SFX - Buganvilias free 4 night stay

[Eric B]

This last year I got a bonus 4 night stay at Buganvilias in Puerto Vallarta for depositing a week; my wife went down ahead of me and will be meeting me at Grand Luxxe for a week. Turns out that what they actually gave us was a full week at Buganvilias from the prior Saturday to this next one. Lesson learned for me for next time is to call up the resort and confirm the actual days I’ve got in advance; it does make sense that all SFX really has for inventory is weeks there since the resort doesn’t do daily stays.

Another plus was that she was able to figure out how to take the bus there from the airport instead of a taxi. It helps when you pack light, of course, but she still had a suitcase and a backpack.

Looking forward to the Dias de Los muertos parade tonight, and it turns out we still have the Buganvilias room so no worries about going back up to Grand Luxxe afterwards.

 

[buzglyd]

Walk over near the park and grab a bite at El Patron. Delicious.

 

[pittle]

Wow that is awesome! We have our 4 free nights starting Dec 1. It would cost too much to change the airfare at this point if I called and found out that I had a full week. Nice to know though - maybe they will run that special again next year!

Proud of her for taking the bus! I was not sure that you could take a 22" roller & tote or not. We tend to walk over the bridge and eat at Tacon de Marlin and snag a taxi there. The savings on the taxi not at the airport is close to the price of lunch!

 

[Eric B]

You might check and see what dates they have you down for. It was kind of confused when she checked in and they had to scramble for a room. She wound up with a 2 BR LO on the 3rd floor.

 

[Eric B]

I wouldn’t give up on the air fare for changing, BTW. I had to change this trip myself just a couple of weeks ago and actually saved money on the fare; we’ve got credit with SW now.

 

[hurnik]

I, too, had the 4-night, but I only got 4 nights. However, I combined it with another full week, and they upgraded me to a 2 BR unit (it was only supposed to be a 4-night 1 BR).

Dec 1-12 (we'll see Phyllis for a few days).

Is there a specific unit/location I should REQUEST (I know it's not guaranteed).
I think we're in the Master Suite Plus room type.

 

[pittle]

THey are usualy preassigned when you arrive, but all of the 2-beedroom units that we have been assigned for our Bonus weeks have been great! Some overlook the pool - with an ocean view and some are ocean front. - all have balconies. They recently remodeled several floors in Tower A and may have put some 2-bedroom units there if they are configured like the Sky Suites. Building D has mostly 1-bedroom Jr Suites and while they have an ocean view from the living room, no balconies. Tower A 1-bedrooms have small balconies and 2 bathrooms.

I will send you the cost of taxi fare once we get there. e always pull our luggage over the walkway and have lunch and catch a taxi across the street from the airport.

 

[Eric B]

Bus was just 7 1/2 pesos from the airport; 18 pesos from the Sea Garden after we checked into Grand Luxxe. Probably spending the night down here after doing dinner in town.

 

[pittle]

While you are there, you should take the elevator up to the top floor of the Tower A building and take a look at one of the 2-bedroom units on the Sky Suites floor. You will know what you bought. Yours is on the end toward NV. Next door to the very end one. There will be a 2-bed as a model. The end one on the downtown side is the one we have - it is basically 2 1-bedroom units.

 

[Eric B]

We’re going to check it out this morning before checking out.

Walk over near the park and grab a bite at El Patron. Delicious.

Took your advice (and the advice of several others) and ate at El Patron last night. Special was mahi-mahi Provençal; we also had the octopus pastor. Both were excellent. That plus a starter and a few pacificos came to ~500 pesos.

 

[Eric B]

Had a quick chat with Buganvilias member services; it was a presidential suite for the free one this week. Looking in the Presidential Sky Suite model, though, there's really not much of a comparison. The sky suites are much nicer and larger; really glad Phyllis pointed the one on eBay out last spring. We'll be heading back into town during the week to chat with Guillermo when he's in to get better info on the resort.

Tom was right about the Saturday market behind the Oxxo in the Nuevo Vallarta marina by Sea Garden. We picked up some good cheeses from a local goatherd and stocked up at Oxxo before heading in to our Grand Luxxe suite. Staying in tower 5 this time; second floor on the town side this time as it's an SFX trip. Lots of construction going on; our concierge says they're putting in a new pool on this side of the building. He also referred to the ongoing construction next to it as tower 5C; we're in the 5B portion. I had thought they were calling that tower 6 and that's how the sales folks referred to it, but it looks like it will be connected to 5. Plus ca change....

