Best Things Nearby:
Not much nearby, but there is a shuttle that takes you to the heart of the golden zone.
Best Things About the Resort:
Quiet, beautiful, spacious rooms, great pools, friendly staff, complimentary shuttle, poolside activities.
Resort Experience:
We stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay this February. Since we are RCI members, we were able to exchange our studio in Spirit Lake, Iowa for a one-bedroom unit at Emerald Bay.
Arrival: Our flight to Mazatlan on Monday arrived at 10am. After clearing customs and the bombardment of timeshare salesmen, we hopped in a taxi. Being cheap, we though we could save money by taking the taxi to the closer Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan and then taking the free shuttle to Emerald Bay. Nope. We found out, that because of an agreement with the taxi union, the shuttle can’t take people with luggage. Oh well. We got back in the taxi and continued to Emerald Bay. We went to the front desk to check-in and, per our request, we were assigned a room with two double beds. However, it was too early and our room was not clean yet. They told us to come back around noon and it would be ready. There are three pools at Emerald Bay. The main pool area features two freeform pools and a swim-up bar. There is also a smaller, more secluded pool. The water was the perfect temperature. Waiters continuously circulate through the pool area, offering drinks, chips and salsa, and other snacks. Everyday, except Monday, the resort offers a smorgasbord of activities at the pool. The schedule varies daily, but some activities, like aqua aerobics and bingo, are offered everyday. The activities staff was absolutely fantastic! They were always cheerful and happy to be there. The activities were definitely one of the best parts of our trip. The main bedroom had two double beds and a television cabinet with drawers for clothing. The bathroom was large, expansive, and elegant. The bathroom had a bathtub/shower, large vanity and mirror, and a closet with a safe. The toilet was located in a separate closet-like room. There was also a smaller bathroom with a shower, toilet, and vanity/mirror combination. The kitchen featured a dishwasher, sink, stove, refrigerator, toaster, microwave, and coffee maker. The water in the resort is purified. The living room area was large with a pull-out sofa, television, and dining table. We did not have a balcony, but the room ends in a semi-circle with 180 degrees of windows.
Housekeeping: Housekeeping at Emerald Bay came twice daily. Once in the morning to clean the room, change the sheets, restock toiletries, etc., and again at night to turn down the beds and place candy on the pillows. The resort offers a complementary shuttle to the other Pueblo Bonito. From there you can walk to many restaurants, or take a taxi. The shuttle runs every hour. Schedules are posted at the door of the resort. The beach here was not very appealing. Although there were not any vendors, there were many jagged rocks in the water. We never saw anyone swimming in the ocean, and I’m not sure if they even allowed it, due to the rocks.
- Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
- Activities: Excellent
- Amenities: Excellent
- Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
- Family Friendliness: Excellent
- Service: Excellent