Puerto Vallarta All-Inclusive Hotels | Sun, Sand and Mexican Hospitality

At the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, you get 5-star seclusion on tap. We’re talking a private beach in a pristine cove that’s still only 10 kilometres from the convenience of town. And the luxury doesn’t stop on the sand: for starters, you can take your pick from the resort’s five infinity pools – some adult-only and some with swim-up bars. After your afternoon splashes, settle into a poolside chaise longue or occupy a cabana on tranquil Las Estacas beach. If you’re lucky, you’ll see whales breaching in Banderas Bay. When you’re not soaking up the sun, join a beach volleyball game or try an early-morning tennis match while the air is still cool.

Up in your room, you’ll find handcrafted furniture and balconies with views of the Pacific or the Sierra Madre Mountains. Bring up a tropical cocktail from one of the downstairs bars and watch the sunset over the sparkling ocean. If you just can’t get enough of the water, upgrade to a swim-up suite or a room with a private plunge pool.

For authentic Mexican cuisine, head to Casa Grande to dive face-first into specialties from the state of Jalisco. Try the black olive salad followed by an entrée of mancha mantele; a tantalizing stew that melds spicy chorizo and chili with sticky-sweet pineapple. For dessert, cool your throat with a bowl of delectable avocado ice cream. With a buffet and three other restaurants on-site, you won’t run out of dining options. And if you prefer room service, the in-suite menu is available 24 hours a day. Tacos at 2 a.m., anyone?

With 10 acres and 345 guest suites, the family-friendly Velas Vallarta has it all. Kids’ club? Check. Multiple pools? Check. Tennis, golf and great dining? Check, check and check. You might even encounter a resident iguana.

Located in the Marina Vallarta neighbourhood about nine kilometres north of the city centre, Velas gives you direct beach access and proximity to the international airport. You’re just a short walk away from the most modern marina in all of Mexico, Marina Vallarta, where you can oggle enormous yachts or charter a boat and set sail yourself.

When lunchtime rolls around, you’ll have two full-service restaurants, plus several cantinas and stations for ice cream and snacks to satiate rumbling bellies. For a real treat, head to La Ribera Steakhouse, an outdoor, beachfront joint plating up Mexican, Spanish and international cuisine. Visit on a Saturday for Spanish Night and try the chef’s Cordoba beef short rib, marinated for 24 hours in red wine, vegetables and aromatic herbs.

As for your room, whether it’s a deluxe studio or the presidential suite, you can pour yourself a bev from the stocked mini bar while you fill the bath with pampering products. Or if you’re craving a little bit of home, wrangle together your favourite Canadian fare in your own kitchenette. When you’re ready for bed, snuggle under a plush duvet and lay your head on your goose down pillow to recharge for another day in paradise.

Just a five-minute drive from Puerto Vallarta’s lively oceanfront promenade, Now Amber Puerto Vallarta is one of the most central resorts in town. From here, you’ll have easy access to the historic downtown, where you can get lost down romantic cobblestone streets or breeze into cathedrals, shops, galleries and restaurants. You might just opt to stay in though, what with a sparkling seaside pool, thatch palapas for watching the sunset and direct access to the beach straight off a postcard.

Tech-savvy travellers will appreciate the extra effort taken to keep them connected while on vacation. The hotel’s Unlimited Connectivity mobile app allows for free WiFi throughout the resort, and you can place free phone calls to Canada or the U.S. if you need to brag (just a little) to your friends and family enduring the winter back home. You can also keep track of resort activities so you never miss out on tasty restaurant offerings or cool excursions to local hot spots.

In your sparklingly clean suite, stay cool with modern décor and marble floors. From your private terrace or balcony, breathe in the salty ocean air as you take in the view of an endless turquoise sea or lush tropical gardens. No need to make it a dry event, either: your private minibar is always stocked, free of charge.

Don’t worry about reservations when dinnertime comes around. The resort’s four à la carte restaurants, a buffet, grill and café accommodate hungry guest without advance notice. If the beachy vibes have you hankering for seafood, try the famous Vallarta-style ceviche or the grouper filet with fresh chimichurri sauce at Castaways.

You’re in for an authentic Mexican treat at the Fiesta Americana, where the open-air, multi-storey lobby is under an all-natural thatched “palapa” – the largest structure of its kind in the region. From there, check out your room, with either a breathtaking view of Banderas Bay to the west or the awe-inspiring Sierra Madre Mountains to the east. You’ll want to snap some Instagrams of your cool marble surrounds, or save your daily post for a sunset shot from your private balcony.

