A piece of Heaven, Los Palmares 703

The apartment complex is lovely, and the staff are friendly. The restaurant could do a lot better with some care for the food: the hamburger was overcooked, the presentation was just okay, and there was only one round of drinks.

This is the hardest review I’ve ever written, and the only one-star rating I’ve given in all my years as a Local Guide. My family rented at Los Palmares every year for nearly ten years, but recently we got caught in political theater between groups of condo owners. If it happened to us, it could happen to anyone. For a relaxing beach vacation without palace intrigue, stay somewhere else. There are real positives: staff are there 24/7, there’s a modest restaurant by the beach, and the location is fantastic. It’s about 15 minutes from old town and 15 minutes from Mismaloya. The views of Los Arcos and the bay are great, and the pool is beautiful. The usual problems had been minor. The brown water used for landscaping can smell, staff schedules can be erratic, and small mechanical issues like A/C trouble, leaky plumbing, or wonky internet are common. That seems inevitable this close to sea air. Repairs take days, but it never bothered us, especially with that seaside view. The bigger issue is the owners’ politics. Over the years, we heard about disputes over rules, association fees, and other routine condo business. We also learned that some owners were protecting a manager caught embezzling. It made for good pool gossip, but never affected our visits until this year. My wife and I invited her parents to visit for a week. Los Palmares had no room, so they rented next door. We shared food at the restaurant and spent time at the pool, which was great. The next day, shortly after they returned, the condo manager came over angrily and said we were breaking rules by having them there and had to leave immediately. It was a loud scene that seemed designed to shame us in public. At first, we just wanted to apologize and get out. My father-in-law took it in stride and joked, “I'd like to say I've been kicked out of nicer places than this, but it isn't true.” Once we’d left, we realized how out of character it was and started asking questions. We understand that places like this need rules, and we were mortified if we’d done something wrong, but the episode felt bizarrely artificial. Why make it public if there was a problem? We were made to feel like criminals. And why enforce the rules so suddenly? The year before, we’d done the same thing when other family members visited for my mother's 60th birthday, with no issue. Residents have also been lighting morning reefers on balconies for years in a country where cannabis is still technically illegal, so rules never seemed terribly important here. The staff were cagey, but eventually confirmed that the episode had been orchestrated. Some details are fuzzy and irrelevant, but a group of owners arranged it to send a message to other owners at the pool. After looking into it more, it doesn’t seem that uncommon. I was told it’s rarely so public, but renters and staff often get used as pawns in these owner disputes. They seem to view us as expendable second-class citizens. That’s ludicrous. People on holiday who are friendly and spending good money shouldn’t be dragged into someone else’s political games. I never expected to feel so unwelcome somewhere we’d treated as a second home for nearly a decade. There are plenty of great places to stay in P.V. If you’re renting, spend your money somewhere with less palace intrigue. If you’re thinking of buying, consider the people who’d effectively be your business partners. If loyal visitors like us can get trampled, anyone can.

A peaceful spot for a quiet getaway, though it’s a long way from downtown and the shops.

I could see myself living here. It’s one of the nicest places I’ve found for either a stay or a vacation in Puerto Vallarta.