We just got back from our trip to Puerto Vallarta and had an amazing time. We have 2 kids - 2 and 6 yrs old and the amenities and set up for kids (and adults) was great. They loved the Disney themed Water Park with Pirate Ship, slides, Disney music, etc, also the kids only dinner (only the 6 year old did this one) where they were served by Prince's, Princesses and Disney Characters. We also swam together in the other pools and had a great time. The restaurants were very good, especially the French and Italian -we primarily did the a la carte restaurants for dinner (make reservations) - also included in the all inclusive, although when we did the buffet, it was good and plentiful in terms of selection - with a wonderful ocean view - they also have room service that we used a few times for fresh fruit and grilled chicken sandwich type food - also very good (and of course included). If hungry between meals and not doing room service they have a place with great burritos, made to order (also salads, etc).
My daughter loved all the specialty kids drinks with fun names and optional marshmallows on top. The beach in front was very swimmable and we all went in on multiple occasions. They have a kids club and "Baby Paradise" for younger kids (I think up to 4 years old is Baby Paradise)... awesome, love to hang with the kids but Mom and Dad like to have adult time on vacation and this totally allowed that, the kids loved to go, the helpers in the club were great, and it allowed us to have date nights at the resort restaurants and beach bar while the kids had fun. Also, my 2 year old napped in "Baby Paradise" in the afternoons so myself or my wife were not secluded to our room for 2-3 hours each afternoon for my little guys nap.
The hotel is right on the beach with tons of palapas and chaise lounges readily available (included in the all inclusive), not like some places where you need to get up early to reserve a good spot. Drinks were good and available at multiple spots with usually no wait at all.
Our room, granted we got the large (very large - 2 BR, 2 bath, living room, large entry room, full kitchen with bar and barstools, dining area and 2 decks -one large enough for table, 4 chairs and 2 chaise lounges) had the most insane ocean view (and I've stayed at multiple very nice high end resorts with countless ocean front rooms), the view was not just of the ocean but in the distance you could also see the lights of PV.
There is a turtle egg protection area and one morning we looked down and saw a worker there, we ran down and all got to hold a baby turtle, so cool. It was to be released into the ocean that night I believe. The room was well kept by the maids and the restrooms near the pool always very clean. The staff was all very pleasant, helpful and attentive.
I also recommend a great walk on the boardwalk and a day trip to Las Caletas beach.
We were all sad when it was time to leave but will return to this hotel on my next trip to PV - and I love PV!

I have to be honest, I was a little nervous leading up to our trip to Puerto Vallarta, mostly due to the abundance of negative reviews for this resort. The resort had originally be suggested by a travel agent, and we ended up booking seperately. Only after the fact, I found Trip Advisor. This is probably a good thing because I would have missed out on a great place that was perfect for our family.

Here are my thoughts on specific aspects of our stay:

Check in: Hectic, hot and the line was a little long and slow moving. This was as bad as it got though, and before long we were over this little inconvenience and off to enjoy our stay. Our guy spoke very little english, but it all worked out fine and he was very nice. Immediately after check in we were whisked away to be briefed on all of the hotel ammenities, which I appreciated. He had a lot of tips for us to make our stay more enjoyable.

Room: Standard. It's nothing fancy-schmancy, but we didn't spend a lot of time in our room, so it was more than adequate. The bed was comfortable and the pillows were just fine. Coming from me, that's something as I'm pretty picky about pillows and bed comfort. We didn't experience the rock-hard beds and pancake pillows others have described so I have to wonder if those have all been recently replaced? Anyways, we did not see a single bug, flying thing, reptile or other such critters in our room the entire 9 days. Maid service came every day and did a really good job keeping things neat and tidy. Which is no small feat considering the amount of sand we tracked in every day. :S

There is air conditioning in the room, but don't expect to put it on blast. When running full bore it made the room nice and cooly comfortable. It was cool enough that when we walked in we'd all say "Ahhhhhhh!" in unison and be able to sleep soundly. It won't be cold, just perfect, actually.

Food: This is the part I'm most baffled about when it comes to the negative reviews. It was great! I read many complaints about the buffet food, but were pleasantly surprised when we actually dined there. Now, it's not the hometown buffet food you're used to, and it's also not the same food they're serving at Taco Bell or Chilis. If this is what you're expecting, please stay home! The buffet had a huge variety of foods, some looked familiar, and other dishes we had never seen before. It was a great opportunity to try new foods. Some we loved, some we liked, and some we didn't like at all. To me, that was one of the most fun aspects of the trip... going outside of your comfort zone and trying new things! They always had something great being made fresh to order on the grill.

