Velas Vallarta Suite Resort

Velas Vallarta is one of the older hotels on the strip between the marina and the airport. It's lushly landscaped, with a terrific view of Banderas Bay. I've stayed in rooms ranging from studios to ocean-front suites, and while the artwark leaves something to be desired, all the rooms are comfortable and most of the facilities work most of the time.

I've found the staff to be friendly and attentive.

Puerto Vallarta itself is pretty isolated - there are no nearby Mayan ruins or ppoints of interest. I'd describe the town as a pricey tourist trap. Prices generally are as high or higher than in the U.S., both at the resort and in town.

Nowadays almost wherever you go in the sunny southlands you are assaulted by waves of timmeshare salesmen. The irritating thing about Velas is, that even once you've BOUGHT a timeshare you get arm-twisted at 3+ hour "breakfast" sessions to "improve" your accomodations. It's all [--]. I would tell anyone: don't buy into a timeshare. You get better deals on vacation specials - I've seen all-inclusive deals for Velas at less than the cost of airfare down!

Friends and I have vacationed at Velas several times. Each year is more relaxing than the previous. Once you get by the timeshare crowd at the airport the vacation can begin. Say NO to everyone. If you are taking a taxi, walk straight through the airport, through the doors, and across the street to get a cab.

The location of this property is great. Attractions are close by, and you don't spend a lot for a taxi. We have always been impressed with the service and genuine friendliness of the staff. It is always nice to come back and to see people who have worked there continuously for many years. When down by the pools, look for Javier and GIlberto who will take good care of bringing drinks and food to you with smiles on their faces.

Food at the restaurants is good. We have always taken the all-inclusive option and have been very satisfied. There are a variety of restaurants to choose from.

The pools are wonderful. There is unlimited entertainment from the iguanas, cats, and peacocks who live on the property. Casino Night is probably the most enjoyable of the evening festivities. Massages at the Spa are excellent.

If you attend the time share presentation, know what type of vacations work for you. Time shares are not for everyone.

We plan on returning next year - probably in June. Yes, it is hot, but the resort is also not overcrowded.

I have to say this is truly the best hotel i have EVER and I mean EVER stayed at. Myself alongside my family attend Velas each and every year and I wouldn't have it any other way. An outstanding staff, phenomenal pools not to mention the one of a kind beach, and their fantastic rooms make this a great experience for me and my family each and ever year. One word to describe this place, fantastic!

We just returned from Mexico and stayed at Velas. It was our second trip. The weather was perfect and the Resort was relaxing. We had wonderful service from all the staff with special mention to Carlos our waiter, Mamo our bartender and best of all Christain the activities director. The food was great and theme nights of French and Italian were the best. We have two older children who went out twice with Christain to area clubs. They were safe and were still able to do the night life in town. Best of all were all the other guests we met, families we will keep in touch with for along time. We also met some honeymooners who welcomed having others to do things with, right down to the daily ping pong tounament and vollyball games.

Over all a hidden treasure off the main drag to be safe, have fun and meet friends.We can't wait to plan our next trip.

Velas Vallarta is an all-inclusive resort located on the Bay of Banderas just outside of Puerto Vallarta. It is absolutely gorgeous. Two, large pools and a childrens' pool.

The beach is just a few steps away from one of the pools and from La Riberia which is a beach-front restaurant. The featured restaurant is Andreas which has a various themes for meals (French, Mexican, Spanish, Italian).

We found peacocks and iguanas roaming the grounds and fed them when they ate out of our hands.

Our entire experience was exceptional! The entire staff (everyone) is very friendly and will do just about anything to make your stay memorable. Nightly entertainment including a Mexican fiesta held on the beach complete with mariachi band and tables and chairs with white linens.

We can't wait to go back again...Heaven.

We visited Velas Vallarta May 21-31st, 2009 with our almost 6 year old boy and almost 3 year old girl. The resort was quiet upon arrival but by the weekend things picked-up and it was the perfect combination of relaxation and activities for the 10 days we visited. The staff is amazing (Carlos and Alonso took care of us at the pool). Our children enjoyed the Kid's Club(small-shallow pool and activities) and we even requested babysitting a few days while we were there. I was a bit apprehensive at first but Anna (from Kid's Club) and Judy (office staff) babysat on a few different occassions and were absolutely wonderful! Don't forget to stop by the market at the resort for some Koi-fish food. The kids loved the fish and the iguanas(don't be suprised if an iguana jumps in the pool with you). The iguanas are huge and love to eat flowers around dinner time. The evening shows are worthwhile, though we only caught a few. The one on the beach was a lot of fun! The food was awesome (we enjoyed burgers, chicken fingers, club sandwiches, steak, fresh fruit...those were our favs). We went to the more formal restaurant "Andrea's" on italian night and were not very impressed. The waitstaff at the waterfront restaurant are nice but we were all confused for the first few days if we were suppose to get our own food or order from them...the choice is yours and it's faster to just go to the buffet and get your own. The one bedroom suite was awesome...plenty of food in the room and easy to replenish if needed. We loved the all-inclusive and will never travel again without going All inclusive! The beach was just okay. The water was comfortable enough at the ocean but the beach is very rocky due to a nearby river that carries rocks in. We spent some time there with the kids but the vendors were a major bother too. We did buy a few souveniers on the beach but they approach every five minutes to sell something and it makes it difficult to relax at all. I did not feel major pressure from timeshare reps. It was easy enough to say "no." However, after several experiences in timeshare presentations we decided to see what Velas had to offer. We scheduled our own appt. and this time we did buy. We ended-up getting a dolphin experience for the whole family and the ATV/zipline excursion on the house (this was promised prior to us buying). The pool water was more warm than cold. We liked it. I did notice that the beds in the studios were right next to the outdoor hallways...I can only imagine how noisy that must be (try not to stay in a studio). Grounds are beautiful. Loved the peacocks and even the cat-family roaming around. Always took a yellow taxi to and from the resort...I liked how the resort took our room number and tracked the taxi we left in to make sure we returned safely:) Victor with guest services was very helpful steering us in the right direction when we had questions. I enjoyed an amazing massage from the spa down at the beach! AWESOME!

My husband decided to try an all-inclusive resort for the first time. We are cruisers and have heard nothing buy great things about the all-inclusive vacation. The resort is absolutely beautiful! Beautiful gardens, landscaping and friendly people everywhere. The restaurants were very good as well. There was a bit of repetition to the menus but all in all, we enjoyed the food. We had a suite overlooking the pool which was great. Pool was great as well as the pool bar and staff. Ocean beautiful but too cold to swim in. The one negative I would have to include was the timeshare people in the lobby claiming to be the hotel concierge. Of course, you feel obligated to listen because they are telling you that they just want to give you the rundown of the resort property. This would be great if it were true. Once we found out they were timeshare people we politely said no thank you and left it at that. They called the room several times until finally stopping. Just a word of caution. Overall a very enjoyable time was spend at this resort property. I have decided that my first choice is still cruising.

Velas Vallarta is in a good location if you want a quiet property. The marina is a few blocks away and is an easy few minute walk. The marina has some shops and restaurants, but seems to be a dying commercial center. Most of the new shopping centers are further south by the cruise ship terminal, which is a short cab or bus ride away.

The property itself is beautifully appointed. We were upgraded to a nicer suite on the top floor, because business was so slow due to the swine flu paranoia. Our room was very clean and nicely furnished as usual. Everything worked perfectly. We go to Velas nearly every year.

The service was friendly and attentive by almost every staff member we encountered. Jose Alonso at the AquaBar was especially friendly.

This is the first year we didn't purchase the all-inclusive option, because it is now $85 per person per night. If you are willing to spend the money, it is the highest quality all-inclusive we've had anywhere in Mexico. Everything is top-notch.

