Oceanfront Luxury Condo - Grand Venetian Puerta Vallarta Mexico

Our first time in PVR and first time back to Mexico in over 20 years. Took about a day to get our bearings and settle in to a routine, but it all turned out great. Easter is a really big deal for the locals so the beach and town were very crowded and noisy. No fault of the condo or complex, just a fact about Mexico and PVR. We were with friends who stayed in the same complex. They have been coming to PVR for 9 straight years, staying at the Grand Venetian the last 5, and they said they had never seen it like this.

The owner was easy to deal with, no hassles. Met by her representative in the lobby when we arrived. All was as shown in the listing. Plenty of shopping within a few blocks. We usually walked to the store and then cabbed back with our supplies.

Complex is two completed towers with another one almost finished. There is additional construction at the complex entrance, so there is some noise during the day in the back of the unit. At night, there is a bar just below that has music on some nights that can also be annoying. The complex is great with several pools. As of April 1, they turned off the heat in the pools which made it a little cold in the mornings and evenings. Great casual restaurant near the pools that serves breakfast and lunch at reasonable prices.

Condo had everything we needed for our stay. A few lightbulbs were out, but the agent sent in maintenance to repair when we reported. Would definitely stay here again, just not Easter week.

Excellent stay, no hassle reservation, Joanne is very kind and you will have no problems, check in was quick, on time, they greet you in the lobby and take you to your condo. The condo is just like advertised, super well stocked , equipped with everything. The grill on the terrace is a plus! we bought meat at Sam's and had a great dinner! The beds are comfortable and clean, bathrooms too. Big TV on living room with Dish, we brought our apple tv and watched movies without a problem. You find beach towels...you dont have to worry about anything. Thank you Joanne for a wonderful vacation! :)

Joanne the owner was wonderful. She had her friends meet us and show us around the condo. We stayed there for a week. It is wonderfully furnished, and has a great living room. The ocean views are incredible. The pictures I was able to take were amazing. The best thing about the Grand Venetian is the pools. There are many, kid-friendly pools. We never felt crowded, and could always find space for our family to enjoy the sun. The beach was nice, but the ocean is just OK because of the river next to the beach. The bath tub on the balcony was a HUGE plus, since it gave the kids a place to swim in when there were thunderstorms in the area. We loved it. Thank you Joanne for the stay!

We had the best family reunion ever! There were five of us in this gorgeous, high-end, fully-appointed 11th floor condo. The Grand Venetian has four pools, at least two are infinity pools, and each pool has a hot tub. The view from the 11th floor is amazing – we could see downtown to the south, and the marina area to the north. The hot tub on our wrap-around balcony was a fun addition! The afternoon we arrived, we saw whales jumping in the bay. We also had great sunset views! Previous tenants even left us a couple beers!

The master BR and second BR had king beds, and third BR had two singles – each BR had its own full bath -- what a luxury! Master & second had full glass walls that slid away so that the BR was extended onto the wrap-around balcony. Wow. The owners are great people and happened to have a friend in the building who helped show us around.

We had breakfast a couple times and dinner once at the restaurant next door – El Oasis del Holi. Really good food, great prices, open concept, sand floor; friendly, helpful and entertaining staff!

Downtown was a short cab ride, and so was the airport. Taxi fees are set by the gov’t, so no rip-offs – still; ask how much before you enter - “Quanto costa?”

Be sure to hit the shops along the Malecon, the waterfront walkway filled with shops, restaurants & galleries. While there, we saw a dance performance by historically costumed dancers and an impromptu parade of about 8 horses. The marina is another interesting walking area - check out the historic lighthouse with its martini bar (no food there).

Most people speak at least passable English, and dollars are accepted in many places. It’s always good to have some 200-peso bills handy, (about 18-19 bucks) and smaller. Airport to north hotel zone cost 5 of us about $33 for a van. (350 pesos)

Puerto Vallarta is family-friendly and welcoming. And a “Por favor” and “Gracias” are always appreciated. We plan to return!

I had never been to Puerto Vallarta so I decided to invite, but I was overdue a vacation and wanted to enjoy some days in the Sun. The property is beautiful, along with the apartment and building staff who was always available on site. I spent some time on the town doing some shopping and people will ask where we were staying at and immediately they say the place is very nice, and not your regular vacation resort. (I even got the “ooooh fancy!” comment a few times)

The apartment was clean and ready for us at arrival, even if we arrived at 5 a.m. due to weather delays as I was driving from Guadalajara. ( 4 hr. Drive)

Everyone in the family was happy to have their own bedroom and bathroom, so privacy was no concern, the condo is so big I really only spent time in the dining room, bedroom and front balcony, We would spend our afternoons by the pool until they closed, and the restaurant on site is very good, beers are always cold and their strawberry piña coladas are fantastic.

The place is setup with everything needed all we needed was groceries ( there are two Wal-Mart’s, and other grocery stores nearby), but there are so many places to eat, that you might not have time to cook, I wish next time I can spend some more time here, because I will be definitely coming back.

TIPS:

Booking was easy and painless.

Remember to turn on the ice machine on the refrigerator or buy ice.

Cooking is a great option but I would only recommend to cook breakfast and eat lunch or dinner at a restaurant or have food delivered from a local restaurant.

If you are driving there is plenty of parking, or you can always have the staff call a taxi for you, (taxis waiting outside the resort)

Come prepared with your bathing suits, and other beach gear, don’t waste any time in the town looking for bathing suits, or shorts, they tend to be expensive in some places.

There is a surplus of towels in this apartment, so don’t even bother bringing towels.

Dish Network available in English only, I don’t know if SAP was an option but I didn’t mind, and the kids didn’t either. It may bother other Spanish speaking only visitors.

There is something to do for everybody at any time fo the day in Puerto Vallarta.

If driving obey traffic laws, as traffic can get heavy in town.

Apply sunblock and enjoy.