Puerto Vallarta Villa Del Palmar....or

I have an opportunity to retrade in Grand Mayan Nuevo. I've never been to either place and wondering if I should re trade or stay put? The reviews on Villa Del Palmar are mixed...

Thanks!

I have only stayed at the Villa Del Palmar in Cancun. I have stayed at the Grand LUXXE in both MR and NV. Personally I would choose the Grand Mayan over the VDP. I did not like the one in Cancun.

Would you rather be in the city? Villa del Palmar is an easy cab/bus ride to downtown PV. Nuevo Vallarta is not a city. It is a series of resorts in a relatively isolated area. There is a small town, Bucerias, nearby. I think it mostly depends on if you want the city experience or the resort experience.

Deb

For me it would be a slam-dunk. Puerto Vallarta. But I like roaming around the town. Eating at the various restaurants, stepping into the shops, wandering the river walk and malecon and romantic zone. Self contained resorts- even a chain of them, don't appeal to me.

Jim

The Villa del Palmar PV was extensivly renovated this year. The rooms are part of the renovations. New everything as in beds, fixtures and interior finishes.

The GM Nuevo is nice but is a very large resort property. The people that complain the most at this resort are exchangers who get stuck with the mountain view which is a view of the distant mountains over the parking garage and other resort infrastructure.

Bill

I'd say it depends what you want to get out of your vacation. Are you going to relax, soak up the sun and just hang around the resort? Then the Grand Mayan would suit your needs.

Is your aim to sightsee around the city, shop, try out different beaches and restaurants? Then you'd be better situated at the Villa del Palmar.

The Grand Mayan is an isolated property, a long way from town. The Villa del Palmar, while older, is located in the Hotel Zone and is walkable to lots in Puerto Vallarta and has a handy bus line right outside its front door.

jlp879 said:

I'd say it depends what you want to get out of your vacation. Are you going to relax, soak up the sun and just hang around the resort? Then the Grand Mayan would suit your needs.

Is your aim to sightsee around the city, shop, try out different beaches and restaurants? Then you'd be better situated at the Villa del Palmar.

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Actually, we prefer both; Staying in Nuevo does not preclude that. We generally taxi into PV once or twice in a week for an afternoon and evening; go to Bucerias once, and also explore the town of Nuevo that has some nice restaurants. The rest of the time is enjoying all the amenities of the resort.

Realistically, once or twice in the throes of downtown PV is enough for us and taxis are cheap enough to not restrict our movement. We feel we are vacationing in the entire area - not just one or the other locations.

Mike

Thanks for all the replies! Does anyone know which has a better beach? I know the whole area isn't known for it's swimmable beaches, but still..is one better than the other?

Lisa8192 said:

Thanks for all the replies! Does anyone know which has a better beach? I know the whole area isn't known for it's swimmable beaches, but still..is one better than the other?

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Can't speak for the other, the GM beach is nice sand and wide; people are in the water. Note that the water is not as crystal clear as on the East coast. Also, there is a river outlet right near the resort; oftentimes you can see a clear demarcation of the muddier river water and the ocean waters - but overall the beach is fine.

Mike

The beaches are generally nicer in Nuevo than PV, more flat, longer beach walking etc.
Either of your choices would be good, I have stayed at both.

The beach front at the VDP in PV has jettys that create a nice swiming area. The beach is sand. You can google earth to see the beaches.

The beach front at the GM is sandy but at the water line are pebbles. Wear swim shoes. Also, because there is no jetty there is one pretty decent wave that can be a bummer if it hits you right. I have seen people lose their swim wear, glasses and kayaks. I saw a young woman on an air mattress floating just past the wave who then was caught in the wave. It looked like it hurt.

Just south of the GM is a river delta that often overflows sewage out into the bay making the water quality questionable in the area. The water quality at the VDP in the bay is questionable as there is alot of runoff that ends up in the bay.


Bill