During my recent visit to Puerto Vallarta to speak at the LGBT International Business Expo, I stayed a couple nights at the host hotel, the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. This is a summary of my experience.
THE STYLE: Located in the upscale Marina Vallarta district, the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta is a Mexico beach hotel with conservatively elegant style and a great emphasis on the outdoors and views of the bay. The property is about 20 minutes by taxi from downtown Puerto Vallarta.
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DON’T MISS: 6 Great Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta (& Tasty Food Tours, Too)
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THE GUEST ROOMS: The hotel has 404 guest rooms and 29 suites. We stayed in room 4001, an oceanfront room with a king-size bed, sofa bed, and balcony with ocean view. There is a fee for WiFi access in guest rooms. The work desk doubled as a dining desk, and the room had a safe-deposit box, coffee maker, alarm clock with iPod dock, bathrobes and flatscreen TV with HBO.
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DON’T MISS: Top 5 Reasons to Visit Puerto Vallarta
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HOTEL FEATURES: The biggest visual feature at the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta is the large swimming pool area, which sits along the beach, surrounded by lush, well-maintained landscaping. Also impressive is the Ohtli Spa, which is billed as the largest spa in Puerto Vallarta. The expansive facility features a fitness center, separate men’s and women’s lounges, an indoor lap pool, and makeup and beauty services. Other features at the hotel include a Marriott Kids Club, which has its own outdoor children’s pool and a Kids Club for Teens. Business travelers can make use of extensive meeting facilities, including 13 meeting rooms and 8,902 square feet of total meeting and event space (this served us well during the LGBT International Business Expo). WiFi is free in the public areas.
WHERE TO HANG OUT: Our stay included two coupons for free welcome cocktails in the lobby bar, which is elegant and open-air, allowing Pacific breezes to keep it comfortable. There are five restaurants located on site. We had a very satisfying breakfast buffet at La Estancia (which is open for breakfast and dinner), that included a wide array of hot and cold food, including custom-prepared omelettes, pancakes, waffles and delicious chilaquiles (the very first time I’ve had chilaquiles in a breakfast buffet that were custom prepared, rather than sitting out). I also enjoyed a chicken and guacamole sandwich for lunch from Los Mangos, a deli-style takeout place that isn’t cheap but serves tasty food. I didn’t have an opportunity to sample the other dining venues — Champions Sports Bar, the poolside Las Casitas and very attractive Mikado Japanese restaurant.
The hotel is conveniently close to both the marina and Vista Vallarta Golf Course, making it an ideal choice for golfers.
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DON’T MISS: San Sebastián, a Historic Day Tour from Puerto Vallarta (PHOTOS)
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BEST FOR: The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta is ideal for travelers who prefer a large, full-service Mexico beach hotel vacation in a quiet, upscale neighborhood, away from downtown Puerto Vallarta. Members of Marriott Rewards can earn and redeem points at this Puerto Vallarta hotel.
RATES: $95 and up (packages that include meals and drinks are also available; stay tuned to LatinFlyer’s weekly Travel Deals section for details).
INFO & RESERVATIONS: www.marriott.com