19 Best Hotels in Riviera Nayarit, Puerto Vallarta

The original St. Regis in Mexico (there's now a sister property in Mexico City) boasts a nouveau Mexican architectural style combining geometric simplicity with the warmth of giant palapa roofs and other natural elements. Sleek white tubs, simple outdoor showers, and flat-screen TVs maintain the spare look of the overall design, but room decor is simultaneously cheerful, light, and charming. Separate adults-only pools and restaurants make the space welcoming for couples seeking quiet or romance. Punta Mita's two golf courses flank the property, which is a boon for golfers; the beach is pretty and private but rocky and not suitable for swimming. When reserving, request a partial-ocean-view room, as it's the same price as a garden-view room.

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. 

The condos at this boutique-style accommodation are a favorite among travelers and vacationers who return year after year. The units come in different sizes but all are spacious-enough apartments with necessary essentials and simple but efficient furniture. All include a fridge and kitchen, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. The lovely garden and pool are meticulously maintained throughout the year. Did we mention it's a three-minute walk to the beach? The place is very quiet thanks to its location on a dead-end street, yet nights are noisy when nearby Decameron hotel throws a large party.

What began as a hilltop home has slowly become an amalgam of unusual rustic but luxurious suites with indoor and outdoor living spaces. The higher up your room, the more beautiful the view of Sayulita's coast. Accommodations, managed by different owners, range from basic to honeymoon suites with terraces and plunge pools. Details like recessed color-glass light fixtures, Talavera sinks in bathrooms, brick ceilings, wrought-iron table lamps, art in wall niches, and colorful cement floors add a lot of class. The property overlooks a rocky cove where you can fish from shore; a beautiful sandy beach is a few minutes' walk. The staff lends out kayaks, boogie boards, and snorkeling gear.

Architect-owner Marc Lindskog has created a nook of nonchalant elegance, with updated country furnishings of wicker, leather, and wood; rock-floor showers without curtains or doors; and cheerful Pacific coast architectural details. Mosquito netting lends romance to cozy, quilt-covered beds. Waves crashing onshore, their sound somehow magnified, create white noise that lulls you to sleep. In the morning, settle into a cushy chaise on your private patio to watch seabirds swim; at night watch the sunset behind Punta Mita. These simple pleasures make this hideaway a winner. It doesn't hurt that the food is truly delicious, the bar is well stocked with international labels, and it's all included in the room price.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

This secluded beachfront resort boasts spacious rooms with modern decor, a pool, six dining locations, and all the fun under the sun you can think of. The beach has fine white sand, and more often than not has a heavy shore break surfers will love. You can even rent surfboards right at the hotel. The rooms vary in size and there are several beachfront suites for families who want to splurge.

What began as a hilltop home has slowly become an amalgam of unusual, rustic, but luxurious suites with indoor and outdoor living spaces. The higher up your room, the more beautiful the view of Sayulita's coast. The trade-off for such beauty? A long walk up a seemingly endless staircase and the dearth of room phones make contacting the front desk frustrating. Accommodations, managed by different owners, range from basic to honeymoon suites with terraces and plunge pools. Details like recessed color-glass light fixtures, Talavera sinks in bathrooms, brick ceilings, wrought-iron table lamps, art in wall niches, and colorful cement floors add a lot of class. The property overlooks a rocky cove where you can fish from shore; a beautiful sandy beach is a few minutes' walk. The staff lends out kayaks, boogie boards, and snorkeling gear.