Velas has a nice beach, three big pools, two restaurants, a kid's club, a spa, and nightly entertainment. The only negative I can think of is that the property doesn't have a fitness center. What they have is a couple of treadmills. If you want a real gym with weights and machines, you'll need to look elsewhere. Other than that, I don't see how anyone wouldn't be pleased with Velas.

Our two weeks at Velas was more than relaxing! The staff was wonderful and attentive, so friendly and polite they made the vacation such a fabulous journey. The food was better than expected cooked to order every meal and the service spectacular! What a pleasant find can't wait to return.

Carlos Banda and Christian the activities coordinator at the pool made our stay especially fun. Thank you to you both!!!

The words "All Inclusive" generally make one feel trapped and as if they should not go elsewhere because they've already paid. In this situation, I'd have to say it's worth it! We went to Puerto Vallarta with our family, including a small child, and we were very happy to stay on the resort. Normally I enjoy the thrill of seeing new places and exploring new cities; Puerto Vallarta, however, is not a city where I'd want to do that again. We spent a day exploring the city and that was plenty. We were anxious to get back to the resort to have our next meal because we weren't sure of the cleanliness of the restaraunts in the area.

The staff was extraordinary! They were always going out of their way to ensure our satisfaction. The food was really good and the beverages were constantly flowing. I also took advantage of some spa services; granted, the "sports massage" wasn't as deep tissue as I would like, but it still felt great, although a little on the high side for pricing compared to what I would pay here (~$75 USD at the spa). I had a pedicure that turned out really well and I was satisfied with the price (about $30 USD). I also did some yoga by the beach - that was amazing - and used their cardio room since I did not dare go running on the city streets solo. The cardio room is very small - 2 treadmills, 2 elliptical machines, 2 stationary bikes - but it serves the purpose for cardio....besides, it was a good reminder for a work-out-a-holic like myself that vacation is meant to be full of relaxation!

There is a "nice" restaraunt where they encourage the guys to wear closed toed shoes, and there is the "beach side" restaraunt where you can go very casual. We experienced both of these, but we did not explore the sushi place and another restaraunt that was across the street, however we could have if we wanted to.

The resort tries to have festivities each night, including a "Fiesta" where they have great entertainment (and they involve the hotel guests for some good laughs), casino night, etc. There is a good childrens area where they are doing activities with the children, as well as a smaller "wading" pool (about 2.5 feet deep).

The pools were very nice - perfect temperature, and always seemed to have proper attention given to them for cleaning. They do a great job too with their pet iguanas and peacocks. That was a great entertainment aspect for the toddler with us!

All in all, we found this to be a very good resort for us, and if I were to go back to Puerto Vallarta, I'd stay at this resort again.....however, I would go with the intention of nothing but relaxing as Puerto Vallarta is not my favorite city in Mexico. (If you do go and want to get into the Ocean - do not expect to go snorkeling --- too rough and rocky - make sure to take some shoes/sandals for wearing in the water and on the beach).

This all suites, all-inclusive resort was absolutely beautiful. The rooms were clean and comfortable (down comfortors, pillow menu..etc.). Everything about this resort was clean. It is a family friendly resort with many activities for all ages. The service was the best we've experienced in many years of travel both domestic and international. The staff was so friendly and helpful. They always had a smile for you and appeared happy to serve or help in anyway. One staff member (Alonso Nuiz) from the Acua Bar (Beach Wait Staff) was so awesome. He served us all week out at the beach cabanas. He would go out of his way for anything we needed. He was so prompt and attentive. By the time we left, we considered him a dear friend. When we first arrived/checked in, they said "Welcome Home", which seemed odd at the time, but by the time we left, we understood, because while you are there, they treat you better than guests, they treat you like very dear family. We have already recommended Velas Vallarta to others and we will definitly be going back.

Some of the reviews scared me as they seemed to have been written by staff. My fears were blown away by a fantastic experience!

1) I was not asked to listen to a timeshare presentation even once while at the resort. The lobby people would talk to me but I didn't stop to engage in conversation. I can only guess they might have tried to sell me on something if I had stopped to chat :)

2) The food is out of this world. Secret tip: while they do not do latte's, they do cappacino's. YUM.

3) A "Miami Vice" is a mix of pina colada and strawberry daiquiri. Try one from the "swim to bar".

4) Whatever you do, DON'T miss dinner at Emilio's. It was one of the most impressive meals I have ever had.

5) We were warned not to drink the water so we didn't. They give you quite a bit in the way of "stocked food" - although we seldom touched it.

Have fun. The beds are comfy, units are very clean - the staff bent over backward to make our stay totally delightful. I would go again in a heart beat.

P.S. Air mattresses are only $4 at the Woolworths in old town. Lots of fun to float around on while you sip your beverages in the heat.

Loved Velas. The best part of the hotel was the pool bar. A special thanks to Armando, Alfonso and the bar staff. They were attentive and got everything we needed; including things during an emergency situation.

Velas Vallarta was an amazing experience. I went on vacation with my entire family a total of 22 people. The rooms were very clean, comfortable, and luxurious. The hotel staff was excellent and made our stay very enjoyable. They tended to all of our needs, got us drinks by the pool and even served us on the beach. The activities were great for all of the kids and water aerobics was very enjoyable and exciting. The view of the mountains was beautiful and if we ever went back to puerto vallarta, velas vallarta would definately be our choice of resort!

We had a great time at the pool while we took some down time. Gilberto, at Bar Aqua, was exceedingly helpful and personable. He took care of us like we were royalty!

Also on our last full day there I got a bad case of food poisoning (food from outside resort) and the resort appointed an excellent doctor who was kind and efficient. He actually drove us to the local hospital, and drove us back to the resort after my treatment in his personal car. First class treatment once again!

We enjoyed our stay at Velas Vallarta the tropical scenery was beautiful. The rooms were very clean and the service we had by the pool was great!!! Our waiter Skinny Carlos was very attentive and he was very helpful and friendly to all of us.

My family has been going there since 1997. We have always been treated great. The waiters at the pool and the resturants are the greatest. Also the activities director was a joy. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.

We had such a great time. I have no idea how people complain about this hotel. My family with kids, ages 15-20 could not have had a better time. Cant wait to go back again!!!!

This June will be our 5th time back to this awesome resort. We have stayed at other places in uerto Vallarta also, at Cancun and Maya Riviera a few times. This is a faimily favorite. The place is immaculent and the staff is the best we have ever seen. We have done all the extras ( zip lining, dune buggies, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, etc.) but last year we did nothing but massages and facials and shopping. There is a place called Venus massage down by the marina. The best massages for the best price by far. Take advantage of all the other resorts and their pools and restaurants. Tip your waitstaff at the beginning of the day and you will be set. Order a nice bottle of wine with your dinner and then one to take back to the room. The all inclusive fee is well worth it.

Escpecially with teen agers.

We booked this spring break trip way back in August and have been reading all the reviews since. Cannot figure out how anyone could complain about this place. Super clean, nice rooms, good food and decent pool service. This was our first All-Inclusive experience and wouldn't do it any other way with growing (hungry) kids.

The grounds are lovely. DO NOT pay extra for a "view" -they are all good. It's one of those horseshoe designed places where the "bad" view is everyone's back door, and the balconies are all facing the pools/gardens, which are in the middle of the horse shoe. Only the very end units, and the building situated the furthest from the ocean have actual full-on ocean views.

We only had a one bedroom so our teenage kids had to sleep on the couches-they are not great, but after you take off the pillows it's like a small twin bed. Order up an extra down comforter (they call them duvets) and use the extra, plus the one from the bedroom to give your kids some extra cushioning!

As many have mentioned:

Food is good, prime rib one night was fab. at the oceanside steakhouse. Only two of the rest. have been open this whole year-the Andres and the Ocean side one-very casual at the oceanside-no worries of how you are dressed for this place. No worries anywhere about anything…no stuffy rules-even encouraged me to save my chairs in the morning as the place was not full. Beach is plenty big and clean. Body surfing was a daily activity. Wine selection is decent; mixed drinks are good-watch the virgin drinks-one kid got one with rum! They have a kids menu at both rest. so kids can always find something-and if not-order pizza to your room later. The pizza is surprisingly good as were the burgers-but they are not kid burgers they are thick burgers.

