Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive

We enjoyed this compact resort, built maybe in the 1970s and very well maintained. It’s a place to chill out, not a party resort, though the bars and clubs of Puerto Vallarta are easy to reach. Rooms above the 2nd or 3rd floor have direct oceanfront views and gorgeous balconies. Lower rooms have larger balconies suited to families, though trees or buildings block some views. There’s a large pool with a shallow kiddie section, plus an adult pool above the buffet building for fiesta club members who pay more for rooms on the top 3 floors. All the pools are fairly shallow, so they aren’t for swimming laps. The beach is quite good for the old Hotel Zone, and you can walk a long way in either direction along it. When we were there the ocean was rough and nobody was swimming. The breakfast buffet is excellent. fiesta club members can sit outside on a terrace overlooking the ocean, where we once saw whales swimming in front of us. Lunch is in the same buffet area, with fewer choices, and you can also get food at the pool snack bar, the fiesta club adult pool, and the seafood restaurant La Cevichería. For dinner there are four restaurants: Italian and Asian, both very good, Mexican, which was alright, and the newer Azur for fiesta club members, which has very mixed reviews. We didn’t try Azur. There’s a lobby café with real espresso, cappuccino, fruit, pastries, yogurt cups, and soft ice cream in the afternoon. The wine is drinkable, better than at most AI resorts, and the alcohol is good quality too. In the evening, fiesta club members can get somewhat higher-class alcohol and some good finger food at a pleasant bar above the Cevicheria restaurant, right over the ocean. The large lobby bar has a wide choice of drinks for everyone. The resort makes a small effort for vegetarians and vegans across its restaurants. Vegetarians looking for protein will eat lots of cheese and eggs, while vegans will go without or eat outside the resort. Italian and Asian are best for them, though oddly there’s no tofu at the Asian restaurant. Watch out for the Pad Thai without meat, as they flavor it with fish-based sauce. The Mexican restaurant has few black beans, and they’re cooked with lard, with no vegetarian beans available. At lunch, though, the fish restaurant La Cevichería made us good veggie quesadillas and fries and provided guacamole, even though none of those were on the menu. Staff were always great, efficient including at the front desk, and fun to talk with. They work hard. Salaries are very low for most of these jobs, and many spend a good hour each way getting to and from work after long days. Please tip generously, they deserve it. The location is a big advantage. A taxi or Uber to the center of town is 100 to 150 pesos and maybe 10 minutes. Walk 200 meters to the right down the street to catch public buses downtown for 10 pesos. Bring exact change. Take “centro” or, just for the romantic zone, “tunel”. Across the street and a bit to the right is Plaza Caracol shopping center, which serves local Mexicans. It has a large grocery store, Soriana, and a good booze selection, much cheaper than airport duty free. Sunscreen there costs about half what it does at the FA store. Even with the quality of the FA, I’d urge everyone to get out. Walk the Malecon over to the romantic zone, have dinner out once or twice, visit art galleries, and listen to music in the evening.

For an anniversary, this was a perfect spot, and the upgrade for all-inclusive and Club access was worth the money. We got preferential seating at restaurants and access to the 21 and up roof pool deck. A couple of tips: tip your server at the rooftop pool deck in advance for that extra touch, though they split tips. If you want to recognize a particular server at the end of the trip, put your tip in an envelope with only their name on it. The views from above the eighth floor on the Oceanside are outstanding. The upgraded packages get you up there, and I’d love to come back. The place could use a little updating. When you check in, they’ll try to give you a sales pitch to join their "Club". If that’s your kind of thing, you can usually negotiate a couple of freebies for the site-seers. Maria M was especially persistent about getting us to a presentation. She wouldn’t take no for an answer and approached us nearly every time we passed her in the Hall. Nope! Read the room. There’s a time and place for the hard sell, and it isn’t when we’re exhausted from the trip and want to rest. The food was mediocre overall. The Italian restaurant was worst, with every dish tasting like someone’s best guess at Italian food in Mexico. Surprisingly, Asian Cuisine was the best, well presented across a couple of Asian cultures, with fresh food and delicious, spot-on flavors. The newer Seafood steakhouse for Club members or guests with the upgraded armband was also quite good, though there wasn’t a lot to choose from.

My first time at the Fiesta Americana in Puerto Vallarta, and the service was exceptional. Ricardo in Rosato the Italian Restaurant, Jovan in El Mexicano, and Rafael in Chula Vista went above and beyond. Housekeeping arrived on time, was professional, and cleaned the rooms perfectly. The live bands in the Lobby were great entertainment. Restaurant hostesses were amazing, check-in at the front desk was fast, professional, and welcoming, and the bell hops were great too. The food was fresh, high quality, and beautifully presented. We slept very well in quiet rooms with comfortable, high quality mattresses. The location is hard to beat, halfway between the Marina and the Malecon. So why only 4 Stars instead of 5? Fiesta Americana is rated a "Diamond" Hotel, and the awards are displayed at the check-in counter. To be a True Diamond Hotel, it should offer much better, higher end alcoholic beverages. Sorry, but Tecarte and Pacifico are 2 or 3 star hotel beers. A hotel of this quality should include Heiniken, Stella, Dos Equis, MoDelo, Absolute, and Grey Goose in its All-Inclusive package. Last year I stayed at the Sheraton in Puerto Vallarta, also rated a "Diamond" hotel, and all those drinks were included at "no extra charge". Every Diamond rated hotel I’ve visited in Mexico has done the same. Management, this is an easy fix. You have great staff, food, and amenities. To compete with the other brands in this category, I hope you’ll do it. When you "Pay More", you expect more.

The compact design makes it easy to get around while still having several pools, entertainment areas, and quiet spots to relax. Rooms were modern, clean, and comfortable, with excellent ocean views, and housekeeping kept them in great shape every day. Service was outstanding throughout. Staff were attentive without getting in the way, remembered names and preferences quickly, and clearly cared about the guest experience. From check-in to poolside service and the restaurants, their professionalism made a difference. Food was also above the usual all-inclusive standard. The specialty restaurants had well-prepared dishes and good variety, reservations were handled efficiently, and the Mexican restaurant stood out for authentic flavors and excellent presentation. The buffet was fresh and regularly replenished. It’s a calm, well-organized beachfront resort, not crowded or chaotic, with a clean, well-kept beach and beautiful sunset views over Banderas Bay. It’s also only a short drive from the airport. The setting balances relaxed luxury with authentic Mexican hospitality, and feels suitable for couples or families looking for a stress-free vacation. Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive & Spa exceeded expectations from start to finish. It offers excellent value, and we’d confidently return and recommend it. I can’t wait to return!