Big resort. Good value.
It’s big. It’s clean. It’s the Riu Vallarta in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit. And, it’s my last visit to PV for a while.
I’ve been to Puerto Vallarta ten times. My stay at the RIU marked my first stay in Nuevo Vallarta.
Quick trip (one week) south. The price was right. About $1700 Canadian, which included the hotel – single occupancy in an ocean view room, transfers and business class airfare.
The experience was a 6 out of 10.
The (included) drinks didn’t supply even a slight booze buzz, but likely nudged me a little closer to full-on Type 2 diabetes.
- The Riu’s pool (resort pools are disgusting)
The food was plentiful and average for a buffet.
My room was great. Top floor. Wonderful view of Banderas Bay. Four kinds of hard liquor replenished daily. (Does anyone in the world under 65 still drink Gin?)
My biggest complaint with the RIU, and the reason I’ll probably not stay here again, is a lack of shade. There are NO palapas on the beach. Only palm trees, which don’t provide enough coverage for the entire day (I had to move chairs several times each day to avoid the sun).
I’ve spent a lot of time in Puerto Vallarta since my first visit in 1997. I love the city, but it’s time to move on. The scuba shop that taught me to dive is on the verge of closing. The beaches on the Caribbean side of Mexico are much nicer. The water is more clear and the sand is white. There’s a price difference, but it’s worth it.
I’ll return someday, Puerto Vallarta. In the meantime, there are other places to explore.
tankstravels.com 
Headed here for a wedding in April Karen, toting along my 4 month old and 5 year old grandkids with my daughter. Was there much there to occupy a 5 year old other than the pool?
I recall they had something called a kids club. My observations of a lot of upscale all inclusive hotels, such as this, are that the hotels have cool stuff for the kids to do. The resort is lovely.