The Marriott Puerto Vallarta holds a special place in my heart as it was the first place I visited in Mexico. Even more to the point, this property is right down to the hotel where I stayed when I was there the first time years ago. While that was years back, my recent trip proved the hospitality and smiling faces remain the same, albeit with facelifts and positive renovations for the property.
Since I am based in Dallas these days, the trip was an easy, non-stop flight. I was there basking in the sun in no time. The Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountains and is nestled on Banderas Bay.
Many say the location is just steps from the most beautiful beaches in Jalisco, Mexico. It is a mountain-meets-ocean resort with a lively beach where you can sit all day in the shade or play in the sun kayaking, paddleboarding, or just swimming in the resort’s largest infinity pool in Puerta Vallarta. Families traveling with children this summer take note that the resort offers a Kid’s Club with locally inspired activities for kids ages 4 to 12, as well as fun, colorful outdoor and indoor play areas.
The club’s staff instructs kids about Mexican culture with Spanish lessons, barro-clay pottery painting, bilingual folktales, Mexican cooking lessons, and other activities. And for the parents, you can be pampered at the expansive Ohtli Spa with ancient traditional treatments or indulge in some R&R with a cocktail in hand at Nosh, the sleek new beac.