Visitors' Comments Archive
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
January 2003 to January 2004

Please give Reports from anywhere in Banderas Bay. Bucerias...Marival...Riu...etc...

I don't know what happened to previous posts. I check this group every day. Where is everyone?

Moved the web site and message board ... messages stayed behind. A whole new life we have! [%sig%]

I have been looking via the internet for schedules etc. for "First Class" bus services from the PV Airport to Rincon de Guayabitos. We are travelling to PV on th 6th of Febuary. Also we will require information of bus service from Rincon to Melaque too. (First Class). If anyone could point me in the right direction I would be most grateful. Thank you in advance. Ali

I would try this board for Rincon info .... <http://www.members2.boardhost.com/jamiefromalta/index.html?999287475> and this for PV bus info <http://www.costalegre.ca/Busing_PV.htm> Hope something works for you

ali writes: "I have been looking via the internet for schedules etc. for "First Class" bus services from the PV Airport to Rincon de Guayabitos....." Rincon de Guayabitos is at worst an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, and consequently nothing that you'd have to seek out a first class bus for. Additionally, second class busses will drop you off at the intersection of the highway and Avenida Sol Nuevo, the sort of main road entrance to Ricon de Guayabitos, while first class busses use a small "terminal" (waiting room) in La Penita, a short cheap taxi ride away Rincon de Guayabitos. For the ride south from Rincon de Guayabitos to Melaque, one option would be to pick up a Primera Plus from La Penita, south through (and undoubtedly stopping in) Puerto Vallarta to Meleque.

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Transportes del Pacifico (2nd. class) bus service hourly across the highway from the airport to Rincon and other villages north. (green and white) Primera Plus from PV's north bus station (2 kilometers north of airport) to Melaque departs at 7ish and 12ish daily ($14)

Well that stinks. There was alot of useful information on the past posts. I am heading to PV the last week in March and staying at Viva Vallarta. Can anyone fill me in on this resort; rooms, views, food, activities, how far from PV, beach, etc.?

I agree with you Blue Jeans. It is too bad the whole text of the past few months is gone now. I read a lot of it and picked up some good information about PV and Nuevo Vallarta from other peoples writings. Sorry I don't know anything about Viva Vallarta. We plan to be in N. V. at Paradise Village the first week of February. If anyone knows anything about Paradise Village, please write about it. The only way to get back some helpful text is for everyone to write again. Anyone know what day the cruse ship comes in? We like to avoid shopping on that day, as prices tend to go way up. Thanks.

HOLA! You will love Paradise Village. My husband and I stayed there during Valentines week last year. We didn't book all-inclusive, which was fine with us. We caught the bus and went downtown PV one night to Pipi's---wonderful time. We also enjoyed the food at the Paradise VIllage Mall---excellent choices and lots of fun! TIPS---get going early if you plan to catch a bus---quite often the bus fills up and you have to wait for the next one going into PV. Also, the last bus back to Paradise Village leaves PV at 11 p.m.

We walked the beach last year from Paradise Village into Bucerias. It took us about 2 1//2 hours---but, came across the Royal DeCameron resort and that's where we booked this February for one week---a new twist for us---all inclusive; however, we are close enough to Bucerias when and if we need a change of pace.

We are meeting up with relatives at the Marina one night. Without knowing where to find each other, we set the meeting place at the LIghthouse in the Marina. Has anyone been there for a drink? Feel free to give us recommendations---we are just as excited as all of you! Gracias, Sandy

Greetings~ Looking for information on Royal Decameron resort. We will be staying there for one week in February. Appreciate any and all info! Thanks! Sandy

On the Jaltemba Bay Folks discussion board there's not one but two recent message threads which discuss options for getting from PVR to Rincon de Guayabitos in great detail: <http://members5.boardhost.com/CasaLibertad/msg/3401.html> <http://members5.boardhost.com/CasaLibertad/msg/3322.html> The board is a lot more private clique-ish type place then the Tomzap forums, but there's some interesting and useful information at times on the La Penita/Rincon de Guayabitos area.

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The proprietor of this site tried to save the old messages but was unsuccessful with most of them. He has them in corrupted text files which perhaps he'll be able to get fixed in the future. Remember, he provides this wonderful site on a strictly volunteer basis and does not accept advertising.

Sandy wrote: > Greetings~ > Looking for information on Royal Decameron resort. We will > be staying there for one week in February. Appreciate any and > all info! > Thanks! > Sandy I stayed there about 2 years ago, and it was the most magnificent resort I ever saw. The staff is very friendly, the rooms were clean, and the resort is very large, with multiple pools, bars, and a walk down to the beach. The multiple restuarants prevents you from getting bored easily with the same food over and over again, which is my major complaint about going anywhere in Mexico, and even the snack bar is very good.

The only downside of this resort is the EXTREMELY remote location, that requires a long Taxi Ride to get anywhere. Aside from that, it's heaven on earth. Truth be told, I didn't even mind the reomote location myself, as I was going just for a weeks relaxation and was able to get all I needed from this resort.

One quick tip, make sure to get to the restaurant reservation desk early in the afternoon as soon as it opens, because some of the restaurants fill up quick, and if hanging out at the bar after dark isn't your idea of fun, then you'll want to bring something with you to occupy your time, because due to the remote location, there is nothing else to do after dark besides go back to the room and watch (mostly Mexican) TV or go to sleep. It's can be kind of difficult finding a taxi that can take you to the resort from the city after midnight. Trust me on this one.

I was just reading about a large earthquake, 7.6, that struck western and central Mexico, with some damage in Jalisco, the state where Puerto Vallarta is located. I read that there were deaths and lots of damage in the state just south of Jalisco. I pray that help will come to those who may be trapped inside buildings that have broken down. Does anyone know about the Puerto Vallarta area? Was there any damage or injury there? I pray not!

Muchas Gracias Sandy, Thanks for the tips on PV at PV. We have been to Bucerias also. We visited a small Panaderia there that specialiazed in pasteries and doughnuts and stuff like that. Their ovens were the kind shaped like an upside down funnel made of clay or something. It was fun to see. Not a regular scheduled tour. We just hired a taxi for the day and had him take us to Bucerias, and out to the farms and stuff. They have cornfields just like those in the Midwest, with corn growing in all different stages of growth. You don't have to take a regular scheduled trip. Just hire a taxi for the day. Make sure you agree on the price first. I just hope the earthquake south of there didn't do any damage in PV. If so, I hope it didn't do much damage to the PV area on the bay. I am concerned for the people there. They just had a hurricane, now an earthquake. I'm not going to ask what next.

No damage at all, except to my neighbor's nerves.

Hi! I am currently trying to find out myself if there has been any casualties in Puerto Vallarta, for My Brother, Glenn Hynes and his girlfriend Nicole Pearcey had just arrived there on Tuesday (Their first trip out of Canada). I tried the Canadian Embassy in Mexico, but the office is currently closed, I do not know if that is due to the time difference or the earthquake. The line connected me to the Canadian Consolate Emergency Line. The person there informed me that as far as they know there are only water and communication problems. Until I hear from someone else, however, I will continue to search for all possible outlets of people in the "know". If there is any word from someone who has first hand knowledge of the current status of Puerto Vallarta, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Don Hynes

Thankyou JRinPV. That helps. I am thankful for your safety and your helpfulness. I spent 2 weeks in El Salvador this summer rebuilding homes for people that lost them to the January and February Earthquakes of 2001. I saw first hand Las Calinas, where the mountain fell down on a whole neighborhood in a suburb of San Salvador. It's not a pretty sight. There were people in cars under the ground honking horns, pounding on walls of their homes in hopes of being dug out. Very few were dug out alive. Eventually they brought in the heavy equipment to dig out some. Most are still buried there. It gives you a funny feeling in your gut to walk there. I hope it's not that bad south of you. Plan to be in PV on February 1.

How are things in the area, Bucherias, Rui Jalisco any damages from quake ? or is the worst in Colima

What should a person expect to pay for a cab ride from the airport to the Zona Romantica?

Hi all, Just returned yesterday ! First of all we followed the suggestion of someone who posted here about e-mailing the resort to get rooms with a nice view and it worked.We requested the rooms 6163 6164 6165 and got 6163 6164 6169 .These rooms are thebest view going with easy access to the elevators, if you were to book Iwould book room 6169 because it is off from elevators and a little quieter.When you email direct it to the attention of Mercedes Feirrerra.(we tipped her 10 us) and it was well worth it after seeing some of the views others had. THE ROOMS Previous posts stated these rooms were sub standard but Ifound them to be very nice,clean and quaint.No complaints here. THE FOOD I have been on many AI vacations and this buffet is the best I have ever had,it varied every evening and the choice was unbelievable.We ate at the brazillian rest. one night ,it was quite unique and good if you do not like meat, pass on this. We ate at La Botana one evening ,this was by far the worst meal everything was undercooked.The lunches here were great and very tasty.The other place for lunch serves an italian theme with less choices but very good. THE BEACH AND POOL Nice beach with plenty of loungers allways available.The pool is nice and you need to put a towel out by 8 am to secure a nice spot.Very few children at the resort this time of year.We had to complain to manager to get music on around pool area to liven it up and had to keep reminding staff to put it on. THE STAFF Front staff ,food servers and cleaning were all top notch.My biggest complaint was the sports and entertainment staff sucked.They would start a game then leave or not even ask people to join in.Their games were poorly organized and often times not even run.The exception to this were Marcos and Cyndy,they were a lot of fun. TRIP TO TOWN Bus is 1.50 us but stops well short of downtown.We negotited with cabbies and they took us to town for 2 us per person.Wuold have paid 3or 4 after seeing where bus drops you off.Negotiated a cab ride fare back for 10 us with 4 people sharing. THE SHOWS They were cheesy but entertaining and the theater area is great with 2 nice pub style bars outdoors. Would go back to this resort in a minute.It was awesome ,very clean and beautiful.

For more info post your questions here and Iwill reply.

No damages at riu jalisco and no damage in PV jerry

Hi Jerry! Glad you enjoyed your trip! We are leaving on Wednesday (29th) for the Riu Jalisco (first time there) and I was wondering if you could give me the email address for Mercedes Feirrerra so we can do what you did and request some nice rooms. If you prefer not posting her address on here, you can email it directly to me at charles.frappier@rogers.com Thanks very much! Charles

I was just there in Jan. along with 3 friends. We paid 250 pesos (about $25 US)from the airport to Hotel Eloisia, just down from the Burro Bar. Granted, wewere loaded down with a total of 8 pieces of luggage, 4 of those bags were filled with donations for the local orphanage. We could have walked across the ramp to the other side of the highway and paid a lot less, but too much of a hassle with all the luggage.

WE ARE GOING TO THE RIU IN MARCH. WE NEED TWO FAMILY ROOMS ,WHICH ARE ROOMS WITH TWO QUEEN BEDS, ARE ANY OF THE ROOMS YOU MENTIONED THESE KIND OF ROOMS?

Thks for the report Jerry. Will be there for two weeks in mid-February. Have you Mercedes e-mail address. You can send it directly to colmoi@sympatico.ca.

My family and myself are planning to stay there in Feb. 03' can you send me Mercedes Feirrera's email address to beatriz_drglass@yahoo.com. Thank you for the info.

To the person who left a message looking for a bar with satelite TV so she and her hubby could watch Canadian hockey - I'm sure you meant "Go Sens Go!" in your subject line (HA HA). When are you going to RIU Jalisco? - we are hockey fans too (albeit for the Ottawa Senators!) and wouldn't mind catching a couple of games while we're in PV. We will be at the RIU Feb 5 - 19.

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Thanks a million Jerry, I would be in your debt forever if you can email me Mercedes email address! The only thing I'm not thrilled about RIU is that they do not allow you to pay extra for ocean view. Thanks, Dan

sorry Jerry for not including my email addy it's dzink@cox.net thanks again Dan

Hi everybody Sent you the e-mail address,in case you did not receive it, here it is.

clubhotel.jalisco@riu.com.

Rhonda these rooms had 2 double beds pushed together.We did however check out the family rooms in case we brought our kids next time and they were located on the outside of the hotel overlooking the tennis courts and another hotel.The size of the rooms are the same so you may want to stay in regular room and push beds apart. Keep the questions coming, I WANT TO GO BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!! jerry Also check out chain website riu.com

I was just wondering if you would recommend this hotel for honeymooners? I am planning to go on my honeymoon in late July. Thanks very much.

HI Jess, Although their were not many kids there when we went I have heard that they do have a lot of kids at at other times.We stayed at Aventura Palace Spa last year and it is more suitable perhaps for honeymooners.If you don't mind some kids Jalisco is cheaper,better food(by a mile)and a nicer beach.Their were a few newlyweds when we were there and seem to have a great time.Hope this was a little helpfull! jerry

if you would like to see some photos of resort.somebody has posted their vacation photos at this website.Although photos don't do it justice.http://community.webshots.com/photo/41125046/41130063ewccXA jerry

Why is there so many references to RIU Jalisco on this message board? Someone, somewhere must be doing a heck of a selling job. Is it really cheap?