Looks like the Aimfair folks are in town, so we'll be joining them for a gathering latter in the week.

 

[pittle]

Glad to know that you checked out the Sky Suite! It was a great deal! Now that we live in AZ, we do not travel in February because it is so nice here. Had that not been the case, I would have been all over it 2-bed Sky Suite is not a Grand Luxxe 2-bedroom, but the location is certainly better and the MF about 1/2 the price! The staff in Customer Services are extremely helpful. Last year we had an issue with the A/C system in the Master bedroom and the General Manager came up to see us and got it fixed per the request of our Customer Services person. He was in and out several times during the day that they fixed it. Since it is not as big as Vidanta, they re pretty hands-on.

I got an invite from Bob at Aimfair, but we have guests with us on the 14th for the one then, so had to decline because we had already booked a tour that day. It was fun the time we went. Bob & Mary Ann are so gracious and we got to see MikeNK and and his wife again. Let me know if you learn anything new.

 

[hurnik]

THey are usualy preassigned when you arrive, but all of the 2-beedroom units that we have been assigned for our Bonus weeks have been great! Some overlook the pool - with an ocean view and some are ocean front. - all have balconies. They recently remodeled several floors in Tower A and may have put some 2-bedroom units there if they are configured like the Sky Suites. Building D has mostly 1-bedroom Jr Suites and while they have an ocean view from the living room, no balconies. Tower A 1-bedrooms have small balconies and 2 bathrooms.

I will send you the cost of taxi fare once we get there. e always pull our luggage over the walkway and have lunch and catch a taxi across the street from the airport.

Thanks Phyllis!

Dad arrives an hour before I do (hopefully), so I told him he can take a cab earlier, or wait. He opted to wait. LOL.

 

[pittle]

If it is a Master Suite Plus - the unit will end in 79 or 80. these are the oceanfront units. There is one fairly large balcony and a smaller one. two nice batthrooms, and the kitchen has a decent sized fridge. Only a MP 2 burner stovetop though, but a dishwasher and microwave. We often get 1280 - 2nd floor end unit as close to the ocean as you can get at the resort. It is beside the public entrance to the area in front of the vacant lot next door. (There is a fence between & it is safe.) These were renovated last year, and we are hoping to stay in one again this year for our bonus week November 10th.

 

[hurnik]

If it is a Master Suite Plus - the unit will end in 79 or 80. these are the oceanfront units. There is one fairly large balcony and a smaller one. two nice batthrooms, and the kitchen has a decent sized fridge. Only a MP 2 burner stovetop though, but a dishwasher and microwave. We often get 1280 - 2nd floor end unit as close to the ocean as you can get at the resort. It is beside the public entrance to the area in front of the vacant lot next door. (There is a fence between & it is safe.) These were renovated last year, and we are hoping to stay in one again this year for our bonus week November 10th.

Thanks! I'll email next week requesting something over there (LOL). I think dad just plans on eating $2 peso tacos the whole week (ha!), although I'm trying to get him to do another food tour.

I'm fine with a muffin or yogurt and 2-3 mimosas for breakfast. Light lunch and dinner around 6-7.
So not sure we'll do much cooking beyond saving leftovers and reheating for lunch or something. haha.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Thanks! I I think dad just plans on eating $2 peso tacos the whole week (ha!),

.

Lots of options for 36 pesos / 2 $ USD

If you see someone selling tamales from a cooler - they are usually pretty good .
He might like those as a change . ( 9-11 pesos avg price )

 

[pittle]

We arrived today around 3:30. (Along with about 6 other planes!) Walked across the bridge and ate at Tacon de Marlin at the bottom of the bridge. All 4 of us had the Sea Bass & Shrimp ($109 pesos) and 2 Coronas each. We should have shared the sandwiches 1 per couple would have been plenty. The total bill for 4 was $675 Pesos (about $35 USD). The taxi to the Buganvilias was 180 pesos and my husband also added a tip.

