-room safes. Only a few units have ocean views, but there are plenty of individual palapas and lounge chairs at the beach. If you go to bed early, avoid the Club building, with a downstairs karaoke bar that goes on until midnight.

The Marriott is hushed and stately in some places, lively and casual in others. All of the restaurants—including a sleek Asian restaurant serving Thai, sushi, and teppanyaki and a large, pleasant sports bar—have kids' menus. The meandering grounds boast a large infinity pool as well as gardens of indigenous plants. Rooms have cheery, classy decor; each has a balcony and most have an ocean view.

Located in Marina Vallarta, Mayan Palace provides the luxury and comfort expected from a Vidanta resort but is closer to the action that only Puerto Vallarta has to offer in the region. Rooms are large and most of them feature ample balconies and gorgeous ocean views. Dining options are limited, but guests have access to the gourmet restaurants of other nearby Vidanta resorts. 

The sprawling, all-inclusive Meliá, on the beach and close to the golf course, is popular with families. Rooms are quiet havens in subdued blue, cream, and sand. There's a huge pool, an outdoor theater with nightly shows, and elaborate children's programs and amenities—including a climbing wall and a batting cage. Considering it's an all-inclusive, prices are very reasonable.

Beautiful rooms in this converted 19th-century house have lovely old tile floors, beige cotton drapes covering huge windows, rag-rolled walls, and wonderful tile floors and sinks. The dining room has old-fashioned cupboards, and there are dining tables inside and out on two patios festooned with flowers and large potted plants. Second-floor rooms have views of fields and mountains to the west.

This Nuevo Vallarta hotel and time-share property is perfect for families, with lots of activities geared toward children. Many people love it, although the property's dedication to timeshare guests makes some other guests feel excluded. Most suites have balconies with either marina or ocean views. Furnishings are attractive as well as functional, with pretty cane sofa beds in a soothing palette and well-equipped kitchens. Locals like to visit the clean, well-organized spa, which smells divine and is praised for its massages and facials. The beach here is tranquil enough for swimming, although some small waves are suitable for bodysurfing.

This hotel is recommended for its location: right on the beach and in the midst of Zona Romántica's restaurants, bars, and shops. Yellow trumpet vines and lacy palms draped in tiny white lights enliven the pool and the bar-restaurant, which has music nightly and a Mexican fiesta on Saturday evening. Rooms are well-appointed, though some furnishing has seen better days. The swimming pool is a very lively area, although not very private, as passersby can look inside from the sidewalk.

It takes a long walk up a steep hill at Playa Conchas Chinas to reach this bed-and-breakfast, where rooms are furnished with antiques and local art; most have kitchenettes, or full kitchens, along with balconies. Other draws are the efficient and welcoming staff, the fortifying breakfast (cooked to order) served on a palapa-covered patio, the nearly private beach below, and the views from the rooftop sundeck.

Catering to small groups and family outings, this ranch-style lodging near the entrance to town also accepts individual travelers. All interiors are pine-wood simple, with ceiling beams and tile roofs, and plain furnishings. The villas have kitchens, and most have a porch and fireplace; many sport a king-size bed. This working ranch offers horseback riding and also rents bicycles and ATVs. Because most guests are Guadalajarans on weekends, prices are discounted 20% Sunday through Thursday.

Basic yet comfortable rooms in this three-story hotel have king-size beds with dark blue, hunting-theme spreads and desks of shiny lacquered wood. The property is on the main road into town, just a few short blocks from the plaza and town hall. The price goes up slightly on weekends January through May.

This high-volume hotel at the south end of long and lovely Bucerías Beach has manicured grounds and a pool for each of its six buildings. Rooms are plain and not particularly modern, but that's a small price to pay for the excellent beachfront location and astoundingly low all-inclusive prices. Rooms in the older section have the best views, since they were built along the water; rooms on the other side of the road have the benefit of being adults-only and are almost brand new. Besides location, the only real distinction between one room and another is whether the room has a king or two double beds. The median age of the clientele here is around 50 years old.

Marking the start of the Hotel Zone, the Sheraton was the first of the big-name resorts built in Puerto Vallarta, and ever since it has maintained its status as a Vallarta household name. Even though the building is a few decades old, rooms are renovated constantly to keep up with the times. Sometimes it can feel very business-like, as its convention center is one of the busiest in town.

An hour north of Mascota, this lodge of knotty pine is a tranquil lakeside retreat. Sail or kayak or just read a book in the steamy hot tub. The spa isn’t as expansive as those in some of Sierra Lago’s Villa Group sister properties, but it does have massage, a steam room, and an outdoor hot tub. If you choose the all-inclusive plan, drinks are included, as are activities like horseback riding, kayaking, and mountain biking. There’s also fishing, and, if he has time, the chef will cook up your freshly caught fish.

The Paramar is a small boutique hotel that makes the most of its outstanding location just steps from Playa Camarones, the only beach in downtown Vallarta. The whole place has a laidback atmosphere, quite different from that of the big resorts. Rooms are large and modern—some include kitchenettes—and the penthouses come with a large terrace and private Jacuzzi.

Understated luxury and an open-to-nature building design describe this 10-suite boutique property located in a jungle about an hour south of Vallarta. Built into the hillside overlooking lovely Yelapa Bay, Verana is sleek and contemporary yet surrounded by nature and built of locally available materials. Each of the freestanding suites has a different view and feel; several have outdoor showers and all are warm, inviting, and romantic. Every room has a ceiling fan, but just a few have air conditioning.

This impressive hotel is an excellent choice for both families with kids and couples looking for a place to get away from it all. Modern and well-appointed rooms can range from single to multifamily suites, and may have a tub in the balcony overlooking the resort grounds and ocean (if you're above the fourth level) or the mountains behind. The resort caters mostly to all-inclusive vacationers but lodging-only is also available. There's a slow river, a wave pool, several restaurants, slides for kids, gyms, tennis courts, a golf course, and a fantastic beach where weddings take place. The resort has expanded even more in the past few years, and now there's a water park in the making and a permanent Cirque du Soleil, among other secret projects that are being developed.

This homey hotel is on a hill above quiet La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, and offers garden-view or ocean-facing suites; several have a terrace overlooking the coast, and a large dining area/kitchen and living room. A big breakfast is served in the open-air dining room; the adjacent common area has a computer with Internet access. The small swimming pool overlooks a tropical hillside, the marina, and the town of La Cruz.

Villa del Palmar Beach Resort and Spa is a big, family-friendly, all-inclusive resort that has a bit of everything without excessive luxury. Rooms offer ample space and colorful Mexican decor. Among other amenities, Villa del Palmar includes a well-appointed fitness center, a spa with a diversity of services, three swimming pools, a kids' club, four restaurants, one cantina, and a couple of delis. 

There's not a bad vantage point anywhere at the Westin, whether you're gazing out to the leafy courtyard or down an orange-tile, brightly painted corridor lined with Mexican art. In the spacious, balconied rooms concrete-and-stone floors massage bare feet, and top-of-the-line mattresses with soft duvets make for heavenly siestas. Guest quarters above the sixth floor have ocean views; those below face the 600 palm trees surrounding four beautiful pools.