“Do you hear that?” I asked my partner the morning after we arrived at our resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in December.
His answer, “I don’t hear anything except waves.”
Which was my point exactly.
This was the first time visiting Mexico that we hadn’t been kept up all night by crowing roosters and barking dogs. I can attest to the fact Mexican roosters do not simply crow at sunrise, as myth would have you believe, but rather every two minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And when it comes to resort discos, one of the reasons we chose the adults-only Grand Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta was its lack of an all-night party space. In the past we’ve spent way too many nights awake listening to partiers coming and going to and from (insert name of resort here) discothèque to be concerned about a lack of late-night entertainment.
That’s just us, and there were some guests at the resort who thought it was too quiet at night. But as travelling baby boomers we were looking for some serious rest and relaxation, two things promised by the Grand Fiesta Americana. That’s not to say there weren’t options — we enjoyed award-winning cocktails in the martini bar, avoided the tequila in the tequila bar (been there, done that) and (carefully) hung out on the swings in the mojito bar.
There was also non-stop music at the pool all day, but whoever made up the play list knew what they were doing. We heard everything from Fleetwood Mac to the Specials to Lady Ga Ga.
Another draw of the resort for us was the killer deal we found through Transat Holidays. I actually stopped telling fellow travellers at the resort what we paid for our trip because I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s vacation. Let’s just say we easily paid a quarter of what many others had, including travellers from the U.S. Granted when we arrived the resort had only been open three months so there were deals to be had, but whether that will remain the case is yet to be seen. We were also upgraded to Option Plus, which allowed us pre-boarding, individual bottles of Champagne, and snacks, and free headphones and blankets. Well worth the price.
The resort is backed by the green of the Sierra Madre Mountains, and all of the rooms overlook Banderas Bay, so we were greeted each morning with absolutely breathtaking views.
As for the beach, due to high tides it was non-existent during our first week, and a strong surf kept us out during the second, but there were plenty of adventurous swimmers who body surfed while we were there, some holding cocktails high above their heads in an attempt to keep out the salt water. While we were there a brand new beach bar was completed at one end of the resort. The beach at that end was also upgraded while we were there with new sand and palms trees.
The pools were chilly, partly due to the fact the sun doesn’t hit that side of the hotel until after noon, but sun worshippers could also make their way up to the rooftop Sky Bar deck where two hot tubs awaited. This area also has a bar and is supposed to cost about $70 US per couple, but while we were there over Christmas there was no charge.
With 24-hour room service, we sometimes avoided the morning buffet and sat on our balcony sipping coffee and enjoying fresh fruit and whatever else we felt like ordering off the menu that day. As for the Mexican, Italian and Asian restaurants, the food exceeded our expectations, which were high due to glowing reviews we had read previously on TripAdvisor.ca. A small coffee bar serves muffins and pastries in the morning and desserts at night, so if you didn’t have room for the chocolate soufflé in Guilietta, the Italian restaurant, you could pick up something sweet later on your way back to your room. Overall, our entire experience was a great one and we’re already keeping an eye out for deals to go back.
Before you go:
· There was no ATM, but luckily we had bought pesos before we left so we could tip staff. Make sure to bring smaller bills because it can be tough to get change.
· The resort store wasn’t open when we got there, so until that happens make sure to bring sunscreen, Tylenol, bug spray and any other toiletries you might need.
· There’s a bus stop right across the road, which is easy to use and costs about 80-cents per person to get into Puerto Vallarta. A taxi ride cost us 90 pesos (approximately $8-$9) to get to Steve’s Sports Bar to watch the Canucks games.
· We also read on TripAdvisor that the higher rooms had the better views, so when we arrived we asked about an upgrade. We were initially quoted $30 per day, but when we protested the clerk said because we were there for two weeks he’d make it $15. We then spoke to a couple the next day who paid $10 a night for their seven day stay for the same upgrade, so don’t be afraid to barter.
· If you like the beach, bring water walkers.
@sthomas10