The ala carte restaurants were pretty good too, but I'm not much of a food snob, so for me it was about ambiance than anything. The French restaurant does a really neat after-dinner coffee thing for the adults made with Kahlua and Brandy. Make sure you ask for it, the kiddos will love the show too. :)

Pools: Loved the pools. My daughter spent a lot of time at the pirate pool and made quite a few friends there. There seemed to always be a resort employee in the pool keeping an eye on things and ran a really tight ship. (pun intended) They really kept an eye out for everyone's safety. Although the pool would get a little sandy on the bottom by the end of the day (it's close to the beach, no wonder) it wasn't filthy as someone else suggested. Every single morning an employee was there cleaning it and seemed just fine to us.

Keep in mind that this resort caters to families. The pool areas, and really any of the public areas will be noisy, busy and bustling. We didn't mind this at all, since we were travelling with a young one ourselves. If you're looking for peace and quiet, this resort might not be a good fit. If you're looking to allow your kids to let loose and be kids, this is the PERFECT place!

Beach: The beach was your run of the mill golden sand beach. If you're looking for white sand beaches, you're barking up the wrong side of the country. The sand is a bit courser than you might expect, but very much swimmable.

Again, the beach area will be loud and crawling with kids, which is great for families. It was a great place for our daughter to meet other kiddos and have as much fun as she wanted.

They have a bunch of reclining chairs under palm umbrellas and tables for your drinks. There is also a bar there, which we found convenient. There are A LOT of vendors at this beach, which we didn't have a problem with at all. Some were pushier than others, but a simple "no gracias" is sufficient. We actually enjoyed shopping from the comfort of our beach chairs, with our Pina Coladas in hand. Don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with them. They are normal people just trying to earn a living. Again, go outside your comfort zone and experience something new. This is a part of their culture, go with the flow and you'll be suprised what you'll learn. We met some really wonderful people when talking and buying stuff from the vendors. Little shout out to Esther the massuese (she will give you a massage for about $15 that will make your bones melt, seriously) and Gloria the wood sculpture lady. Sweet sweet ladies. :)

Employees: We have nothing but glowing reviews for the employees of CPC. So many wonderful people, and so helpful. We lost a backpack in a taxi, and assumed that it was a done deal that we would never see it again. My husband mentioned that we had lost it to one of the bell hops, and they literally worked day and night to get it back for us. I couldn't believe the amount of effort they went to, but they seemed happy to do it for us. We really felt like most, if not all of the employees were working very hard to make sure that we were comfortable and had a great stay.

Kid's Club: Our daughter elected to not go to the Kid's Club, so I can't comment specifically. I did, however, observe the groups around the resort, and they seemed to be having a lot of fun. The staff appeared very energetic and happy. The kiddos in the groups all looked to be engaged and having a fun time.

Location: Very convenient. There is a Walmart literally within walking distance, which came in handy when we lost the aforementioned backpack for a few days. It is also next door to the marina, which is where a lot of excursions leave from. The Malecon is a short and pretty inexpensive taxi ride away. The bell staff was always very quick in getting us taxis when we needed them. There is also a really neat little flea market right before you get to the marina from the resort. We spent many an hour there shopping and chatting with the shop/stall owners. We got a few really good bargains there. Found a few things much cheaper than we could talk people down to on the Malecon.

BOTTOM LINE: If you have kids, this is a great place to stay. Keep your mind open to new experiences and you're bound to have some fun stories to share when you get home. Puerto Vallarta is a wonderful, charming and friendly city, and we found the CPC to be an extension of that exuberance that we love. I will be suggesting this resort to any of my friends who may be traveling to PV with their families!

This resort is amazing!! It really is a Kids Paradise! My daughter thinks it is absolutely the very best hotel in the hotel world, which it is not because it is a four star, but it definitely is a great place to stay for families. My daughter couldn't get enough of the slides and could play for hours in the waterpark. She also did the art activities at the Kids Club every day which were cute. The staff was very nice. Kudos to the security guard at the waterpark and the activities team at the main pool. Don't miss the Disney show on Saturday night if you go here. It is a a great show, for kids and adults alike ! They also have a kids dinner night on Tuesday nights which looked a lot of fun (Disney caracters serving the kids, dances, activities, etc.) As a parent you get a break here. I am not sure where these other people stayed who said that they did not love the hotel. If you have kids and you want to have a great time, I think this is one of the best options in Puerto Vallarta. The location is also wonderful, right next to the Terminal Maritima, where the boat excursions leave from. We did not even have to take a taxi there. In my opinion this hotel offers great value for money.

This is NOT a resort! It is a rundown hotel. It has ONE very small pool on the adult side. No swim up bar. We stayed one night and then switched hotels. if you are looking for a luxurious vacation, this is not it.