We just got home from Velas Vallarta where we had a wonderful time. The rooms were nice, the beds and pillows very comfortable, the iguanas entertaining, and Marcelino, our waiter at the pool, kept the delicious margaritas and Pina Coladas coming.

If you are looking for a place to get away for a relaxing time lounging by the pool, sipping a nice refreshment, and getting away from it all this is the place. The service staff is extremely helpful and everyone was so nice.

My one and only complaint is that the deck loungers do not recline all the way. This probably saved my skin from burning since I couldn't really fall asleep in the sun, but I found it uncomfortable after awhile.

we travel to puerto vallarta yearly. we have stayed in several different hotels and locations.
we prefer velas and the marina area.
velas suites are large, comfortable, especially the bed and pillows-which can be an issue in mexico. the grounds are tropial, beautiful pools and are kept immaculate. staff is friendly and very appreciative of our business.-many gracias throughout the week.
we spend our time at the beach area and found it relaxing. Tino our server was very accomodating and friendly. our fave lunch is the chicken tacquitos.
although velas is all inclusive don't expect vegas type shows at night. that's one area they could improve on.it is dead there at night, no real bar to hang at with friends. we prefer to go to el centro at night so didn't matter.
marina area is clean, safe and quiet. walked several times in evening to different restaurants.
short taxi or bus ride to el centro but in a quieter area.

We've stayed here a few times, including last week. My in-laws bought into a timeshare a dozen or so years ago. The TripAdvisor rating that puts Velas around #28 out of 116 hotels seems about right. Velas is very nice, but there are places that out-do it.

The location is good. Near the airport, so there are planes coming and going a half-mile away. Noticeable but not distracting. The area surrounding the marina is a pleasant, high-end tourist area. Perhaps a few too many vendors chasing too few customers, especially boat charters selling fishing excursions. Spa services at Velas and at independent places by the marina were both excellent. A cab into the older part of the city is $80 pesos, and the city bus is $6.50. The city is definitely worth exploring. Lots of excellent, interesting restaurants. The art installations along the Malecon are worth a trip downtown by themselves. A day trip to Sayulita is great, especially for kids who want to learn how to surf.

It's a resort - pools, palm trees, beach, activities, drinks, snacks, attentive staff. Marcellino took excellent care of us pool-side. Track him down and tip him well. Past the pools, the beach itself is public property, and there are independent vendors selling various things. 'No, gracias' is always respected. Saying it with a smile just makes the vacation more pleasant for everyone involved.

The rooms are large, clean and well-equipped. Studio units face the outside of the buildings, and the one- and two-bedroom units have balconies that face the central space.

Puerto Vallarta is all about time shares. You can't go far without someone trying to sell you some variation of a time share. If you do some research ahead of time and if you know whether and/or under what terms a time share might make sense, it's manageable. I can't keep up with all of the math that gets thrown around during sales presentations, so I make sure to go in with my own understanding of the fair market value of time share resales. It's a brutal business, and people can end up buying things they don't understand and that don't make sense for them financially.

The biggest issue I have with Velas is its emphasis on the all-inclusive fees. I imagine their business model has grown to depend on the revenue associated with the all-you-can-eat-and-drink fees. Fortunately, the thing my in-laws bought doesn't require the all-inclusive package - it's optional. We opt to not go with the all-inclusive, and enjoy getting out and about in Puerto Vallarta. We have dinner at extremely nice places all over the city, pick up groceries for breakfast and lunch, and order snacks and drinks at the pool.

I realize I've rattled off a few negatives. For me, the positives far outweigh the negatives. The weather is fabulous, Puerto Vallarta in general and Velas in particular are great for kicking back for a week. Going in with realistic expectations, realizing that we're interacting with people trying to make a living, making an effort to dust off our long-forgotten high-school Spanish, and it's all good.

Excellent staff.
Jacinto at the pool...from day one...remembers exactly what you drink...how to make it "your" way, and is just a wonderful, wonderful man. Geraldine Becerras is magic. No one every tells you NO. It is a lovely hotel...lovely pool, lovely people. We love it! Go, enjoy yourself. Convienent to downtown, local bus transportation. It is a kick.