Lock up your wallet-$45 went missing from mine...use the safe, don't temp them!

$10 to get downtown. Zip line/canopy tour is fun-bring cash to pay for that and they'll give you a 10% discount when you book this at the tour desk. Bring more cash to purchase pictures-our canopy place didn't take credit cards.

No evening "bar", no hot tub-two things that would make this very good resort even better. Tennis and a full basketball court behind bldg #4.

When we arrived on the 29th the place was only about 70% full-it was quiet and very nice. On Friday the 4th, a bunch of spring break kids (at least 30) started showing up and the place totally changed. Yes, they had chaperones-probably one per room, but the tone of the place was much different. Loud at night, fights, etc…I do not recommend this as a place to bring 18 year-olds for spring break. It's a quiet family place. If this had been our entire week’s experience, we would NOT have been happy. Thankfully the first 5 days were great! Email me with any questions.

I couldn't say one negative remark. Clean, well kept grounds and pools. skinny Carlos( pool waiter) was friendly, attentive, always positive and smiling. Just a suggestion: a hot tub would be a nice added amenity.

What a wonderful place to relax. The location was wonderful, remote enough, yet not too far from the downtown area. The service was really top-notch, especially by the pool bar area (Carlos Lopez was very attentive and friendly). The gourmet food selection at the restaurants were delicious, and the wine selection was decent. Many activities were offered throughout the day, and the staff made it all very fun. The one thing missing was a hot tub!

We stayed at the Velas Vallarta from March 20th-29th, and enjoyed every minute of our stay, it was fabulous! I traveled with my husband and 5 of my kids, ages 9,11,13,17, & 21. We had 2 1 bedroom suites, rooms 2503 & 2508, the hotel is U shaped and those rooms were located in the base of the U near the lobby, 5th floor. We had a great view of the gardens, pools, koi pond, and a partial view of the ocean. The rooms had a full kitchen with microwave, stove, refridgerator, pots/pans bowls, cups, and utensils. It also was stocked daily with milk, juice, chips, coffee, cereal, yogurt, fruit, beer , microwave popcorn, oatmeal ( I will include a photo) That was great for my kids who eat constantly. There is also 24 hour room service which we took advantage of daily, it was also excellent food, what wasnt on the menu, they would make for you, their chocolate cake is the best! Also from room service you can order boxed lunches to go if you are going on an excursion and want to bring food, and drinks.

There are 3 pools , the one closest to the lobby is heated. We liked the one by the beach the best, had a volleyball net, and the ocean breeze is just so perfectly refreshing. The weather is amazing in March, its hot but not humid, 82 everyday. We played beach volley ball everyday, always alot of activity there. There are beach vendors on the beach with jewelry, blankets, coverups ( I think everone bought one of those) tatoos ect. There is also wait service on the beach and at the pool, so nice to be able to eat and drink from you lounger with out having to get up :) They also bring out little finger foods to sample periodically throughout the day, fruit cups, chicken wings, vegetable sticks, ect. There is a pastry case and icecream conveniently located by the pool/beach, out fron of La Ribera restaurant. Also like that there is no dress code, you can go in the restaurant in a bathing suit and eat or get food. Men dont have to wear long pants or closed toed shoes for dinner like most other AI's ive been too. The food in both restaurants is excellent,and we had no trouble with getting a reservation for dinner at Andrea, do it the morning when you eat breakfast. Each nite is a different theme night, every meal is so good!

There are so many nice people we met, Luis a beach vendor played volleyball with my kids everyday, so friendly, he actually sells tableclothes on the beach. Carlos one of the pool waiters in excellent, and Manuel in La Ribera was so good to us, we always tip, it goes along way..minimum wage in Mexico is 5.00/day, so please tip, its how they make a living and support their families.

It was my first time in PV, we usually go to Cancun. PV and Banderas Bay with the Sirra Madre mountains surrounding is so beautiful. The ocean may not be turquoise, but beautiful non the less. We saw the whales in the bay while we were at the Malecon shopping, that was incredible! One morning while I was having coffee on my blacony I saw dolphins jumping right off shore! It's like a scene from the discovery channel!

We had a great experience, dont let timeshare people bother you if you dont want to go, say no. The ladies in the lobby called "concierge" those are the ones that nab you first, so aware. We went only because I got free horseback riding for my family, well worth the hour. Just say no, and the give u what they promised for going, its up to you. Rancho Copomo is awesome, u travel to a huge waterfall that u can swim in, and the breakfast and lunch they serve you is the best mexican food we've ever had!

The Velas is so beautiful, great location, great food, just excellent, I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. The only thing it needs really is a video game rooms for kids, and more exercise equipment, there is only cardio machines no wieghts, and a few at that. And my 17 yr old wanted a hot tub by the pool, there isnt one, but that certainly wouldnt stop me from returning. Oh, and we had wireless internet in our room, 7/day or 50 for the week. Any questions I can answer for you that I haven't, feel free to ask :)

Top of the line, from start to finish. Great food, great staff, great location. Every other place we go, we measure against this resort. Nothing has come close. Do yourself a favor and stay here.

It´s a blast! My friends and I came here for our senior spring break and we could not have picked a better resort. The weather is great, the food is amazing, and the people are some of the nicest people I´ve ever met! I highly recommend it for all age groups because there is something to do for everyone!

The Velas is one of the most beautiful properties I've ever had the pleasure of visiting - the service is on a level with that of a Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental and the staff gives the impression they truly care for your comfort and well-being. The grounds are beautiful and perfectly maintained (down to the pooper-scooper team that instantly appear to clean up after the iguanas and peacocks that run loose on the property) and there is very little sign of wear and tear in both the common areas and the suites. All amenities were available and in good working order (gym, tennis courts, pools, satellite TV, air conditioning, etc.). We bought the all-inclusive plan at a 40% discount off the rack-rate and although we aren't 3-trips-to-the-buffet types and probably overpaid relative to what we consumed we felt that the quality of the food and beverages made the all-inclusive a reasonable way to go. There are a number of activities offered each day and our 5-year old daughter had a great time at the supervised kids club. The resort is relatively quiet - there were a handful of groups of young 20-somethings when we were there but the vast majority of the guests are of retirement age or families with young children, so overall it's pretty laid back and mellow. Overall it was a lovely stay and worth every penny.

I do have just two minor complaints - one is that smoking is allowed in all common areas (except the restaurants) and there were some adults in the kiddie-pool area that didn't have the good sense to refrain from smoking there, so I would like to see the resort restrict smoking at least in that one area. Additionally although the gym is clean with high-end equipment it could stand to be expanded to at least twice its size.

We stayed at the Velas Vallarta from 2/14/09 to 2/21/09 and it was great. The service and attention to detail was awesome. We've stayed at several all-inclusive resorts but have never had the same level of service as we had at Velas Vallarta. Our room was a nice one-bedroom suite overlooking the courtyard and pools. It was comfortable and very clean. The staff stocked the refrigerator with drinks and cervezas every day. The 24 hr. room service was incredible and I wish we had taken advantage of it more than we did. The waiter brought the food and set the table for you. It was great for feeding two tired young children after a long day at the pool in the sun. The pool wait staff was excellent. Our waiter was Jacinto for several days and the service was impeccable. We were able to order our drinks and lunch at poolside. The restaurants were very good but if you want to eat dinner at Andrea's I recommend making reservations in person as soon as the restaurant opens in the morning. We were only able to get dinner reservations once during our stay and that was for 9:30 PM. We didn't attempt to eat at the sister resort, but were told that the Italian restaurant was excellent. I have been spoiled by resorts with more of a restaurant selection but the two restaurants at the resort offer enough of a variety to satisfy most of your needs. There were two adult pools and one kids pool. All were clean and well cared for. I recommend placing a towel on the lounge chairs early in the morning to reserve your space or you won't get a chair. The resort grounds were beautiful and it wasn't uncommon to see several peacocks and iguanas roaming the grounds. The beach is clean and although there are several vendors in the area they are polite and do not bother you if you tell them you are not interested. We also had to have a doctor treat one of our children while we were at the resort and we again received excellent service. The doctor came to our room and after the examination he arranged for the pharmacy to deliver medication to our room. The cost wasn't outrageous and everything worked out fine. I would also recommend the Caletas tour from Vallarta Adventures. It begins as a whale watching tour and ends on a secluded beach on the south side of the bay. It was excellent. Overall I would definately recommend this resort and I know we'll be back.

