We also used the hotels transportation. Well worth the money, because the alternative is to take a regular taxi, and they are really not nice in PV.

as spgplat21 said, the pool/beach staff will make sure you have an umbrella and will move it as needed. I agree that this would be a waste of money. If you are platinum, and they don't have an upgrade available, you might ask about getting one comped. This worked for me on, a day by day basis, at the W Ft. Lauderdale.

Two other suggestions for when you are there:

1) In addition to eating in the town of Punta de Mita, there is also a restaurant called Sufi in the beach club for private homeowners that takes public reservations for dinner, and the food is great. The SR will arrange for you to get a golf cart there. http://www.sufipuntamita.com/

2) Hire one of the black suv's to take you for a few hours to Sayulita. It is a really sweet little surfing/artsy/hippy town not too far from Punta Mita. We had lunch there, walked around and shopped and it was nice to get off of the resort for a few hours.