87 Best Hotels in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

In scale and majesty, the public areas of this property outshine all other Nuevo Vallarta all-inclusive resorts. Ceilings soar overhead, and the structure and furnishings are simultaneously minimalist and modern yet earthy, incorporating stucco, rock, polished teak, and gleaming ecru marble. The spa is excellent, and the views—with the garden-shrouded pool in the foreground and the beach beyond—are striking. Rooms are sleek with elegant furnishings and appointments. The high price entitles you to top-of-the-line spirits in minibars and restaurants.

Built in 1882, this beautifully restored mansion turned hotel was once part of a large hacienda. The restoration is stunning: surrounding a pretty, plant-filled courtyard is a covered veranda of lovely floor tiles, with lazily rotating ceiling fans, antique furniture, and groupings of chairs for a casual conversation. Opening off the veranda, elegant suites have also been restored to their original glory. It's right across from the cultural center and near the market and town plaza.

Each room is unique and elegant at this pricey boutique hotel in the hills five blocks above the malecón. Public spaces also exude luxury with antiques placed throughout, and water pours from fonts into Talavera-tile-lined basins. The Celestial Room has a wondrous view of Bahía de Banderas and the cathedral's tower from its open-air, thatch-roof living room. You can enjoy live music with complimentary cocktails in the early evening, and there are fabulous views of the bay from the restaurant.

With stunning views and acres of trees, as well as blissful breezes off the Pacific Ocean, Haramara Retreat is an oasis of tranquility just south of Sayulita. Originally a retreat for yoga groups, Haramara—which means "Grandmother Sea" in the Huichol language—is now open to individual travelers. With its own private beach and several large pergolas for meditation, Haramara is a wonderful venue for a rejuvenating vacation away from technology. Included in the price are three healthy meals daily at the ocean-view restaurant, which specializes in vegetarian cuisine but offers seafood as well. Expert bodyworkers give several types of massage, and private yoga lessons are available, as are surfing lessons and surf safaris. A packed dirt path leads up and down the hilly, 12-acre property to thatch-roofed bungalows that open to the sea breezes. The showers also are open-sided so you can admire the views as you bathe. Comfortable beds are surrounded by mosquito netting; hardwood floors, bamboo siding, and thatch roofs complete the Robinson Crusoe feel of the place.

The Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta is a luxury, all-inclusive resort 20 minutes from Puerto Vallarta with a gorgeous beachfront setting and everything you would expect from this well-known brand. 

Set right in front of the best beach in Barra de Navidad, this is a clean, comfortable hotel—just don't expect any kind of luxury. Mostly frequented by national tourists, Hotel Barra de Navidad has a nice restaurant and offers a wide range of spa services.

This brand-new beachfront boutique hotel has just 10 rooms, plus a rooftop infinity pool and oceanfront views. It's a great alternative for travelers looking for a quiet place to enjoy good food, magnificent ocean and mountain views, and a bit of solitude. The hotel can also organize tours to many local attractions, including whale-watching, surfing, and trekking.

In the heart of Bucerías and one block from the beach, this small budget hotel is unassuming and well maintained. Simple small rooms with matching furniture of wrought iron and wood, and cheerful artwork face an L-shaped corridor. All rooms are the same, with one full bed and small, clean, brightly tiled bathrooms with shower only. A periwinkle-and-mauve color scheme brightens the corridor; rooms at the back face a wider corridor with plastic tables and chairs. All rooms are non-smoking. Although they advertise the two-bedroom suite ($120) with a king bed and two doubles for a family of six, the space is pretty tight.

A block from the beach and overlooking Lázaro Cárdenas Park, this hotel offers great city and mountain views from the rooftop, which has a pool and party area. Suites have small kitchenettes in one corner. Units with great views cost the same as those without, so ask for one with a panoramic view.

Opened decades ago by a family of dedicated bird-watchers, this meandering, three-story hotel with expansive grounds is the home base of choice for birding groups. Rooms have small balconies and polished limestone floors; junior suites have large whirlpool tubs. Betty Vásquez, who runs El Delfín French restaurant here, studied at Le Cordon Bleu in France; she prepares elegant and very tasty meals.

Simple rooms in this six-story low-rise have somewhat battered colonial-style furnishings; some have tiny balconies but only a few on the top floors have a partial ocean view. The small figure-eight pool in the middle of the courtyard is exposed but still refreshes. The two-bedroom apartments are poorly designed and have stiff Mexican furnishings. J&B Dancing Club next door provides Latin and pop music throughout the week.

This old-school resort was recently transformed back into a trendy destination among mostly Mexican tourists. The decor is a bit kitsch but in accordance with the festive style of the resort.

