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Overall Rating
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9.6 "World class service."9.9 "99% found the
staff to be very friendly ." 9.7 "97% thought theservice was very professional ." 9.6 "96% found therestaurant service to be one of the best ." 8.5 "85% said therecreation staff was great ." 7.8 "78% said thebooking process went smoothly ." 9.4 "Housekeeping was great , according to 94%." -
9.5 "Wonderful beach."10.0 "100%
appreciated the clean beach ." -
9.4 "Terrific location."10.0 "100%
appreciated the closeness to the beach ." -
9.2 "Excellent pool."
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9.1 "Excellent amenities."9.2 "92% thought the
building was wonderful ." 10.0 "100% thought thearchitecture was beautiful ." 7.8 "78% found thegrounds to be nice ." -
4.0 "Not very comfortable."3.8 "62% didn't like the
uncomfortable beds ." 3.1 "69% saidrooms were small ."
Overall Rating
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9.5 "World class service."
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7.3 "Tasty food."
Overall Rating
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9.7 "World class service."9.9 "99% found the
staff to be very friendly ." -
9.6 "Wonderful beach."
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9.2 "Excellent pool."
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8.2 "Vibe was good."
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7.5 "Tasty food."
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3.5 "Not very comfortable."
Recent reviews
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8.0review from
I really enjoyed my stay at the Hard Rock. The facilities were amazing, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and the food was great. There are only a few things I would suggest to the management to improve customer service: - Encourage employees to go the extra mile; the pool bar ran out of Cognac and didn't bother to restock it for the rest of my stay. This is something small, but it is the small details that make a good resort a great one. - Have servers present comment cards with drinks/meals. I had some of the best servers and some of the worst servers at the hotel. I was surprised how inconsistent it was. If servers presented comment cards it would give management a way to reward those employees who do go the extra mile. - Get rid of the service charge on the 'free' resort credit. If it is free, let it be free. Otherwise call it 'discounted rates' on tours, excursions, etc. - Make sure beach warning flags are updated. During my stay the flags were red on one part of the beach, yellow on the other. I wasn't sure if it was safe to swim or not. - Have managers walking around and asking guests about their experience. This would be a great way to solve small problems, quickly and prevent lists like these. Overall, though, these are small things and I was pleased with my stay.
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10.0review from
We had a great time on our stay at Vallarta Palace/Hard Rock Hotel. Staffs were attentive and very accomodating. Food were great and various selections available. Hotel credit was used for some of our day trips and spa and it was great. The only draw back is it is so secluded that no public transportation but taxis were available.
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8.0review from
This was our 3rd stay at Vallarta Palace and we had a great time once again. The hotel was a little busier than our previous stays but we never had any wait for pool/beach chairs, restaurant seating. Our only wait was for a room upgrade which we wanted to use our hotel credits for - claiming a 95% occupancy rate - there were no upgrades available until our last 2 nights- the hotel didn't seem that full to us - we did upgrade although it was kind of a pain to repack for that short of a time, but the rooms were nicer with a much better view - the upgraded rooms were noisier than our rooms without a view however. We found the food to be much improved over previous stays. Service was always great and the staff very friendly and eager to please. The hotel and grounds are very clean but some maintenance was lacking (we were told that they are being bought by Hard Rock this year so we wondered if they are just waiting to make those needed repairs.) You may be dissappointed with the entertainment offered - it is pretty lame - but we knew that going in and that was not why we chose Vallarta Palace . It is a great place for families - very comfortable and laid back and we never felt unsafe.
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8.0review from
We really enjoyed our stay at Vallarta Palace. As far as all inclusives go, this one has it all. The restaurants were all fantastic and there are no limits to what you can or can't order. The service throughout the entire resort was also great, everyone was there to make sure you had what you needed to enjoy your visit. The only con that we experienced is that there seemed to be a glitch with the fire alarm and it went off two of the four nights we stayed. It's not fun waking up in the middle of the night to a fire alarm, but oh well.
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10.0review from
The rooms were clean. Free mini bar in room and hot tub. The all inclusive alcohol was better quality trhan most other all inclusives. Was able to use room credits for lobster at dinner many nights and get spa and excursions for free. The staff was great - I had no problems. The only issue was from an excursion where the dvd they gave us of the zip lining was blank.