El Torito's bar, Old Town. Absolutely great.

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Riu opened new last spring. There was a promotion last summer with a much lower price compared to other Riu series Resorts. I took advantage of that and went there last November. It was a big push in and outside of Mexico to populate the new Resort. I don't know how long the lower price will last. Here is another Forum for info. http://mytravelboard.com/pacificmexico/messages/7.html http://www.debbiescaribbeanresortreviews.com/mexico/riujalisco.html

Ireenie is just about correct on the price. The times that I didn't get freidns to pick me up it cost me aproximately $11.00 the last time. If you don't have a lot of luggage you canwak about 200 yards east on the overpass over the highway and get a regular city cab for for appriximately $6.00. The Burro Bar is one of my favorites.

Does anyone know what is the best and cheapest way to phone home from Mexico these days? Has that changed from before? Can you still by a phone card there for little or nothing? Thanks?

we bought 10 u.s. phone cards from reps in hotel and that would give you approx. 20 min.

jerry

I would appreciate the e-mail address of Mercedes Feirrerra please. We have 5 couples going to Riu in 4 weeks and would like to make sure our rooms are all close by eachother.

Thank you.

A few weeks ago we spent the evening at Steve's Bar, on Basadillo Basillo (I know I've spelt this wrong!!) next to Frankfurt's watching the World Juniors, unfortunately Canada lost, but still a good time. Much small than El Torito's, but a real at home atmosphere. Steve the owner is Canadian.

Hi, we just got back yesterday, stayed at the Marival in Nuevo, was there when the earthquake hit, very freaky, ground was waving, really weird feeling, if you have not experieced an earthquake before. The serious part of the earhtquke from what we saw on the news was 3 hours south of PV at Colima, they sadly suffered the damage and we heard there was at least 25 deaths. PV and Nuevo were not damaged as far as we heard.We did hear that it was 7.6

Hi, we just got back from PV, were there for 2 weeks and stayed at the Grand Marival.

ROOMS, we stayed on the Grand side ours room were large and roomy, bathroom with shower and bathtub. We had a ground floor room with a patio, very handy as we could just nip out for some food or drink and bring it back to our room if we wanted. Our friends stayed on the club side, room were smaller, older, noisier air-conditioning, and they had no balcony or terrace, for the difference in price,I am happy we choses the Grand side, and would do so again.

Beach, very nice, lots of palapas, not too busy our first week but if you wanted a palapa the second week we had to out there by 9 or 10 am, they do NOT want you to reserve beach chairs wiht towels but people still do it anyway! Other than that there was usuallly someplace somewhere to sit with shade. The first week the ocean was reaaly rogh and they had the red flag out for 4 days, (no swimming, dangerous) so that was too bad, but then it settled down and we had great wavess for boogie boarding, really fun, there are also, kayaks, and they will take you out on a hobie cat if you want,, there were some dolphins playing not oo far off shore one day.

Food, varied, there was a choice of buffets, snack bars and ala cartes. Breakfast, one big buffet, pretty good,and one alalcarte was open, quite good used it often. Lunch was snack bars(2), buffet or one alacarte.

Dinner, one big buffet, or choice of 4 ala-cartes.

for the most part we found the buffet OK, not great, but we were comparing it to the resort we stayed in last year, which was a bit better, you won't starve and will find something to eat. We did really enjoy the 4 ala -cartes, they were very good 5 course dinners, and food was very good there. They book up fast, so make reservations early. They seemed to have a pretty easy dress code for dinner, Snack bars were, good, pizza , ribs, etc.

Bars, lots of them,6 of them I think, 2 swim up bars, never had a long line up.

The resort seemed to have lots of good organized activities, bikes, beach vollyball, etc, night shows, Very clean resort, rooms and grounds very clean, it is a big resort 2 large pool areas.

Kids club, good, variety of activities, they were supervised, and seemed to have fun, Our daughter used it a little. They have a GREAT kids pool with 3 small waterslides and a waterfall, its really great, our daughter also loved boogie boarding.

The only downside was that our daughter got quite sick the second week, vomiting and intestinal upset, whether it was the food water or whatever, we don't know, but it was a damper for us, we talked to other people whoses kids were Ok so, I guess it was the bad luck of the draw.

Other than that he PV area is wonderful, we went to Las Caletas, with Vallarta Adventures, on the Marigalante, the pirate ship cruise,, and whale watching with Open air expeditions,, all fantastic.

Loved the Puerto Vallarta area, will definately return, liked the Marival, except we felt the buffet food could have been better, but thats our only comment.

Address is clubhotel.jalisco@riu.com.

jerry

Great Report Laur. I was waiting for a Report from Marival. I walked through the grounds very carefully last month, since I had a Riu band on my arm. It is a beautiful Resort, much improved since several years ago when we stayed there. At that time they better entertainment than we seen at any AI Resort. They had professional groups from outside not just the locals. You did not comment on that. Glad you had a good time.

hi, we did not manage to stay up and see much shows, we were too tired,too much boogie boarding!!!!, we did see one show, it was a musical presentation with costumes of many Disney tunes(perfect for our 5 year old!) it was in our opinion, FANTASTIC!, if the other shows are of the same calibre then I would think they would be great.the staff works very hard and long hours, Laur

Were you able to bring food back to your room. I have been to some resorts that do not allow this.

Thanks

They ask you not to take food out of the Restaurant. Yes, there is a note. You can ask them to take food to your room. But! 1 Not everyone notice it or know about it.. 2 Not everyone cares. I have seen people taking some food out. It seems like all the other rules that are not being enforced. This was only MY observation. Others may see it differently. Examples: "No kids in the adult Pool" "No jumping into Pool" "No shorts at Dinner" Rules rules rules.... I usually follow the rules with a grain of salt. Just see what goes on. You are not in the Army. LOL

Hi Jerry, I am glad you enjoyed your trip. I was wondering if you could tell me how far this hotel is from other hotels? Could you walk from this hotel to Paradise Village? Or it's mall area. We are thinking of either the Riu or Paradise Village. There will be 11 of us. 6 adults 5 kids. It's just so hard to decide. We have stayed at Paradise Village before and thought it was wonderful. So any other selling points that you could offer on the Riu would be helpful.

Thanks, Gia

Hello Sandy The Royal Decameron resort is actually in the town of Bucerias..Neuvo Vallarta is to the south and you can walk there in about 1 1/2 hours...buses are frequent and cheap...if you want to catch the bus to P.V..walk up the road from the resort to the highway,there is a bus stop right there,Just wave a bus down that has El Centro written on the windshield.The cost is 9 pesos each way..the buses in P.V cost 4 pesos around town.. Bucerias is a quaint town of about 20000 people..there's plenty of trinket shopping available,more in P.V....there is actually quiet a large "gringo" settlement in Buceias..some people from Quebec seem to be the "ringleaders" of the community...there is a kayak shop run by a lady from Langley,B.C.Canada...and there is a nice coffee shop called Caroline's right by the center of town,and most of the gringo population congregates there every morning...Bucerias is very safe,and the mexican population is helpful and friendly by nature...as this is a small town,people are much more friendly than in bigger cities... Buses run about every half hour from 6am to 10pm....you can catch a bus to Sayulita on the opposite side of the highway(heading north) for 9 pesos also...all buses have their routes written on the windshields,and they generally slow down so you can see what's written and then flag them down if that's the one you want...this can be a bit of a challenge for us with distance-challenged vision,but if you look like you're interested in what the bus says,the bus driver slows a bit,so you can see...Sayulita is a surfer destination,and the waves are amazing,as are the surfers..the bus will drop you in the town square,and this is where you pick it up too for your return...Sayulita is 3km from the highway..so just stay on it till he stops in"el centro"... There are Bar-B-Q chicken stands right on the highway in Bucerias...(it's about the center of town too)...these are safe to eat and cost $45 pesos for a whole one..for that you get chicken,rice,piquante sauce,tortillas and coleslaw..throw the coleslaw out,I'm sure it's safe too but why risk it just in case...and they are DELICOUSO!!!! most of the restaurants in town are kinda of expensive by mexican standards...there is one called "The Apple Place" which is upstairs of the grocery store,and is reasonably priced,has a great view and is good!...it's on the other side of the bridge over the river about 2 blocks south from the center of Bucerias...try it! The Bital Bank is north on the highway from the Royal Dec...it has a big black sign on the very top of the building and is the best place to cash travellers cheques,in air-con. comfort no less..there is also a bank machine there...but beware of bank machine charges,check with your own bank to see what kind of charges they will sharge to use them...generally each transaction at a bank machine will cost you about $5...but travellers chqs cashed at the Bital won't cost you anything,you just line up like normal in regular bank...there are 2 sets of doors when you go in...the first door MUST be closed before you can open the second door...who knows why...and there is an armed guard at the door with a rather BIG gun outside...I guess in Mexico they have bigger robberies! Have fun,the water's warm and easy to swim in... Cyndi

We were at the Marina in Pueuto Vallarta when the earthquake hit and it was pretty scary at first. There was a little damage at our resort (The Melia) such as cracked walls and a little heaving of some floor tiles and some broken dishes and glasses but no injuries except for our wits. The quake lasted for 56 seconds where we were but hit the town of Colima about 250 km. south and sorry to say but we last heard 29 or so deaths and many injured. We also had a minor aftershock the next day mid-afternoon.

Just returned from a week in Bucerias. We were in the town square where their yearly festival was going on. We didn't feel a thing and none of the people around us were acting alarmed. When we returned to our house(about 5 blocks from downtown), the other guests said the pool sloshed and the ground rolled there. Boy, nothing like being in an earthquake and not feeling a thing!

Hello there Returned from the riu jalisco on january 20. 2003. simply paradise!!!! we spent 2 weeks there and it was a super, excellent vacation. don't even know where to start to describe everything. rooms: super, we were in room # 5173, very clean, very spacious, beautiful ocean view and into the park settings towards the pools etc. food: the brazilian restaurant very, very nice, very unique. requests reservation at the main restaurant 7 am in the morning. otherwise almost no chance to get a table. la botana, super for lunch. evening not much variety, though a very nice athmosphere, since it is right at the ocean, open concept, very nice set the tables, spanish coffee celebration very unique and sure very tasty!!! next to the bar was a guy playing music and one got a chance to dance. the main restaurant super. a buffett you can only dream of. tons to choose from and we never had the same thing twice. beach and pool: nice, clean beach, lots of loungers available. pool area super. we never had to put towels on the loungers in regards to reserve them. besides, they didn't allow you to do that. there was always enough to choose from. staff: front desk, waitress/waiter, bartenders, cleaning staff, gardeners extremly friendly, top notch. entertainment staff: super. never enjoyed an animacion group like the one at the riu. very funny, hilarious and they were always around to get you into the games, or to come on stage to help and have fun. very funny were alvaro (the boss of the group) enrique, marco, cindy, mariana and ruth. adhil is not very secure of herself, we found. but that is not a big deal.

trip to town: we always took a cab. axel is his name, cab # 410 we can reccomend him very highly. the prices for a cab are posted at the front desk and there is no negotiation. we even hired him for a whole day and had a lot of fun with him. we got a chance to see somethings inland and learned a lot about this area and their people. riu spa: if you ever want to get a massage. ask for ALMA and get it done at the beach. she doesn't speak english, but does a very, very good job. very thoothing and you can enjoy every second. full body, will take one hour and costs 660 pesos. well worth it. (would take two massages a day) :) :). the only thing we were annoyed was, there were quit a few people complaining about everything, mostly about the food. they went back to their tables with heaped plates and sure enough at least half of it went into the garbage. ( take so much on the plate what you can eat, so nothing gets wasted. I mean, you can go back an get more stuff , 20 times if you want).

when I think of it and I am sure, the staff there works there butts off, sure they have a little bit a different working speed than us, but what they earn as a basic wage, it is ridiculous. and other people are so wasting. it's just something to think about it.

something else made me think. before we left for this trip I kept reading the comments here. there was this accident at the riu, when somebody wrote, that they should make the balcony railings higher, because they are somewhat to low. this is really nonsense. the railings are high enough. but when you watch certain, stupid people, who clime from one balcony to the next, then are you surprised, when something happens????? however, we would go back to the riu jalisco in a flash. It was a dream vaccation and we enjoyed every second. It was awesome, beautiful and very, very clean. the people/staff extremly friendly, very attentif.

we plan to do this again, hopefully next year at this time.

for everybody who goes there next, have a great holdiay and enjoy it !!!!!

Anyone else going to be a Sun Getaway April 11-18? 4 Canadian guys in their 20's/early 30's making a return visit to PV and the Sun Getaway (was Blue Bay when we were there last year). Who else is ready for some sun, sand, surf, sin, booze and heading out? Drop us a line

Thanks for your replies, (we may have to check out both!!!) Sorry, Laureen, we aren't arriving until February the 21st (although, there will be 17 of us die-hard Canucks fans-so you may be glad you missed us!!!!). I hope you have a great time-and get a chance to catch a game-I just can't imagine anything better that watching your favourite team after day of sun and surf! -Hope your Sens pull through all the adversity-although it really isn't affecting their play!