We had our wedding on Valentine's Day at the Velas and LOVED it! The staff was so accomodating and eager to please. We had our wedding on the jetty and reception on the beach--everything was perfect--food, drinks, music, etc... I would recommend this hotel to everyone.

I would definitelysuggest tipping a little each time you get a drink/food despite it being an all-inclusive resort. We tipped each time and got outstanding service. My husband dropped his wallet in the lobby once and before we even noticed it was gone we got a call from the front desk saying they had found his wallet. Very attentive staff--we were constantly impressed.

Hands down the best service that we have ever experienced! Velas goes the EXTRA mile to make sure that you are well pampered and taken care of. In addition, the food was incredible as was the 24 hour room service and made to order everything. From the grilled hot dogs by the pool in the afternoon to the personal pizzas we had delivered at 3:00am, I don't think we stopped eating our entire stay! This resort has a great location on the beach, with cabanas down by the ocean and chairs up by the pool. You always feel like you are right in the middle of the action as there are lots of beach vendors to purchase some great gifts to take back home. Go ahead, purchase a 4 inch incredible hulk on a parachute and fly him on the beach! Be sure to take a night and head to the italian restaurant (you need a reservation) otherwise enjoy dinner, lunch and of course breakfast down by the beach every day.

As for the pool, there are two beautiful pools that are connected by a waterway that you can swim through. One day, one of the giant igauanas decided to jump in the pool, and they can normally be seen around the property. Do the water aerobics or just sip a cerveza as you gaze out into the ocean. And don't forget to swim up to the bar...which you can also order food from.

Rooms were generously sized, and although they weren't the most modern rooms we've stayed in, the beds were soft, pillows great, and the bar was always stocked! Also, take a night and sleep out on your balcony, which are also quite big. It won't really matter if you face the ocean, because the inside of the resort is so big, that you get a great view even if you face the middle of the pool. (you can still see out to the ocean).

Overall, this place just rocks. Take advantage of all that it has to offer. We have been there twice now and will go back again!

This trip was fantastic, 118 waiters on premises, (this is a question in the afternoon trivia game). Service outstanding, food was awesome as well. Hotel set up the lobby for a great Super Bowl party, and all inclusive was well worth the price. If you decide to go, spring for a one bedroom, you'll get an oceanview and a balcony, we stayed in a studio room and had no balcony at all. We'll be back soon..

Guy & Tracey

Kingston, Ontario Canada

My Wife and I had a great time the weather was amazing and the staff couldnt be beat. There are 3 pools and a lazy river that connects two of them . The third pool is a kiddie pool which seemed to be used as a reading area. There are two restaurants that both have great food and the waiters are there for your every beck and call. We went all inclusive which was amazing. If you tip your waiters well they will make sure you get anything and everything that you want. Head downtown to the Market and haggle with the local vendors. You can usually get things for a fourth of the cost of their first offer. We had sooo much fun and we're definately going back next year.

We spent the week of Feb. 7-14 at the Velas Vallarta. Two women shared a 2 bedroom suite. It was a spacious unit including a kitchen and 2 bathrooms. A lovely balcony with dining table ran the length of the unit, accessible from each bedroom. The grounds of the resort are beautiful and well kept with 2 large pools and a children's pool. The service and staff at the Velas were exceptionally friendly and helpful in all areas. We had a lovely housekeeper (she worked very hard!), pool and restaurant waiters, room service and front desk staff, all consistently helpful and nice. We had the all inclusive option and enjoyed it very much. Unlike my past experience with all inclusives, I found the food to be of a high quality with enough options to satisfy almost anyone. The room service was great and available all the time. The restaurants were generally very good and service excellent. We had dinner at both Velas restaurants and also dined at Casa Velas resort. This restaurant was an elegant and lovely experience. It is hard to find negatives about this resort. On a personal level, I was rather disheartened by the many overfed tourists I observed who declined to tip the staff. It amazes me in reading these reviews that often complain of rude or inadequate service at resorts, that when the service is truly exceptional, many still do not tip. And in a country like Mexico where the average worker is paid so little! These people should be ashamed. My one complaint about the Velas Vallarta resort would be the overly aggressive timeshare sales staff. I observed them pounce on many an unsuspecting guest and noticed that when the guest would attempt to politely decline the sales presentation, their response would often be borderline hostile or even sinister. Surely this hard sell approach can only be counter productive. Just as annoying would be the tourist who attends the sales presentation to get "all the free stuff", having absolutely no intention of purchasing timeshare, and then later whines about how long it took or how annoying the sales person was. I highly recommend the Velas Vallarta resort and hope to return as soon as possible!

We visited Club Velas in Puerto Vallarta from Feb. 6 to Feb13, 2009. We had a wonderful time! We arrived with an easy check-in. Our room was very spacious. We had a 3 bedroom suite with plenty of closet space, 2 bathrooms, living room, dining area, and a patio facing the garden area and swimming pool and within steps to the beach. We were impressed by the cleanliness of the resort and the friendliness of the staff. There are 2 restaurants to choose from for dining, which both served excellent gourmet foods. The drinking water was perfectly safe. There were 4 of us, and none of us experienced sickness from the drinking water. We had a fun time at the beach playing sand volleyball and met a lot of nice people. This has truly been one of our favorite vacations! I highly recommend this resort and would go back in a heartbeat! Probably the only thing missing at this resort is the lack of nightlife. You have to leave the resort property and go downtown to experience the nightlife.

My small family recently returned from a stay at the Velas Vallarta, and although I'm not normally one to write reviews, we had such a positive experience there I thought I would weigh in.

We contacted the resort directly after becoming ill at another resort in the area. We had quite specific needs that probably do not apply to other travellers: we wanted a one-bedroom unit so our small daughter could nap during the day and go to bed early, but we could still talk, watch tv, etc. Not many properties offer 1-bedroom suites (or they come along with ridiculously exorbitant prices), and the Velas had availability at short notice. We paid $420US/nt for 4 nights, all-inclusive. We were also offered the studio at $280US/nt, which would have been more than enough space for the two of us if we didn't have our specific closed-door-crib-needs. Some previous reviewers have said that the studios were very cramped, but we looked at one and found that it was more than enough space: a king bed, small living area, plus a kitchenette and full bathroom. Much larger than a regular hotel room.

Yes, the price seemed high, but after having come directly from a different resort we really felt the step up from what seemed to us to be a 4* to a 5* property. Perhaps we had the advantage of a direct comparison. I think that in this case, the price increase was in proportion to what we received.

The moment we stepped onto the property we were impressed and delighted. The grounds were beautifully kept, with peacocks, iguanas, and cats free to roam. There were pathways through the trees, bridges over the lazy river, three pools, and plenty of lounge chairs and sitting areas. While we didn't use it, the Kids' Club had an interesting list of activities and seemed interactive and fun.

