We just returned last night from a fantastic vacation at the Melia. We were very nervous just before we left because of so many negative reviews. We had gone back and forth on between this resort and a Beeches. The fact that it was half the price ultimately determined that we would go to Melia and that PV weather is always sunny.

The 5 star review is based on a family vacation with young children, the fact that this is a 3.5/4 star resort and we paid that. I did not expect perfection as we did NOT pay the same as we would have for a Beeches resort in Jamica.

As soon as we arrived (only 5 mins from the airport which was amazing) we were warmly greeted our room was ready (1pm) and we had done a Kids and Co room with bunk beds. There was a sand pail, shovels, Baby wash, Baby cream, toothbrushes, kids toothpaste and suntan lotion! Evening cookies and a mainly stocked fridge (not always consistent but we didn't need it to be) The only issue with our room was that the hall light did not work and the drain in sink. I spoke to the front desk and it was fixed within an hour! the room was 1108 and overlooked the chess game. It was a bit loud at night but the entertainment in the lobby is finished by midnight. We kept the AC on and it was great. The kids were so tired at night they slept right through it. Some people did comment on the smells, we did experience this 3 days but only in the AM for some reason and just in the bathroom. It was always gone within a few hours. The first day it was like oh great just like the reviews but it was gone by the time we got back from the pool.

If we were to do it again we may not stay in the Kids and Co room just because it only comes with 2 double beds and my husband and I are tall. The 2 year old ended up in our bed everynight as he was unsure of the bunkbed. My 6 year old loved it.

We did not experience any pressure at all for timeshare/vacation club. Although we did meet people who saw the suites and said they were amazing. Also on the beach the vendors are not pushy at all a simple no thank you is fine. Speaking of the beach, again this is PV so the beach is not like white sand and there are a lot of waves. It is small but hardly anyone uses it so not sure why people complained about it you could have the whole beach to yourself.

Food- again this is a 3.5/4 star resort so the food is not the same as a very high end resort with the food. Breakfast and Lunch have a very very good selection. I found it funny that people are complaining in reviews about "hiding bacon" Seriously it was always full beside the Omelette station. Bacon and Eggs... they go together. Sylvia that works at the egg station was a JOY she was always smiling and knew I like egg white omelettes. We found the evening dinners to be okay. Nothing too special other then the Mexican night by the ocean it was fun and entertaining and very good food. The Italian dinner was very good. We didn't upgrade to wine bottles but we were totally okay with there being an upcharge. Most resorts I have been too (over 10 in Mexico) if you want a good bottle of wine would have an upcharge. Same with Lobster. Seriously for what you paid for this vacation, I don't think that Lobster that may be wasted would be on the menu! Although I did celebrate my 40th bithday there and they had a cake made and sparkling wine at no charge. Very nice. WARNING- if you have a Peanut allergy make sure that you talk to the chefs and they will make sure that you are okay. There is a Doctor onsite if needed.

Only recommendation if you have children is to grab a few bannanas or oranges at breakfast and have for your beach bag as there is very limited fruit for the remainder of the day.

The Pool is fantastic for kids, fantastic one side has an 8 inch ledge that little ones can play on all day in the water. Our 6 year old really enjoyed the Kids club leaders in there are great with kids. Our 2 year old only used it twice, we actually picked the resort based on the bam bam club that would take him as we wanted a family vacation but also a bit of relaxation. However, we found he was great with us by the pool. He napped at the kids club a few days and we got to read.

Benjamin and Angel at the pool served us all week and were always friendly. Weither they were tipped or not. At one point I went to tip Angel and he said no your husband already did! Class act.

Activities crew- the evening entertainment is AMAZING. Truly fantastic quality shows. These young men and women are unbelievable and work long hard days. The circus evening was equivalent to a mini Cirque Du Soliel. Well done Melia crew. Some of the best night entertaiment I have every seen in Mexico. They were great with the kids before hand as well and did a mini disco for them. They enjoyed it so much.

Overall, we found this to be a great resort for what what we paid. We would certainly come back with family and friends again. T

I had the pleasure of staying at the Melia Puerto Vallarta Resort Feb 6-9. The one and only problem with my stay was that it was too short!! Being less than 10 minutes from the airport, it took no time at all from being on the plane to sipping a margarita at the swim-up bar. My vacation began with a warm reception at the front desk and I soon found myself in a room with a spectacular view of the beach and bay. The staff was very friendly, the food was delicious, and my room was beautiful. I was very pleasantly surprised by the myriad of activities included: archery, riflery, and a rock climbing wall to name a few. This resort puts the ALL in all-inclusive! I can't wait to return!!

After a crappy year, my good friend and I booked a girl’s trip to the Melia. We were there for 1 week and from the time I entered the hotel until check-out, I can say that the service was impeccable, the food was great, the activities were awesome, and the evening shows were amazing (especially Ivan the dancer).lol
The only complaint was that the elevators in building 2 was not always in working order (I got stuck for a short while) and one day the water in our suite was a dark brown colour for a few hours.
Besides those issues, I had a fabulous time, meeting new friends, learning new dance moves at dance class, and being pampered by staff. Now I understand the feeling Stella had when she got her “Groove Back”!!! It was a much needed break. Thanks Melia, specifically Carlos, Jesus, and all the activity staff. You guys Rock!!!

Here is the real scoop on Melia Puerto Vallarta from an American family traveling with three young children (6, 4, 2) for one week: The staff of the whole resort is fantastic. Kids club, wait staff at the restaurants, pool staff, maid service -- everyone is incredibly friendly, and they were kind to our kids even when our little one made a mess at meals. The kids club is outstanding. Everyone is incredibly nice and engages the kids in activities they really enjoy. In addition to the daytime kids club activities, there are kids shows where they can participate, kids "minidisco", and lots more that keep the kids excited and happy. The Kids & Co. rooms were a big plus -- two full beds plus a set of bunk beds worked very well for our family to sleep comfortably. Also, the pool is perfectly set up for kids with lots of places that little ones that don't swim well can sit or walk in the water and still enjoy the pool.

As far as quality of accommodations, this is about a 3.5-star facility. We rated it 5 stars for the experience as a whole -- kids club, quality of staff. We saw some of the negative reviews online and did not find them to be accurate with respect to our stay.