Maxwell Residences at Indah

Our vacation was noisy, stressful, and ended with a serious injury. My wife slipped in a puddle on the steps to the bar and broke her wrist. We'd already seen two people take bad falls on puddles near the elevators on the pool deck. The polished tiles around the pool had little grip when wet, and the property seemed to know there was a problem, since staff mopped several times a day, but there were very few anti-slip stickers. No one on staff, including the bartenders and waitstaff, offered help. I had to repeatedly beg someone to call an ambulance, which took 45 minutes to arrive. There was no follow-up, offer of financial help, or conversation with management. We were left on our own with the medical bills, which I was told couldn't be covered under Mexico's liability laws: $3,800 USD at a Mexico hospital, then $17,000 USD after insurance in the States for reconstructive wrist surgery. We stayed in a corner suite advertised as Casa Solia, and the accommodations felt like a gamble because each unit's owner may or may not keep up with repairs. The listing promised modern LED lighting, much of which didn't work, and a patio hot tub. The tub was drained and out of service while they waited several months for a part. None of this had been disclosed when we booked or in email exchanges where we specifically asked about issues. The outside door was nearly an inch too short for its frame, leaving a gap for bugs and a lot of traffic noise from Hwy 200, only 50 feet away. The road was audible even in the bedrooms because the windows barely reduced sound. The middle bedroom had no windows, so it was the only room shielded from the highway. There was also a sulfur-like sewer smell from the primary bedroom toilet, and the front desk said nothing could be done. Sound carried through the ceilings, too. Chair legs had no felt tips, so dragging dining or patio chairs made a loud noise, and we could hear toilets flushing upstairs. The floor cleaner was extremely fragrant, making it intolerable to return for hours unless we opened the doors and windows. We had to ask them to mop again with just water, then insist that they use only water for later cleanings.

It's a nice place with very friendly staff, and it has a lot of potential. But the owner has a big ego and isn't honest about charges. Watch for hundreds of dollars in extra taxes added at check-in. We refused to pay them and stuck to the price that was advertised.

MR is a converted house connected to the Indah condos, and the rooms are spacious with big bathrooms. You can use Indah's facilities, including a great gym, a good restaurant, and the pools. The rooftop infinity pool has amazing views over PV. It's about a 15-minute walk to zona romántica. We had an excellent stay.

The property is right on the waterfront, so you can walk to the beach and watch whales from January to March. The views are the best I've seen anywhere in Puerto Vallarta. Great food and staff, too. A once-in-a-lifetime experience! Signed, Leslie, Brent and Danny.