Perched on a hill overlooking La Cruz, this brand-new hotel and spa has 42 villas all tastefully decorated in a somewhat Balinese style. The silent surroundings and serene ambience are perfect for a romantic (or individual) escape, with good food and even better drinks in a classy environment.

This might be the largest building in Mayto and arguably the hotel with the best amenities; the manicured gardens and gorgeous swimming pool offer a quiet and refreshing area for those not ready for the beach. Rooms are clean but nothing remarkable. A good restaurant, Wi-Fi, and camping facilities round out an already attractive proposal from this hotel.

A block from the beach, in an area with lots of good restaurants, "The Palms" has two floors of rooms surrounding a large, clean, rectangular pool. Guests can use the barbecue grill and eat or socialize at umbrella-shaded café tables or plastic loungers with cushions around the pool. Rooms and suites are either in the original, street-facing complex or the newer, ocean-facing building. They vary in configuration and price, but most rooms have a full kitchen; at the very least each has a three-quarter-size refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, and toaster. Some units have room for a family, with two separate sleeping quarters and kitchen, but no patio or private balcony. The two suites have ocean views and large, private patios.

If you hang around the pool or the small shared balcony overlooking the street, it's not hard to get to know the other guests—many of them savvy budget travelers from Europe and Canada. Rooms are spare and vault-like, and some are downright dark. Fredy's Tucan restaurant is popular with locals, mainly for breakfast. The hotel is in a part of the Zona Romántica known for its restaurants and shops; Playa Los Muertos is a few blocks away.

Perched on a beautiful headland, "Serene Point" enjoys balmy breezes and offers life-changing views from the infinity hot tub. It's an adults-only oasis of calm. Rooms have lovely furnishings and decor and shared or private terraces, some with fab beach views. The private beach far below is clothing optional. Spa treatments are inventive, and activities like horseback riding, tennis, and nonmotorized water sports are included in the price.

A few kilometers from the beach, this spacious hotel hosts weddings and events and acts as a getaway destination for those who live in Tomatlán.

Located in downtown Puerto Vallarta just a block from the beach, Hotel Rio offers quaint traditional accommodations as well as some modern rooms. This was the second hotel ever built in Puerto Vallarta, shortly after Hotel Rosita.

Considered the flagship of the three Riu hotels in the area, the Riu Palace Pacifico is an all-inclusive beachfront resort with an excellent family-friendly beach, assorted restaurants as well as a buffet, and a huge pool. 

What started as a sleepy 12-room hostelry—Puerto Vallarta's very first—is now a busy 115-room downtown hotel. It's still a viable budget option, mainly recommended for its location on the north end of the malecón close to restaurants and shops. Rooms are very basic; expect white-tile floors and fabrics with floral prints. Request a room facing the water, as much for the view as for the natural light; rooms facing the street are dark, making them feel cramped.

This is a reasonably priced, well-landscaped, bright white hotel at the south end of Playa Los Muertos. Superior rooms don't cost much more than standards, and although they have more or less the same amenities, they're in a newer wing and most have better views. Suites have no separate living area but are larger than other rooms and have several different areas for sitting or playing cards, as well as a four-burner stove, blender, and fridge.

Widely considered the best hotel in Pérula, Playa Dorada features 50 well-appointed accommodations distributed between rooms, suites, and bungalows. Rooms don’t offer ample space but are fully equipped. The bungalows include kitchenettes. There is a swimming pool for families and an adults-only pool. The pleasant picnic area has lounge chairs, tables, palapas, and a playground.

Hotelito Mio is a quaint boutique hotel that is both luxurious and rustic, located on Playa Caballo next to Las Ánimas. Thatched roofs and wooden walls hide upscale amenities, luxury bedding, scented candles, and tubs and Jacuzzis with ocean views. San Miguel Restaurant on the premises offers a customized menu according to your tastes and nutritional requirements, and the beach spa will pamper you with facials, massages, yoga, Pilates, and Reiki.

The Krystal Reflect is a beachfront hotel ideal for families and couples. While children stay, eat, and play for free, there is also an adults-only pool and restaurant where grown-ups can find some quiet time. Rooms range from standard luxury to swim-out suites, with access to all the entertainment the hotel offers, including a world-class spa.

Rates are reasonable considering these small studio apartments have all the creature comforts of home: the spacious kitchens come with juicers, blenders, toasters, coffeemakers, stoves, and refrigerators, and microwaves are available upon request. Each room is configured differently, but all are bright and cheerful, with private patios. Four of the units face the long, beautiful bay and sandy beach. There's a large pool and patio facing the ocean.

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.