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10.0review from
Service was excellent...staff gets to know you and greet you. Food was terrific...Oriental 5 * try the wonderful sushi outstanding, Italian 5* wonderful mahi mahi, Mexican has great selections, buffets have selections that vary from day to day, everything fresh and delicious. Pools were beautiful, spa way fabulous and friendly, tours were terrific, shopping and views in PV were fun, Room views and daily service were 5*. Cannot wait to go back in 6 months!!! Don't miss the nightly shows...there are first class, fun, lively, and very professional...don't miss the circus show...jaw dropping performances, hysterical clown performances, and just wonderful. Don't miss the silver shop in the airport when departing...great choices and bargains.
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8.0review from
This hotel was top shelf! All inclusive food and drinks. Free calls to the United States and two free boat rides. A van ride from the PVR airport cost $40.00 and going back cost $28.00. Scuba driving in the hotel pool for about fifteen mintues is also free. The only negative item we had was that the beds were too small. It was difficult for two people each to sleep in only a full size bed, not a queen size.
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10.0review from
We just returned from a weeks stay. The staff is extraordinary polite and service excellent -''its my pleasure'' is their standard responce to every thank you. The Itialian resturant Mar Intimao is the best - six courses - we mixed and matched over the week to keep it interesting. My wifes favorite was the 5 pepper seared tuna - I liked the Fillet over risotta. While the wine wasn't great, they wer more than happy to open a bottle of white for my wife and red for me. The selection includes wines from mexico, spain, chile and france - for both whites and reds (white zin from the USA). Desserts were excellent. Fresh fruit and eggs your way for breakfast, and lots of choices for lunch at poolside or in the resturants (always fresh guacomole and salsa.) Room service is available - included in the all inclusive. We didn't use it but our teens did. Spa in the room was great after a day on the beach, and when we returned from dinner the towels replaced, the bed turned down and music playing. The room was very clean. Excellent safe beach, wonderful activities staff engaged the teens and us all. The nightly shows are fun. My son released sea turtle babies at sunset one day - a memory he won't forget Security was always there, keeping an eye on our things, but almost invisible. We met lots of snow-birds from the midwest and canada. We'll go again next year. Location is ~ 10 miles from PV on a huge - safe beach. Boogie boarding and beach volleyball were my favorite - daily activities.
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10.0review from
My wife and I stayed at the Vallarta Palace to celebrate our 25th wedding aniversary and in general we were very satisfied with our stay. The hotel staff could not have been more friendly or attentive and the room, although not palatial, was very comfortable and had a beautiful view over the ocean at sunset. The pool area had plenty of loungers so space was never an issue and the beach was great, although probably not suitable for very young children due to the intensity of some of the waves. We only went on one of the ''free'' excursions, the sunset cruise, and I can thoroughly recommend that as three hours well spent. The only slight disappointment for us was the buffet dinner at the Mexican restaurant and the ''a la carte'' at the Brazilian restaurants that came nowhere near the standard of the other two.
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10.0review from
First time for us to Puerto Vallarta and we had a great time. We absolutely loved the hotel and will certainly be back. The area is actually called 'Nuevo Vallarta' and is within walking distance to a mall and a short cab ride from downtown which is very convenient. We tried all the restaurants (Brazilian, Italian, Mexican, Asian) in the hotel (all-inclusive) and the food was amazing! Brazilian & Italian restaurants are outside, so no AC. Mexican & Asian have AC. Wine bottles of your choice at dinner from a wine list at all restaurants, which was nice. We were never disappointed. The staff was extremely attentive and all very pleasant and willing to help always. Rooms, lobby, pool areas are all kept very clean. We loved the rooms and never wanted to leave - huge double-jacuzzi tub and full liquor dispensers. Waitress service by the pool was also great. Nothing disappointing, however watch out for the rainy season which is from end of June through Sept./Oct. Also, lots of kids while we were there.
