The second-biggest beach resort of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta, lies in the center of the Bahía de Banderas Bay. Most of the accommodation establishments in Puerto Vallarta are located in Nuevo Vallarta, a heavily tourist-oriented part of the coast. The southern part of Nuevo Vallarta is the recently built marina where the wealthy and famous personalities who have picked Puerto Vallarta as their vacation location keep their yachts or sailboats.
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The historic center part of the city has kept its appeal even in the middle of the movement toward today’s modernity – it’s probably the area that has most the sightseeing attractions of the city. During the night, most of the locals meet at the Zócalo, the nightlife center of the city. However, the most common question many people ask is that, where to stay in Puerto Vallarta?
If you are in search of a unique vacation place, Puerto Vallarta is probably one of the best places you can go. However, if you are planning to travel to Puerto Vallarta, it is very important to comprehensively research where you are going to stay! There are people who are seeking a luxury hotel that offers all types of facilities while others are just searching for a clean, comfortable place to spend the night in during the amazing island getaway. Before we get into the accommodation options on where to stay in Puerto Vallarta, here are the areas you may want to stay while here.
Areas to Stay in Puerto Vallarta
Downtown and Old Vallarta
This area is where the exciting things happen in Puerto Vallarta, mainly due to having the largest number of nightclubs and restaurants. If you’re looking to experience a colorful nightlife and many culinary options, then staying near the Downtown would probably be a great option for you. This area is generally the best place to go if you are looking for some more affordable accommodation option. But then again, you will still get to find some luxury accommodations and resorts, but don’t expect them to be too extravagant.
South Zone
The South Zone is a narrow street against the sheer tiers of the Sierra Madre Mountains. You can only find a few hotels in this place; however, the lavish tropical greenery from the mountains makes for gorgeous setting and exceptional views of Puerto Vallarta as well as Banderas Bay. This area would be a perfect spot if you want to be close to the places of in Downtown but still looking for a quiet sanctuary from the loud nightlife, even though you’ll probably need to drive to Downtown unless you’re adventurous enough to climb up the steep walkways under hot weather.
Hotel Zone
This area is situated between the downtown and the international airport, which is not far from the cruise-ship terminal and one stone throw from some big malls. Although the street side is not that eye-catching, you will enjoy the sights of the beautiful beaches and you’ll have the main spot for some stunning sunsets. This area is walking distance from the Downtown and there is a lot of entertainment at the neighboring malls. The Hotel Zone offers many high-rise hotels and most of them offer all the facilities you may need during your stay.
Marina Vallarta
As you’d probably expect, Marina Vallarta is located on a good-looking marina lined by trendy boutiques and relaxing cafes. It is not the most affordable place to stay, but it’s a popular option for those who are traveling as couples or groups who want to be close to the center and still a bit more secluded. Downtown is just a quick taxi ride or longer bus ride if you want to do some of the most exciting things in the area. The beaches here are a little rocky, so, you can find that most accommodations here have their own swimming pool and if you like golf, then this place is definitely the place to be.
Nuevo Vallarta
Situated in the head-to-head Nayarit state, Nuevo Vallarta is the place to go if you are looking to stay at all-inclusive resorts with big swimming pools and also golf courses. It is about 30-minute drive away from Puerto Vallarta city center but is a perfect place if you are looking for luxurious resorts and a lot of sunbeds to take up the sunshine. However, it is not going to give you a genuine feel of the Mexican lifestyle.
Accommodation Options in Puerto Vallarta
Budget Accommodations
Luckily for budget travelers, it’s not that difficult to find a budget-friendly accommodation in Puerto Vallarta. You can easily find a room as low as $15 a night that is good for two. You can find this in a form of hostel and hotel, so, see to it that you decide which type of accommodation you prefer more, especially if you are traveling as a couple. Most hotels accept not only Mexican pesos but also US dollar currencies, but still many of them don’t accept credit cards. However, don’t expect a budget accommodation to offer you free breakfast. But you don’t have to worry about this much as you can easily find places where you can have a breakfast for a cheap price. What you will like, however, is that most hotels and hostels have their own pool available for guests to use.
Mid-Range Accommodations
If you have a little bit of money to spare, you may want to have an accommodation that is a little bit better than a hostel by looking for mid-range accommodation. What considered mid-range accommodations here, are those that cost around $100. You can easily find a room of this price range that has beautiful beach views, swimming pools, bar, gym, and even restaurants. This type of price range hotels are probably the easier ones to find as they make up the majority of hotels in Puerto Vallarta.
Luxury Accommodation
Now, if you want to splurge some money during your Puerto Vallarta trip, then finding a luxury hotel is, of course, the way to go. Finding an all-inclusive luxury hotel and spa is never a problem when looking for where to stay in Puerto Vallarta. Most of these expensive resorts have all the amenities you may need in order to make your trip relaxing and comfortable. The luxury resorts have their own private beach, a swim-up bar, gym, as well as different restaurants that are all included in the price you are willing to pay. Spending a night at this type of accommodation may cost you from $200 a night.
Again, you will be happy to know that there are a lot of accommodation options in Puerto Vallarta and finding where to stay in Puerto Vallarta can be a little bit confusing, but by knowing how much your budget is and what amenities you need, you can easily narrow down your options.
Before booking your flight to Puerto Vallarta, consider doing more research on what to do and where to go to make your experience smoother. If you have other suggestions to make this article more helpful for people who want to know where to stay in Puerto Vallarta, make sure to let us know about it in the comment below!