If you’re planning a destination wedding, we’d like to remind you of the wonders of Mexico. In this Testimonial Tuesday post, Megan (original Cyber Maid of Honour here at Weddings By Oceans) recounts her recent adventures in idyllic Puerto Vallarta!
Puerto Vallarta is located in the state of Jalisco on the west coast of Mexico. It is the land of tequila and mariachis. It offers world famous fishing, antique browsing, golfing, dining and nightlife.
And just 15 minutes from downtown is Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa where I had the pleasure of staying for 7 nights from January 25th to Feb 1st with my husband Laurie.
With the Sierra Madre mountains as a backdrop to the golden sand beach, this property sits in a private and secluded cove on one of the 40 beautiful beaches along Banderas Bay.
Picture courtesy of www.honeymooners.ie
From the moment we were greeted at our arrival, we were impressed by the surroundings. We were located in the Preferred Tower in a Junior suite offering ocean views, private terrace (698 sq. ft.), located on the 2nd floor adjacent to the Sunset Grill Restaturant.
In addition to the breathtaking views, the Preferred Tower offers:
- Private Preferred Lounge
- Concierge service
- Daily continental breakfast service in the lounge
- Afternoon hot and cold hors d’œuvres, desserts & liquors in the lounge
- Complimentary newspaper in room every day (English)
- Free computer access in room and Preferred Lounge
- Upgraded mini bar service and bath amenities
No reservations required! No line ups, no hassels. Ahhh…
The food in each of the 5 restaurants exceeded our expectations. We particularly enjoyed Mexican breakfast (chilaquiles), at the World Cafe but you must ask for these to be specially made and the cevice and mahi mahi at the Sunset Grill in the late afternoon with a bottle of wine.
The hotel had a Mexican Night with food stations set up on the pool deck, and we were serenaded by Mariachis while browsing the vendors stalls set up on the perimiter. It was a great evening. We also enjoyed the Managers Cocktail Party and the Fire Show. Most other nights were spent sippin’ really good house wine on our terrace watching the moon reflecting off the ocean.
The Portofino offers a variety of Italian entrees. Laurie recommends the lamb. I couldn’t decide what to have from the extensive menu so requested a special pasta be made to order – which was delicious. It is also the same pasta I usually order at home – how lazy can I get on holiday???
Room service
Always quick and arrived hot (if hot food was ordered), which was a lovely surprise!
Tip: Check out the “moonset” at about 5:00 a.m. and enjoy some room service and watch this amazing wonder of nature.
Activities
While the resort offers many activites, to be honest we spent most of our time just lazing on the beach or the terrace with a cool drink and a great book. The waves were quite strong during the week, and the red flags were out, but it was amazing to watch as the waves crashed the shoreline!
Tip: Brides and Grooms, be sure to ask me about a top secret location on the property to get away from it all during your week!!!
Another Tip: Bring binoculars. There is a pretty good chance you will see dolphins not far out from shore. We were also fortunate to be travelling at a time when the whales are in Banderas Bay, and a couple of them were spotted during the week from our balcony.
We were hoping to see the baby Caray Green Sea Turtles released, but the eggs (protected by fencing in the cove), had not hatched yet.
Good Bye Dreams…Hello Hotel Hortencia
After 7 days at Dreams we moved downtown to the Romantic Zone where we checked in to the mexican owned and family run Hotel Hortencia for 3 days.
This is a typical budget hotel located right in the heart of it all. It is a great location for walking the historical town of Puerto Vallarta and is just blocks from the beach, minutes to Rio Cuale and a brisk hike up the hill to Gringo Gulch, which is located behind the town church.
One of the main reasons for going downtown for a few days was so I could spend time with my old friend Katy. Katy and I were roomates in Ixapa 22 years ago and haven’t seen each other since that time. She has been living in Puerto Vallarta for years. She took us to visit Boca de Tomatlan, the Marina and golf course areas, Chicos Paradise (but it was closed), visited a new hotel/condo complex and restaurant, then out to dinner at a local seafood restaurant called El Bacalao (on Calle Badillo), owned by a Canadian woman and her husband.
On our own we walked the Malacon (boardwalk) several times. We discovered the Cultural Centre in the Rio Cuale which was interesting, and we ate delicious empanadas from the bakery on Calle Badillo, as well as great tacos al pastor at Panchos Takos, also on Calle Badillo. Dee’s Coffee was as good as any I’ve had here, with super extra foamy cappucinos! Yummy!
We wandered the cobblestone streets of town often, then one morning we climbed steep steps up to Gringo Gulch where we peeked around corners and down lanes at the villas that cling to the hillside.
Zaragoza Street is famous for it’s former residents Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton… big whoop – but the houses and area are really worth a look!
Tip: Take a spa day…
While walking from the Malacon back to the hotel one afternoon, we met RuthGarcia Osio, owner/manager of the new “Ha Spa“. She gave us her spa menu and invited us to visit if we had time. The very next day happened to be the rainiest day Puerto Vallarta has experienced in 15 years. Now that can only mean one thing – Spa Day!!!
We called Ruth and arranaged 2 – 90 minute massages, 2 facials and one manicure for less than $150US total! The spa is clean and the staff friendly. English is spoken. George was excellent, and gave me a Theraputic Massage. Anita worked on Laurie who enjoyed a Relaxing Massage.
Check them out at www.haspapv.com and don’t wait for a rainy day to visit!!!
Would I recommend Puerto Vallarta as a destination? Si!
Have you been to any of these places Megan has mentioned in her review post? We want to know your opinion of Puerto Vallarta! Please leave your comments.
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thanks and keep tight lines.
Job O.