The room was very spacious (we estimate almost 900 square feet), and well appointed. There was a full kitchen stocked with snacks (both healthy and otherwise!) and drinks, a full bath with a tub (although it's my understanding that some 1-bd units only have a walk-in shower), a large living room, and an enormous patio. We were on the first floor, and the peacocks would hop up onto our railing for us to admire. Even though we were on the ground level, we felt our patio area was very private and safe. The patio was large enough to have two table-and-chair sets plus two lounge chairs well spaced out. There were two large closets in the bedroom plus a dresser, so I don't know quite what previous posters are talking about when they say they stored their clothes with the dishes in the kitchen.

The main (beachfront) restaurant had buffet breakfast, menu or buffet lunch, and menu dinner. The food was good, fast, and plentiful. As with any restaurant, some things were better than others. We had no concerns about health issues, and found the salad bar and buffets to be diverse, healthy, fresh, and appealing. We ate at the Andrea Restaurant one evening, and the food was delicious. We ordered room service twice (included in the all-inclusive package, even the pizza delivery) and found it fast and good.

All the staff were excellent. They were polite, helpful, friendly, and very warm and gentle with our little girl. We really felt like they went out of their way to make our stay excellent, especially since we arrived from the previous resort somewhat ill. My husband spoke with a staff member who said that he really enjoyed working there, and that it was a coveted job. It's nice to hear about staff who enjoy their work, and their commitment shows.

Perhaps it was timing, or the result of the current economic situation, but the resort appeared to be about 1/3 full. The pools were almost always empty as was the beach and the restaurant, and there were always plenty of lounge chairs. We were amazed by the number of staff working around the grounds, and available to help out.

As for some of the drawbacks that we experienced:

- the design of the resort did not allow for sun to shine directly into the suite until the late afternoon. (We were in Building 3 in room 3120). This has its pros and cons: the suite was always cool and we almost never needed the air conditioning, but it was a bit dark. Also, you couldn't sunbathe on the patio; you had to go out to the pool area. Again, this is good in some respects, because you can enjoy the patio area without worrying about sunburning or getting too hot. The lack of sunlight never made the suite or patio unpleasant to be in, however. I don't know what the sun angles of the other buildings would be like.

- the florescent lighting in the bathroom is terrible. This probably only affects women trying to put on their makeup!

- we were disappointed by the service we received at the Andrea Restaurant, especially after noticing the superior service everywhere else. It was fast, however, and the food was excellent. We only ate there once, and the service at the beachside restaurant more than made up for it.

- upon reflection, we should not have gone for the all-inclusive option. We arrived at the resort ill, as I mentioned, and weren't up to eating for a couple days. We also drank very modestly (perhaps 4 drinks total over our entire stay?) Ultimately we would have saved money by paying only for the room and purchasing the food and drinks we wanted. At the time, however, we wanted something easy and uncomplicated, and the all-inclusive option gave us that and more. We are very modest eaters and drinkers to start out with, so perhaps we'd never get our moneys' worth at any all-inclusive.

Would we return in the future? Absolutely. In fact, for all the travelling we've done between us, we've never been to anyplace we've planned to return to, as there are so many places in the world to explore. Velas Vallarta is the only one that has made us change our mind. In the future, however, we would not go with the all-inclusive option, and might instead rent a week from a timeshare owner. We'd probably get simple breakfast fixings from Walmart (a $6 cab ride away) and then pay the resort directly for what we wanted for lunch and dinner.

Would we recommend this to a friend? Absolutely. Unless you have specific needs for a 1-bd suite as we did, I can't see why a studio would be insufficient for 2 people. I would, however, recommend that you ask for one facing the inner courtyard, if such a thing exists. I honestly don't know if the floorplans of the buildings allow for that. The studios don't appear to have balconies or patios, but again, I'm not sure of the layouts.

This has been quite long-winded, but I hope you've found it balanced and helpful. I will be glad to answer any questions that travellers might have about this resort.

The hotel /restuarant staff was friendly and helpful.

The pool staff was fun.

We enjoyed the water games, ping pong, bingo, etc. with Christian, Fernando and Hector!

Everyone was made to feel welcome - from the kids to the adults.

If you want to relax in the sun or shade, eat good food and have a great walk on the beach this is the place!

Stayed in a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite with another couple. Excellent service...wonderful food. Spectacular pool. Took tour to downtown and it was fun in addition to vollyball on the beach.

Overall every thing was very good from checkin to checkout. Our families enjoyed the hotel very much so. We traveled with 10 in our group ages 14-60. We would have liked more disco nights . Be firm with the timeshare reps if you are not interested. Guest services will explain everything to you. THANK YOU RENALDO. BEWARE OF THE GOLF ONLY GREEN FEES OUR FREE. We are very greatful for GILBERTO our waitor for everything he did for us expecially the fishing, the guys caught dorado and the chef at the beach restraunt [libero] prepared a feast for us. With Gilberto anything is possible that his motto. The whole staff was very accomidating. The hotel is very clean,the food was great. It was my kids [14-22] first expience in mexico. They really enjoyed it all. And yes the iguanas do swim and hang by the pool with you.

When my husband and I decided on a spur-of-the-moment trip to PV, I was quite delighted to win a week's stay at the Velas Vallarta in the marina for a great price from an extremely nice and helpful fractional owner via eBay.

We've enjoyed several very pleasant stays at the nearby Marriott over the years, and we usually like a location right in town for a half of our typical two-week visits while spending the other week in one of the areas we like up or down the coast. But on most of our travels we find that we're more content in a condo or suite, where we can prepare our own meals and drinks as often or seldom as we feel like it, not a standard hotel room like the Marriott's -- so a week at Velas suites without their usual high price tag was a perfect experiment and we were excited to try it.

Our week at VV followed a week in a condo at Playa Royale in Nuevo. Both were great stays and we feel double-lucky, though if we had to choose one we'd give a very slight nod to the experience at Playa Royale.

We were booked for a Velas studio with kitchenette (in other words, a lockoff) with the option to upgrade to a 1BR for an additional $400 US for the week. Since we spend little time in the room while in Mexico, we thought a studio would be fine. We often make that choice, preferring to save our limited pesos for dining splurges and car rental. But on actually examining a studio on arrival at Velas, we felt we'd be miserable there, especially after a week in a really roomy and comfortable studio with a huge veranda at Playa Royale.

The Velas studios are on the resort's outer corridors (in our case facing south into the hot sun), not overlooking the beautifully landscaped pools like the other units, and they have no balcony or sliders. The nice owner we bought our week from totally forewarned us about all that. What we didn't realize till we got there is that there's not a shred of privacy when the curtains are open, as every passerby is virtually in your lap, and we didn't want to spend a week feeling like we were holed up in a dark cave. As condo veterans we certainly didn't expect the lockoffs to be as nice as the primary units, but we hadn't expected quite such a huge discrepancy. Moreover, the studio kitchenette was really minimal, and the room itself was a bit smaller than we expected. I think it would work just fine if you were there with someone in the primary unit so you had access to a larger kitchen and a veranda and fresh air, but I know we made the right choice for ourselves in trading up to a 1BR even though it was an unforeseen expense.

We had considered trying the all-inclusive option for the minimum 4 days of our week, but after the $400 upgrade at $80-something per person per day it seemed awfully spendy when there are so many great dining choices in and around PV. And once we realized that how severely limited the Velas AI dining choices were, we were quite glad we had passed on it.

Anyhow, there was a lot we really, really liked at Velas: Plenty of room (really, FAR more than needed for just the two of us); the gorgeous pools and landscaping (the nicest we've seen in PV); very nice lobby architecture with all the Roman-Moorish-Spanish brick arches providing a sense of cultural continuity and not a fake Maya pyramid in sight; spacious veranda with a lovely view of the pools and ocean; very comfy king bed, when so often in Mexico they're torture racks; exceptionally friendly, courteous, and timely service; the availability of wi-fi in the room, though at a $50 per week charge; the marina location (in PV itself, but with less traffic and cheek-to-cheek crowding than resorts in the hotel zone strip); the meandering "river" connecting the pools; the peace and quiet of the pool closest to the lobby; the nice little glasses of jicama and other veggies passed out by the pool in the afternoon; all the happy, photogenic iguanas and peacocks lazing about everywhere.