Thanks for all the great information!! Has anyone used the kids club facilities?? We are taking our 3 year old and was wondering what people's experiences were with the people and things they do at the club?? Also..what is the children's pool like?? Thanks for any info you can provide.

i was at the riu on november 16-23 or something like that, anyways im only 16, and i had been living in Barra De Navidad Jalisco for 5 months and my parents were coming down to visit me (from canada) they came down, and i have been on vacations before but nothing like this, i was there during when that beam fell on that lady...if she reads this i hope shes okay:) anyways my only complaints would be the food was cold, but even then it was soooooooooooo good. if you have teenagers you dont have to worry about them bothering you on vacation, the disco was so much fun......the entertainment and games wutnot.SO FUN! anywayz if you have any questions bout Barra, Guadalajara, AguasCalientes, Guanajato, Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, Melaque, Cihuatlan...etc. you can drop me a line here and i will make sure to respond. : )

hey, ummmmmm a little tip, i lived in mexico for 5 months and for 4 months my host family didnt have a phone so i had to phone home from payphones. im only 16 so i phoned quite often....we had a few VERYYY large phone bills. if anyway possible, if your from canada just buy the 7-11 long distance cards...they give you decent minutes.

this is for Kim you don't have to worry about a thing. the kids club is great. where the big toblerone is, that's the kid's club with a little pool. what they actually do with the children I am not quit sure, because ours were already to big to go there. however, the animacion people are super with kids. you can send your child twice a day to the kids club. can't remember the times. but evenings they always mentioned it after the kids disco was over. our children went on stage to join the kids disco. they had games for them, danced (we even bought the cd from them) and had so much fun. we even noticed there were children joining them who were 3, 4 years old. everybody gets involved. cindy and mariana are super with kids. even enrique and marco. so don't worry, just enjoy and have fun. honestly, you have something to look forward to. have fun!!!!!!

Carrie wrote: " i was there during when that beam fell on that lady...if she reads this i hope shes okay:)" She is OK. The ceiling fell down on Nov. 22, in the afternoon during our briefing. We just arrived that day from Toronto. I was in the conference room next to it. They think the stucture was weakened previously during Hurricane Kenna. No one was seriously injured but it gave us quite a scare. It was repaired by the following week.

You can buy mexican phone cards for 20 - 100 pesos...the cost is 5 pesos a minute in a phone booth...you just have to dial 001-area code-phone number...it's that easy now!...no dialing 9 etc...DON'T use your Visa card,this results in amazing charges on your bill,like a minimum $62.00Cdn....another great way to communicate with home is thru the internet places around towns now...these are generally 1 peso a minute,5 minutes seems to be the minimum....very cheap and easy...the keyboard is a bit different,the commas etc are in different spots...and to get the "@" symbol....you have to use the alt key and then type in 64...I finally had to ask someone else,I'd never guess that one!...If you want to use your local phone company calling card,you still have to get a mexican phone card to insert into the phone,it will just bypass their system,and then use the calling card as normal...(million numbers to be dialed)....Mexico has entered the 21st century!!

No, Mexico has entered the 1980s PB

Thank you sooo much for responding!! This is our first trip ever to an all-inclusive and to Mexico and so was not sure what to expect. However all the responses have made me feel very comfortable and excited to go!! Thanks again for your reply!! Have a great day!!!

We've read about many of the beaches around PV, but have not seen a lot about these two, north of PV. Somewhere we read that Playa Pontoque has a nice reef for snorkeling. Is this true, and has anyone been there? Also, is there snorkeling at Playa Anclote, or is it more or a drop-off spot for those going out to the Marietta Islands? Are there beach palapas/restaurants at either beach? Finally, I read somewhere that these beaches may be quite rocky. Is that right? Thanks--and can't wait to arrive on March 15! [%sig%]

El Anclote is a lovely beach just inside the bay by Punta de Mita, it has some nice palapa restaurants on it, recommend El Dorado. The other beach I've never heard off.

Does anyone know when the Mexicans have their holidays in April? I know there is at least 1 week in April that the resorts are really busy, just wondering when that is this year. Thanks in advance, Spring

That would be Easter week, Spring. Big time holiday.

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Playa Pontoque is on the north coast. I believe it to be inaccessable today. Your next best bet is Destilladeras which is a beautiful beach with a restaurant. There is another small beach further out towards El Anclote (see Punta de Mita) whose name escapes me, with a small palapa restaurant. see map link: http://www.allaboutpuertovallarta.com/banderasbaymap.htm

Do you know if their Easter is the same as ours? I think there is another holiday that ties in with Easter that they also celebrate. If anyone knows the actual dates that would be great.

Think about what you just asked !!!!!!Easter is the same in Mexico as it is anywhere else in the world. Good Friday is April 18 and Easter monday is April 21, so either the week leading into easter weekend or the week after easter weekend could and probably will be busy.

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Be warned that Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) is 13 April, which mean Semana Santa, which is actually more like 2 weeks .... so, starting that Friday and the following two weeks.

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Does anyone know how much it is to golf at the course next to the Riu Jalisco?

I purchase AT&T telephone cards from Sam's Club. They can be used in Mexico.

The "other holiday" Spring mentioned is sometimes Benito Juarez's birthday, which is a national holiday. Not sure of the exact date and if it's on a Friday every year, but this year it's celebrated March 21; too early to affect Easter (which is very late this year). One year I was in PV when BJ's BD kicked off Semana Santa with a long weekend -- it was nuts!

I had inquired and the rep told me $70 u.s.

I sent a request for a specific room or at least facing the middle but did not get a reply. Did you get a reply

I was wondering if you have the e-mail address of the person you contacted to ensure a nice room and if so, could you please send it to me. Also, I was wondering if there is a golf cours nearby and if so, what the quality and prices would be. Many thanks. Ian

Info requested in thread: Address is clubhotel.jalisco@riu.com.

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Pontoque is one of the better beaches for snorkeling. There is a reef offshore that calms the waves at lower tides. On one end of the beach is an old lava flow. Makes for some interesting pools and a good place to fish. No restaurants or any other facilities. It is one of the prettiest beaches on the whole bay. Anclote isn't any good for snorkeling as it has a very gentle slope and a sandy bottom. Lots of restaurants. Both beaches have some rocky areas but are mainly sand.

Ian, maybe you should email Spring. You two can plan your trip together. PB

Just wondering if anyone has been to Plaza Pelicanos recently or the condos through them. My family and I will be traveling there in April. I wanted to know if anyone had any feedback on them. Thanks.

Hi Jerry, Me and my friend plan to go to Riu Jalisco in the end of November, because we are two single girls and I do prefer to go to a resort where there are more single people to meet and have fun sp my questions is do you think this resort is ideal for single or couples? I have been to Riu Bambo in Punta Cana and there was only couples and families and we where the only two single girls in this hotel.

Hope to here from you soon, Cheers, Monica

Monica, While there may be singles at Riu at times, it is primarily a family Resort. Best way would be for you to hook up with singles before you go or check with Travel Agents. They have a better picture of Resorts. It is still a small chance. May be you should consider P.V. Hotel area as opposed to an All Inclusive. Just my thought.

Hi Theresa... This is your sister, saying "Hi". I just want to say "Hola" to JRinPV also!!! And, if Jill Mustard checks this site...How was your trip? Never got an e-mail back from you, so I don't know if you lost our e-mail address...Hope you had fun!

Thanks, RNG! I'm wondering if you have any info that this beach may be inaccessible today, as mentioned on the other reply to my question? It sounds like a beautiful beach to truly get away from it all! [%sig%]

ˇHola Rachelle!

You can't drive to it anymore as they put a gate up on the road. You have to park beside the highway and walk-about 10 minutes.

Monica; I agree not many singles at this resort.

Jamie

My Fiance & I are going to the Riu Jalisco for our honeymoon. We were wondering if there were any recommendations for things to do away from the hotel? We would appreciate any information you can provide. We have enjoyed reading all of your comments & have taken notes.

Thanks, Dawn

hello dawn as you could read in our report, we truly had a blast. what we did besides the ressort was: we booked a trip on the marygalante the pirate ship.had breakfast and lunch on board. entertainment, drinks everything included. sailed to a semiprivate beach, which was a wonderful, romantic place to stop. had a chance to snorkel, bananaboat ride, volleyball if you wanted, drinks even at the beach and have fun with the waves. was head over heels sometimes, nevertheless we had so much fun. it was a whole day trip, about 8 hours fun.

we also booked a trip on the geronimo to the islas mariettas. we enjoyed again snorkeling, wale watching, dolphin playing around the katamaran and we stoped again on a beach. again, we had breakfast and lunch on board, drinks all included. this trip lastet even for about 9 hours. one day we rented a vw tropical as well as a taxi driver. he drove us all over the places and we have seen a lot of things. it was really fun. if you plan to do that, ask for axel, he is very friendly, very competent.

everything was perfect for us and we enjoyed each second of our vaccation.

a must is a massage from alma, down by the beach of the riu jalisco ressort.

we wish you a great trip and even more a super stay at the riu jalisco ressort. eliana

Hola Rachelle!! I am so sorry for not e-mailing you back. Since I have been back from my trip life has been crazy. This cold weather is for the birds, though. Yes, my vacation was nothing less of SPECTACULAR. Plaza Pelicanos (formerly Plaza Las Glorias) opened on Dec. 30th (just the hotel part). The timeshares were not even there because, of course, they were destroyed in the hurricane. However, the Palapa that goes over the bar area was just about finished the day that we left, Jan. 11th. The grounds there are more beautiful than before!! (If you can imagine that!!) The bar is amazing; it is very close to the beach and kind of sunken down so it is like you are sitting in the pool. There is also a "swim-up bar" that is also probably open now. We stayed at Pelicanos next door - the white building, in a time share. We thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful place as well. If you can, try and book a timeshare there, as the other timeshares will probably not be available. All of the timeshares there are pool/ocean view; very large rooms; two kitchens, 3 bathrooms, pull-out couch and 3 double-beds. The activities staff at the Pelicanos was "out of this world". We played tequila volleyball, wateraerobics daily (12 Noon) - very good workout and very hot latino men heading up the aerobics!!! No doubt that Pelicanos will look so spectacular when you get there. The mexican people were working non-stop - night and day- to repair and clean up the horrible rubble that that hurricane that lasted only 3-hours did. Sorry for the book, but I thought I would give you details. I hope you have a fabulous time; if you happen to go to Pelicanos, say hi to Ticho - activities staff member who is so funny and very nice!! Adios, Jill

Hi Jill... Thanks so much for the e-mail. I'm glad to have heard from you...We were thinking of you!!! Actually, from your e-mail, my parent's time share IS the white building you stayed at this time...Right at the pool and beach, 3 bathrooms, a pull out couch, two kitchens...We are the first floor. We are going April 3-13. 10 nights, 11 days. We're getting very excited. Your condos must have been right in with the Plaza las Glorias Hotel?!?!?! Right after the hurricane, we got on the web and actually found a picture of my parent's white 4-story, single building, in great shape---It was on a German website of all places! But it showed the building in great shape and everything around it, in not such great shape. The tennis court looked kind of bad too. Every year we do see all of the young, attractive "events staff"! They are fun. I will say "Hi" to Ticho...I'll ask around for him!!! Thanks so much for the e-mail. The cold weather is a drag. Right now the indoor/outdoor digital thermometer is reading 21 degrees outside and that is like a heat wave right now!!! Thanks Again! Rachelle

We are going to Riu next week and I am being told that I should ask for specific rooms....I heard that there are certian areas you DO NOT want to be in because of the noise.....which rooms are best for view and quiet??

Hi All A friend of mine has a flight booked from Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta for four weeks. Leaves on the 16 of Feb and returns March 16... air only. Unfortunately he has to go in for surgery on the 19 of Feb and cannot use his ticket. This is a charter flight so I am not sure if it can be switched to someone else's name. I just found out about this tonight and have to wait until tomorrow to check with the travel agent. If anyone is interested, he will accept any reasonable offer. Email me at fleet98@hotmail.com and / or leave messages here.

Thanx Bubbly Bob [%sig%]

6172 6173

travelling to Sayulita in Feb and wondering if there is a flea market there?

jerry wrote: > 6172 6173 We were in Punta Cana last year and there was topless women at the pool and beach. Is this allowed or seen at Riu Jalisco? Thanks

I believe it is customary(and preferred) to keep all clothes on in Mexico.

Re: topless in Riu I have seen topless women on the beach, around the Resting and Pool area in all Resorts in Mexico. . It was the same in Riu Jalisco. I don't know if toplessness is legally allowed or not but no one complained or said anything. It is the same in Dominican Republic and in Cuba. I don't know of any Resorts where topless rules exists or are enforced.