Spend a relaxing day playing in the surf or dozing on a covered beachfront bed. Or hang out by one of the pools, where you can stay busy with daily organized entertainment and activities. You’re within easy walking distance to La Isla Shopping Village and the Plaza Caracol shopping mall should you care to pick up a handmade hammock (they pack up small!) or some intricate Huichol beaded art. Otherwise, a five-minute taxi ride takes you to historic downtown Puerto Vallarta, where you can browse the colourful array of shops, galleries and restaurants.

If you’re vacationing with kids or teens who want their own adventures, the Fiesta Kids Club and Fiesta Teens Club will keep them busy with sports, games, movies, and arts and crafts. Staying for a while? You can stop in at a different restaurant or bar every day, with 12 venues on-site. For an alternative to traditional Mexican fare, try fresh sushi at the Tiatang Asian restaurant, with its vibrant red décor and ornately carved wooden privacy screens.

Barceló Puerto Vallarta was made for the sun-seeker who wants to be away from the hustle of Puerto Vallarta, but still near enough to visit. Just 10 kilometres south of town, you’ll find the resort tucked away on a semi-private stretch of Mismaloya beach within a lush green valley.

Your first stop when you check into your airy suite will be the balcony. Take a seat in the sun and drink in your personal view of the resort’s lagoon pool and waterfall, the sparkling blue sea or the jungle-clad hillside. Even the smallest of rooms – at a generous 68 square meters – give families ample space to breathe in the sea air. And when the brood gets hungry? Go for a taste of Italy (and maybe some romance as well) at Capri Restaurant, where the house gelato is a must, or try a flavour-bursting Spanish paella at Don Quijote.

Sporty types will want to set up camp by the sports pool, where daily activities like volleyball and water aerobics run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sports pool and the three other pools (one specifically for kids) stay open until 9 p.m., so there’s always the option of a post-dessert plunge. If you want an adults-only break for a day, enroll the kids in the Barcy Club, where trained staff will play board games and build sand castles with the little ones, leaving you free to doze in a hammock strung between palm trees or go full grown-up mode with a salt-rimmed margarita.

For a unique beach experience, head to the Garza Blanca Preserve Resort and Spa, located on Garza Blanca beach, less than 20 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta. It’s one of the few white sand beaches in the area, and the new breakwater jutting into the ocean creates a calm cove for swimming or just floating on a flamingo-shaped inflatable. Borrow a resort kayak or paddle board (free of charge) and try out a new sport in gentle, wave-free waters. Or, if you prefer to stay pool-side, choose from the three outdoor pools and two Jacuzzis for a relaxing swim in the sunshine. Kick off your flip-flops and sit in the shallow waters of the lagoon-style pool with a coconut piña colada in hand.

Wander around the expansive grounds – 85 acres of lush forest and beach – before heading back to your breezy quarters for a siesta. For a lazy afternoon in the shade or sun, lie out on your private balcony or settle into a woven hammock with a view of the ocean. Those after a holiday splurge should book an Ultra Suite on a higher floor – the jaw-dropping wall-free living spaces bring oceanfront living to a new extreme, you can admire the epic view from your own outdoor Jacuzzi.

As for mealtimes, the Aquazul Beach Bar and Lounge will keep you satiated during the day, serving up sophisticated twists on burgers, salads, guacamole and ceviche. BocaDos STK is the place to go for heartier fare, as you can tuck into succulent grilled chicken, fresh seared fish, fine steaks and crisp salads.

The on-site Litibu Golf Course at Iberostar Playa Mita is just one of the perks of being on a vast property in Vallarta’s super-cool little sister, Sayulita. Play a round, then head to the sports pool to slot in some laps or a game of volleyball or water polo if you’ve got more energy to burn. Should a sunbed and a margarita be calling your name instead, the crescent-shaped main pool, with its ocean view and a swim-up bar, is where you’ll want to be.

Kids get their very own Aqua Fun water park, with a shallow pool, water slide and splash pads right next to the adult space so you can keep a watchful eye. When they’re not in the mood to get wet, kids will love the organized or free play sessions at Star Camp, the designated kiddo zone, while teens can retreat to the Eagle Star Camp for computers and gaming. That leaves parents to play or just catch some rest in your beachy suite with a colour palette inspired by the sea. Mix up an adult drink and recline on your breezy balcony over the turquoise sea. If ocean access is your priority, ask for a Junior Suite on the ground floor to walk straight from your patio into the garden and onto the powdery sand beyond.

You can dine at five à la carte restaurants and buffets, including the elegant Pacific Express, the resort’s only formal venue with a dress code and age restriction so you can get some much-craved adult time (plus seriously scrumptious French cuisine). Or for a more casual vibe, bring all the troops to Tsuba for umami-packed Japanese favourites and melt-in-your-mouth sashimi.