What we weren't as crazy about, but weren't really all that bothered by either: the generic and dated living room decor, with its cushioned cement couches; the SERIOUSLY dated and underequipped kitchen, in which the closest thing we could find to a paring knife looked more like Jungle Jim's machete but was so dull it would barely pierce the skin of a papaya; somewhat uncomfortable chairs on the veranda, which didn't entice us to stay out there as much as we'd have liked; the beach (we think all of them in the marina are mediocre, but we expected that); the surprising lack of an outdoor jacuzzi; the constant loud music at the oceanfront pool.

What we really, really disliked: being called by "concierges" pitching timeshare (my husband finally called the front desk and asked them politely but firmly to KNOCK OFF these intrusions); the ear-splitting music being played to zero audience from the lobby stage whenever we arrived back at the resort after a nice relaxing dinner out. I would think the employees would all be deaf by now. We were also a little peeved at the logic of charging an extra $90 for a non-weekend arrival date, despite the fact that they said they had no weekend arrivals available. (This stretches credulity, given that during our flu-scare week there the resort was probably no more than 20% occupied -- but we knew about the fee going into the eBay deal and can't really complain.)

So, would we go back? At full price for a 1BR, probably not. With a good deal like we got, you betcha! [Thanks, Joy:-)]

My husband and I have been visiting Velas Vallarta yearly since 1999 and have always thoroughy enjoyed ourselves. We just returned from our annual vacation April 25th. During our stay we experienced a near drowning. Luckily a few of the guests included a paramedic, a firefighter and a lifeguard as well as another guest trained in CPR. After 8 minutes of CPR the man survived and we later found out that he suffered from a heart attack. Following the incident it disheartened me to find that the hotel did not have a defibulator, otherwise know as an AED, or oxygen on its grounds. For a resort that values quality in all aspects of customer service I find this obsurd.

I truly thank all the people who gave warning to the ladies who welcome you to the hotel!

They are relentless! Not only do the give high pressure to do do a timeshare presentation but the beat around the bush and don't tell you the real motives behind the welcome package they offer! The welcome package is nothing more than a few brochures for tours.

If these ladies weren't enough, there are timeshare vultures lurking everywhere! There are out front of the hotel, at the entrance to the beach and will even call your hotel room!

Please do not waste your time chatting with these people, if you don't agree to a timeshare presentation at first the won't let up! I would rather be bugged by the venders on the beach!!

Restaraunts at Velas and Casa Velas were UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Order the Mexican coffee at Casa Velas Beach Club! UNREAL!!!! Thanks Alan and Hector for superb service!!

PLEASE TIP your servers, the work their butts off!

You will feel like ROYALTY!!!!!!!!

lush gardens and pools combined with an impeccable staff offer a vacation experience

second to none. this year for the first time we experienced their AI plan for a portion of

our stay and were very pleased.

velas vallarta is aesthetically beautiful; the complex, the rooms, the restaurants;

but IMO it is the staff who make this place what it is........they are the very best.

I have never been so ruthlessly attacked by people trying to sell me a timeshare. My wife and I couldn't make it out of the airport b/c there were so many sales people from the hotel who would not take no for an answer. Bad start for a vacation. Then, they would not give us a 2 bdrm suite as we were promised b/c there were only 2 of us (then don't tell us we can have one!) Afetr that, we started to enjoy ourselves. Very nice room (1 bdrm), beautiful view, immaculately kept grounds, very friendly staff. Peacocks and iguanas everywhere. The beach is average but the pools are great. PV is a fun nightlife town with great food.

Excellent service, excellent food, excellent cleanliness, excellent pool, excellent beach. What more can I say! We stayed at the Grand Velas Feb. 9th - 14th and were not one bit disappointed. We'll maybe one teeny , tiny bit...Make sure you are 100% certain with the type of room you booked and make sure you get that same type of room upon check in. They have way too many types of rooms and I think it could be easy to not get what you paid for. To our dismay we got a step down room from the room style we reserved . It was still appointed nice, was clean and had a great view. BTW...I recommend the Rhythm of The Night Excursion if you are interested in going off site.

My husband and I stayed at the resort for 1 week in Feb. with friends. We found it to be a great place. We had upgraded to a 1 bedroom suite and when we arrived at 2 am were told they didn't have that room but had another room for us and if we liked it we could stay there for the week. It turned out that it was a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom suite. Fully set up kitchen and dinning room. Full living room and 4 t.v.'s. Needless to say we stayed there at no extra charge.

The rooms are big bright and fully furnished. The kitchen had a comp. basket with everything from cold and hot cereals to chips, doritos, peanuts tea and coffee. The fridge was stocked with everything from water to beers, soft drinks, milk, orange juice, yoguart and apples. Everyday these things were restocked. It is a very nice touch.

The restaurants were very good. Had no trouble finding anything we wanted to eat. Lunches at the beach restaurant could be anything from the full menu to salads, stir fry (anything you want beef, chicken, pork, shrimp) burgers, hot dogs, pizzas. All was very good.

Breakfasts very also very good anything you could want.

Evenings we went to the a la carte restaurants. Andria's and Emiliano's in the other hotel

were both great. Service was top rate. Wine flows!

The pool area was very nice and he grounds were beautiful. The bar service at the pool was first rate. They were always around asking if they could help you, not looking for tips. In the afternoon they also came around with chicken wings, hot dogs in blankets, fresh fruit and mango juice fro everyone.

In the evenings there is a martini bar on the beach which is very nice.

The only thing that this hotel is lacking is some night life. The stab a having a show is really lame. Make your own fun.

The golf course we played was the Marina and the hotel shuttles you over and back anytime. The staff at the course and the course were both very nice.

If you get a chance try the Rythmes of the night tour, it is really worth it.

This weather is great can't go wrong here.

Having bought an all-inclusive package from a large wholesale chain, we were concerned about all the negative reviews about this place on Tripadvisor. Well, now we're back and our vacation was fantastic.

Pros:

The service from all the staff is fantastic.

With one exception, they were great with our kids (18mo and 4y0).

We did not suffer from any of the timeshare sales pestering that we'd expected.

The restaurants were very good to excellent, especially Andreas.

The grounds are lovely, and the main pools are interconnected by a nice "river" that you can swim in.

The beach is good. Better than others along the Marina Vallarta strip.

No diarrhea.

We got a free upgrade to a great 3 brm suite.

Cons (all of these are minor):

The staff at the kids club are not interested in kids. Curiously, all the other staff at the resort seemed to love the kids.

On two occasions my meal was cold.

The free "shopping" tour that we went on was dull. We cut out and went our own way.

It's not in the very best part of PV.

The rooms are fine, but the bathrooms need a rebuild. They're not bad, just been repaired a few too many times over the years.

The childrens pool was very cold. Because of this, all the kids play in the other pools. The back one is even heated.

You can hear (and see) planes taking off from the airport. We did not find this much of a problem at all.

Tips:

If you can, avoid the rooms close to the lobby. There was loud music in that area every night.

On one day, rent a car and explore the lovely beaches south of PV.

Overall, we highly recommend this place. My wife wants to go back!

Velas is a nice resort - the grounds are beautiful and very well maintained. The staff is very pleasant. We did not use the restaurants to we cannot rate them.

We chose this hotel through redweek.com. We are renting an owner's timeshare week and did not use the all-inclusive. As stated previously, the grounds are beautiful, several pools and great poolside bar service.

We were somewhat disappointed with our room. It was very plain, the cupboards old and a living kitchen with just a couch and the bar stools at the counter. No dining table, no windows - no TV, You had to go through the bedrooms to get to the terrace and sit in on the bed to watch TV - we like to catch daily news.