Heading for Puerto Vallarta March 29, what are some of the more authentic mexican restaurants in Old Puerto Vallarta? And what should i look for if we choose to indulge in the food from the street vendors? How about the night life, any clubs with salsa, merenge or mariachi music? Hope someone out there can help....thanks bunch...

Mexican on the south side The Red Cabbage Cafe Los Guamuchilitos Cafe de Olla Las Cazuelas Margeritas For a Street Food guide see <http://vallarta-info.com/streetfood.html> Salsa/Merenge J&B, by Plaxa Genovesa Jabula, southern end of Ignacio Vallarta [%sig%]

Try www.sayulita.com Adios! mexicomexico.info

Hello- We will be going to the Riu Jalisco on Sunday 2/16. I was wondering if there were any ATM's or banks in the airport. I am having a difficult time exchanging for pesos here in Chicago. I emailed the Riu and they replied that they exchange currency at the front desk. Where would I get the better rate? At a bank/ ATM or at the Riu" front desk?

No topless bathers at beach or pool when we were there.Not sure but do not think it would be condoned at pool at the RIU.Atm's and bank at airport,they had better rates than at hotel.

jerry

There are several places to change money at the Airport. Earlier, on this BB, people said the airport had one of the best exchange rates and it is so convenient also. Hotels are not known for having the best exchange rates--just so handy.

What is the rate for a cab ride from the airport to the Melia Puerto Vallarta?

In December 2002 we were charged 110 pesos (2 people +2 cases )

Just remember to agree on a price with the cab driver BEFORE you get into the cab! You don't want to have any surprises.

On the Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia and other Latin music front definitely J&B on Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio @ KM 2.5 (note - this is not in "old" Puerto Vallarta). It can be pretty dead before 11 PM or midnight, but once it gets going, it's pretty amazing. Although gringos and other visitors are welcome (and when things are slow the staff will make an effort to get them onto the dance floor), it's definitely more on the Mexican nightclub side of things, including the way they serve drinks (you can order singly, but it's very common to order bottles of liquor plus mixers, or beer by the cubette). If you take a taxi, remember in Spanish the J&B is pronounced "hota bay"; I've never met a cabby that didn't recognize the name and know where to take you.

It's definitely targeted for the tourist crowd, but La Bodeguita del Medio (on the Malecon), part of chain based on a Havana bar favored by Ernest Hemingway, has a very good house Cubana band that can get people dancing on the miniscule dance floor as well as nearby aisles, between tables,etc. I'm not particularly impressed by the food, however, and the trademark mojitos are kind of watery and production line.

Hello This ticket is now gone, thanx for the emails. Bubbly Bob

The Riu Jalisco was one of the AI hotels suggested by the travel agent. Even if your booking through a travel agent would you still be able to send an e-mail to the hotel requesting booking of specific rooms? Also, i saw a picture of one DS room and am wondering is the bathroom separated from the rest of the room by drapes only? Thank you.

The commode is in a separate room with a door. The double sinks and shower have a curtain separating them from the bedroom area, creating quite a large dressing area. I liked the setup.

you can still request a specific room even if you booked through a travel agent.The room set up is quite nice.

Do buses run from Melia P.V. to Old P.V.? Where can the bus be picked up at and how much is it to get to Old P.V.? Are there any transfers? And once in Old P.V. where do we pick up bus to return to the Melia? One more question (hehe) how much is bus fare and do we need correct change? thanks for putting up with all my questions...hope someone knows the answers...thanks again!!!

The Marina bus runs about every 30 min. Stops right by your hotel and goes to the southside terminal, See map <http://vallarta-info.com/south.html>. 4 pesos, no transfer and the last bus back is about 10:30pm.

I have an AT&T phone card from Sam's. But when I called them to ask about rates, they said it was 9 to 1! I assume this means that it costs too much to use! Is this correct??? Leaving Monday, Jwilkie

Hi Jerry! Can you please email me Mercedes' Address?

clubhotel.jalisco@riu.com

I have an International Conversion Chart and it is about 6 minutes within the US to 1 minute from Mexico. If the At&T Prepaid Card cost 3.5 cents per minute, it will probably cost about 25 cents per minute from Mexico. It's a steal compared to not having the card. FYI: to call from Mexico, using your AT&T card, the access number is 001-800-462-4240 or 01-800-288-2872. Where are your staying while in PV? I will be in PV the week of March 22nd and staying at Viva Vallarta, north of Nuevo Vallarta. Any feedback is welcome.

only problem is that Mercedes emailed me back and said that she cannot reserve a particular room until the day before your trip, and even then cannot guarantee anything. She said only 30 rooms have an ocean view and the hotel is frequently full but I guess it doesn't hurt to try. Good Luck, Dan

She did the same to us and we got the exact rooms requested.The key is most people don't specify rooms so the odds are that you will get a room with a view.

You walk out of your resort and walk to the left till the yellow speed bump (about a short block) cross the street and wait on the other side of the street and wait for the bus that says downtown. Cost you 4 pesos and it'll take about 25 - 30 minutes. When you decide to travel back, get on any blue bus that says Marina and look for "Melia" right on the windshield. It will bring you back pretty much where it picked you up. We stayed at the Melia two weeks in January and we wished we were still there. We had a fantastic time. The resort was great along with the food, drinks, pool, beach and weather. Hope you have a good time.

Hello everyone, I really enjoyed everyone's emails. I'm part of a group that is going in May, the 18th through 22nd. There are 12 of us, ages ranging in 23-33 years. I emailed Mercedes concerning the rooms, and am hoping to get a reply back. Here are some questions that I would love answered by you Riu Jalisco Nuevo Vallarta veterens: 1) What kind of non-paying activities are there available, and how available are they? 2) Do other resturants need early reservations as that one? 3) Do you recommend changing money at the airport? 4) What kind of shopping is in the hotel vs. outside the hotel? 5) What other outside activities would you folks recommend such as tours? sightseeing? etc.? 6) Is there any deep-sea fishing opportunities? 7) How is the snorkling, and do we bring our own gear? If anyone could answer any of these questions, I'd be really greatful! Thank you! [%sig%]

Any problem using airline 1-800 #'s from Mexico to verify your flight/times before leaving?....Thanks again!!!

We also had 3 people in a cab and had about 8 pieces of luggage and paid 30 pesos or $3.00 US. We also went to Plaza Pelicanos, in the Zona Romantica. We picked up the cab right out in front of the airport.

Hello Rachelle!! Thanks for the response. Sounds like you and your family have a great time in Puerto Vallarta also. Where do you live??? Have a super time!!

Did you specifically request Grand Marival, say when you were booking with a travel agent. What was the difference in price between the Grand and Club?

Does anyone know how much cab fare to paradise village in Nuevo Vallarta costs from the airport?

Wow! What a beautiful resort! We just returned this past Wednesday, Feb. 12. We absolutely loved it! Highly recommend it...any questions, feel free to email me.

Can't be specific, but I do know that you will get cheaper rates if you walk across the pedestrian footbridge and get a taxi across the road from the Airport.

Just want to let everyone know that we're giving away samples of the herbal insect repellant again in return for your feedback. See <http://www.tomzap.com/crocodile.html>.

Can anyone tell me some info on the Melia?? We are staying there for the first time in April and would like to know how some things are, i.e. beach, food, rooms, etc.

Also, any trip reports would be great too. Thanks!

Hi Melissa You should enjoy the MELIA,been there many times. Last time Dec 2002. I find the food and drink to be top class. If you go to my web site it should answer most of your questions- http://communities.msn.ca/MELIAPV Also in the bulletin board section of- puertovallarta.net you will see comments about the Melia (all good by the way)

OK, We spent the first week of February in Puerto Vallarta. The Wallmart Att Card is difficult to use. You had better get a code from Att before you go. I'ts a long number and takes lots of time to punch in the phone. I never could get mine to work. I bought a TelMex Ladatel mexican telephone card for $10.00 US at a drugstore downtown PV. They sell them all over the place. We called home to the USA, using that card all week and never used it up. In fact, the telephone tells you how much you have left on it, counting down by 5s from 100. We didn't talk too long, but we did make several calls. Make sure you use a payphone with the Ladatel printed on it. They are all over the place. Just dial 001 then the area code and phone number of the place you are calling in the USA. I'm not sure if you are calling Canada. The first three numbers may be different then.

Watch out for making calls from your Hotel Room. We were warned they add on some stiff charges. Get out of your room. Have some adventure. That's why you are going anyway! Hope this helps someone.

I was just in PV the first week of February and stayed at Paradise Village. We had transfers to and from the airport, so I can't answer you exactly. I'm going to guess 90 pasos, or $9.00 US. We went all the way from downtown Puerto Vallarta to Paradise village for 130 pasos, or $13.00 US. The airport is closer. The taxi drivers know the fares and they don't barter. It's a set rate, more or less. Maybe a little negotiation, but not much. Hope this helps. You're going to like it.

We like a little adventure. We took the bus from paradise village into town for 40 pasos, or $4.00 US. Then we took a taxi home after a night on the town for about 130 pasos or $13.00 US. Live a little! Catch some of the local culture. Make sure the bus is going where you want before you get on it. You might end up somewhere else otherwise.

I've posted my photos and a review of the Riu Jalisco at this website: www.geocities.com/riujalisco. It is a great resort for couples and famlies (singles, you're better off staying in downtown PV if you want nightlife!). Excellent food (especially the shrimp!) and service. The rates are really a bargain for a 5 star resort. In the low season (May thru December) the rates are about $63/day per adult. We also emailed ahead and got a great oceanview room.

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tricia You only need reservations at the Nayarit.The exchange at the airport is better than hotel.They set up a mini market on 2 evenings but prices are quite high as compared to town.The shoppes on resort are very expensive.There is deep sea fishing and you can inquire with the group in the main lobby.

Why don't you just call the airline with which you're flying at the airport and verify your departure flight and time. Their number are in the phone book.

we stayed 2/1 - 2/8/03...yes i agree its a beautiful resort....wish the beds were softer :)

We are travelling to Riu Jalisco next month with another family. I was reading about the rooms you suggested 6172 and 6173. We both have two children (6 and 10). Are these rooms better or worse than others for kids? Are they close to the elevators? Are there rooms that would be more appropriate? I know, I want the best of both worlds. View and location. Do you have room number suggestions if we wanted to be close to the pools. Sometimes this is nice with kids because you can go back and forth quick and easy. I appreciate any info you can give me. I'm hoping the resort is not too split up adults vs kids. We went to the Dominican last year. The kids used and enjoyed the swim up bar more than we did. Are they allowed to use it there? Is there anything particular we shouldn't forget to bring? For example, water toys for kids, or gifts for staff.

Thanks. I really look forward to your view.

You cannot call 800 numbers from any pay phones or using a telmex card. You will pay operator charges to connect to 800 numbers, but it will cost you a lot.

I know of two options to make 1-800 calls from my house in Mexico. Unfortunately, neither option is free.

1) substitute 001-880-xxx-xxxx for the 1-800-xxx-xxxx number. You will get a message in English informing you that the call will be billed at the international direct-dialing rate. I haven´t tried this from a pay phone, yet.

2) usnig my AT&T calling card, I can call either 001-800-462-4240 or 01-800-288-2872 (one of these two usually works). The billing is per the calling card plan.

Sometimes, the company that I am trying to call has a non 1-800 number which makes things much easier.

hi lisa Those rooms are fine and close enough to elevators.But if you want to be closer to pool you would be better off at the tip of the u shaped building but there are no elevators.The childrens club seemed quite good and they involved the kids in the evening show.Kids are not allowed in adult pool,although if they were supervised they were never bothered i.e.a parent in pool with them.The staff seemed to apreciate gifts that had a theme from the country you are from i.e.shirt with canada flag on it.

I will be taking my brother with me for the first time to Mexico....what tours (if any) are recommended for Puerto Vallarta? What are some of the things that he shouldnt miss on his first visit? Thanks for your help....you've all helped me so much already....i just want to be prepared for our trip....thanks again..

Please look at my site <http://vallartainfo.com> any questions after that, feel free to e-mail me.

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No, but I know the worst way. Don't you any phone in you hotel room and don't use one of the pay phones that say dial "090" (or some variation thereof). The best way....use a calling card that works on a "TelMex" phone. Many of them will work. I paid about $.50 per min to the US on my last trip.

i've been to the Melia once...and i'm going there again this year.....the people were wonderful.....food was ok...beach was ok....very relaxing....thats why im going back again...hope u have a good time....

WARNING - Don't use one of those "Call Collect Anywhere in the US or Canada" telephones to contact your friends back home. Once your friends receive their phone bill, they won't be your friends any longer. I accepted collect charges on one of these calls and later found out that a 3 minute conversation costed $64 US dollars!

A lot of places sell Ladatel phone cards which you use only on the phones that say Ladatel. Supposed to be pretty reasonable rates and you see those Ladatel phones all over the place.

