We just got back from a week at the new Hilton in PV. We loved it. It's small, new, clean, and they are trying to hard. There are still a few kinks they need to work out, but everyone has such a great attitude.

When we arrived, we had booked a "Partial Ocean View" room. The room they showed us to smelled musty. I have allergies, so knew that would be a problem. They moved us to a different room and at first blush, it looked great. Until we walked in two steps, the bed wasn't made. It had two balconies overlooking the pool area, but you could smell the vents from the kitchen and the lock on the door was broken. Oops. We offered that they could get the room made up and we'd go and get dinner. But they moved us to yet another room. The room was ended up with was obviously a new room...smelled new, nothing broken. It was fantastic. We appreciate the way the front desk worked with us to get a room that worked. We didn't get our "partial ocean view," but they called the room a "junior suite" I guess because it had a sofa bed. The balcony overlooked the pool. It had a small refrigerator with soda, beer, water and a chocolate yummy thing. There was also a coffee pot and the coffee was pretty good. We brought our own coffee and didn't try the hotel's coffee until the last day after we'd run out of what we brought along.

The bathroom was huge! It has a big tub, a shower that would accommodate four people easily, a double sink with a long counter and plenty of room to put our belongings, and a w.c. The TV is a new Sony flatscreen and the alarm clock is also a Sony. The clock/radio had so many buttons...not sure how to work it. Not a problem though. The clock was fine.

The resort has two restaurants that are open six days, French one and a Mexican one. The buffet restaurant is open all the time, and a Brazilian one open for dinner one night a week. We enjoyed all the restaurants...found things we liked in each. The presentations were beautiful too. Our servers--Carlos, Israel, Angel, Emil...were all very friendly, professional, and helpful.

Around the pool they had some covered seating, and then some other seating. We preferred the more comfortable cushy seats with an awning over them to block out some of the hot sun. The pools are beautiful and kept up well. We didn't like all the babies with diapers in the pool, On top of the newer building there is another infinity pool with a bar and they serve sushi starting at 5 pm. It's an adult only area...which is really nice. No screaming kids there.

We met people whose kids REALLY enjoyed the kids club they have there. It's nice for the parents to get a break from the kids on their vacation. They did crafts, games, they have video games, a small playground. If I were little, I'd like it!

Some suggestions for making the resort better: give all the guests an activity calendar for the week, so people can plans if they want to participate. have better signage for the coffee bar in the atrium. make sure all guests know about the adult only sushi stuff.

I'd definitely go back.

This is going to be a long one. I feel I owe it to the staff for the incredible Thanksgiving week we just had there. First off I am a professor of economics having taught the 'Dismal Science' for over thirty-five years, needless to say I am as critical of analytic as they come. If something is not right, well I don't overlook it and if done correctly I praise it. Money is important to me for the value I achieve from it...cutting to the chase our (wife and myself) stay at the Hilton was the most value for the dollar (peso) vacation--other than our honeymoon on the Big Island--that we have experienced.

Bullet points...

1) The king size bed was like sleeping on a cloud.

2) Our room in the main section on the 6th floor had a breathtaking panorama of the entire coast (I'd recommend you book from 6 - 8 floor)

3) The beach below was expansive and close to pristine with daily grooming.

4) The waves breaking could be clearly heard from the bed at night.

5) The hotel is brand new with few smudges and crystal clear glass, few knowing of it's existence.

6) Our room was spacious with marble floor, shower (rainfall) and vanity.

7) The maid service was excellent--I put them to the test daily with my beach walk unfortunately bringing in some sand which was cleaned up to the grain!

8) Never had a wait or an inconvience for anything--never had a glass or cup go empty.

9) Food at the morning buffett was varied day to day and quite good.

10) Dinner at the French and Mexican resturants was outstanding!

11) Room service was outstanding--one night I was torn between a club sandwich and chicken breast as my wife was ordering on the phone. I finally decided on the chicken, well guess what--they sent up both the club and the chicken--which were both excellent!

12) All the staff were more than helpful and friendly--we requested a late checkout since our flight out was a 5:00 pm and they gave us till 2:00.

13) The children (not many) were all exceptionally well behaved and fun to watch having in the beautiful pool.