Also, the 2nd bedroom bathroom was off the kitchen, which made it very inconveniet for those using that bathroom - you had to walk through the living room to get to it. BRING A ROBE!

The beds were very nice - great bedding-very comforatable.

The resort is very isolated - in a nice residential/golf course area. You must take a cab to go everywhere - restaurants, downtown,etc. We have stayed at the Sheraton and Villa Del Palmar previously and felt they were in a better location.

All in all, a nice place. I just wouldn't recommend it unless you use the AI and don't want to venture out much.

Also just tell the timeshare people you are not interested in their presentation and they will leave you alone. But they are everywhere in town, as well, so our advice is don't talk to them.

Jan 2- 9, 2009 Club Velas Vallarta ( Room 3611 ) Puerto Vallarta Mexico

We arrived at Club Velas Vallarta at 12:30 pm or so…with a minivan full of suitcases, coolers, etc. The bellboys remembered us from previous visits and asked if we had anything else or anyone else coming LOL. We left the car with valet and went to check in, requested a high floor in Bldg 3 with internet in room. Best they could do 6th floor.. that was fine and worked for us!! Paid for the AI, got our bands and paperwork and off we go to bellboy and to room 3611. This is a one bedroom Villa Plus with one bathroom and full kitchen and frig. The view was further from ocean as we were closer to main building but that was fine with us, our view was just fine.

The unit was very spacious. You entered from back of resort to a hallway, to the left was the kitchen. It was fully stocked with glasses, dishes, utensils, blender, coffee maker, toaster, microwave, full frig., and burner stove ( do not think there was an oven.). Dish detergent and a sponge were also provided. The kitchen also had plenty of counter & cabinet space.

If you went straight from entrance past kitchen on left, it was open and spacious leading to a dining room, living area and a terrace with glass sliding doors. The dining room was to the left with a glass round table with 4 chairs, also a ceiling fan, and beyond that was an L-shaped couch with end table between, (built in), a large coffee table and an open armoire with TV. The couch was quite comfortable. Beyond the living area were the glass sliding doors that led to a terrace that stretched from living room to bedroom. On the terrace was a teak table for 2, and two sitting chairs with a small table between, and two other chairs.

If you went between living and dining room to left you went straight into bathroom, which had a tub, shower, vanity and of course a toilet. Towels, hot water, and amenities were stocked daily and sometimes twice daily. They supplied soap, toilet paper, shampoo, shoe shiner , shower caps and body lotion. There was a hairdryer and magnifying mirror on wall.

Taking a left, instead of entering the bathroom led to a lock off studio unit, which was locked off, of course. Taking a right led to our bedroom. The room was big, again, with a clam shell headboard bed, with comforter and down pillows. There was a very large closet with louvered doors that contained the safe, iron and ironing board, and many hangers, along with a full length mirror, and a shelf above. Plenty of closet space. There were side tables on both sides of bed, with telephone, alarm clock and lights. The whole unit had sufficient lighting. There was also an armoire with a tv, and plenty of draw space in the bedroom and sliding glass doors leading to terrace which again ran the length of the unit. The bed and pillows were very comfortable, maybe a bit too comfy since you never wanted to get out of bed….

The whole unit was bright, colorful, large and spacious and well maintained. The A/C had two controls, one in living area and one in bedroom, it worked perfectly. We really liked the unit due to its spaciousness, large double balcony, view, ( from both sides, entryway and also terrace, one of grounds, pool and ocean and other side of ocean and surrounding PV) and full kitchen. There was only me and my husband but the unit could most definitely accommodate 4 people, utilizing the L-shaped couch as beds.

Should you be doing the All Inclusive the refrigerator is restocked daily with soda, water, beer, juice, milk, butter and assorted jams, apples, and purified bottled water. An area in kitchen is also stocked daily with assorted teas, coffee, cereal, nuts, chips, microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal and such. If you want more a quick call will deliver whatever it may be. There is also included 24 hour room service, as well as 2 restaurants on site, poolside drinks and snack menu, a barbeque area with hotdogs and hamburgers, a dessert stand with deserts and ice cream. Even Pizza delivery included.

The food is buffet or sit down service or both if you choose. There is one restaurant on the beach with good views and open air. The food and assortment are great, with great presentation and service. There are no restrictions. It also includes free parking and nightly entertainment ( Mexican Fiesta, Mime show, Casino Night, as well as nightly Mariachi band) in the lobby which is open air. The lobby bar serves drinks until 12 midnight, but you can sit there with friends and such all night if you like. There is a substantial discount for members on the all inclusive, and members are not required to do the AI, but exchangers are. The beachside restaurant has no dress code but the other one depending on time of year does have a dress code, dressy casual. ( At times no shorts for men and no t-shirts) Reservations for other than the beach side restaurant are recommended.

The grounds of the resort are just lovely, beautiful landscaping and flowering bushes, palm trees, and roaming peacocks and cats and iguanas. There are 3 intertwining pools via small canals, with bridges above. One is a kiddie pool, one a quiet pool and the other with a palapa swim up bar, is the activity or loud pool. There are abundant chairs in sun or shade. There are also cabanas on the beach with food and drink service there as well. You are given towel cards for the towels and there is a palapa hut where you get the towels, and or can swap a book to read there if you like. There are activities for all ages throughout the day. Crafts, face painting and such for the little ones. Water aerobics, bingo, beach volleyball, pool volleyball, beach soccer, Spanish lessons etc for others. They also have a night club tour where those who choose pay a fee and go with the activities person to a variety of clubs at about 10:30 every night. There is a fee for this but it includes your transportation to the club, cover to the club and drinks, but you are on your own in returning to the resort. The young adults really seem to love this.

There is a gym with aerobic machines on site, a mini-mart and a boutique store, as well as a spa. If you are on AI, you get a discount in the stores and on spa services. You can even have a massage in a cabana beachside overlooking the ocean on the jetty. There are 3 elevators and though slow at times, never a real problem. There are bathrooms located throughout the grounds so never a need to return to your room.

The maid service throughout the hotel is good. The grounds are very clean and public areas are also well maintained and clean, even the underground parking area is clean.

There are timeshare people on site and upon arrival a hostess will try to convince you to schedule your activities with her but her ultimate goal is to get you to go to time share presentation. We just said no and we were not asked nor bothered again.

The service at this resort is wonderful. “It is a pleasure to serve you”, “what can I do for you?” “How can I help you?” The poolside service is very good, sometimes a tad slow when very busy but otherwise the waiters are right on top of you and remember from day to day what you like to drink etc. There are also managers seen throughout the resort and security coming in off the beach side. There are also venders on the beach, lots and a small tianges ( outdoor like store) on the beach set up by the venders. They are not a bother, just selling their wares and a “no Gracias” will send them on their way. We have befriended many of them over the years we have been going there and they remember when we are coming and our names. The resort also has a good relationship with the venders. Throughout the day poolside and on beach, the waiters come around with cool facecloths, snacks, like cut up veggies or fruits, chicken wings, etc. They even sometimes give some to a vender. I just cannot say enough about this group of workers at this resort. They are there to service you and they do it with a smile and go the extra mile if needed. They are also very grateful of any tips you may give.

They have recently set up an area on beach with chairs, cabanas and such nightly for a Martini Bar from 5p-11p. We did not partake but many did and it looked pretty different right on the beach with these fancy, modern chairs, loungers etc.

We spent much of this week enjoying lounging in sun, talking and socializing with old and new friends, from PV and US. We did go over to Casa Velas with a group of new friends one night for dinner and it was excellent. You can read more about Casa Velas on my other review. We spent a lot of our nights in lobby with many new and old friends and we made our own fiestas until wee hours of the morning. We even introduced some new friends to “Tequila Pops” , a fun tequila shot experience, well known in Mexico. One night we were invited to another couple’s suite and we sat on there balcony, talking and drinking till 2am. Nice time.