Only $64.................... I had a lot more than that. Only use a pay phone, and if you find one that still asks for money using a calling card, find another one. Find a Ladatel or a TelMex phone. They will do and there are plenty of them. And remenber it is cheaper to take a cab into town for $20USD than to pick up that phone in your hotel room.

Hi Jill... We live in a nice suburb of Milwaukee. Cedarburg, Wisconsin. It is about 20 miles north of Milwaukee. Right now our indoor/outdoor thermometer reads 30 degrees. The past 2 days haven't been bad. Tomorrow it is supposed to be back in the 20's. So, PV sounds really good about now. We have just over a month to wait. (4-3 through 4-13). You are in South Dakota?!?!? It is probably just as cold there! Thanks again for the e-mail!!! We'll let you know how PV is when we get back!!!

We were at the Melia in January 03 for 2 weeks and had an absolutely wonderful time. We stayed in room 1430 which overlooked the ocean and the sound of the waves were soooo soothing and the view of the sunsets were breath-taking.The swimming pool (which was huge), was great and clean and liked especially the swim-up bar. The food was good and our favorite was the breakfast because you can order 1, 2 or 3 egg omelets with your choice of toppings, then watch the "egg lady" make them fresh right in front of you. For entertainment they have Target Rifle shooting, Archery, (my high score was 250), Sand volleyball, Outdoor Billiards, Table Tennis, Real Tennis, Pool Bingo and a variety of other things to keep you busy. The nightly entertainment was decent considering they only have 6 or 7 entertainers and their main thing was dance. Would have been nice to see some sort of Plays. The staff and food servers were very friendly and attentive. There are 4 different restaurants and the only disappointing one was (ironically) the supposedly "high-end" restaurant that you have to make a reservation for, and allowed only once per week of stay. We received 2 passes for this and after experiencing the first week, we promptly exchanged the second week's pass for the other restaurant, La Palapa's evening dining. The walk to the "Marina" is less then 5 minutes, where you can stroll and shop, visit the many quaint restaurants, have laundry done, use the internet cafes and basically is a good change of scenery from the resort if you need a break. The bus stop is a block away where you can catch the bus to go Downtown. All in all the resort is very save if you have young children and lots of activities for them too. We had a very relaxing time and would not hesitate to go back again.

glad to see you had a good time harry by the way how did you get such a nice room ha ha ha hope to see you there next year paul

Does anyone have any comments on this Resort ? We would like info. on food, rooms, is it quiet any little tips that you might have that made your stay a good or bad one. Thanks in advance. Terry

Sylvia, We went on all day snorkeling/sailing/whale watching tour on a boat called the Geranamo from the Marina pier. We saw about 20 humpback whales on the way out and went snorkeling at a protected island about 20 miles out. The boat is a sailing Cat and the people are very friendly. Open bar and breakfeast (fruit, pastry), lunch are served. Leaves @ 9:00 and returns about 4:00, sails back in. Well worth it. It also stops at a private beach for about an hour on the way back in Also did the Mexican Fiesta Tuesday night @ the Krystal hotel, fun and good entertainment. I'd catch this Thought about the jungle tour but didn't do it so can't give you a recommendation. Several people taked about the city/tropical tour and also a tour up to Guadalajara.

I'd skip the bullfight.

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It's across the river, but Pipi's and Los Milegros are also very authentic. Pipi's is a great place to go.

Tequilla's on the Malecom is also a very nice place to watch the sunset and enjoy authentic food.

We were going to go to Margariatta's but never made it. We did have lunch at Senior Frogs in old town but I can't say it's all that authentic. More like Don Pablo's south.

There are also a few good places in the Marina. We really enjoyed Victor's place (Tucpa's) [%sig%]

one thing we were REALLY warned not to do is eat from street venders. i have to say that when we walked past the vendors i understood the reasoning. food is left out in the sun and even if they have a cooler it may not be in working order. you should probably forget that idea. never made it to pipis but the food is supposed to be real good and plentyful. have fun.

Hi. Have you ever actually eaten from the street vendors??? I can't speak for ALL of them, but just to let everyone know, we have eaten from some of them, over ALL of the years we've been to PV, and we've NEVER had a problem. Just because they do things differently than here in the States, DOES NOT mean they are unsafe/not good! Lots of people eat from them all the time! Also, Pipi's is a good restaurant, but I would hardly call it "authentic"...It is more "Americanized" mexican food. Very good non-the-less.

Hello all! My girlfriend and I just returned yesterday from the Riu Jalisco and we had a wonderful time! 84 degrees and sunny all week! Some tips: I didn't really go around looking for the rooms with the best views but from what I saw, any room the third floor on up ending with 194-198 (3194, 4194, etc.) have a balcony overlooking the beach area. The drawback to having these rooms, however, is that they are directly over the disco area which can get very loud at night. The rooms across the courtyard that have the similar view are directly above the resort theater area where it also gets very loud. I suppose the best rooms with a view would be the ones located along the main lobby area overlooking the courtyard and the beach.

Looking for good drinks? Look for CECILIO the bartender. He generally works at the main lobby bar overlooking the courtyard. We liked his drinks so much (especially the bloody marys) that we tipped him 200 pesos. Introduce yourself and he'll take care of you the whole week. The drinks are weak but none of the bartenders have any issues with serving doubles.

Bath towels are also hard to come by. The maid service will give you one towel per guest each day but with the pool and beach activities they are never enough. The hotel gives each guest beach towel cards. We found that those towels are far better for bathing because they are thick and can be replaced for new ones as often as you like by going to the towel hut. We usually grabbed new towels to use at the pool and traded them in for new ones to take to our rooms.

No complaints about the food. Nice to be able to serve your own beers (Corona and Modelo) or wines at every meal. We hardly used the mini bar in our room because booze was so plentiful outside of it. We tried the Nayarit (Brazilian rodizio style restaurant) but liked the buffets far better. When going to downtown PV to shop I suggest taking the bus going and then a cab to come back to the hotel. If you take a cab you can bargain down as far as 120 pesos ( about 11 dollars U.S.). We made the mistake of telling a cabbie that we wanted to go to the market to shop and he dropped us off about a 20 minute walk away from the real market to a smaller "mall" where he was given a kickback by the shopowners to bring tourists. If you want to go to the real market, ask to be taken to the HOOTERS (yes that Hooters) restaurant at the end of the PV board walk. The market will then be up one or two blocks across the street. Never go downtown on days that Cruise ships dock (Wed. and Thurs.) because prices are raised 20% and your bargaining power goes down.

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Spent two weeks at the Solare over Christmas and New Year's. First visit there, although we've been going to PV for 10 years or so. Really enjoyed the Solare, although we really prefer being in town. However, our regular hotel, Las Palmas is closed due to damage in the hurricane. Found the food at Solare to be good, although like any all-inclusive it does become repetitive in the second week. As well as the buffet, there are two a la carte restaurants for dinner (reservations required and only one may be open on a given night) plus the beach grill during the daytime. Overall, no complaints with the food or drinks. Beach was nice, nicer in fact than in town. You can walk for miles each way. Nice to take a walk into Bucerias, about 45 minutes north. We had a balcony room, overlooking the big RIU next door. We were right over the tennis courts, but the noise wasn't a problem. Shows in the evening are very well done. Enjoyed them. If you have time, take a trip up to Punta de Mita for a day. Great beach, nice restaurants and the place to go for whale watching. Any questions, I'd be glad to answer them.Just e-mail.

Lorne

I am so happy to have found this site. I have been emailing the Riu for a couple of weeks trying to get information, but haven't had much luck with a response. I was going to try to call, but thought I'd try this first. Does Mercedes have a direct email? We would love to get a room with a good view. We leave this Sunday and are going for 7 nights to celebrate our 5th anniversary and we are trying to make it as nice as possible. Does anyone know about the massages? Did you need to make an appointment well in advance for them? Also, is there a dress code for the evening meals? Some of the other resorts we looked at said no shorts or jeans in the evening, but I can't find anything about this one. Any additional information we would appreciate. We are SO excited and looking forward to this trip. It is great to hear everyone's wonderful comments!

Of course you have to use a little common sense when you eat from a street vendor, but some of the best food I've had in Mexico was from the streets.

There's a burrito grille vendor on the corner of a street across from the Posada Roger in PV...awesome! I"m going to wander over there when I arrive on Saturday! Anyone know if they are still there? Grilled burritos, your choice of topping! wonderful stuff! I always watch the place before I order, make sure it looks clean and they are following sanitary procedures. The mexican gov't now goes around and teaches proper sanitary procedures to these folks, and the word is things are improving greatly. However, I do take precautions, spread on the lime juice and then go for it!

Thank you for the review. My boyfriend and I are set to vacation there in a few weeks. Could you please pass along the e-mail address for Mercedes Ferreira. What a magnificent experience to have an ocean-view room. Did you do any excursions away from the hotel? I went to Puerto Vallarta a few years ago and took a wonderful day trip to Las Caletas. Joy

Massages are $20 for 30 minutes and I believe reservations were necessary but there were also times when I noticed the masseuse just standing there for lack of customers so I 'm sure you will be able to get in for a session on any given day without reservations. There are dress codes for the restaurants. No bathing suits and tank tops at the two main restaurants attached to hotel during dinner. The beachfront restaurant is a little more lax as far as dress codes go but many people were dressed up for dinner because this is a great location to eat and watch the sunset. At our last dinner we saw a pod of whales spouting water while we ate! People who go to the pool and the beach usually go to this restaurant for snacks, drinks, etc. At the Nayarit (reservations only) there is a dress code. Though we noticed a man in worn denim shorts and an old t-shirt at our sitting. He stuck out like a sore thumb. If you want to secure reservations for the Nayarit make sure you go as early as possible to make them. The head waiter sets up a table between the two restaurants on the first floor at 7 a.m. I went down at 7:30 and was one of the last to get seats for the second dinner seating which was at 8:45.

hi, okay i am convinced i am off to the rui. as i am canadian i don't have much money. sooooo how much should we expect to pay for a night at the rui?

What is the nightlife like? Any recommendation for disco's or club's close to the RIU Jalicso? Going in April for our honeymoon- Can't wait! All of these posts have been helpful - Thanks! [%sig%]

The vendor is still across the street from Posada Del Roger. I've had breakfast from his stand on many mornings. Was there last month for 30 days, and it was on the way to the house that I rented. Have a great time.

went to the Riu last summer, I envy all who will be going soon or who have just come back! We had an amazing time. my hubby and daughter got a kayak and went out into the ocean one misty morning and the dolphins were swimming around them in the bay. La Botana is my favorite eating place but they were all really good, we loved being able to have dinner and watch the sunset! Our room was 6119, we could look out our balcony and see the ocean and the mountains, what a gorgeous site! The sunsets are sooo... beautiful! Free water crafts except for parasailing or jet skis. have a great time and take alot of film, trust me, you will need it!

Hey Paul, Thanks for getting us the rooms. Great rooms. PS: We received the photos of the turtles, thanks.

Street food guide at <http://vallarta-info.com/streetfood.html> [%sig%]

MANY people who were at the Riu last week were from Canada. We met a family of four who booked a last minute trip two weeks ago from Edmonton and they stated that it was a "steal". We paid about $950 U.S. taxes included through Apple Vacation for our trip and it was well worth it. I believe most if not all guests at the Riu were there on 7 night packages.

Not really much to do in Nuevo Vallarta as far as nightlife is concerned but you will find several clubs in Puerto Vallarta only a 20 minute cab ride away. The NV resort area is relatively new so I wouldn't expect night clubs to appear for another year or so.

One last shopping trip I forgot to mention on my earlier post. We learned on our second-to-last day of course about another good shopping location. There is a town just north of the Riu called "Bucerias?" where you can buy arts and crafts, souvenirs, etc. for much less than you would in tourist infested downtown Puerto Vallarta. People we spoke to said it would be an hour walk along the beach from the Riu or a 5-minute cab ride away.

Hello again- Another guest at the Riu posted her vacation pictures online and had a room with an absolutely gorgeous view of the ocean and pool areas. Her pictures do not do the hotel justice- just imagine her same pictures with 10 times more sun! Here's her website: www.geocities.com/riujalisco

Vivian, How and where did you request an oceanview room? How to find a bargain price for this property? Thanks.

