Barceló Puerto Vallarta - All Inclusive

Cesar makes the best margaritas and a wonderful espresso martini. Wow! Come try it for yourself!

First I will just say there is nothing wrong with the resort it is a 3.5 resort and unfortunately these days you pay a lot. It’s a long review but it’s broken down so scroll to your interest ! For context we were three adults who stayed in a family suite and paid for the premium access/experience. First: the staff are amazing. They all hustle and work their asses off with a smile and patience. This is NOT a party resort it’s very small and low key. The activity team are awesome and they engage adults and kids alike. Alfredo Ricardo and Jose in the swim Jo bar were professional but friendly and working hard! Francisco at the buffet was always running. Moises was as so sweet and would try to remember our names. Claudia was quiet but sweet. Honestly the dynamic between staff was awesome they seem to really get along abd w re laughing and joking. Rooms Yes they have some wear and yes the bathrooms can have some mold in the grout.. it’s Mexico it’s constantly damp. Rooms were very clean and for two adult siblings and our dad this room was great but would not recommend for two couples or more than 3 adults or a 2 adult 2 kid household. When we booked through WestJet we didn’t realize every single room faces the pools and half of them have partial ocean view so it wasn’t worth the cost to upgrade to premium. Could’ve gotten our own rooms for cheaper and the same experience. Premium Not worth it unless you’re a heavy picky drinker and want to eat a la carte every night. Our arrival bottle was a single serving sized champagne (not the bottle of tequila described at booking). So we each got a third glass to cheers. The premium room is a let down it’s a tv couches and a few tables with a little buffet that sat untouched and unappealing. If it had maybe an outdoor space or was near the ocean or had windows it might be more appealing. We felt bad for the bored staff stuck there all day alone. The 20% spa discount is a joke considering a massage is about 200CAD and you can walk down the beach to the local side and get an hour massage for 50CAD. You have free room service but it’s a small menu you get free and the buffet was way better for options. Beach Not good. It is way narrower and shorter than it looks. The sand is course and the bay tends to constantly have waves. If you really want a beautiful sandy beach and to swim in a calm ocean this is not the resort for you. Pools Great! This resort wasn’t packed so you can find chairs maybe just not right pool front but we spent most of our time and days at the activity pool and swim Up bar. Food The buffet is fine. People need to stop complaining. They have loads of salads and fruit and lots of protein options. Breakfast was carb loading on the awesome French toast. There were always options for everyone but let’s be real you aren’t going to a 3.5 star resort for a Michelin buffet. The a la carte we really enjoyed them. There are only 4, and the Asian one is only sushi. Our favourite meal was probably the Don Quixote. The beef was so good BUT the sangria was not! The Italian one was so good, the bread and appetizers were so yummy! The Los Arcos dinner was just okay as I got the chicken fajitas and they were unseasoned but the other meals (surf and turf) were so good! Save one evening to walk/cab to “My Tony”!! Scroll down for more under Mismalayo. The wine they offer included at the resort is not good and it turned into a laugh for us because we didn’t come to Mexico for the wine and it was pretty bad but dad kept drinking it at dinner. Excursions We didn’t do any through because Jack Sparrow PV has a “stand” on resort by the beach and it was such a good choice! Jack is fantastic, he sent us on an awesome day of snorkeling, the waterfall, cruised by Los Arcos and an incredible whale viewing that was not part of it but they put on a show and Buba and Kevin gave us time to enjoy it. Kevin and Buba were fantastic “guides” and we really enjoyed chatting with Kevin and getting to know them. My only regret is last minute we booked a last day private cruise but the staff couldn’t accommodate although Jack tried. I wouldn’t hesitate to go with them again! Buba would find things like a sea urchin or sea cucumber and come bring it up and let you to hold it or put a starfish on your hand it was awesome Entertainment/Evenings One of the evening shows we went to was terrible, cringy. Some are also clearly family centered. We really enjoyed the Mexican night and the Latin fever was good. Definitely not 5 star performances but those two are worth it for sure. The band and singers were awesome and the dances were great Evenings there is only Cantina for drinks or music. It’s small, they did have some good live music some nights but this is definitely not a night life space and the community right by the resort doesn’t have night life. Mismalayo Go to “My Tony” just up the hill (it’s like 12min walk from the resort). We paid 1800 pesos for three to have drinks, appetizer, meals, and two desserts and it was AWESOME. This is a hidden gem and everyone needs to go there! Three generations served us and the OG Tony greeted us. Amazing menu (they literally come and show you the amazing protein options), best margaritas the whole trip, and dessert made by the matriarch! Across the little river are lots of massage places and some little bars and so many cute dogs. We enjoyed chatting with folks, playing with dogs, and falling over trying to get shells and sea glass! Overall if you want a simple clan resort with a beautiful lush mountain and water view this is it. The staff were amazing. It’s not a five star resort but there was lots of fresh and cooked foods and really good people!

We enjoyed this resort so much we plan on booking 2026 for 2 weeks. I hope we can get the same room. Also tip your servers, they deserve it.

We enjoyed our New Year trip. We read hotel reviews and did upgraded to premium level. No regrets. View was amazing and food in the restaurants was delicious. The bufet selection was ok though , but we mostly eat in ala carte. Hotel has beautiful tropical style grounds. We usually stay in Barcelo Riviera Maya. This was our first time in Puerto Vallarta and we enjoyed it. Will be back

Rooms are big, space for families. Service is lacking in some areas including concierge, dinner reservations, room service, and children's programs. They try to save money in certain areas, but its deceptive advertising.

This is a nice small resort with the best service ever. No banging music at the pool and the again the service was awesome Lots of games to play and prizes to win and the staff doing the games were awesome , cheers to Annya and the rest of the staff Pizza chef Luis Trusillo was amazing and made over 200 pizzas in front of Loved the rooms and the cleaning service all around We will be back for 2 weeks next year

We went to Barcelo Peurto Vallarta. Cesar Lopez was the server in the premium lounge. What a great guy!! He was pleasant, made us laugh, never made us wait, so personable and nice!! We looked forward to seeing him every day and also for our night cap. Thank you Cesar. You made us feel special!

This was my third year visiting. Usually it’s just me and my wife, this year we brought our 18 year old daughter and my mother in law. The staff has always been my favorite. They are the same employees every year. Alfredo at the swim up bar is very personable and makes great drinks. Moises Rodrigues was a great cocktail server. He always remembered my name and greeted us with a smile. I’m excited to see them again next year.

We are returning this Thursday January 15 We were there 2 years ago and absolutely loved Super service, awesome staff, the resort is very well set up with ala carte and buffet The buffet had theme nights loved it Really looking forward to return

We really enjoyed the premium benefits - especially Cesar Lopez. He alway cared for us at the highest quality of service