14) If one child is one child too many, well I suggest you go up to the upper deck adult only lounge and pool--what I called San Simeon. If you have ever been to the Hearst Castle when the fog rolls in leaving you on Mount Olympus you know what heaven must feel like. Well this is the same feeling I had at the upper deck lounge. Thick white sofas, an infinity pool, salsa music, with flocks of pelicans and soaring friggates for amusement.

15) Drinks. What's the purpose of being at an all inclusive if you don't drink? Well we do and the drinks were incredible. Ben, the head bartender of the upper deck, made the best Long Isl, Ice Teas, and Margaritas I have had in my life! I can still remember the best whiskey sour which I had in 1975 in San Francisco so I'm not extending the truth. The excellent daily fresh sushi, served from noon till three was our lunch as we ate with the gods and were catered like royality.

16) Possible improvement...or rather me being very picky.

a) No bacon served for breakfast on any day we were there (sauages were, but I'm not a fan)
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b) The breakfast burritos were excellent, but only served on one day of our stay.

c) It would be great if the theromostat in the room was both fahrenheit as well as centigrade--I finally figured out that 20C = 68F after a couple of days of being too cold or hot--lol. A conversion table above the theromostat would be very helpful.

d) Lobby internet access should always be logged on. It was a pain when someone logged out and the administrator flag then showed until a staff member could be found to re-accessed (the room / hotel wi-fi on the other hand worked great).

17) Suggestions for your stay...

a) Bring along $50 in one dollar bills and $50 in fives--incredible service if you tip given that most don't.

b) Take a bus ride downtown (it helps to have a couple of drinks in you before you do)! Visit the ocean front jungle gift shops and the Catholic Church. We were fortunately enough to have a wedding taking place at the church when were there so we attended the service--what a kick listening to the pipe organ blasting out the wedding march. The bride was beautiful and the groom sweated up a storm dressed in a suit.

c) Leave the chap-stik at home it's humid and hot even in the nice time of the year November - April. We wouldn't have wanted it any hotter or more humid than it was.

d) Noticed that some complained about the rains in April, but we never felt a drop having full sun in the afternoon with mist/fog each morning and then clouding up in the evening--never did see a sunset.

d) Finally, buy something--these people are poor (46% of hte pop. made do with $100 or less income per month) and appreciate any business you can give them and if a small child come up to you with something to sell that you don't want, either buy it and toss it or just give them a dollar.

I have been several times to PV; I have been at Fiesta Americana, Velas Vallarta, Canto del Sol, Melia and now at the Hilton.
I had great expectations after paying for only 2 nights $ 490 USD. For a king oceon view room
First of all, I arrived at 1:00 pm and the room was until 3:00 pm.
Front desk guys and bell boys very attentive and allways smiling.
Room with a very nice view; furniture at room very very average, the sank didi not work, two lights at bathroom did not work, ventilatioon at wc did not work; As well wc was not well cleaned.
As Hilton Honors I try to get some sleepers with front desk and the women who clean the room and I never got them.
Lunch at the restaurant was the worst I have ever taste at a Hilton, I could not eat the meat,, it was a rock.
Second day I try the burgers and the pizza at pool. Burger was just OK. but the pizza was also the worst I have ever taste.
Drinks at bar are also just ok, nothing extraordinary.
Last day when everybody was cheking out and the hotel was going empty; I try to get a late chek out only for two hours more.... they only gave me one.. because they told me that one hour more it was going to be charged to my credit card.
So, First of all after paying that amount of dollars I could really go to a much better hotel in Puerto Vallarta. and I do not know why Hiton is going all-inclusive..
Hilton has to work very hard to keep all the rooms in good conditions and well furniture, And pay more atention to the quality food they serve.

Visited this amazing hotel for lunch during my recent visit to Puerto Vallarta
It has a complete open plan lobby incorporating checkin counters, car rental desks ,bars and wonderfully comfortable lounge chairs of all different shapes and sizes
Staff is very welcoming from the moment you step out of your car or cab

The rooms/suites are incredible -many with their own jacuzzis or pools
Lovely spa and gym and many different restaurants


Celia Levy
Worldview Travel