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6.0review from
We stayed at the Vallarta Palace, because we got to know the Cancun Palace and we're expecting the same thing, NOT! The hotel ameneties were ok, then they try to sell you timeshares! I don't exactly feel like sitting thru a 90 minute presentation while on vacation. The pool and beach atmosphere were great, although they need more wait staff to walk along and wait on the guests on the lounge chairs. I think it was just one person on the beach, and one on the pool area. The Italian restaurant was probably the restaurant w/the best food, service, and sunset views. Our waiter, Pedro, was the best. Don't waste your time at the Oriental restaurant. Our hostess, Melissa, gave us the hardest time, in trying to seat us, and by the time we did get seated, all the appetizers were gone for the day, so all they had was sushi. The dinner came cold, and the waiter asked us just once if everything was ok. We ran out of there quick, after all we were given for dinner, were shrimp w/soy sauce and cold steamed rice! NO SOUP, NO APPETIZERS!!! We only had turn down service once, not everyday, as stated would be. Don't go there if you can aviod it.
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6.0review from
Vallarta Palace is the 3rd Palace resort we have stayed at and I'd have to say it was my least favorite. This resort lacked the excellent customer service that I experienced at Playacar and Adventura. At some points, I felt like we were invisible.When we checked in we weren't offered a glass of champagne, a tour or excursion overview like we witnessed with countless other guests and at the other resorts. \nWhen we got to our room the bed linen was totally stained. We called for new linen and someone came right away but even the linen that was brought was stained so before she was even finished making the bed she had to take everything off again. \n \nAt the restaurants wait staff would walk by us and totally ignore our requests. We are definitely not high maintenance travelers and always tip so we were very confused by the level of service we received. I think I would rate the food a C-. Unless you got to the buffet when it first started and everything was fresh, it was unlikely that your food would not be hot. They also served the same food everyday at all the buffets. We enjoyed the Italian restaurant so despite the service we ate there a lot. We tried the Brazilian steakhouse and all the food was under cooked and luke warm at best. \n \nThe grounds were well maintained and there were always enough beach chairs in good locations. There are a lot of birds around which wasn't a problem because they didn't bother you but there was often bird droppings on the chairs. This is probably a good resort for families because there were tons of kids. Overall, we had a nice time but I would not stay here again.
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6.0review from
Just OK...but appropriate for our family vacation - I have a 9, 7 and 1 year old...If the hotel paid a little more attention to detail to the rooms and facilities it could be higher rated...But unfortunately it falls short...The All Inclusive was very convenient for us as we didn't have to go into town to look for a restaurant - PV Downtown is far from hotel - for family of 5...and after a while the same food gets old pretty fast But we did have a great time so let's talk about the good - (1) service, the staff tries really hard for you to make your stay fun and relaxing (2) pool and beach
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6.0review from
The resort is not representative of the palace chain. I was very disappointed in the maid service. The check in was slow and rooms were not ready. However, the food was good in the restaurants. The drinks were excellent. There were way too many bees.
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8.0review from
I really enjoyed my stay at the Hard Rock. The facilities were amazing, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and the food was great. There are only a few things I would suggest to the management to improve customer service: - Encourage employees to go the extra mile; the pool bar ran out of Cognac and didn't bother to restock it for the rest of my stay. This is something small, but it is the small details that make a good resort a great one. - Have servers present comment cards with drinks/meals. I had some of the best servers and some of the worst servers at the hotel. I was surprised how inconsistent it was. If servers presented comment cards it would give management a way to reward those employees who do go the extra mile. - Get rid of the service charge on the 'free' resort credit. If it is free, let it be free. Otherwise call it 'discounted rates' on tours, excursions, etc. - Make sure beach warning flags are updated. During my stay the flags were red on one part of the beach, yellow on the other. I wasn't sure if it was safe to swim or not. - Have managers walking around and asking guests about their experience. This would be a great way to solve small problems, quickly and prevent lists like these. Overall, though, these are small things and I was pleased with my stay.
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10.0review from
We had a great time on our stay at Vallarta Palace/Hard Rock Hotel. Staffs were attentive and very accomodating. Food were great and various selections available. Hotel credit was used for some of our day trips and spa and it was great. The only draw back is it is so secluded that no public transportation but taxis were available.
