PACIFIC PARADISE: ROYAL DECAMERON PUERTO VALLARTA
Written: Sep 20 '06
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Location, far from the other resorts and crowds.
Cons: Location, not in PV if you're there for the town and night life.
The Bottom Line: Good value for the price and well worth another visit.
|
|
|
| JAMES23's Full Review: Royal Decameron Vallarta All Inclusive |
Name brand recognition is an important part of our consumer oriented society and that goes for travel as much as anything else. Over the years there are certain airlines and hotel names that I have become quite comfortable with and others that I avoid like the plague.
One such name in the former category is Decameron. I’ve stayed in and/or visited this South American run hotel/resort chain’s properties in Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Mexico and the Dominican Republic and almost always been satisfied.
Nothing too spectacular here, simple three to four star properties at reasonable prices, which most of the time is what I’m looking for. If I want to rough it, I know how to do that. If I want to be pampered in luxurious surroundings and the hell with the size of the VISA bill later I also have some places that can accommodate me. In between these two extremes is the Decameron.
The Royal Decameron Puerto Vallarta Mexico is no exception to this rule. It’s one of two properties Decameron operates in and around Puerto Vallarta, the other is the Decameron Los Cocos. Naturally neither is actually located in Puerto Vallarta.
The Royal Decameron is located north of Puerto Vallarta across the state line in Nayarit. It is actually the northernmost of the seemingly endless line of hotel and resorts that creep northward along the shores of Banderas Bay from Puerto Vallarta through Nuevo Vallarta stooping at the town of Buccerias.
Most literature states that the hotel is an easy 15 minutes drive from the international airport and 20 minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta. That is either wishful thinking or perhaps if one uses a local taxi driver with a zest for life, heavy foot on the accelerator and no regards for the rules of the road and/or the laws of physics. A ride of 25-30 minutes to the airport is more realistic especially if coming on a charter bus. Downtown Puerto Vallarta is 45 minutes to an hour away by local bus, slightly less by taxi or car, but still doable for a day trip.
One advantage of being the last hotel resort in the line of concrete and glass is what lies immediately north of the property. Unlike many other resorts which are often isolated miles outside the nearest town this is not the case here. Leave the main entrance and turn left (north) and one is literally on the outskirts of Buccerias.
This delightfully little town gives one an impression of what Puerto Vallarta must have been like way back before Liz and Dick discovered it and the developers and tourists descended here like preying locusts.
The Royal Decameron has 620 rooms total. The property is divided into four basic sections or wings two directly on the water and two across an access road directly inland. Each grouping of two sections (north and south) almost act as separate resorts with their own main lobbies and reception desks.
The entire area is landscaped and all paths are lined with local flora which is well maintained and adds a pleasing and relaxing effect.
Each of the four wings has its own pool area with the rooms, restaurants, and other amenities clustered around it in 2-4 story buildings all painted in pleasing pastels reminiscent of colonial Mexican villas. One of the pool areas, the south east one, is adults only and provides a quiet refugee from the rest of the resort.
One quick note for those with physical disabilities regarding the buildings, elevators are not available in all of the buildings. One should consider this when booking and ensure the hotel knows and can accommodate you in a ground floor room.
Rooms are fairly spartan but a reasonable size. Rooms have either a King size bed or a pair of doubles. Bathrooms are a fair size but with a shower only All rooms contain the basics, air-conditioning telephone and in room safety deposit box. Each has a small colour televison with satellite and the normal resort mix of local and international (CNN, HBO, BBC, DW, ESPN) channels.
All rooms have a balcony or patio for the ground floor ones, and with the exception of one building which faces the Pacific Ocean all rooms usually overlook the pool areas.
Like all Decameron properties the resort operates on an all inclusive plan, with all drinks, food and certain amenities covered in your room cost. Cash is not required as there is a no tipping policy, although judging by the number of tip glasses this is neither enforced nor discouraged.
As with almost all inclusive properties all guests are required to wear an annoying coloured plastic wristband which immediately identifies you to the locals as a tourista ripe for fleecing the minute you leave the grounds. One can amuse yourself by trying to match which different colour corresponds with which tourist group.
Most guests are from Canada and or the US and here on one or two week long packages. There are also a few Europeans depending on time of year as well. During local holidays and long weekends, Mexicans mainly families form nearby Guadalajara or even Mexico City can also make up a large segment of the guests.
Food is one of the attractions in the Decameron chain. Like most mid range all inclusive resorts the main restaurants are of the buffet type with casual hours rather than set meals times and table assignments. There are two main buffet style restaurants La Tortuga, and La Bugambilias open for breakfast lunch and dinner. In addition there are a couple of snack bars that offer both an early morning continental breakfast and later in the day snacks, including the old stand byes of pizza, hamburgers and fries as well as local dishes.
One is not limited to buffet for dinner though. Like all Decameron hotels there are some specialty restaurants on site. Here there are four all serving fixed a la carte menus with two sitting a night, Italian, Thai, Japanese and a steak house. Reservations are made at reception.
Don’t be fooled by the names though. Our first night there reservations for the Thai were made for us by the tour operator. My wife’s Pad Thai looked suspiciously like Spaghetti, which had me considering booking Italian later in the week to see what was actually served there. The specialty and buffet restaurants are grouped together in the same buildings and probably share a common kitchen. However here there were two distinct groupings at opposite ends of the property. Overall though the food was of excellent quality.
To wash it down there seven bars strategically placed around the property including a beach bar and a “disco” open until the wee hours. Full bar service and wine by the glass is also available at all the restaurants during meal hours. In addition all the bars have a stock of local cigarettes also all inclusive.
Included in the all inclusive package are some amenities. There are three tennis and one basketball courts for guest with equipment available. Tennis lesson form the local pro are available. Beach volleyball and a soccer field are also available.
There is a limited collection of non motorized water sports equipment, boogie boards,
kayaks, catamaran available from the animation staff. An introductory scuba package, almost a standard at resorts these days, including lessons in the pool and one ocean dive is also on the all inclusive plan. There is also a beach towel exchange system.
Both reception areas include small tuck shops and an internet café, although prices in both are slightly higher than similar services outside the compound. There is also a beauty parlour and massage service on site. There is also a tour operator desk with day trips to local attractions.
There is a 24 hour doctor and medical service on call, and currency exchange desks at both reception areas. Again rates here are not as good as at banks and/or casa de cambios in town. There is a HKSB with an ATM about a 5-10 minute walk away on the outskirts of Buccerias.
Mexico’s tourist infrastructure is well developed and this is evident in the Decameron staff. All are professional and attentive. Most of those who deal directly with the guests, reception, bar and wait staff and the animation team are all at least conversant in English if not fluent.
As in all hotel/resorts there is a youthful and enthusiastic animation team and a full range of activities day and night that they run. Fortunately the property is big enough to find a place to hide from their attentions.
After our visit there I bumped into an old army buddy I hadn’t seen in almost 20 years. We began exchanging pictures via email and the background in one of his looked familiar. It was taken at the Royal Decameron in Puerto Vallarta. He and his wife spend a week or two there every year. I can see why they, and many others, return year after year. The next time the wife and I find ourselves in that part of the world and need of some sun and sand I have a good idea where we’ll be staying.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
JAMES23
|
 - Top 200 |
|
Member: James Smith
Location: Toronto Ontario CANADA
Reviews written: 450
Trusted by: 222 members
About Me:
I'm back
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.