Puerto Vallarta Recommendations?
Nov 23, 2010, 4:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 44
Puerto Vallarta Recommendations?
Looking forward to some R&R time in Mexico in a few weeks. Going to be in Puerto Vallarta and wanted to inquire if any of you have any recommendations you would recommend in the area if it is excursions, restaurants, shopping, vendors, or anything else that made your trip memorable.
I'll be there from 12/2-6 and will be staying at the CasaMagna Marriott resort. I have a deep sea fishing excursion booked with "Fishing with Carolina" for 12/4, but the rest of the time is wide open.
Any thoughts/recommendations would be appreciated!
I'll be there from 12/2-6 and will be staying at the CasaMagna Marriott resort. I have a deep sea fishing excursion booked with "Fishing with Carolina" for 12/4, but the rest of the time is wide open.
Any thoughts/recommendations would be appreciated!
Dec 6, 2010, 7:56 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Jersey
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,154
Looking forward to some R&R time in Mexico in a few weeks. Going to be in Puerto Vallarta and wanted to inquire if any of you have any recommendations you would recommend in the area if it is excursions, restaurants, shopping, vendors, or anything else that made your trip memorable.
I'll be there from 12/2-6 and will be staying at the CasaMagna Marriott resort. I have a deep sea fishing excursion booked with "Fishing with Carolina" for 12/4, but the rest of the time is wide open.
Any thoughts/recommendations would be appreciated!
I'll be there from 12/2-6 and will be staying at the CasaMagna Marriott resort. I have a deep sea fishing excursion booked with "Fishing with Carolina" for 12/4, but the rest of the time is wide open.
Any thoughts/recommendations would be appreciated!
sorry i just saw this. I am headed to the CasaMagna in 2 weeks. Please let me know how the trip went and any recommendations you might have. thanks.
Dec 7, 2010, 9:07 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 44
CasaMagna was a very nice hotel and had a great time. A few recommendations:
- Don't take the white taxis at the airport. You can walk across the skybridge and yellow taxis are less than half the cost. I think white is 180 pesos anywhere in the city and yellow is 80.
- We ate at the Hotel most nights and the restaurant by the beach - something like Las Casitas and has very good food and saves 200 pesos from driving into the city and back.
- If you go into the City, we found Casa Melissa to have great food at a good price. It is a few blocks behind the main strip. They specialize in Red Snapper and Jumbo Shrimp (about the size of a lobster tail).
- Don't expect to get in the ocean. Water is very cold and they had danger signs out due to the currents every day and no one was allowed to swim. Water is also no very clear, so don't expect to do much snorkeling.
- Did a fishing trip with "Fishing with Carolina" and fishing is excellent right now. Caught 2 Dorados, but also saw 1 Marlin, 2 Swordfish, 2 Sailfish, 8 Humpback Whales and several Dolphins. I've heard Bruno's fishing tours are very good as well.
- Don't take the white taxis at the airport. You can walk across the skybridge and yellow taxis are less than half the cost. I think white is 180 pesos anywhere in the city and yellow is 80.
- We ate at the Hotel most nights and the restaurant by the beach - something like Las Casitas and has very good food and saves 200 pesos from driving into the city and back.
- If you go into the City, we found Casa Melissa to have great food at a good price. It is a few blocks behind the main strip. They specialize in Red Snapper and Jumbo Shrimp (about the size of a lobster tail).
- Don't expect to get in the ocean. Water is very cold and they had danger signs out due to the currents every day and no one was allowed to swim. Water is also no very clear, so don't expect to do much snorkeling.
- Did a fishing trip with "Fishing with Carolina" and fishing is excellent right now. Caught 2 Dorados, but also saw 1 Marlin, 2 Swordfish, 2 Sailfish, 8 Humpback Whales and several Dolphins. I've heard Bruno's fishing tours are very good as well.
Dec 7, 2010, 9:50 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Jersey
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,154
CasaMagna was a very nice hotel and had a great time. A few recommendations:
- Don't take the white taxis at the airport. You can walk across the skybridge and yellow taxis are less than half the cost. I think white is 180 pesos anywhere in the city and yellow is 80.
- We ate at the Hotel most nights and the restaurant by the beach - something like Las Casitas and has very good food and saves 200 pesos from driving into the city and back.
