A trip to Puerto Vallarta will offer plenty to keep you active – whatever your age – from golf and scuba diving to food tours, market shopping and kayaking around the Pacific waters of the Bay of Banderas. If a busy itinerary isn’t for you, the town’s best luxury hotels will cater to your every need and ensure you get the rest and relaxation you are after. Best of all, you can book your stay right here on Culture Trip.
With rooms set in tall towers overlooking a palm-shaded pool complex, Secrets isn’t as secluded as the name suggests. But it is in a plum spot – right on the sand and just a stroll from the sunset boardwalk, El Malecón. Rooms come in modern, muted tones with balconies affording ocean views. You are unlikely to get bored here as there are plenty of organized activities on offer.
With giant chess pieces in the glitzy lobby, polished stone suites and sofas in imperial purples and regal reds, the adults-only Mousai brings Dubai-style opulence to Puerto Vallarta. There’s a rooftop infinity pool in which you can float, cocktail-in hand, as you watch the sunset, a spa with pampering for two and even a wedding package for honeymooners.
Self-consciously kitschy – think giant pink clam-shell chaise lounges in fountain-tinkling ponds and cocktails served in flamingo floats at the pool bar – and with booming DJ-driven pool parties, Almar is aimed at LGBTQ couples who want to smooch and party. Suites in cream, beige and soft pistachio hues come with big jacuzzi-bath balconies, and the thumping beach club bar serves cocktails all day and most of the night.
A spot on the Puerto Vallarta slopes affords dreamy views at the appropriately named Grand Miramar. The vistas are probably best enjoyed from the half-sunken loungers in the hotel’s infinity pool, cocktail in hand. Here, each of the rooms and suites has a bay-view terrace, the top-end with a jacuzzi, too. Dining is relaxed (think sushi and sandwiches for dinner), and there’s a spa with a floatation experience.
Just south of the main town, Grand Fiesta Americana is an imposing, all-white high-rise wrapped by forested slopes. It’s the type of place where there’s always something to do: the beach offers snorkeling and paddleboarding, while the free-form infinity pool is perhaps a gentler way to admire the Pacific (come in winter and you might spot a humpback whale or two.) There are also myriad restaurants and bars, including a tequila lounge with ocean views.
Luxury and family-friendly rarely mix, but Barceló breaks the mold. A vibrant kids’ club keeps littles ones entertained with a movie theater, handicrafts and piñatas, while the dedicated family rooms provide child-friendly accommodation. Four swimming pools and a semi-private beach will keep everyone entertained, while dinner is taken care of with a broad selection of restaurants.
The nature surrounding this luxury hotel, combined with its modern design, makes it a perfect oasis for honeymooners. Start your morning with a yoga class in a space that allows you to connect with nature, and continue your day with a spa treatment. Activities at the resort include nature photography, kayaking, games for kids and wine tasting.
Alex Robinson contributed additional reporting to this article.
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