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8.0review from
This was our 3rd stay at Vallarta Palace and we had a great time once again. The hotel was a little busier than our previous stays but we never had any wait for pool/beach chairs, restaurant seating. Our only wait was for a room upgrade which we wanted to use our hotel credits for - claiming a 95% occupancy rate - there were no upgrades available until our last 2 nights- the hotel didn't seem that full to us - we did upgrade although it was kind of a pain to repack for that short of a time, but the rooms were nicer with a much better view - the upgraded rooms were noisier than our rooms without a view however. We found the food to be much improved over previous stays. Service was always great and the staff very friendly and eager to please. The hotel and grounds are very clean but some maintenance was lacking (we were told that they are being bought by Hard Rock this year so we wondered if they are just waiting to make those needed repairs.) You may be dissappointed with the entertainment offered - it is pretty lame - but we knew that going in and that was not why we chose Vallarta Palace . It is a great place for families - very comfortable and laid back and we never felt unsafe.
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8.0review from
We really enjoyed our stay at Vallarta Palace. As far as all inclusives go, this one has it all. The restaurants were all fantastic and there are no limits to what you can or can't order. The service throughout the entire resort was also great, everyone was there to make sure you had what you needed to enjoy your visit. The only con that we experienced is that there seemed to be a glitch with the fire alarm and it went off two of the four nights we stayed. It's not fun waking up in the middle of the night to a fire alarm, but oh well.
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10.0review from
The rooms were clean. Free mini bar in room and hot tub. The all inclusive alcohol was better quality trhan most other all inclusives. Was able to use room credits for lobster at dinner many nights and get spa and excursions for free. The staff was great - I had no problems. The only issue was from an excursion where the dvd they gave us of the zip lining was blank.
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10.0review from
Service was excellent...staff gets to know you and greet you. Food was terrific...Oriental 5 * try the wonderful sushi outstanding, Italian 5* wonderful mahi mahi, Mexican has great selections, buffets have selections that vary from day to day, everything fresh and delicious. Pools were beautiful, spa way fabulous and friendly, tours were terrific, shopping and views in PV were fun, Room views and daily service were 5*. Cannot wait to go back in 6 months!!! Don't miss the nightly shows...there are first class, fun, lively, and very professional...don't miss the circus show...jaw dropping performances, hysterical clown performances, and just wonderful. Don't miss the silver shop in the airport when departing...great choices and bargains.
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8.0review from
This hotel was top shelf! All inclusive food and drinks. Free calls to the United States and two free boat rides. A van ride from the PVR airport cost $40.00 and going back cost $28.00. Scuba driving in the hotel pool for about fifteen mintues is also free. The only negative item we had was that the beds were too small. It was difficult for two people each to sleep in only a full size bed, not a queen size.
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10.0review from
We just returned from a weeks stay. The staff is extraordinary polite and service excellent -''its my pleasure'' is their standard responce to every thank you. The Itialian resturant Mar Intimao is the best - six courses - we mixed and matched over the week to keep it interesting. My wifes favorite was the 5 pepper seared tuna - I liked the Fillet over risotta. While the wine wasn't great, they wer more than happy to open a bottle of white for my wife and red for me. The selection includes wines from mexico, spain, chile and france - for both whites and reds (white zin from the USA). Desserts were excellent. Fresh fruit and eggs your way for breakfast, and lots of choices for lunch at poolside or in the resturants (always fresh guacomole and salsa.) Room service is available - included in the all inclusive. We didn't use it but our teens did. Spa in the room was great after a day on the beach, and when we returned from dinner the towels replaced, the bed turned down and music playing. The room was very clean. Excellent safe beach, wonderful activities staff engaged the teens and us all. The nightly shows are fun. My son released sea turtle babies at sunset one day - a memory he won't forget Security was always there, keeping an eye on our things, but almost invisible. We met lots of snow-birds from the midwest and canada. We'll go again next year. Location is ~ 10 miles from PV on a huge - safe beach. Boogie boarding and beach volleyball were my favorite - daily activities.
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10.0review from
My wife and I stayed at the Vallarta Palace to celebrate our 25th wedding aniversary and in general we were very satisfied with our stay. The hotel staff could not have been more friendly or attentive and the room, although not palatial, was very comfortable and had a beautiful view over the ocean at sunset. The pool area had plenty of loungers so space was never an issue and the beach was great, although probably not suitable for very young children due to the intensity of some of the waves. We only went on one of the ''free'' excursions, the sunset cruise, and I can thoroughly recommend that as three hours well spent. The only slight disappointment for us was the buffet dinner at the Mexican restaurant and the ''a la carte'' at the Brazilian restaurants that came nowhere near the standard of the other two.
