We've been going to PV for many years and due to proximity to friends, we started to stay at the Villa del Palmar about 10 year ago. I was impressed recently to see that they are constantly improving the facility, amenities and service and I now believe them to be on par with the best in PV. It is a lovely setting and upkeep is now fastidious (good because the facility is not brand new but is up-to-date) competing favorably with the significantly higher-priced hotels. We will continue to make it our "home" in PV (we love having the small kitchenettes in each room) -- and continue to benefit from the constant improvements. We love the fact that its location and setting are "real Mexico" unlike many resorts which could be anywhere! BTW-- they will try the "buy our condo" number on you like many locations around the world, but if you are not interested and politely refuse the offer, they'll back off right away!

This is a pretty nice hotel in a location that didn't satisfy our travel plans. It is centrally located between the Marina and El Centro, and we went to town every day. It is not a hard trip - we usually took the bus which is very inexpensive - but we should simply have picked a hotel in Old Town for our needs.

The vacationers here are mostly up in years - and we are not youngsters. We've never seen so many walkers, wheel chairs, and oxygen in one place other than a rest home. It wasn't an issue for us and makes for a pretty quiet environment. You can even use the sister property of Villa del Mar next door which is even quieter. Occupancy was 58% and grew on the weekends, which livened things up a little with more children and Mexican Nationals. Anyway, we mention this only for those who are expecting a lively, spring break kind of place - this is not it.

When we checked in we were turned over the hotel timeshare rep for our key and hotel information. It was actually useful since "Grace" was very pleasant and provided a lot of useful information. We agreed to visit the VDP Flamingos resort in Neuvo Vallarta since we were exploring PV and wanted to see how things had developed to the north. Grace "guaranteed" us that it would be a 90 minute presentation including the free breakfast. Well, it turned out to be 4-1/2 hours and five salespersons. They were working up to six when we simply said we were leaving and started walking out. We were later advised that we asked too many questions, which they believe indicates serious interest and therefore didn't want to let us get away without buying something. Buyer beware...

The rooms in the hotel are very clean, but somewhat worn. We loved the bed. The refrigerator is way small, particularly if you want to keep ice in it for drinks. The resort food we had was actually very good, but the high prices made us eat nearly all meals in town. We noticed that they have a sign up in the pool/deck area telling you not to bring your own food or drink into the area, but with their prices most people were simply ignoring it. Happy hour drinks were priced at what should be the regular price (two for one). Staff is exceptional, and we have had nice service in every resort in Mexico we have stayed in. Even the front desk, which some people have criticized, were very friendly and helpful. I don't think you could ask for better personnel in a hotel.

They do have "Elite Status" areas roped off for "special owners." I think that means they paid a bunch of $$$ for the title. They were not used much (not a surprise) but it did create kind of a snobbish aspect to the hotel.

We'd probably stay at this hotel again if it were lotated in El Centro. If that is not important to you, by all means consider it for your PV visit.

My wife ,two daughters age 2.5 & 5 and I stayed here for 10 days. We meet 3 other family’s down at this resort for the past 3 years. We have stayed at many resorts across central and south America ranging from 5 star – 2 star. I would rate this resort at a solid 3.5 star. At one point I’m sure it was a 4.5 star however it is an older resort. Here is how I would break it down.

The staff:
We found the staff at the front counter to be efficient, not overly friendly just very business-like. They are fast to get you in so that you are not waiting around for room keys. They could have been a little more cheerful, however I was happy just to get my room key after flying all day.

The grounds:
The grounds of the resort are kept in pristine condition. There isn’t a blade of grass out of place. Funny thing is I don’t remember seeing lots of grounds keepers during the day so I assume they were doing this at night. If that’s the case they are very quiet in doing so.

The entertainment:
The entertainment staff are very nice and hardworking people. I enjoyed playing beach V-ball every day at 11am and again at 3pm. Other than that I didn’t partake in activities, but when hanging out at the pool they always had something going on. I would say they could have played better music but I was told because there was an “older” crowed at the resort they had to play that type of music.

The Food:
I’m the pickiest eater ever, so take this with a grain of salt. I found the food to be ok not great just ok. We never do the AI because I just hate eating buffet….anywhere. The breakfast at the on-site convenience store was really good! The pizza at the outdoor restaurant by the beach was also good. Other than that is was just ok.

The Location:
You can’t beat the location. It is centrally located so if you want to go DT PV it’s a $6-10 cab ride if you want to go to Nuevo Vallarta it’s a $12 cab ride, and bucerias might be $20-25. The Bus to DT PV is so cheap and it’s a fun ride. There are markets north and south of resort. There is a Wal-Mart like store about 2 blocks down the street or you can take a cab to Costco.

The rooms:
The rooms are very spacious and very clean, however they are dated. The décor is typical for Mexico. The beds are comfy, the bathroom is big, and the maids do a good job of cleaning up every day.

The pools:
There are 3 pools. One kids pool about 2 feet deep. A pool at the back of the resort. And the main pool. We hung out at the main pool 99% of the time. The water was heated, this is a very nice bonus. Not all resorts heat the pools. This is a main reason we go to this resort. My wife and kids hate getting into COLD pools. This for us is a deal breaker. If they every stop heating the pool we would not return.

The beach:
The beach is nice, they have a roped off area that the peddlers are not allowed. This is nice if they bother you. Also have some chairs set up closer to the water. When we were there, we were able to swim all but one day.

My family likes this resort, it’s a smaller resort with a more intimate feeling. I would recommend this resort for families with young kids, or older couples. We feel safe here and we will be returning Feb27th 2013

Dated, but well maintained resort. Stayed one week in a one bedroom, and one week in a suite. Extra tips means extra service. At first it was $45 extra for the larger room per night, but then it was changed to $12/ night with a little incentive. I didn't need the bigger room the second week. Both rooms were fine, although the shower had a problem in the one bedroom. Larger rooms had ocean and pool views. Smaller room overlooked the quiet pool. Both had nice balconies. All have well equipped kitchenettes. There are grills to use. Beach is very nice, but you have to fight off the vendors. Ocean was warm this time of year. 2 pools, one is a great lap pool. Restaurants on site are pricey. Drinks are crazy expensive, bring your own. Supermarket a block down the street. You can buy everything you need there. Take the bus for 65 pesos anywhere. Walmart & Costco are about 30 minute walk. Very good location. Staff are very friendly and willing to help. They will sit you down when you get there and pressure you to go to the new flamingo resort for timeshare presentation. In return, we got a bottle of local tequila, a city tour, 20% discount on our restaurant tabs (hardly worth since we didn't eat there much), 2 free breakfasts, for a 4 hour high pressure pitch. I'm sure we could have gotten more if we asked. $15/day for Internet. Don't pay it. Ask any guest sitting in the lobby for the code, and most will oblige, or negotiate it in with your timeshare visit. Local calls are 6 pesos, but they don't tell you that calling a local cell phone is $2/minute. Get a calling card and use the pay phones. They also don't tell you that when you check out there is an optional 45 pesos per day charge to your room for staff tips. It's already on your bill when you go to pay. They'll take it off if you ask. I tip as service is rendered, I don't like these sneaky charges, but its mexico. The rules change depending who you talk to. An incredible lack of consistency and honesty.
Overall one of the nicer time shares that I've stayed in the area, and I would go back.