We visited Puerto Vallarta on January 22-29, 2005 and stayed at the Club Velas Vallarta. The vacation was wonderful from the minute we got to the airport. We had called the hotel ahead and let them know when we were arriving and when we got to the airport there was a man with a sign with our name on it to take us to the hotel!! We traveled with 8 of us (through RCI) and there was a van waiting for us at the airport that took us directly to the hotel. When we got to the hotel there was no line to register and while doing so, a waitress brought us a cold drink!! We had a 3 bedroom unit that was absolutely the most beautiful, spacious room we have EVER had!!! It had a huge deck looking out onto the ocean. We were traveling with one person in a wheelchair and this room was at ground level and so accessible to everything at the resort. We were treated wonderfully by everyone at the resort. The staff was friendly and extremely helpful. The food was delicious and had something to please even the pickiest of eaters!! The grounds are gorgeous and well taken care of. The pools are beautiful and there are plenty of lounge chairs to sit on by the pool and you don't have to get up and 6:00 a.m. to go and save chairs!! We were on the all-inclusive plan so I don't know how expensive things were if you weren't. We had a stocked refrigerator at all times (beer, soda, yogurt, etc.) and snacks and bread in the kitchen. And we also took advantage of the room service. The cost of the all-inclusive was $105 for RCI members per person per day, which is quite a bit, but we did feel everything was top notch!! We are going back again next year!!!!!!!

Our family of four stayed 7 days at this hotel recently.
With the exception of check-in and the beach we were happy with this resort.
We arrived at midnight due to a 7 hr airflight delay. I had reserved and paid for a 2 bedroom suite in Nov after spending several months researching hotels. Upon check in at midnight- we were exhausted, we were told that they did not have a 2 bedroom available!!! They said that they would give us two studios facing the street. We were furious. After standing our ground we were given a 2 bedroom on the 7th floor with a great view of the ocean and pools which they suddendly came up with. We were then phoned the next morning early 9am and asked to switch rooms to another 2 bedroom on the 5th floor. For our inconvenience they allowed us all inclusive for the day as well as the Mexican beach dinner fiesta. (which had to be cancelled off of the beach due to bad weather)

After this intial problem we were happy enought with the resort. The rooms were huge 1100 sq ft. Comfy beds with a king in one room and 2 doubles in the other. If you do not do all inclusive.... do not eat here. $4.00 Us for a glass of orange juice. Very pricey. It has a good kitchenette however, we did find small ant like bugs living on the kitchen counter. Do not expect to swim in the ocean here. The red flag is a permanent fixture and very few folks ever ventured out.

The next time we go to PV we will stay nearer to Punta Mita. My husband took a fishing boat out in that area and the beaches are quite lovely... as well the area is less commercialized.

We took a cab to PV a few times.... the place is a zoo. Sidewalks tiny, traffic whizzing by, exhaust smells... I didn't enjoy it. We did eat at the Marina (walking distance) a few times and that was nice.

My son got ill with an ear infection and the hotel had a very good Dr. there in 10 mins. They delivered a prescription within 20 mins which I was very impressed with.

Grounds are impeccable... must be a dozen men full time trimming cutting grass etc.

No good entertainment to speak of. People go and sit in the lobby and listen to taped music to get their free all inclusive drinks.

All in all the vacation was fine. We got totally rained out the last two days... but we made the best of it. Remember...PV is in the jungle... don't believe it when they say it never rains here!!

I wish I would have booked the Mexican Riveria near Cancun instead. The water and beaches there are to die for.

My two children and I just returned from vacation at the Velas Vallarta. We enjoyed the hotel and certainly the pools. The grounds and gardens were beautiful. The rooms were nice, kitchenette was great if you go with the EP plan (no food). We grabbed a $3 cab ride to Walmart Supercentre and stocked up on food, which was inexpensive. We ate most meals in the room which suited us fine. The meals looked to be resort prices so we ate out of the resort which was a lot cheaper. Of course the time share people are initially pushy but I just deflected them, and after the second day they leave you alone, they look for you arriving with your bags & approach with a "welcome package", I never did get the package. Do not let anyone push you into anything and you will be fine. The lobby has internet use which is nice to talk to your family while you are away. It seems easier than using the phones, which seems to be very difficult in Mexico, so if you can open a hotmail account if you haven't already.
Overall the stay was very nice, be careful because they fill up your minibar with "incidentials", but you are paying for them which I didn't realize until after I started munching, but then again you are on holidays and the key is to enjoy yourself.
I would recommend this hotel and would certainly stay there again.

We just returned from a week at the beautiful Velas Vallarta! I own a travel agency and knew it would be nice, but Velas Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta surpassed my expectations. The resort and grounds are beautifully landscaped and scrupulously maintained. The staff were friendly, helpful, polite, and quick to respond. I was concerned that we would be bored with only 2 restaurants with their all-inclusive plan. Not to fear, there was a different theme every night and alternative meals at the other restaurant (excellent steaks). Two nights the dinners were held directly on the beach. The staff placed mats on the sand and set up a romantic dinner settings complete with candles, lanterns and tiki torches. It was lovely.

The hotel does offer a time share opportunity but did not push it when we decilined. There are approved street vendors allowed on the beach. They do approach you, but politely retreat when you say "No thank you." We talke to several people who did attend the time share presentation. They are VERY expensive. Mexico is not an expensive destination, it was a better value to procure the space through our travel agency than by purchasing a time share.

Puerto Vallarta was a clean, safe city to walk around in and the water was good (no health issues). Be sure to visit Mama Lucia's Tequila distillery, take a Canopy tour or the Sierra Madre day tour, and enjoy a day aboard the Dancer (snorkeling and hiking in addition to enjoying a nice boat ride).