- If you go into the City, we found Casa Melissa to have great food at a good price. It is a few blocks behind the main strip. They specialize in Red Snapper and Jumbo Shrimp (about the size of a lobster tail).
- Don't expect to get in the ocean. Water is very cold and they had danger signs out due to the currents every day and no one was allowed to swim. Water is also no very clear, so don't expect to do much snorkeling.
- Did a fishing trip with "Fishing with Carolina" and fishing is excellent right now. Caught 2 Dorados, but also saw 1 Marlin, 2 Swordfish, 2 Sailfish, 8 Humpback Whales and several Dolphins. I've heard Bruno's fishing tours are very good as well.
- Don't take the white taxis at the airport. You can walk across the skybridge and yellow taxis are less than half the cost. I think white is 180 pesos anywhere in the city and yellow is 80.
- We ate at the Hotel most nights and the restaurant by the beach - something like Las Casitas and has very good food and saves 200 pesos from driving into the city and back.
- If you go into the City, we found Casa Melissa to have great food at a good price. It is a few blocks behind the main strip. They specialize in Red Snapper and Jumbo Shrimp (about the size of a lobster tail).
- Don't expect to get in the ocean. Water is very cold and they had danger signs out due to the currents every day and no one was allowed to swim. Water is also no very clear, so don't expect to do much snorkeling.
- Did a fishing trip with "Fishing with Carolina" and fishing is excellent right now. Caught 2 Dorados, but also saw 1 Marlin, 2 Swordfish, 2 Sailfish, 8 Humpback Whales and several Dolphins. I've heard Bruno's fishing tours are very good as well.
Dec 7, 2010, 10:46 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 44
Breakfast is good in the hotel and is not expensive. We ate at the Las Casitas most mornings and it is around $10/12 per person. They also have a Deli/Coffee shop on-site, but I found they were a bit expensive - $5 for a large bottle of water. I would stock up on Water, Soda, Tequila, etc. at a convenience store sometime early in your trip.
Dec 7, 2010, 10:52 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Jersey
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,154
Breakfast is good in the hotel and is not expensive. We ate at the Las Casitas most mornings and it is around $10/12 per person. They also have a Deli/Coffee shop on-site, but I found they were a bit expensive - $5 for a large bottle of water. I would stock up on Water, Soda, Tequila, etc. at a convenience store sometime early in your trip.
Last questions. How much do drinks run on the resort? Are they crazy expensive? Did you do the all inclusive?
Dec 7, 2010, 11:02 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 44
Depends on what your perspective is. If you are comparing to the bars downtown, then yes they are expensive. If you are comparing to a nice Marriott in San Francisco or Chicago, then no. Coronas will be around $4 each, specialty drinks $8-10, but the Tequila can get quite expensive depending on your tastes. In comparison, we split a bucket of Coronas at a good location downtown for around $10 (6 drinks), but you aren't poolside. If you want to go on the cheap, I would recommend bringing your own flask to the pool and mixing yourself. I'm not sure about all inclusive. I used points to stay for free and miles for the flights, so we weren't too concerned about spending a bit extra for the hotel prices for beverages.
Also, travel is down pretty significantly right now in this area. The first few days the resort was almost empty and not many people downtown. The last few days people were starting to arrive for a Golf Tournament, so I wouldn't expect a ton of people at the resort or downtown right now. If you do any excursions, keep this in mind and you can probably get some good deals on Canopy Tours, Fishing, etc. if you bargain with the vendors.
Also, travel is down pretty significantly right now in this area. The first few days the resort was almost empty and not many people downtown. The last few days people were starting to arrive for a Golf Tournament, so I wouldn't expect a ton of people at the resort or downtown right now. If you do any excursions, keep this in mind and you can probably get some good deals on Canopy Tours, Fishing, etc. if you bargain with the vendors.
Dec 7, 2010, 11:33 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Jersey
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,154
oh well.
Oh last question. did you get free breakfast? I have heard reports that they used to give free breakfast. However, in some materials that they sent me, they mentioned they do not give free breakfast.
Dec 7, 2010, 11:37 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 44
No mention of free breakfast while I was there and no Concierge Lounge since it is Vacation Club. You may still get upgraded to a suite - My stay overlapped when alot of the golfers were in town. I heard that 400 or so were staying there on my last day. Many were either very wealthy or were sharing rooms with others, so I would assume many of the suites were purchased towards the end of my stay. If there isn't anything like this going on, you may have a good chance.