Hello! I'm from Minnesota, and have spent countless hours fishing our lakes here, but have never been deep-sea fishing. My wife and I are going to be in Puerto Vallarta from March 19th-26th, and I'd like to get out and go fishing while we are down there.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where or who I should try to go fishing with? I know that a lot of these guided fishing charters can cost two or three hundrded dollars or more, is there anyone else out there who is going to be in Puerto Vallarta at the same time who would like to split the cost? Lastly, is there anywhere or any way to fish from shore? (this may be a stupid question ;) Or, maybe I should ask, is there any easy way to fish without spending all day and a lot of cash? Thanks! -Matt [%sig%]

Yes, there are ways to fish from shore. First of all, where are you staying?? We stay at Pelicanos Resort (formerly Plaza Las Glorias) and walk the beach every morning. We always see people fishing from the piers along that stretch or beach. Also... there is a pier at Los Muertos beach, which is near downtown. I think that you will need the necessary line, pole, etc. to fish the ocean. My friends run the parasailing along Las Glorias beach. I have gone out a few times with them in the boat while waiting for customers. They fish simply with a big spool that holds very hefty line and just throw it in the water. Morning time is obviously the best time to fish. You will see the pelicans in a group and that is where the fish most likely will be. We have been in pt.vta. both in February and January and seen many whales right from the beach as well as dolphins swimming as we walked on the beach. My other suggestion is to embarque upon a "booze cruise". They will probably be glad to fish with you.

Hope you have fun!!

I saw a kid bring in a BIG Dorado with a hand line last year from the pier Los Muertos. It does get a bit crowded on that pier.

Thanks for all of the great information. I just have a few questions that I was hoping you could answer.

Do all of the rooms have a private balcony with chairs and a table. Is there a stocked mini-bar in the room? If so, what's in it? Is there a store on the property or within walking distance wheret you can buy some munchies to have in your room for a late night/early morning snack? Is there a place to snorkle? I didn't see any large rocks in the water at the beach, yet that is typically is better for scenario for snorkling.

I think that's all for now.

Thanks, Lisa

Thanks for all of the great information. I just have a few questions that I was hoping you could answer.

Do all of the rooms have a private balcony with chairs and a table. Is there a stocked mini-bar in the room? If so, what's in it? Is there a store on the property or within walking distance wheret you can buy some munchies to have in your room for a late night/early morning snack? Is there a place to snorkle? I didn't see any large rocks in the water at the beach, yet that is typically is better for scenario for snorkling.

I think that's all for now.

Thanks, Lisa

Hi we fish from shore every year that we go and catch lots of fish i live in wi so i know what you are looking for send me a email and i can help you out with all your ??? benn going to PV for 9 years now . friends taught us alot of tricks for fishing Paul

Lisa- The rooms all have private balconies with two chairs and a small side table. All balconies also have a rack to dry your swimsuits on. The mini bar is stocked with domestic vodka, dark rum, light rum and tequila all hung upside down with pourers. You refigerator is stocked with Corona's (more alcohol content than Coronas in the U.S.) Bottles of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Seven Up, Large bottles of drinking water and seltzer water.

You can buy munchies from a small store at the Riu but prices are high. We went to WalMart one day (about a 20minute bus ride away) and stocked up on junk food. The hotel offered free snorkeling and scuba lessons so I assume there may be somewhere near where you could go. Hope this helps.

We will be going to this resort early April - am looking for any information, good or bad, about this place. Also would like some recommendations for some trips to do while we are in PV. We really enjoy snorkeling, where is the best place for this.

Hola! It's so nice to read al the positive messages about RD. Me and my friend booked for june and I would like to know what building is the nicest to stay in. I heard there are 3 or 5 buildings?? We are aged 23-26,lol! I hope you have some advice.

Thanks! Sharon, The Netherlands.

We are going to the Riu Jalisco in April and have booked a Family Room with two queen size beds. The hotel told me it is more spacious than a standard hotel room and that some do have nice views. Has anyone stayed in one? Your comments please. Also, I understand that there are no beach umbrellas. Should we bring our own or is there enough shade on the beach to be able to stay out of the sun? We stayed at the Paradise Village resort in August and they had a ton of palapas on the beach - always lots of shade. I'm surprised the Riu doesn't have them. Thanks for your input.

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Email me your dates and I will give you a price quote. I am a travel agent that specializes in all inclusive resorts. Here is a link to my photos and review of the Riu Jalisco: www.geocities.com/riujalisco. This is a 5 star resort, which means first class facilities, excellent food and service (all the shrimp you can eat!). Email: vivianthornhill@attbi.com

Matt: I'm from Minnesota too. My wife and I were just in Puerto Vallarta the first week of February. We stayed at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. In the morning both Children and Adults would fish from shore along the two stone jetties that guard the approach to the Marina at Paradise Village. I saw them catch some nice sized fish. It looked pretty easy, but I didn't try it myself. I didn't have any fishing equipment along. I also saw a local man catch fish from the sand beach by casting a net into the surf.

My wife and I took the boat tour from the Paradise Village Marina to Yellapa, a small remote village on the opposite side of the bay. They had ocean fishing gear on the back of the boat and they let us fish with them all the way across the bay and back, at no extra charge. We didn't catch anything, but we did get the feel of it anyway. The trip included lunch at Yellapa and snorkeling to see some beautiful tropical fish in the bay.

We have two feet of ice on our local lakes here in southwestern Minnesota. Perch are biteing off and on. It's nothing like the 85 degrees in PV.

Yes, there are five buildings. All are beautiful on the outside...and we didn't get into any of the buildings, other than our own building--No. 5...very nice and quiet. There's an "adults only" pool there...and, the majority of the elderly population opt to stay in that building. However, we liked the peace and quiet in the evening, and found all the action towards the front of the resort during the day. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the buildings....but, if you want to be by the ocean, tell them right away when you check in. Have fun! I would love to go back!!!!

there are no umbrellas, but there are many palm trees that you can scoot your loungers under. At the pools there are many umbrellas, just not on the beach.

We were fortunate to get 2 rooms , ground level nearest the bar in bldg4...xcellent location for pool, beach, BAR!!!!

Hi, does anyone know how far of drive it is to Mazatlan in time? Thanks ....

Do the rooms come with tub or only a shower how is the tv are they any english channels i know at Rui Mayan Coast the tv was bad. do they get the leaf and raptor games i am a sport nut.

Rose, the room we were in only had a shower. The tv had good reception and yes ,there were english channels . I know they had games available but I did not check it out.

thanks deb did you like the rui any shopping nearby

I am not for certain, but I recall asking my friends that are natives of PV and they said about 8 hours. I believe that you take the highway that goes to Punta de Mita and Sayulita and it is about 7 hours past Punta de Mita. If you go, please let me know how the driving trip was; I'd like to do that some time.

Hi, I am a U.S. citizen with dual nationality status. My wife and I are moving to the area early this summer. She has a job offer already and I am wondering what the market is like for gringos. iI am fluent in spanish and have spent 10 years workin in and managing restaurants.

can anybody tell me what currency to use,we are going to the rui in April and are not sure whether to take us dollars or mexican pesos? [%sig%]

Take your US dollars and change to pesos when you get there. You get one of the best exchange rates at the places at PV Airport.

Rose, I loved the Riu. It was fantastic! We went about a month after they opened and it was just great. I can hardly wait to go again. The shopping is not near, but by cab only a few minutes. We were told the shopping was good at Bucerias, about a one hr walk from the hotel, 5 mins by cab. We spent most of our time at the beach as that was our main goal. The beach is raked every morning and picked up, so nice. hope this helps

We are heading for the Royal Decameron for 1 week on March 11th. We are wondering if anyone could tell us the how the weather has been lately, do we need sweaters or pants at night? Were there any mosquito's, bugs? Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. Gracias.

i have done the drive about 6 times but not in the past 4 years. the distance is about 300 miles pvr-maz. each time the drive took approximately 10 hours. the roads were 2 lane and winding. if there is a limited traffic, slow vehicles, road work etc. you might be able to do it in 8 hours. as i recall taking a bus takes 11 or 12 hours. longer, because of pickups along the way. hope that is of some help.

One of the best exchange rates that you'll get in the Puerto Vallarta area are the ATM's, which are located at many locations.

Thanx.Did you have to tip at the airport if so dollars/pesos?The last time at Cancun we tipped in dollars.

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Tipping in pesos is the easiest for the recipient. If you tip in dollars, I would do so with paper currency. It is probably difficult to get someone to exchange US coins with pesos.

8 - 10 hours sounds about right. Now, there are some 4-lane, toll road sections, but they are still too few and too far between. The road is not bad (except for those 20km or so of pure curves in the mountains outside of Las Varas), but slow traffic and big trucks can really get in the way.

Gretchen I remember your name as a person who has info on Sayulita but I have not seen you post in awhile. Are you still out there? I have a few questions on Sayulita.

Take US dollars, in small denomations. Most places / vendors will give you change in US dollars if you ask for it. The front desk at the RUI can also exchange your dollars into pecos.

If you do find somebody that wants to share fishing, we always go with an outfit called "Fishing with Bruno". He has three boats and we spent 350.00 for an all day fishing trip. These guys are really experienced. We brought in 3 huge mahi mahi and 2 good sized sailfish. We also brought in a hangful of bonita, but only used those for bait later.

Hope you give them a try. We live in Colorado and the trout and bass fishing is fun, but nothing compared to deep sea. hope you have fun whatever you do.

B

Going to Riu in 10 days. Would like to know more about the town of Bucerias for shopping. And does Riu have a gym, and what type of equipment does it have.

JoJo, Gretchen can be found at: Http:mytravelboard.com/pacificmexico/. Hope this helps. :-}

Thanks so much Sandy for your reply!

It is a good idea to take lots of ones for tipping the maid, bartenders, waiters, etc. You will get a lot better service and lots of clean towels.

Hi there, My friends and I will be staying in Puerto Vallarta in mid-April 2003, and we would appreciate it if anyone can help give us some info on the Sun Getaway Resort. We are all between the ages of 22-24. Thanks, Dave P.S. My e-mail is dkuch@hotmail.com

All rooms have a balcony with chairs (can't remember if there is a small table as we really didn't find time to sit out on balcony)plus a pull out mini clothes rack to hang your wet stuff to dry. There is a small tuck shop in the hotel selling chips and other munchy type snacks. Mini bar is stocked with vodka, gin, tequila and rum, fridge has bottled water, pepsi and pepsi light, 7 up, soda water and corona beer (4). More can be had by phoning down to the desk to request restocking. Hate to advise that snorkling is really the pits at the Riu and in PV. The water is very murky and it's really not the greatest. However, one can watch for whales right off the beach at the Riu in the morning and see nature at it's best. Not as close as being on a boating excursion,but cheaper, free, but some mornings whales are in closer to shore than others. More than makes up for the lack of good snorkling. You will enjoy I'm sure [%sig%]

The Riu has a weight room adjacent to the children's pool. Didn't really go in but I saw an elliptical trainer, treadmill, Universal (stack) weight machines. Not sure if they have free weights.

Bucerias is about an hour walk north up the shoreline or a short cab ride away. Another tourist told us that it is a small town (chickens, goats, etc. wandering the roads) but that prices are way better than what you would find in downtown Puerto Vallarta where all tourists including people on day excursions from cruises go.

Hi, If they run this resort like the one they run in Manzanillo you will have a wonderful time. Our travel rep reccomended this resort highly as she has been there. Please report back as this is on our list as places to go. adios, Kerry

The gym has 2 treadmills 1 stepper 1elliptical ski 1rower and about 6 universal weight systems.It is very small but adequate.

thanks found another great site

I am looking for the information if Riu Jalisco has an Internet connections. Thanks.

The Rui does have a room just off the main lobby with about 12 pc's set up. the cost is 20 pesos for 15mins. The fellow who runs this area was very helpful. This was a nice cheap way to communicate with my kids, especially thru msn....

Joanne, Thanks. TD

HAS ANYONE STAYED AT THE NEW GRAND VELAS? IS THIS AN ALL INCLUSIVE RESORT? WAS IT EXPENSIVE?

Will be arriving in Vallarta on April 29 for three nights before heading down the coast - if anyone has any good suggestions and/or favourite cheap places to stay in Old Town, any help would be much appreciated. Cheers! CC.

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All of these hotels are in the budget class. They are famly owned and operated and are clean: Budget Lodging There is a lot of very economic hotel accommodation available in Puerto Vallarta. The economical hotels on F. Madero have got together and have all the same rates. 'Real Cheap' do not take reservations. Real Cheap47 units, very clean, cheap with ceiling fans. With kitchenette & TV: 1-2 persons 300 pesos 3 person 350 pesos Single.150-160 pesos to 315 peso for 4 persons Low-season - Hi-season Hotel Azteca, F. Madero #473 222-2750 Real CheapMexican hotel. 27 spacious, clean rooms with ceiling fans, desk and chair. Air-conditioning add 80 pesos.Single.150-160 pesos to 315 peso for 4 persons Low-season - Hi-seasonCartagena de Indias Hotel Madero 428. 222-6914. Real CheapMexican hotel. Clean rooms with ceiling fans, desk and chair.Single.150-160 pesos to 315 peso for 4 persons Low-season - Hi-seasonHotel Ana Liz Madero 429. 222-1757 Real Cheap49 rooms upstairs from street level lobby. Monthly apartments on the top floor at $400US.Single.150-160 pesos to 315 peso for 4 persons Low-season - Hi-seasonHotel Villa del Mar Madero 440. 222-0785. Real CheapMexican hotel, clean rooms with ceiling fans, desk and chair.Single.150-160 pesos to 315 peso for 4 persons Low-season - Hi-seasonHotel Bernal Madero 423. 222-0785. Real CheapMexican hotel,30 clean rooms with ceiling fans, desk and chair.Single.150-160 pesos to 315 peso for 4 persons Low-season - Hi-seasonHotel Lina Madero 376. 222-0785. MediumIn the heart of the south side. German, Dutch & English spoken. 3 Blks. to the beachFrom $24 - $50 US. Penthouse $60 US Trailer hookup $13USHotel Frankfurt, Basilio Badillo #300 at Constitución. Ask for Mike 222-3403 Web Page Map #4 Good Deal Near the river and the beach, in town. Walking distance to everywhereDouble with Fan 250 pesos. with A/C, TV and kitchenette 350 pesos. Hotel Rio, Morelos #170 Ask for Victor 222- 0366 Hope that this helps you.