We did partake of the Mexican Fiesta night this trip at Club Velas. It was held in what at times is Alejandro’s restaurant. It was nicely decorated with buffet Mexican food. This was the only night I was a tad disappointed in the food. It was Mexican but not the best I have had and not enough variety for my liking. The entertainment was okay, but having been to many a “Mexican Fiesta” it was not a real treat for us, but might be for new visitors to Mexico. This is probably one event we will not repeat.

My husband did the Los Veranos Canopy Tour with a group of new friends and had the best time. He said it was worth every peso and so much fun, will be doing it again. I, on the other hand am afraid of heights, so no go for me. LOL.

The weather this early in Jan. was good, sunny in daytime but towards afternoon a breeze did come in making it either a relief for some of chilly for others. The nights were comfortable or required a light sweater for those intolerant to temperature changes.

We went one night to what is considered a Locals board meeting ( get-together) held at Casa Isabel. We saw many old and new faces, and of course talked with the owners of Casa Isabel and even had a tour of many of the rooms. We are already thinking of when we might be able to spend a few nights at this lovely hotel overlooking PV, with incredible views and charming units.

As usual, being repeat visitors to Club Velas , we had a great time and no problems. Everything was as expected and good times were had. The only problem we encountered was when it was time to leave and we did not want to…but we were only heading over to Casa Velas, so it was not so bad.

Check out was a breeze, no charges, turn in keys, valet got car, loaded it up and off we went. I would recommend this resort to any and all ages, there is something for everyone. Have never had a bad time at this resort.

We spent a week at Club Velas in April and it was a good time to go as it was not too busy. We had no trouble getting reservations at the restaurants or finding a chair at the pool or beach. While the resort itself was nice and the grounds were very well maintained, it was not a place I would choose to go again.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a nice lady who turned out to be a timeshare rep. We told her no thank you and it all seemed fine. Unfortunately, she call. We got smart and just quit answering the phone in the room all together. Beyond that, nobody bothered us much for that.

Our room was not at all what we expected. It was a "studio" and very small and dark. Also very noisy. The large window next to our bed, looked out on the passageway, so that meant the drapes needed to be closed all the time. Everytime people or carts went up and down the passageway, they were only 4' from the bed. There was a nice little kitchenette with a pullout sofa as well. The kitchen was stocked each day with drinks and munchies which was nice. The bathroom was clean, but smelled of mold or something - very unpleasant. Overall the room was not what I'd consider comfortable.

The pool areas and main grounds were immaculate and we received some of the best service from Gilberto at the AquaBar. We spent most of our days by the pool enjoying the sun and poolside service.

The beach was not at all what we expected. Very rocky and not nice to walk on at all. We tried it out there a couple of times, but with the cabanas all within spitting distance of one another, it was not a relaxing place to be. In looking at the pictures beach again on the resort's website, I can see they were taken in one very small area.

We decided to go for the all inclusive thinking it would be easier - this was a mistake. It was very expensive and the food was not only lousy, but made us both sick. The service staff tried hard and were very courteous and nice. As well, the presentation was great - but there was not enough selection and what there was, just fell short of edible in most cases. We were hungry and wishing for good food for most of the trip.

We chose this hotel because of all of the great reviews it got here...but for the life of me, I just can't understand them...

Beware of the hard sell timeshare. Check-in was disorganized at best, “Guest Services” was consitantly rude and unhelpful, we were promised V.I.P. transportation to and from the airport but when it came time for us to check out guest services said that we would have to pay for our own taxi back, I eventually called in a manager and we were provided a shuttle. I found security to be highly lacking, the resort failed to disburse a large party that went on well into the early morning, we woke up to two teenagers that had broken into our room attempting to use our laptop and proceeded to take off with our towels as we chased them out. When we called security they still failed to disburse the party and attempted to charge us for the stolen towels. Having said that, the pool side service, the restaurants, the housekeeping and anyone else that was tipped was awesome.

Stayed at Vales on 4/2-4-9 AI package w golf, I will break this review down into categories. I read Trip Advisor avidly when planning a trip and have placed reviews on other resorts. Overall we would not stay here again nor would we recommend this resort.

Property: this place is nice, clean and well maintained. The landscaping is beautiful. This is a very family oriented resort, kids of all ages – if looking for piece and relaxation, not the place to stay

Location: good location, we loved the marina, easy walk and nice shopping

Pool: clean, pool nearest the beach had loud music playing in the afternoons. Some days during our stay we did see many people playing the towel save the chair game, but we were still able to get a chair with out playing the game, at the pool further back

Beach: wide beach, enjoyed the cabanas on the beach

Food: we both got very sick from the food and drinks; I would say it was only adequate, dry meat. I did not like that in the evenings you were only offered an entrée menu - appetizer, salad and desserts were buffet. I found the lunch menu to be better than the dinner

Room Service: we were sick so ordered soup, asked for bread and butter; we were told soup is served with bread and butter. When food was delivered NO bread or butter, we asked for him to bring some, said he would and never return.

Rooms: our room was very clean and everything in working order. It was nice to have the kitchenette; however, it was extremely LOUD. We had to sleep with ear plug to sleep, carts being pushed up and down corridors 24-7, people walking by and talking seemed very loud, we could hear the people talking next door – not sound proof at all!

Golf: When booking our golf tee time the man at guest services was rude and told us golf was not included in our package. Once he realized that he had brought up the wrong room information he was suddenly nice to us. Courses were beautiful.

Casa Velas: you have to book your reservation in the morning of the evening you would like to din over there and only book about 4-5 tables per day. Once over at Casa Velas we realized that this is the hotel we should have stayed at

Tours: We did the ATV – Zip line tour and enjoyed it very much $135 per person is expensive, but really worth it.

Tips: Tikul’s in the marina is a top notch restaurant – gourmet food, wonderful menu & extremely affordable. Have a drink in the evening at the light house at sunset, breath taking views, relaxing and quite. Downtown is very dirty, old and nasty

So over all we were not happy with this resort, and would not go back to PVR but we made to most of our holiday.

My wife and celebrated our 50th anniversary at Velas ,a gift from my son and wife. I must point out we are not novice travellers and travel abroad 2-3 times a year. We like the all inclusive resorts and have visited many. When we arrived at the resort the staff was very friendly but when we were ushered to our room we found that it was a lock off part of a time share unit ( a studio ) there was no balcony overlooking anything ! just a window looking at the parking lot and a room you could not swing a cat in . I promptly returned to the front desk and told them the room was unacceptable , my daughter in law paid over $400.00 per night for this room . They changed the room (without fuss and cost) to a 1 bedroom with a balcony view of the pool and bay , the room was 100 0/0 better but there was only a shower no ( $400.00 a night ?)also there was no cuboard space to put our clothes . My wife kept her clothes with the kitchen utinsels and i kept mine under the tv cabinet . There was a closet to hang pants and shirts but nothing else, we went downstairs to get something to eat and drink but there is only two restaurants one you have to reserve and the steak house with no resevations. The food was above average however the salad bar was very small and very ordinary . the bar had top shelf liquor and beer but there is no real bar ,everthing is brought by waiters ,by the third day we were getting a little fed up of been giving the same menu at lunch and only having 2 restuarants to go to ( they have a third off the resort in another hotel ( we could never get a booking ) The pool area is nice with a few Iguana s wandering around ,there was no umbrellas around the lounge chairs only the tables and the are taken by the residents very early in the morning .To top it off my wife had food poisoning and could not leave the room for 36 hrs and i picked up a bug and could not stop coughing . We have been to other all inclusive resorts in Mexico and this was probably the worst ,we have stayed in los cabos for a third of the price of this one and last year we stayed in the Riu Palace in los cabos in the best rooms in the resort for $225.00 a night . The staff did their best and made you most welcome .I would rate this resort 4 out of 10 bearing in mind the cost of the rooms.