Quick Holiday, Long weekend - Mexico

Buses are easy to take and cheap. It costs about 3.50 pesos (35¢), and you can usually catch one near your hotel. It's always a bumpy ride, but tons of fun. If you get a chance, the best things to do in PV are whale watching and swimming with the dolphins. There are tons of tours, jeeps, horses, boats, etc. Don't forget to try the restaurants, there is some of the best food in PV.

Quick Tips:

When taking taxis, always set your price with the driver before you get in his cab. If you do not do this you could be left to pay whatever he says once you reach your destination.

Best Way To Get Around:

When coming into PV, the fastest was to your hotel is by taxi. Most have transport as part of a vacation package, Apple, Worry Free, or Funjet, but that leaves you on a bus, stopping at every hotel along the way. For 100 pesos or less, you can take a taxi, beat the crowds and be laying by the pool by the time the bus arrives. Don't take the airport taxi, those are double in price. Head out of the airport over the walkway to the other side and hop a local taxi.

This was my first time at the Sheraton but fourth in PV. I have to say that the Tower room on the 23rd floor with butler service was the way to go. Fab all the way!!! We checked in without any trouble, got to our room, met our butler, had breakfast, and were lying in the sun by 12:30pm. Not too shabby for a 6am flight out of DTW.

The room was modern, clean, and without excess. It had a gorgeous ocean view, with a window that opened wide. We sat listening to the ocean and watching the sun set every night. The butler service includes turn-down service with a chocolate on your pillow, complimentary buffet continental breakfast in the lounge down the hall every morning, and afternoon snacks with wine or beer, and they are happy to serve you coffee or tea until 11pm. You must book a tower room to get butler service, which is worth the charge.

It saved us from buying breakfast every morning at $20+ a person from the restaurant downstairs. The buffet in the lounge has all you need: meats, cheeses, fruits, juices, cereals, pastries, coffee, tea, milk, yogurt, etc. If you really want eggs, you'll have to go elsewhere. For us it was perfect. We love the fresh tropical fruit every morning. Butler service also included other things, like shoeshine, bathrobes, garment press, and the like. These things we did not use.

The Sheraton itself was beautiful. The open-air lobby with beautiful marble and stone work in the floors, and many shops for your needs and the pool were just what the doctor ordered, with water the temperature of a cool bath. Not freezing like most, it was easy to get in and want to stay there all day. The swim-up bar is always fun, as most resorts in Mexico have them. The poolside service was great for lunch and drinks. The beach is not as soft as the Caribbean beaches, as most people report, but beautiful nonetheless. When you live in the Midwest, any tropical location can be heaven. They have a business center if you need to check email, as well as activities for the kids. They put on a Mexican fiesta every Thursday night, complete with fireworks, which we got a front row seat for from our room, way cool!! The hotel is a 7-minute walk to the mega-market and probably a 20-minute walk from downtown. It's in a great location for anything and everything.

All in all, I would happily stay at the Sheraton again. It was lovely, relaxing, and all vacation all the time.

One of our favorite places to eat in PV, Fajita Republic has wonderful steak fajitas, pina coladas, and Caesar salad, and you always leave full. The fajitas come with a ton of sides and fillings, so much you will overstuff your tortilla. It costs my husband and I less than $35 for salad, dinner, and drinks. They always serve fresh chips, in a paper cone, and salsa to start you out with, and the menu has many choices. Fajita stays open late, so you can nap after the pool and have a late supper without worry. I love sitting on the street side of the dining room so we can pay for a song from the strolling guitar players. From the Sheraton, the cab over cost 40 pesos ($4), and we walked most of the way back to the hotel to get fresh air. Always a good meal. Go enjoy Fajita Republic—we do!!

This is one of the more expensive meals while in Puerto Vallarta. Gourmet food and presentation. The atmosphere is dimly lit, romantic but yet great for larger parties or families. Open air, like most restaurants in Mexico, it sits right on the River Cuale. The service was fab. Our waiter was fun, informative, and attentive. My husband had a drink, we ordered a bottle of water, salad, and two entrees came to $75 with tip. This is a laid back meal not to be rushed, but well worth the money. They have wonderful table desserts, but we were too full to order any. We saw a few things happening at other tables that looked like a flambe. They had live music the night we went (Saturday). They serve steaks, chicken, and fish dishes all presented with flare. I believe they have a few vegetarian dishes as well and their menu states they use organic products. It was quite yummy and a lot of food. You shouldn't be hungry when you leave.

Now this place is hopping all the time. They stay open until 2am almost everyday and are busy all day and all night. The atmosphere is laid back, family style Italian where everybody is welcomed. It can be loud and rowdy but the food is great. Husband and I shared the brushetta, which melted in our mouths. We each had a salad and shared the mushroom pizza (brick oven), it was to die for! We spent about $35 with tip and drinks. Not too bad. At one point some "regulars" came in and there was a sing-a-long at the bar with the staff and all. They have TVs, which had on the Olympics while we were there. The staff is very friendly and fun. They also had a magician going from table to table doing card tricks. The restaurant sits right on the Malecon main strip, almost right in the middle. It has two stories, though we sat in the main level. We looked at some of the other dishes being served and they all looked wonderful. I'd go back next trip for sure!

The beaches in Puerto Vallarta are not as soft and pristine as those you may find in the Caribbean. They tend to be more of a rough, pebble type sand. While it is wonderful to walk, even in bare feet, more people tend to sit on lounge chairs rather than towels. Kids love to play in it, non the less, but adults tend to keep their things up near the hotel pool area and take a brief walk, or wait for early morning runs or evening sunsets. Coming from the Midwest, we love all beaches in tropical climates. We love Puerto Vallarta so much that the beaches aren't bad enough to keep us from visiting.

You will find time share sales everywhere you go in Mexico. In PV they tend to be in the hotels as soon as you arrive. Most first timers are surprised and then irritated to find the nice person who greeted them upon arrival, dressed in Hotel attire, not only was not part of check-in but also was keeping them from the start of their vacation by trying to sell them a time share. Beware!! When you first get into the hotel, go straight for the front desk. Don't stop for anyone.

Check out your hotel online to familiarize yourself with their lobby area, if you can, if there are pictures. Google your hotel, if need be, to see reviews and pictures from other travelers. Once you check-in and can relax then you can properly fend-off these pesky time share folks. They will try to get you to sit in for a breakfast sales-pitch that includes a free gift, bottle of champagne, or Mexican fiesta night dinner/buffet/show. Understand that by agreeing to this "breakfast" means sitting with a time share guy/gal who will then give you a tour of the room types, and then introduce you to their peers and boss who will try to press you to sign on the dotted line. This will take a good half of your day. Don't let them fool you in saying it will only take a couple hours... it never does. The gifts aren't worth it unless you really want to buy a time share, would rather spend time than money on possible souvenirs, or you are really just curious about the whole deal.

If you have the time and don't care that's fine, but I will say at the end of the whole deal they don't like not to make the sale. The one my husband and I got sucked into a few years ago was brutal when we said we needed to think more about it and hadn't ever considered a time share until then. Mind you we still have not bought one nor found a reason, we needed to have one at this time in our lives. Having said all of the above - If someone approaches you simply say "no thank you," and keep going about your business. You should be fine.