We got unit 1188 - first floor ocean front in the B building! We have never been assigned to this building for a bonus week before, but it is nice! It is a Master suite (2-bed 2 bath) the same style as the older 1-bedrooms in the D building, but the furniture is nicer - sofa cushions are thicker, we have 2 nicely upgraded bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. They supplied the dishwasher pods in the kitchen and the refrigerator is a decent size. My brother & sister-in-law were impressed. I will post some pictures tomorrow.

 

[pittle]

Pictures of Buganvilias unit 1188. First Floor ocean front in Building B
https://pittle.smugmug.com/Timeshare/Buganvilias-2018/n-VwCKXc

 

[hurnik]

Pictures of Buganvilias unit 1188. First Floor ocean front in Building B
https://pittle.smugmug.com/Timeshare/Buganvilias-2018/n-VwCKXc

Thank you Phyllis.

Do they (or you) happen to have a "resort map" where it shows the building locations/names?
I'll be attempting to email my "request" for our Master Suite Plus today (ie, building/location/floor), and wanted to be accurate.

LOL

 

[taffy19]

Thank you Phyllis.

Do they (or you) happen to have a "resort map" where it shows the building locations/names?
I'll be attempting to email my "request" for our Master Suite Plus today (ie, building/location/floor), and wanted to be accurate.

LOL

I have a very old one and will try to find it. There has to be an updated link on their website but the buildings haven’t moved.

I also have all the condo numbers of all four buildings and they are on Smugmug. Will link to it when I get home.

Phyllis, our 1 BR condo is #1288 right above you. Our Canadian friends own your unit when we are there and have a bonus week so can stay two weeks every year any time of the year.

The older contracts had 25 bonus weeks. When we bought, we received 10 but were for off-season weeks so we never used them. I believe that we could update them to winter weeks or to a 2 or 3 BR condo for an additional fee.

The bonus weeks do not stay with the contract if you sell your contract yourself.

 

[Eric B]

Actually, the bonus weeks came with the contract I just bought resale. Of course, results may vary, but it’s worth asking. Ours is a Presidential Sky Suite & the bonus weeks will get us one of those in the low season or a master suite otherwise.

 

[pittle]

Master Suite Plus end in 79 or 80.

I keep this list in my document files. It is not a map, but I have descriptions of the buildings.


Buganvilas Building Numbers

11xx is the 1st floor and 20xx (10th floor) 25xx (15th floor.)

Building A - the Tower xx47-66 ocean view – faces pool and ocean

Building B xx87-92 low building ocean front

Building C xx81-86 facing toward pool and ocean view on higher levels - balconies

Building D xx67-80 windows facing toward town and ocean 67, 79, 80 have balconies

Free WIFI in the units for owners. Exchangers have to pay for the code. In 2015, there were routers in each room.

 

[taffy19]

Thank you Phyllis.

Do they (or you) happen to have a "resort map" where it shows the building locations/names?
I'll be attempting to email my "request" for our Master Suite Plus today (ie, building/location/floor), and wanted to be accurate.

LOL

Here is a very old resort site map in Spanish. Torre (Building) A, B, C and D.

 

[KarenLK]

Phyllis, tell about construction in the lobby area

 

[pittle]

The bellman said they were behind schedule due to the hurricane. They did not have any hurricane damage that I can see, but the work probably did stop for a few days. I will know more when we come back November 24 - December 5 when we are here without guests. Younger son & DIL will be here then and they hang out with folks at the pool everyday who are long time owners in B building, so they can get some info from them too.

Everything is boarded up - big murals of the new Sports Bar are on the boarded up space. The store is over in the Sheraton and they took out one Presidential unit on the first floor of Tower A in front of the elevators for the entry. There are a couple of gals there to get you to the presentation place.

Right now, you check in at the Sheraton - they have opened one of the large meeting/ballrooms and set up check-in area and of course the Staff to get you to take a tour are there. Lucy snagged us - to get our WIFI code and 20% off card. (Your name & room number.) She said they had a 30 minute video and sales office was not even operating - total lie, as we saw people walking up the stairs to the sales area and taking tours of the units in the Tower A Building. She did say something about a new pool and Marriott connection. Since they were offering free breakfast, it is not just a 30 minute video! If I can just watch the video, I will.

We did go over to Tower A to look at the renovated 24th floor. From the hallway, it looked like there was only one tennis court open and we could not tell where the new driveways was going to be. Nothing has been started from the Sheraton driveway there.