37 Best Hotels in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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.

This suite-only beachfront four-diamond resort in Nuevo Vallarta features Spanish-colonial-decor rooms, a private balcony overlooking the bay, and a multilevel lagoon-style pool. It's ideal for couples and families who want to enjoy luxury and quality, and good food can be enjoyed at any of the restaurants within the property. 

Guests consistently give this hotel high marks for the classy suites, each with a brown-and-taupe color scheme and an ample terrace. Separate sitting rooms have a second flat-screen TV, and there's even a pillow menu. The pools are surrounded by spacious patios, so there's plenty of room to find the perfect spot in the sun or the shade. Given the elegance of the place, it's a shame to have to wear the usual wristbands.

Located on downtown's northern edge, this is just a few blocks from the malecón, shops, hotels, and restaurants. Rooms are cheerful, with wood furniture, bright white linens, and tastefully subdued accent colors. There's a lively pool scene; the adults-only area, a shallow pool with submerged chaise lounges facing the sea, is a big part of the draw. The all-inclusive rate is a good deal, especially for families.

Located in the Playa Rosa area and just beside the trendy beach club of the same name, these completely renovated bungalows have been called the world's smallest beach resort. The bungalows' interiors come in white with touches of pink and feature palapa roofs.

Palms and plants edge the walkways lining the swimming pool and goldfish ponds, while balconies look down on this idyllic garden scene. Suites have full kitchens, shower-only baths, and tropical-style furniture. The hotel is on a cobblestoned street off the highway; if you don't want to hoof it into Puerto Vallarta, take one of the local buses that pass by every 10 minutes. The beach is a five-minute walk away on the other side of the highway.

Some of the pleasant rooms overlook the beach from a balcony or terrace, but most people stay here for easy access to the good burgers, guacamole, and seafood platter for two ($13) at the adjoining El Alebrije restaurant. The bar, with its cool, brick-floor interior open to the beach, is also popular. Other perks: the long beach, large pool, and hiking and other outdoor activities.

Formerly known as Hotel Costa Careyes, Casitas de las Flores is a series of renewed condos, part of the whole Careyes community face-lift. The casitas offer wide-open spaces with traditional Mexican decor and spectacular ocean views. They feature fully equipped kitchenettes and private balconies. Casitas de las Flores is located a few steps from the beach and inside a gated community.

This family-oriented all-inclusive resort features a pirate-theme water park as its main attraction. The Baby Paradise and the teens’ club are also well appointed. Rooms aren’t spectacular but they offer ample space and include kid-size bunk beds. All restaurants feature their own kids’ menu. An adults-only sister hotel is available next door, for those looking something a bit more peaceful.

Hidden four blocks off the busy malecón, this '60s-era villa has apartments of various sizes filled with modern Mexican art and comfortable, if well-worn, furniture. All apartments have well-equipped kitchens, and a few rooms have ocean-view terraces; the largest has three bedrooms, two baths, and a separate dining room. There's a red-tile pool and tropical gardens. In high season the property accepts only weeklong bookings.

This storied resort rises above a deep-blue pool that flows beside palm oases. The ocean-view rooms have a modern neutral color scheme, beige marble floors, balconies, and tile baths with powerful showers. The beach is small but bustles with activity and equipment rentals, and the breakwater forms a sheltered nook that's nice for swimming. It's in the Northern Hotel Zone, about halfway between the Marina Vallarta complex and downtown Puerto Vallarta.

The hotel and its fabulous spa perch above a lovely beach at the northern extreme of Bahía de Banderas. Spacious rooms occupy Mexican-style casitas of one, two, and three stories. Each room has elegant yet earthy furnishings and a private terrace or balcony—many with a sweeping sea view. One of the Jack Nicklaus–designed golf courses has a challenging, optional 19th island hole. The gym is first-rate, and a good variety of sporting and beach equipment is on hand. Just offshore, the Marietas Islands are great for snorkeling, diving, whale-watching, and fishing, and home to a romantic beach in a cove. This is the place for indulging golf and spa fantasies or just using the luxurious, top-notch facilities. It's a great spot for kids, too, with fantastic beaches, a doughnut-shape pool with current where you can float in inner tubes, and an excellent kids' playroom with Internet and lots of cool games.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Marival Armony Resort facing Banderas Bay boasts modern tropical decor, seven international restaurants, a spa, a kids' club, and five pools. Views from the rooms are nothing short of spectacular, and the hotel can organize tours and activities to keep you busy.

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. 

Located 50 meters from the beach, this hotel offers low-key lodging in bungalows at affordable rates. Each bungalow comes with two bedrooms and a kitchenette, so you won’t miss the lack of a restaurant on the premises. All rooms include air conditioning and Wi-Fi. A long free-form swimming pool sits at the center of the property.

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.

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.

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.

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.