Sunfinder Vacations

Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is set between the green Sierra Madre Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. With its azure water, a private, sandy beach, and flowering gardens it retains a relaxed, natural ambience that appeals to holidaying families, couples, singles, and groups. Its various recreational facilities, from a rock climbing wall to tennis courts allow guests to choose activity while its spa, infinity pool, and sunning areas allow for tranquility.

Distinguished by yellow domes at the entrance, the NH Krystal Vallarta resort resembles a Mexican colonial village with streets, wrought-iron street lamps, brick paths, and fountains. Mature gardens and tall palm trees grace the quiet grounds. Complimentary golf-cart shuttles transport guests around the 32-acre property. Families and couples find plenty of vacation space here.

The Westin Resort and Spa attracts both couples and families. The hotel was designed by architect Javier Sordo Madaleno in a monumental style, with huge swatches of color (mango, bright-yellow, vivid-pink) and large, airy public spaces, including a hall lined by blue-tile waterfalls, shops, and fanciful, colorful animal statues from Oaxaca.

Secluded at the end of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and inland canals, Paradise Village Beach Resort offers complete holidays for families and couples in a Mayan-theme setting.

With expansive grounds featuring koi ponds, gardens, and a secluded children’s-club-and-toddlers'-pool compound, the Marriott CasaMagna Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa attracts both couples and families while providing ample space and privacy for everyone.

This Nuevo Vallarta hotel/time-share/condominium resort attracts families seeking hotel amenities as well as the convenience provided by apartment-like suites that include cooking facilities.

The lobby is distinguished by a giant

This large Puerto Vallarta resort and convention center attracts families and couples for active vacations and tranquil sunbathing.

Ideal for families as well as couples seeking tranquility, Vallarta Palace All Inclusive includes activities for adults and an air-conditioned kids' club with supervised activities, video games, and movies.

Casual fun is the theme at this Neuvo Vallarta resort, with day-and-night activities that include stretching and pool aerobics; introductory scuba diving, Spanish, and dance lessons; and after-dark shows or entertainment presented by the staff in an open-air theater.

Popular with celebrating couples and active families, the blossom-draped resort is bordered on the south side by a river where fishing families living on the mountainside moor their boats. On the beach south of the river is a row of open-air cantinas. Scuba divers and snorkelers enjoy the proximity to the giant offshore rocks and arches comprising Los Arcos National Park 1.75 km (1 mi) away.

Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort All Inclusive is located in Nuevo Vallarta, a planned community of resorts and elegant villas with manicured gardens lining a series of winding canals. The hotel is built in contemporary Mexican style with white walls and red-tiled roofs. The high-ceilinged, spacious lobby has a thatched roof, a fountain, and lush tropical plants.

A lobby bordered by fountain ponds, ornamented with blue-and-orange tile mosaics, and furnished with rattan seating exemplifies the casual, open-air ambience that appeals to families. Other ponds lie within the resort's gardens, which are laced by thatched-roof walkways. Child-friendly touches include Flintstone-themed clubhouses, playground, and check-in counter as well as a scaled-down pool table.

What to expect: In Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone, Playa Los Arcos provides Mexican colonial-era ambience and hospitality. Families, especially, are drawn to the beachfront location and casual style with plenty of activities and amenities to satisfy all ages.

Amenity highlights: In the center of the resort are three connecting pools that spill toward the oceanview spa tub. Further down at the beach, lounge chairs and umbrellas beckon next to blue Pacific waters. Daily activities and nightly entertainment are provided, as is a spa with Shiatsu, aromoatherapy, and other treatments (surcharges). Dining options include Mi Pueblito, overlooking the ocean, and Café Maximilian with casual and gourmet selections.

Occupying a deeply set site leading to Banderas Bay, the Riu Jalisco All Inclusive features a formal, geometric Spanish/Moorish style, including a central garden containing a long, twin-fountain pond flanked by rows of Royal Palms. Below is a plaza bordered on one side by a stage with covered seating and on the other side by a disco. The resort draws both couples and families from North America and Europe.

Restricted to guests age 16 and older, Villa Premiere Hotel & Spa - All Inclusive Optional attracts couples seeking tranquil vacations, leisurely dining, and rejuvenation at the resort's health spa.