We arrived to the champagne and massage which was a nice way to kick off our "down time". When checking in we were plesantly surprised to find we'd been upgraded to a "master suite" as the honeymoon suite we'd requested was over booked. Staff was friendly and provided excellant service regardless of tipping. Concierge was very helpful with resteraunt recomendations. Prices at the hotel for food, massage, etc were a bit steep as we didn't get an "all inclusive" package. We ate there a couple of times, but mostly tasted local flavors. Our favorites were: Agave Grill, and Barcelona Tapas. Try to avoid Vista Grill as their service is marginal and prices extrodinary! It was a great trip and we'd consider returning in the future.

From the moment you arrive, you can tell this is a special place. Considering it's on the high-end price point wise for PV, it should be a special experience and it was. The massage and champagne upon arrival is a lovely touch and just kicks off your stay in a very pampered way.

When we arrived we were told we were being upgraded to a spa suite (we had booked a regular deluxe room), so that was a nice surprise considering all I really was hoping for was a king size bed. The spa suite has a large living room, dining area, kitchen space and a separate bedroom with a jacuzzi en suite, a large patio overlooking the pool, beach area. The only drawback was that this suite was on the first level, so the view wasn't as good as it would have been had we been up higher.

We never had a problem finding a chair at the pool for the five days we were there during Semana Santa. The hotel may have been sold out, but it never felt like it. We never had to wait for a table in the restaurant or fight for any kind of service. The service was top notch and very friendly with everyones English skills very good.

We did not choose the all inclusive option but did eat breakfast in the hotel most mornings because we couldn't find other breakfast options close by (we also have some minor mobility problems so we couldn't go walking too far). The food and service was excellent in the restaurant. There was one food related mix-up, but that could have happened anywhere and does.

The only negative things about the room I found were the linens didn't seem to be high thread count so they could have been softer (I know I'm a snob), and the bar in the closet to hang things from was very low, so my longer dresses touched the floor. As for the communal areas, because of VPs proximity to the sister property, when things got rowdy over there there was no way not to hear the music and general goings on there.

The beach isn't very good (it's rocky and not that pretty), so if that's very important to you, you'd probably want to rule out VP.

If you are looking for a more adult and quiet vacation experience, I highly recommend VP.

Just got back last week from staying at Villa Premiere. Here's a breif synopsis of our trip for the benefit of first time travelers to PV:

AIRPORT:
At the airport, we were roped into listening to a timesahre pitch for about 5 minutes promising to book us on excusrions. Dont be fooled, book EVERYTHING through your hotel concierge. Just walk straight from baggage claim to get a cab to your hotel - don't even give them the time of day! We only wasted 5 minutes, but any first timer without warning may have gone for the inscentives they were offering and got duped. Thank god we didnt!

HOTEL:
The welcome massage and chapmagne were wonderful. The pillow menu (where you choose what type of pillow you want) and aromatherapy menu were a nice touch and my neck was thankful to have had the benefit of the firm pillow that I chose.

We chose the honeymoon suite and it was definitely WORTH IT. The room was not huge, but decent, clean, and the view was amazing. The huge hot tub and hammock on the balcony were just what we were hoping for. We had the last suite and nobody was on our right, so our balcony was pretty private.

To be fair, it sits *next* to a private home and a crappy looking beach. You have to remember that Mexico is a developing nation and its not perfect. So for all the folks that can't deal with seeing sub-standard living situations and people living in tents on the beach, you may want to go to a mega resort that has timeshares and is more developed on the surrounding properties.

I liked that this is not a time share hotel and nobody harassed us about going to a presentation For a first time traveller to Puerto Vallarta, I really loved the location of this hotel beacuse it is in walking distance of the Malecon (the boardwalk) with tons of restaurants. Don't get the all inclusive at this hotel, there are way too many places to eat outside of the hotel and room service is not that expensive. They don't use top shelf alcohol anyway. The concierge staff is happy to book your reservations in the various restaurants there. Take their recommendations on which ones to go to. There were a few I liked but the only name I remember was La Palapa in Old town. This is a very nice place, so its full of little black dresses and its pricey, but if you only go there for one thing, let it be the "sexy coffee" on the dessert menu. YUMMY and an experience.

Our goal for this trip was pure relaxation, and after the noisy people next door checked out (LUCKILLY) after our first night there, we were able to achieve our goal. The clientel at the hotel was mainly retirees and honeymooners, so the place (after the horrid party people left) was very very quiet. I do have to say that the walls are thin, which is a problem if you had loud people next door like we did our first night. If they hadn't checked out, our vacation may have been ruined for lack of sleep.

The pool was shaded until about 11am. I had no problem reserving lounge chairs, and they were VERY comfortable. The wait staff at the pool was slow, but the quesadillas, guac and ceviche were SOOOO yummy! They had stacks of towels and recent magazines for you to read while you layed in the sun. The hanging bed under the palapas rocks you to sleep after a few margaritas. That was relaixng!

If you have the need to get something laundered at the hotel, DO IT, the clothes smell SOOOOOOO good after they are returned to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wore an outfit back on the plane that they laundered and I didnt want to take it off!

Oh yeah, the breakfasts at the outdoor hotel restaurant, Murales, are delicious.

ACTIVITIES:
We did the canopy tour (zip lining) which was a blast and I'd definitely recommend it.

We did not use the hotel spa because of the extremely outrageous prices. If they want more spa business they need to lower their prices. In fact, you can go right next door to their sister hotel and get the same treatments for a lower price (hotel Buenaventura). Instead we went to Terra Noble, a very rustic spa that may not be for everyone. The day we went, it was mild (in temperature) with a breeze, so it was a little chilly while we were getting our massages, facials and mud wraps. Especially having to rinse our mud off in an outdoor shower that didnt seem to have hot water plumbing... But, on a hot day, this would have been a perfect experience. The view of PV is INCREDIBLE from there. Their prices are not listed online, but we got all three treatments for 165 USD per person and it lasted over 3 hours. It was a cool and different experience from the day spas we are used to in the US. The drive there is interesting..and I'll leave it at that.

We also did the Rhythms of the night tour. FANTASTIC, romantic, delicious, interesting, FUN and we saw frolicking whales on the way there. I'd definitely recommend that one, especially for you and your sweetheart. It is the epitome of a romantic candlelit dinner on the beach under the stars.

Overall, we had a fantastic experience at the hotel and would definitely return. The hotel is small, very clean with nice ammenities. The beach is relatively free of harassing vendors, but they are there. The property istelf was a little haven that allowed me to relax and enjoy the breeze, the sun and the ocean. I sat for hours in the hot tub watching the stars and the moon off of the balcony.



RETURNING to the airport:
This is VERY important...if your captain or the customs person does not tell you, you need to keep customs receipt. You fill out a card on the plane and the customs person will tear a portion of it off and give to you. If you try to check in to your flight to go home and you dont have it, you have to pay a 40 USD fee and tolerate getting harassed by the ticketing agent AND the customs agent (yes, this is what happened to me...).

Overall, we had an amazing time and would like to go back in a couple years. I would definitely return to the same hotel, the honeymoon suite for sure.

The Hotel facilities were pretty good, but for the price, I expected better service. The staff pretends to give you excellent service, but they don't really have the resources, nor the experience to deliver it.
The rooms had very nice view of the ocean. The area where it is located, pretty ugly.
I won't stay here again. We had a much better time at the Marriott.