Sometimes you need an escape from it all; whether it be the rigors of a heavy work schedule, cold weather, a change of pace, or new scenery. And these refreshers or resets don’t necessarily need to be weeks at a time, rather just a couple of days is often just what one needs to feel completely rejuvenated. The destination: Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel and Romantic Getaway in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Puerta Vallarta is an easy flight from the west coast of the U.S. including about 2.5 hours from Los Angeles and slightly over 3 hours from the San Francisco Bay Area.
The adults only, Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel and Romantic Getaway is one of three resorts in Puerta Vallarta part of the Buenaventura Hotels group; these include the family-friendly Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Great Moments next door and the Spanish-styled Hacienda Buenaventura Hotel & Mexican Charm a 15-minute drive away. Depending on traffic, Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel and Romantic Getaway is located only 20-30 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport. We always love the convenience of small airports and both our arrival and departure went smoothly and quickly.
Check-in at the hotel is a pleasant and easy experience. Guests are offered a glass of sparkling wine, choices of in-room fragrances and pillow types followed by a 5-minute seated welcome massage. And if you check in late and the massage is not available, you can take a rain check for the next day.
The hotel features 80 rooms including a variety of beautiful and spacious suites. During our stay, we were housed in both the Deluxe Suite and also the Premiere Suite; both feature in-room Jacuzzis while the Premiere Suite is much larger. Each of the rooms offer an exterior balcony with views of the pool area and the Pacific Ocean. A personal butler is available 24/7.
Guests can book a by night room rate or opt for the Exquisite All-Inclusive Gourmet experience which allows one to enjoy both food and drink without having to open a tab each time. And guests who are on this all-inclusive package can also take advantage of included dining at the restaurants next door at Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Great Moments.
Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel and Romantic Getaway has been recognized for its excellence including since 2007, a 4 Diamond rating from AAA, they were honored in the TripAdvisor’s 20th Annual Travelers’ Choice Awards as the “best of the best” for the category of, “The most romantic hotels in Mexico” and received nominations for the category of the best hotels in Mexico in the annual Readers’ Choice Awards of Condé Nast Traveler magazine and in the World’s Best Awards for Travel + Leisure.
A concierge service is available for all guests, located in the reception area. The resort is in the center of the Puerta Vallarta within an easy walk of numerous shops and the 12-block long Malecón, the pedestrian promenade paralleling the beach, also noted for its sculptures.
One of our favorite activities at the resort is relaxing in one of the comfortable cabanas built for two on their private and roped off portion of the beach. In the afternoon after lunch, we were lulled to sleep by the relaxing sound of the surf in front of us while sometimes waking to hear the crunchy sound of horses’ hooves on the pebbles passing by. And every so often we stumbled out of our cozy confines to take a refreshing swim just past the surf zone in the Pacific Ocean. The beach is in front of the pool bar; one never goes thirsty here with employees stopping in every once in a while to make sure your beverage needs are met.
Culinary
One of the highlights of a stay here is the diversity of restaurants on premise.
La Corona offers gourmet dining (dinner only) in a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere. Live music plays nightly including a pianist and violinist. If you have no seafood allergies, we highly recommend the delicious scallops. And the neighboring La Corona Bar is the perfect before dinner respite or stop for a nightcap.
La Ceiba is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Located near the pool and next to the beach, the vibe here is casual and easy going. A beverage, fruit and pastry cart is always wheeled to each table for guests to make their selections prior to ordering their main breakfast. We recommend the delicious Eggs Benedict. While the main dining area is located on the ground floor, an upstairs seating area is also available for guests and offers great views of both the pool and the shoreline.
If you aren’t in the mood to eat out, you can always call for room service.
Chef’s Table. A private chef prepares a five-course meal at a separate table bringing over each course as it is ready. This is an interactive experience and a fun opportunity to learn about Mexican cuisine. Generally this is best for groups of 6 to 14 people and is hosted at Murales Restaurant or weather permitting, at the end of the jetty.
Highly recommended is a private mixology class (2-8 people). This interactive experience culminates with trying several alcoholic drinks prepared by the resort’s mixologist.
Serena Spa
Located on the second floor, a visit here is highly recommended and is an integral part of any stay at the resort. Available to all guests are separate men and women’s changing rooms, sauna and steam rooms. A variety of sessions are available by appointment including massages, manicure & pedicure and facials. I enjoyed a 50-minute gentle oil massage; this experience was so relaxing that I soon found myself falling asleep (always a sign of a great massage).
A yoga session is offered daily at 9am overlooking the beach and the ocean. An ideal morning would be start with breakfast, followed by yoga and then a visit to the spa for a steam bath followed by a massage.
ALMA by Rhythms of the Night
If you don’t have time to do anything else in Puerta Vallarta outside of time spent at the resort, experience ALMA by Rhythms of the Night combined with dinner. Guests are ferried over from Marina Vallarta across Banderas Bay in time for sunset. The boat is a bit of a party house with plenty of alcohol to enjoy on the approximately 50 minute passage. The site of this show is Las Caletas Cove.
Our recommendation is enjoy dinner prior to the show. This buffet spread is conducted on a flat part of a hillside overlooking las Caletas Cove with lights provided by hundreds of candles lining the walkways and tables. The show takes place in an open-air amphitheater and features extremely talented performers with certain aspects reminiscent of a Cirque du Soleil performance. The audience was mesmerized by their amazing stunts and acrobatic performances. I know I certainly was. From the departure to the return time, allow about 6 hours for both the dinner and the show.
Following the performance, we returned by ferry to Puerto Vallarta. Usually our energy is lower on return trips in general, but not on this boat. The alcohol kept flowing and the staff put on a memorable, entertaining, lip-synching, costume-wearing, high energy, off the cuff production to the sounds of popular songs. This was hosted on the lower front deck of the ship.
To book a stay, visit: www.premiereonline.com.mx
Puerto Vallarta seems like the perfect spot for a quick getaway if you are on the West Coast. Love your description of the hotel! it paints an ideal place for kicking back and taking in the ocean view, and the food is the cherry on top!
Teh – yes, next time I will stay longer 🙂