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10.0review from
First time for us to Puerto Vallarta and we had a great time. We absolutely loved the hotel and will certainly be back. The area is actually called 'Nuevo Vallarta' and is within walking distance to a mall and a short cab ride from downtown which is very convenient. We tried all the restaurants (Brazilian, Italian, Mexican, Asian) in the hotel (all-inclusive) and the food was amazing! Brazilian & Italian restaurants are outside, so no AC. Mexican & Asian have AC. Wine bottles of your choice at dinner from a wine list at all restaurants, which was nice. We were never disappointed. The staff was extremely attentive and all very pleasant and willing to help always. Rooms, lobby, pool areas are all kept very clean. We loved the rooms and never wanted to leave - huge double-jacuzzi tub and full liquor dispensers. Waitress service by the pool was also great. Nothing disappointing, however watch out for the rainy season which is from end of June through Sept./Oct. Also, lots of kids while we were there.
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6.0review from
We stayed at the Vallarta Palace, because we got to know the Cancun Palace and we're expecting the same thing, NOT! The hotel ameneties were ok, then they try to sell you timeshares! I don't exactly feel like sitting thru a 90 minute presentation while on vacation. The pool and beach atmosphere were great, although they need more wait staff to walk along and wait on the guests on the lounge chairs. I think it was just one person on the beach, and one on the pool area. The Italian restaurant was probably the restaurant w/the best food, service, and sunset views. Our waiter, Pedro, was the best. Don't waste your time at the Oriental restaurant. Our hostess, Melissa, gave us the hardest time, in trying to seat us, and by the time we did get seated, all the appetizers were gone for the day, so all they had was sushi. The dinner came cold, and the waiter asked us just once if everything was ok. We ran out of there quick, after all we were given for dinner, were shrimp w/soy sauce and cold steamed rice! NO SOUP, NO APPETIZERS!!! We only had turn down service once, not everyday, as stated would be. Don't go there if you can aviod it.
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6.0review from
Vallarta Palace is the 3rd Palace resort we have stayed at and I'd have to say it was my least favorite. This resort lacked the excellent customer service that I experienced at Playacar and Adventura. At some points, I felt like we were invisible.When we checked in we weren't offered a glass of champagne, a tour or excursion overview like we witnessed with countless other guests and at the other resorts. \nWhen we got to our room the bed linen was totally stained. We called for new linen and someone came right away but even the linen that was brought was stained so before she was even finished making the bed she had to take everything off again. \n \nAt the restaurants wait staff would walk by us and totally ignore our requests. We are definitely not high maintenance travelers and always tip so we were very confused by the level of service we received. I think I would rate the food a C-. Unless you got to the buffet when it first started and everything was fresh, it was unlikely that your food would not be hot. They also served the same food everyday at all the buffets. We enjoyed the Italian restaurant so despite the service we ate there a lot. We tried the Brazilian steakhouse and all the food was under cooked and luke warm at best. \n \nThe grounds were well maintained and there were always enough beach chairs in good locations. There are a lot of birds around which wasn't a problem because they didn't bother you but there was often bird droppings on the chairs. This is probably a good resort for families because there were tons of kids. Overall, we had a nice time but I would not stay here again.
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6.0review from
Just OK...but appropriate for our family vacation - I have a 9, 7 and 1 year old...If the hotel paid a little more attention to detail to the rooms and facilities it could be higher rated...But unfortunately it falls short...The All Inclusive was very convenient for us as we didn't have to go into town to look for a restaurant - PV Downtown is far from hotel - for family of 5...and after a while the same food gets old pretty fast But we did have a great time so let's talk about the good - (1) service, the staff tries really hard for you to make your stay fun and relaxing (2) pool and beach
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6.0review from
The resort is not representative of the palace chain. I was very disappointed in the maid service. The check in was slow and rooms were not ready. However, the food was good in the restaurants. The drinks were excellent. There were way too many bees.