Well the list lays out better on the site it came from, go to the bottom of the page here <http://vallarta-info.com/hotels.html> [%sig%]

I found that the best places to exchange your money is the caja de cambio. You will see these everywhere. I was in PV in December and January and the exchange rate was 10.20 pesos to the US dollar compared to last year at the same time at 9.4 pesos to the US dollar.

I just got back... it's about 10.8 - 1 at the Cambio's.. 11.2+ at the bank ATM's. I would suggest switching to pesos there. You'll get a better deal and the local cabbies and such don't have to hassle with the banks.

yes mandatory ai. no kitchens in rooms

Keep in mind the fact that the RIU does not have ATM machines. I learned this the hard way.

Anyone have a favorite snorkeling/diving area with shore access. I am looking for more places to take fish pictures. Anyplace from San Blas to Melaque.

Hi everyone. I had some difficulty finding my way back to the bulletin board here! (yeah, should have bookmarked it!) I'm still looking for someone interested in splitting a charter trip -- any takers? And where can I find "Fishing with Bruno"? I'd still like to get any pointers about shore fishing. My wife and I are going to stay at the Holiday Inn -- from what I know it's in the Hotel zone but that's about it. I do some tournament bass fishing and have been a musky nut for the majority of my life, just to give you some of my fishing background and a glimpse of the gear I have... What can I get into down there, fishing from shore? What should I bring? What kind of bait is typically used in these areas??? Thanks for any help you can give me! -Matt

I also posted on another board and got tourist info. What I am looking for is what is more off the track places. Has anyone snorkeled/dived the other south side of the rock cliff at Mar de Jade, the outcropping separating La Penita an Guayabitos, Destilladeras, El Anclote, Pontoque, Quimixto, Yelapa, or any of the coast from El Tecuan to Melaque. It always seems the good spots are hard to find and sometimes hard to get to like the reef west over the hill from Playa la Mora.

Here is a website with contact for Fishing with Bruno: http://www.mexonline.com/brunosfishing.htm I have never fished from shore in Mexico so I can't be of assistance.

Hope you have a good time in Vallarta.

B

We are thinking about booking the Marivel for a group of 50 some people next February. I had read that the beach is very nice and that you can walk the beach "for miles". Is that true?

Just thought, I could use a swim buddy. If you are going to be in PV March 20-april 2 and want to hit some outlying reefs.

two years ago I stayed a couple of nights at the Hotal Posada Lily...Basilio Badillo No. 109. Clean and safe, only a block from the beach. It cost about $22. They'll hook up a TV in the room for a minor charge. Fan, not air conditioned. Good showers. I thought it was a pretty good deal and would recommend it.

Stay away from timeshare presentations. The street vendors will give you money or free tours to go through the sale presentations. We were promised only a 90 minute tour and a no-pressure sales pitch at the Mayan Palace. It was 4 hours and extremely high pressure. They could not answer most of my questions and when I told them NO!, Gill the manager showed up and started in on me again (new car sales games). These street vendors get money for each sucker they send to the tour. Just ignore them.

this is what you will need: a spool of 10 lb or heavier nylon line, hooks, and weights. once in pv you wind the line around a plastic bottle, tying one end to the bottle handle or neck. attach the weight and then the hook. bait the hook, put off enough line to twirl then start twirling, pointing the end of the plastic bottle in the direction you want to cast to. release the line the bottle acts as a reel and dispenses the line. once the cast has been made, you retrieve by wrapping the line around the bottle.watch the beach kids to see it first hand. the fun starts when you catch a good sized fish, be careful, the nylon will cut through your hand like a razor blade. good fishing is from any beach with surf and bottom vegetation. good luck and let me know, i will be back in bucerias monday.

there are plenty of opportunities for employemnt. you can sell real estate as most of the gringos selling are high school dropouts so there are opportunities. an agent makes 9 1/2 percent on each sale and commissions are sent to canada avoiding mexican taxes. or you can be an opc at one of the many timeshare hotels in town. opc's make up to $3k a week during high season. or be a closer but you must look scary to be good at it.

I did that ONCE in Cabo. I agree. They will say and do anything to get you to sign. Onc eyou hear someone say, "hello, my friend. Woud you like to go Fishing, Snorkling, etc..." on the street...RUN THE OTHER DIRECTION. I hate those guys... and I am not very nice to them.

The same thing happened to me at the Mayan Palace, in Nuevo Vallarta, the first time I went to Puerto Vallarta. I was promised 45 minutes, but the "tour" took 4 hours. Very high pressure and they don't take NO for an answer.

The first deal that they offered me was the most deluxe at $87K US dollars (in Aug. 2000). When I finally convinced them that I didn't want it, they started pushing something a little cheaper. Later, it was something even cheaper. This went on again and again, as I declined their offers, until they were finally offering some "el cheapo" package at $7K US. The whole time, I was trying to convince them that I just wasn't interested. As the discussion progressed, the previously nice sales person became visibly upset (i.e., red face) and I thought that she was about to have a nervous breakdown (seriously). They were trying to bring out the sales manager to offer more deals, but I was so angry, by that time, that I got up and walked out of the place, ignoring all pleas for me to come back and continue the sales discussion. I don't normally act that way, but there was just no graceful way to exit. The sales pitch was one that had no forseeable conclusion. I was so angry that I didn't even want the free trip that they were offering.

The place is very nice and they have a lot of activities to do. I am sure that there are many people who have gone there and fallen in love. It could be a paradise for the right person. However, the sales experience was just too disturbing for me.

They tried about the same tactic with me. About 7 years ago I went down to Cabo, backpack and tent on Brisas del Mar, outside of San Jose del Cabo. Had little $$$ and was hanging with three of my friends. I was the only one with a Credit Card. (with $200 credit limit!).

My friends wife and I posed as a couple to get the free stuff! We got stiffed on about half of what they promised after a 3 hours pressured sales pitch. After they "checked" my card, they were more than happy to get rid of us! That was the best part! I have to admit the place they showed us was incredible. But, it's not for me. Since I have become the cheapskate traveler of the world and travel quite a bit. I prefer the cheaper, clean accomodations in the more out of the way places. I recently was in the area andI did spend about 2 hours in PV before I had to fly out of Mexico. About 5 time share sales people approached me, and I looked like the backpacking bum I am. They must be pretty hard up right now to hit on me, and I wasn't very nice. I would just say, "Absolutely not!" and leave it at that. PV is okay, but I really could do without the time share salesfolks. At least it's not as bad as Cabo or Cancun.

You really have to weigh the value of your vacation time against the value of the free gift that they are offering.

Humorously, I remember reading a post a long while back where this tourist went to a very high pressure timeshare presentation and was absolutely delighted. He didn't want to buy and they kept pushing and pushing for the sale. It turns out that the tourist was a car salesman by profession and he appreciated the opportunity to learn new sales tactics!

We just returned from PV. Go to the nearest ATM and get your money. There is one in the airport terminal and many downtown. I used my credit union ATM card, so there was no charge from them and there is no point charge with Mexican ATM's. I just looked at my statement and I got my pesos for 110 on the dollar.

My sister and I are moving to PV in a year and a half. She has a degree in Travel/Tourism, Lodging management and a minor in marketing. I have a teaching degree with a lot of experience. We are from the USA and are wondering how the job market is for this type of work. I know hotel management will probably not be a problem, but as far as teaching in PV; does anyone know about how to go about getting a teaching job? I would appreciate any advice and help! Thanks!

Just got back? Did you have a good time.Can you recommend anywhere for great food? For a change from the hotel itself I mean. Thanx [%sig%]

Bucerias is a good walk from Riu. You can take the beach, but we took a side road and made it in less than an hour. Most of the walk is sidewalk. Good bargains and after a few beers, you can take a cab back to Riu for 50 pesos. It is a pleasant day trip. We didn't eat in town, we were actually overfed every day at the hotel and had no interest in eating. However, do check out the "night shift" which is on Tuesday nights. For $22 you ride a bus into PV at 8 pm and visit 5 bars with a drink(okay, not much alcohol). The final visit was about 1 am at Senor Frogs and the place was busy! Back to the hotel by 2 am. For the price, it's a bargain. J

Easiest way out, tell them you didn't bring or even have a Credit Card! Debit Cards don't work for timeshare credit checks!!

That all sounds pretty good to me,we've been to a senor frogs before I think it was in playacar though after a day out deap sea fishing! Sounds like you had a pretty good time there,we are going out in April hopefully.

[%sig%]

these are great stories. but the better stories are those of the bottom feeders who sell timeshare. one guy said he was swiss and fell off a mountain and needed a warm climate to recover. another had his wife run over and killed by a drunk, 25 years ago. been married 3 time since. another was an emt and was stabbed in the back while giving mouth to mouth to some guys wife. another story a guy marries a real estate agent then decided to practive medicine in mexico. timeshare have no resale value a look at ebay will confirm that. why pay $50k when you can buy one for $3k.

HI Terry we got back from a week at the Solare on March 11th and had a wonderful time. It is definately not a 5 star as it's web site claims, and I even question the 4 star rating that our brochure gave it, but if you go there expecting a good 3 -31/2 star, and have paid accordingly, then you won't be disapointed. The hotel itself is small and quiet. Lots of stuff for the little ones, our 4 year loved it but teenagers might be bored. The beach is clean and you can walk a long way in either direction. The rooms are simple but very clean. We upgraded to a 1-bedroom suite and were happy to have paid the extra money for more space and an ocean view. I would be happy to answer any more questions you may have! Have fun! [%sig%]

We were in PV last week. Had an awesome time as usual. Stayed at the La Jolla De Mismaloya again. Great place to stay. Awesome adventurous bus ride into town - Kids loved it. We walked around several of the beach bars including CyC, Sand Bar, Burro Bar etc. Ate at Tequilas, good food and great place to people watch. It is across from the Malecon, 2nd story, great view of the Ocean, ships, people walking along the malecon. We called our Cell phone carrier, on the way to LAX, and added international dialing for $5.99 per month, price for a phone call from PV to LA was .25 per minute. Cant beat the price. Much cheaper than the hotels and even cheaper and easier than using a calling card from a phone booth. We called , our older children who didnt come, from the beach at Mismaloya...reception was great. Sounded like we were right next door. When you come home, call the phone company and have deleted from your service, until next time. Also, my husband left his cell phone, charging in our suite at the La Jolla. They were awesome. Got the cell phone and charger and mailed it us, HDL, and we recieved it in 3 days.

Anyone with any questions on the La Jolla, just ask.. Great place to stay, have stayed there many times. Awesome hotel, great people and wait staff. Go out of their way to accomodate any of your needs.

Forgot to mention, the La Jolla De Mismaloya, mailed it back to us free of charge.

We stay at Pelicanos Grand Resort. It is a five-star over-looking the ocean and pool. It is right next to Las Palmas and Continental. It is about 5 or 10 minutes from downtown and it is geared to any age. There is waterpolo, volleyball, bingo, water aerobics, superior nightly entertainment, pool bar, regular pool-side bar, pool-side grill, beautiful beach and lots of sun. The staff is top-notch and you definately won't be disappointed!! Try it out!

We just got back from 1 week in Puerto Vallarta. We stayed at the Royal Decameron for 4 nights and then to the Qualton Club & Spa for the other 3 nights both being all-inclusive. We had a great trip and really enjoyed both Hotels which are different in many ways. The weather was awesome being in the high 80's during the day and low 70's at night. Most people did not have to wear a sweater but of course I feel the cold so I did have a light one on at night. Make sure to bring the 30 sunscreen because we usually tan pretty easily but needed the sunscreen right up to the end. We walked into Bucerias when staying at the Royal Decameron which is a very small Mexican Village with a small market. We also took a bus for only 4 pesos from the Qualton Club to downtown Puerto Vallarta for a little shopping at the market.We walked along the malecon to Old Puerto Vallarta with a stop on Los Arcos beach for a frosty Margarita. We noticed the beaches all close to Puerto Vallarta have been effected by the Hurricane they had last year. My son did the trips at night with the Qualton that give you a bit of a discount on the taxi ride and getting into Senor Frogs one night and another night he went to Carlos O'Briens and had a great time with all the College University kids (they have a cover charge since it is Spring Break). We used the ATM (Banamex) to get pesos from Canadian and got about 7.2 to 7.4 pesos to the Canadian Dollar, the Hotels were only giving about 6.5 in exchange. Had a great view from the Qualton to see the Humpback Whales and Dolphins in the Bay in the morning. If anyone wants extra info let me know. Adios for now.

