2/2/09 – 2/12/09

After spending time in the smaller towns of Nayarit we were trepidatious to re-enter city life in Mexico.  Since we had found Mazatlan to be quite hectic, we assumed Puerto Vallarta would be the same.  However we were pleasantly surprised to find the city to be fairly peaceful despite the obvious large population of both locals and tourists. 

We happened upon the Hotel Belmar located at Insurgentes and Aquiles Serdan in Old Town which is south of the River Cuale and north of the Zona Romantica.  Owned by an art collector, the Hotel Belmar has interesting modern and traditional art throughout the lobby, halls and individual rooms which make it the coolest hotel we have ever stayed in.  While it is certainly not a luxury hotel, the Belmar is bright, clean and perfectly located to the beach, shopping, restaurants and bars.  At the bargain price of 570 pesos for double occupancy, we think it’s the best deal in town, especially with the mostly reliable free wi-fi.  However it should be noted that there is quite a bit of street noise during the day from the buses – if this is bothersome you should request an interior room or one facing Aquiles Serdan. 

Hotel Belmar

If you are looking for even cheaper accommodations, try going a bit further east (away from the beach) on Francisco I. Madero Street.  There are several hotels such as the Azteca and Villa del Mar that have single rooms for only 250 pesos.  While we haven’t been inside the rooms, they seem like they would be quiet and nice enough for the budget traveler – although it would probably be advisable to bring your own towel as that is an extra charge at some of these hotels.  On the more luxurious but still affordable side is the condo rental market which is thriving in Vallarta.  We especially like the Andales Luxury Suites and Frank Heck’s condo listed on VRBO.com which also has many listings.

Our favorite street in Old Town Puerto Vallarta is Lazaro Cardenas.  This is an east west street that stretches from the beach through the local neighborhoods and over the river.  There is a taco stand open nearly 24 hours a day near the corner of Insurgentes in front of the Farmacia Guadalajara – we prefer “Arandas” which is the furthest east of the four.  Just a few more steps and across the street sits a churro cart to the side of the church.  There are also several produce, meat and seafood shops further east toward the river.  An excellent Italian restaurant, Magna Magna, with very affordable prices is located near the corner of Constiticion and L. Cardenas.  We also like the Artesanias Flores shop near Magna Magna which has exquisite colorful painted animals, figurines, wall hangings and beadwork from Jalisco, Oaxaca and beyond.  La Hacienda is one of our favorites for breakfast, served in a relaxing courtyard atmosphere at Lazaro Cardenas 388.  We have frequented many other bars and restaurants along Lazaro Cardenas and I even got a haircut at one of the salons on this street for only 70 pesos! 

While the water in the bay near the malecon can be somewhat polluted, people still swim and boogie board in the waves, which vary from almost nothing to 12 foot swells.  We stayed out of the water in this part of town, but enjoyed the beach for its people-watching, vendors and beer service at the palapa restaurants and beach clubs. 

Overall, we found Puerto Vallarta to be one of the most enjoyable places we’ve been in Mexico so far.  With a thriving local culture, plus cosmopolitan restaurants and services, it seems to be the best of both worlds and an excellent place for a fly-in vacation.  We can definitely see why people come to Puerto Vallarta on vacation and end up buying a condo here for longer indefinite stays.