Puerto Vallarta - all beaches

This beachfront location is an absolute gem, conveniently located within a leisurely stroll from my accommodation. I had the pleasure of experiencing both a breathtaking sunrise and a mesmerizing sunset during my visit. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a memorable coastal escape.

This tropical beach is quite impressive, with gentle waters and a peaceful atmosphere. However, it's important to note that calm days are few and far between, as the red and black flags are often raised to indicate dangerous conditions. Despite this, if you've specifically chosen this beach as your destination, you're sure to find plenty to enjoy here.

The beach was disappointing with rocky terrain and not living up to the reviews. Those who enjoy walking should consider visiting the Malecon instead. The entrance is rocky and once past that, the water is too deep to enjoy, especially where the waves crash. Both adults and children did not feel comfortable in the water. The beach is much cleaner and better south of the pier, so if you have kids, head in that direction. Those who have traveled extensively will be let down by this beach. On a return visit two days later after rain, the water was brown. A walk on the malecon revealed the source of the issue - a brown river that flows into the ocean.

What a disappointing experience we had at Vidanta! Despite having 23 pools, guests staying at the Mayan Palace are only permitted to use one pool, which happens to be the most crowded one. We struggled to find a spot by the shallow kids pool as every chair was occupied by older guests reading books. Unfortunately, we couldn't purchase day passes for our children to enjoy the kids center or find a lazy river or water slide. As first-time family vacationers, we were left feeling let down and will not be returning to Vidanta. We hope to save others from the same disappointment by sharing our experience. However, we remain optimistic and look forward to planning our next family vacation at a different destination. Vidanta, we urge you to improve your policies and amenities for families like ours.

We decided to check out this beach due to its proximity to our Airbnb located in the Versalles neighbourhood. Although the area has a lot of ongoing construction, don't be discouraged as the beach is still accessible. Simply follow the directions provided on Google Maps. The beach tends to be quite crowded with numerous vendors. However, they do offer umbrella rentals which is a plus. The rental prices vary greatly, so it's best to shop around. We managed to find a vendor who only charged us $50 pesos for an umbrella. The sand here is a dark brown colour and appears to be littered with debris. Additionally, due to the presence of horses carrying tourists along the shoreline, there is a risk of encountering animal waste. The water didn't look particularly clean to us, so we opted not to go for a swim. Overall, this beach is not one of our favourites.

This review is about Casa Salinas I, but the same applies to Casa Salinas II. I don't usually write reviews, but my family and I recently stayed at Casa Salinas I, the adjacent property, from 11/3 to 11/8 for five nights, which cost us nearly $8,000. When we arrived, we were greeted by a vast view, but to our disappointment, the sandy beach shown in the photos was completely covered in rocks. It was impossible to walk on and reach the ocean. The beach had been washed away by a recent hurricane, which was not made clear to us beforehand. This was a major letdown for the whole family, especially my three-year-old. We decided to drive to another beach, but it was quite inconvenient with two kids and not very pleasant. When we returned home, I believed that this warranted some sort of refund, as one of the main attractions of the property is the private beach. However, the owner refused to refund any portion of our payment, claiming it was not their fault. But wouldn't they offer a refund if the pipes burst or if the pool was not functioning? Those are amenities we pay for, right? It was disheartening to be treated this way after spending so much money and feeling disappointed. If we had known there was no beach or ocean access, we definitely would not have chosen to stay there at such a high price. The house itself is decent, although it appears a bit worn out and outdated, with inconsistent hot water. On the other hand, the staff deserves five stars. They provided incredible food and service throughout the entire week. We truly enjoyed conversing with Juan, Cesar, Margarita, and everyone who took care of us and kept everything clean! I just wish we could have met them under better circumstances. Attached is a photo of the beach, along with my wife and three-year-old daughter who attempted to access it but ended up getting scratched along the way.