Just returned from another great visit to Hard Rock Vallarta. Overall, great food and great service per usual. Upon arrival - we received excellent service from Yami at the vacation planner table as we overwhelmed her booking multiple spa and tasting experiences. We were traveling with a large family so this took quite some time and she was incredibly patient with our many questions, changes, requests, etc. Thank you Yami! I also want to recognize Ale and Carolina from the kids club. My daughter was there every day and they were just the best. She was so excited to see them every day and they made her experience extra special. She regularly talks about going back just because of the kids club. We seemed to see Juan nearly every night when we went to dinner - I assume he is some type of supervisor? He was wonderful - remembered our family, checked in on us, showed us his awesome Hard Rock tattoo, and had nothing but wonderful things to say about his coworkers and employer. It was very refreshing. I had the most wonderful facial from Victoria in the spa. It was exactly what was needed as our week of vacation came to a close. My brother also received a facial from Victoria earlier in the week and raved about her. We lucked out and had two Mexican fiesta nights during our week and both times we had the BEST service from Miranda. He was incredible - making us special drinks that fit our taste, bringing my husband special coffee, and offering to get food for us when he saw us struggling with a fussy baby. Up and beyond service - some of the best we have ever had. He is a gem and should be appreciated for how hard he works. We had particularly great service at Frida as well - with Rosy, Elizabeth and Angeles (I might have spelled that wrong - sorry!) The ladies were fantastic - offering great suggestions and being extremely attentive to our large group. They even helped my daughter practice her Spanish - which made her so happy and giggle with delight. It was by far our favorite meal of the trip. Sergio the sommelier is also fantastic. We did both the wine and tequila tastings with him and had the best time. His passion and enthusiasm for what he does is so evident and he really is a huge asset to this resort. Backing up a second, our check in experience was disappointing - an opportunity for improvement. We booked a family suite, and beforehand, were told verbally that upon arrival, everything would be done to ensure we had an ocean view (these rooms are normally mostly pool view). I said that I was willing to change our booking if necessary to two adjoining rooms (which is basically what a family suite is, lets be real) but was told that shouldn't be necessary. Ocean view was a priority for me personally - I traveled all this way and did NOT want to sit and watch people walking by all day on the ground level. I spent a decent amount of time in the room since we traveled with a young infant who needed multiple breaks/naps. At check in- we were given a ground floor level room and told there was nothing else available. I want to believe them, but this is their slow season, and it was evident that the resort was nowhere near full. What we have come to realize over the years, is that as members, you're often given the worst rooms and have to fight your way for a better room. We tested this theory the last time we came when I booked through the website and my mom booked as a member - same category rooms, and I was given top floor/center/best views of the resort while my mom was placed in a corner with barely ocean view. I get that this is a sales tactic to entice "newbies" to buy into the membership - but its really shameful to treat your members so poorly. Just something to think about Hard Rock... One other opportunity for improvement, I was disappointed with the service we received on our last day when we booked a cabana. We decided to treat ourselves and in the past, have always received stellar service in these settings. This time around, we were rarely checked on, the ice in our water bucket was never refreshed, we felt like we were a bother every time we asked for a drink refill, etc. I don't expect to be treated like royalty or anything, but a little extra attention goes a long way, especially when you're spending extra money on these cabanas. And for the record, although tipping is not required, we tip heavily and frequently, and are happy to do so because the service is usually so good and these people work SO HARD in the heat and conditions, its the least we can do. Overall, wonderful as always. These issues won't stop us from returning, but I do think its worth mentioning so processes can be reviewed and improved upon possibly. :-) …
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.