Canto del Sol Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive

The beach was lovely, the resort was clean, and the staff were really friendly. They even decorated our room and brought a cake for my son's birthday, which was such a nice touch. Stores nearby made the location convenient. We were five people staying 10 days in April in a two-bedroom family suite. The extra room was useful, though the kitchenette fridge and TVs didn't work, there were no utensils or balcony chairs, and the old pull-out couch was uncomfortable. The doors also locked behind you very easily. Meals were uneven. Breakfast and lunch were okay, but dinner choices were limited, especially for our picky kids. The à la carte restaurants were much better. There wasn't food after 10:30 p.m., and sports fans won't find a sports bar. A mix of good and bad for us. The rooms and food could use work.

We were there with a group of friends and found it a good resort for the bargain price. It was quiet, which seems suited to families or an older crowd, and the staff were generally good. The pool by the mountainside was also quiet, with a bar and ice cream by the pool. The location made it easy to get around. The bus was 10 pesos to go north toward Walmart or south to the Malecon and Zona Romantica. We liked the à la carte restaurants, especially the surf and turf, though you could only go once every two days. The beach had a red flag for all seven days we were there because of rough water and undertow.

The staff really made this place stand out, and it's in a handy area for going off resort, with a grocery store and a few restaurants close by. Other areas are a short taxi ride away. It's a child-friendly hotel, though, so it gets noisy when full, and there aren't adult-only spaces. Since it combines two hotels, even one adults-only area would be welcome. We liked the warm main pool and had plenty of drink choices, including top-shelf alcohol. The food was pretty good, particularly at the à la cartes. The buffet room has a nice pool view, but we preferred the food at the restaurants, especially the Japanese one. Our ocean-view room in the main building was a decent size, with a six-drawer dresser and a fair number of hangers. There was no fridge. The hotel is older but seems maintained, although we sometimes lost water pressure during the day. I can't speak to the rooms on the other side, where the gym, tennis courts, and Japanese and Italian restaurants are. The main drawbacks were the beach loungers and evening options. There's no 24-hour snack bar or bar, so plan food ahead or buy snacks at the nearby oxxo. Evening entertainment was a bit boring, and there wasn't a nice place to sit for a drink beyond the lobby bar. An outdoor bar where the snack bar operates during the day would be great. Smoking isn't allowed on the property.

We came as a large family group for a week over New Year's. The pools were amazing, and we mostly used the one by our rooms in the villa. The bellhops were helpful with rides and questions. Bartenders were mostly great, and the Italian and surf-and-turf à la carte meals were fantastic. The room was dated, and I didn't like the bed, though that's personal preference. We had no water for 12 hours and no hot water for a couple of days. Breakfast at the buffet was good, but dinner was hit or miss, with limited choices that I didn't care for much. The Stack Shack food was all right, but it only opened for limited hours. Maid service came only now and then, sometimes took towels without leaving clean ones, and didn't restock water. There was no alcohol or chips in the room. Our safe had a problem when we checked in, so we had to call for help. One of our towels went missing, and they said we'd owe $40 for it. My husband disputed that because he had proof all four towels were there that morning. I'd research this resort carefully before booking.