Hola! I would love to hear something about your stay in Royal Decameron. What's te food like, any fruit? And what is the nicest building to stay in and did you like the animation team? I hope to hear from you! Greetings from The Netherlands.

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Hey! Don't know anything about the SunGetaway Resort, as it might be fairly new or have changed names. Anyway, if you are looking for a great place for fun, sun, and young people, about your ages, you should try Pelicanos Grand Resort. It is about 10 minutes south of the airport, right in the middle of the romantic, or hotel, zone in PV and about 10 minutes from downtown. My family and I have been going there for 6 years now. My sisters are 27 and 23 and I am 29. Every time we go there we have a superior time. The activities staff at the hotel are in their early to late 20's and provide non-stop fun all day. They also take anyone in the hotel who would like to go to a different club each night. They get you in for 1/2 price, pay for your cab, and party with you all night long! It is a great place.

Dave, check out this bulletin board www.puertovallarta.net Look under the heading of Hotels and Other Lodgings, and scroll down, there are quite a few reviews on that resort. Have fun!

What is the typical cover charge, if any to enter the local clubs?...

Hey Dave! I was on Expedia.com the other day and found a virtual tour of Sun Getaway Resort. Go to Mexican Getaways!

Cover charges vary from one club to the next. My sisters and I went to the Zoo, the Collage, Kristines, and Carlos O'Briens while in PV over Christmas and New Year's. The Collage was $15 for women, $20 for men; Kristine's, which is one of the best clubs in PV is $20 for women, $25 for men; Carlos O'Brien's in $10 for men and women. Can't remember what the Zoo charges! We went with Pelicano Grand Resort activities staff as part of a service of that resort and got in for less and a lot more faster! Have fun; we sure did!

Hey Daniel! Thanks for the tip on the sight for Sayulita! What a great sight!! I am going to book a place next time I am there!

I've never heard of a flea market in Sayulita. I believe there's one in Rincon de Gayubitos/La Penita (north of Sayulita) on Thursdays. Bucerias opens there big market on Sundays - up the river bed, about 2 blocks from the highway.

Not sure how easy it will be, but I think you'll find a teaching job in time. I've seen more and more private schools pop up where English is taught. Just for interest - my daughter had high school Spanish, then moved to PV where she took 3 intensive Spanish classes at the Univ. of Guadalajara downtown PV, then moved up to Bucerias (just a little ways up the coast). Within 1 month, she had a job at a private school (Colegio Bucerias) teaching English to the local kids and Spanish to the English speaking students from USA and Canada and Europe. She also tutored on the side - both English and Spanish. She got a job in a local internet shop/real estate office, also. For a couple of months she worked from 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM! Just before she had to leave (she was there 6 months) she was given a job teaching English to adults.......all these jobs she got because she was bi-lingual - and only 18-19 yeras old! Jobs are not hard to come by. The pay was not good, but she was young and we were paying her rent, so she had plenty of money. She loved it and made a few lifetime friends...and she keeps going back to visit. I'm afraid one of these days she won't come back. She now has it planned to keep up her college, going Spring, Summer and Fall months at home, then move down to Bucerias during Winter quarter to tutor - or whatever comes her way. Good luck! She is also interested in tourism - but hasn't gotten as far as checking anything out. I'd love to hear if your sister is able to get a job, at what level, etc. My daughter met a young Mexican man who was enrolled in courses for hotel management, etc., in PV - it seems that there MAY be competition from the Mexicans. Again, being bi-lingual is such a plus.

I am also planning on going fly fishing from shore when I am there in about 10 days. I am just wondering what to do about liscenses? I have tried to get answers to this question, but I can't seem to get any info. Do I need to worry about having a liscense to fish? Dan

Well, theoretically you should have one. I believe they are about 60 pesos, but I have no idea who issues them. Maybe one of the fishing supply stores here can help, such as Rizo's sports store on Insurgentes and Aquiles Serdan. On the other hand, I have never heard of anyone asking for one, don't think they have an inspector in PV.

locals and gringos alike fishing from shore do not require a licence. should you go offshore on a commercial boat, by law the charter is to provide the licence for all fisher people. should you decide to buy a licence you can do so from the dept of fisheries. as i recall, they are located a bit north of ley's but on the beach. i bought a licence there about 5 years ago and it was $30 usd good for 12 months from date of issue. not sure what the price is these days. $6 bucks? we all wish!

Thanks a lot guys! I've been looking for this info for several weeks, and this is the first place I've gotten answers. The U.S. consulate in P.V. couldn't even answer my questions

Hi Sandy, Not sure if you can answer any of these questions or not, but here goes. I am going to the Royal DeCameron the week of April 20th with my two teenage sons. 1 - Are there enough in resort activities in the all inclusive package to keep the boys occupied (ages 16 and 18). 2 - Is there a better section of the resort to stay? I've read areas that some people say are 'quieter' for the older group, younger people that say they like being close by the bars and the party life at night. I guess I'm looking for an area somewhere in between. 3 - This is a first for me and I am very ignorant in regards to 'outside' adventures. Did you go on any trips outside of the resort? Anything you would recommend for the boys and myself? 4 - Lastly, would you recommend bringing Travelers checks or US dollars? And, any idea of how much you would recommend, we are on a somewhat tight budget. Thanks so much! JaniceSharon wrote: > Thanks so much Sandy for your reply!

The Royal Decameron was great.The food was pretty good, you could always find something to eat. This is only a 3 1/2 star so you won't be getting any seafood other than fish. They have 2 buffet restaurants and 4 a-la-carte restaurants that you can reserve in the morning. They have an Italian restaurant, steak house (I have never had a good steak in Mexico), Jap-Jap & Wok Thaifood restaurant. They have a great snack bar that you can always get great guacamole, fresh made slasa, quesadillas, pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs and Frech Fries.They have lots of fruit at the Buffet restaurants. I usually would have fruit, yoghurt and a bit of granola for breakfast where my son went up to the grill where they made omellets or eggs of you choice, bacon sausages etc.I think all the buildings are good. If you did not like your room you could ask to be moved. Both times I have gone we had a lovely room with pool,ocean view.The animation team is great they do all the activities during the day and then the show at night in the outdoor open theatre. I found it was so much better than the 5 star Qualton show, hardly anyone showed up at the indoor theatre and the qualtity of the show was not even close to what the Royal Decameron put on. Any other questions please let me know. Adios for now Gringo

we are leaving in two weeks.how was the weather while you were their.and how was the night life after the kids were in bed. was there a jazz bar or discobar or was it prettymuch all combind.do you know anybody that went deep sea fishing. if so how did they do and what was the name of the charter. there is about 70 people going there most of them are freinds

Hello: Last week I had the unfortunate experience of going to a time share presentation at Los Tules Resort in Northern PV. It all started when we walked by a shop and the gentleman asked us if we were interested in any trips. Well, we were planning on taking one so we entered his small office. If we agreed to give a $200 peso deposit and go to a 90 minutes presentation we would get to go on a cruise that stopped for a 40 minute snorkel, a stop at a private beach, a stop at some palapas that had lunch and so on, plus a bottle of tequilla and a mexican blanket. Plus cab fare. We went last monday to the presentation. It began with us being interviewed by Jesus, (very nice gentleman) where we filled out the form and everything seemed to be going very well. At about the time that we were to go inside and see videos the closer (Arturo Cardanas) came over, read our form and then proceeded to humulate us. He was basically accusing us of being there only to take advantage of the gifts and not really interested. He said the interview was over and escorted us by the back way off the property. We then had to spend approx 15 minutes trying to get our deposit back. His treatment of us was rude and in appropriate. I was sick for the rest of the day. It was too bad that the gentleman that came with us to the presentation had just inherited $50,000 and was prepared to purchase. Just want you all to be prepared for the experience.

That really sucks!! Most of the time the people are very nice, but there are those unfortunate times as you had experienced. I will share this with my friends in PV that are timeshare sellers as they would like to know this. We have a timeshare at Pelicanos and have fortunately had good experiences with the organization. We have a representative at the Pelicanos who is so amazing; if you are at all interested, I could give you her name. This place is amazing. We absolutely love it! Actually, we bought a second week of timeshare this past December when we were down there. Timeshares sure beat the rising costs of hotel rooms! Good Luck! --Jill

Jill: Thank you for your concern. I know that time shares can be great. That is why we went. Do you know anyone that is affiliated with Royal Holiday. We would like to contact share holders or a Corporate Officer about our experience. I think that Los Tules may misrepresent Royal Holiday, and I am sure that they would like this information. Thank You Pam

Pam: I sure don't know of anyone affiliated with Royal Holiday. We go through the organization known as RCI. I am not sure if Royal Holiday is the same as RCI, just a different corporation. I hope you are able to purchase a timeshare. There is lots to learn when you get an open-minded and pleasant representative in which to do business with. If you need any further information on Pelicanos time share, let me know. There also is a site with many pictures of Pelicanos (formerly called Plaza Las Glorias). I will have to look it up and post it on another comment! --Jill

Great, thank you Jill. Pam

I just got back yesterday from 3 weeks in PV and I overheard something simular while there. This really confused me because I had never heard of anything like this before and we usually go once a year or so. I will go an a tour once every couple years to check out a new resort and once I was refused a tour and escorted to the beach when I forgot to bring my Credit Card (they couldn't do a credit check). A deposit? What for? Now that has got to be a new scam. You are giving your time to set through a sales presentation. And ONE tour? The last presentation I set through I got breakfast, 4 tours (we picked 2 horse tours & 2 snorkeling tours on the Bora II) and a VW for $10 a day for up to 5 days. Last week I was offered $200 in credits to put toward selected cruises/restraunts or a car. As for buying a timeshares your friend is probably better off by getting kicked out. I would recommend buying into a condo club like Great Escapes where you aren't locked into one place and or time. If you really like the facility there are many people, constantly trying to get out from under the yearly maintence obligation of a timeshare and will sell at a very reduced price or even give it away. Here's one at the Los Tules from someone in Canada I found when I did a search for "timeshare Los Tules puerto vallarta". Condo Timeshare For Sale Puerto Vallarta Mexico Vacation. Park Royal Los Tules Asking $14,900 (Less than $9,000 US) Paid over $25,000 and was never able to use it due to health reasons. No reasonable offer refused. Here's another new one for me. After buying a T-shirt at the Flea Market, the guy that sold it to me ASK FOR A TIP! I wonder if anybody would actually give him one??

Just got back. For the most part it was a very disappointing trip. The water around PV is COLD and murky. All along the coast it was COLD, I'm glad I took my shorty. Not many highlights, The Pacific side and down the north side of the bay good for boarding but not watching fish(Lost my Z2 mask in the surf at Punta De Mita). One pleasant surprise was Yalapa. Under the boat dock on the south side of the cove(left side when you come in). Have the water taxi drop you off there. Beginners paradise, shallow 4-8', calm and clear. Was told that the cove two north toward Boca(started with a 'T') was also very good by a fellow fish watcher. You will need to rent a privite boat in Boca rather than the water taxi to get there.

The Blue Bay resorts just changed their name to Sun. (I hear it was for tax purposes). The resort always attracts a younger crowd and alot of young Candians were there over the last couple weeks. The beach has more rocks, but otherwise the resort is pretty much back to pre hurricane condition.

Thank You for your input. I will have our friend look into the Condo deal. I can only think the $200 peso deposit was to assure them we would show up. Pam

Hi, I was wondering if you have to wear special braclets at the royal decameron complex hotel? If so, do they have different ones if you are under 18? I am 17 and all of my friends that are going are 18. Will I not be able to drink alcohol or get in the night club there? Do they check your ID if you want to buy a drink?

Hi I am going to Puerto Vallarta April 9th to the 19th. I am only 17 (18 in 1 month) and i heard that the drinking age was 18. Is this true? Do they actually inforce it? Do you have to be 18 to get into any of the night clubs there? I dont want to be left out! Well, please write back thanks!

Hi: Just got back from PV and Senor Frogs. They do post 18 for the age and do check ID.

Restaurant Review March 2003 Barcelona - Very good Tapas (appetizers) We had the $25 selection of six, or seven. Way more than we could eat. The view is dramatic at sunset, but the chairs are hard and very uncomfortable for long meals. Ours lasted 2 hours, which is the limit for my back. Making reservations is almost impossible. We called twice and we were never certain if we even reached the correct number, so just to be sure, we asked the hotel to make our reservation. They got an answering machine and were never called back to confirm. When we finally got there, they had no record (go figure) of our calls. The number on their card is 222-05-10. Worth a visit, but we probably won't go back.