Have a Luxury Experience in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta can be an indulgent experience from start to finish. From authentic, beautifully prepared meals, stunning views, fun activities, they literally have it all. Not to mention their hotels that are the stuff dreams are made of. We’ve partnered with travel expert Meagan Wristen from Mommy Travels to share her luxury Puerto Vallarta experience.

I just spent one of the most enjoyable weeks of my life in Puerto Vallarta with 3 of my girlfriends. While we were there, I kept asking myself, “Is this a dream? Is this actually real life right now?” Although I had been here before I had yet to experience the opulent side of Puerto Vallarta. It truly was a dream come true!

Hotel Mousai rooftop pool at sunset. Photo by Meagan Wristen.

Dreamy Hotels

We stayed at Hotel Mousai, an adults only resort in Puerto Vallarta. My first “dream come true” moment came when I pulled up and checked into my hotel. There is a feeling of excitement you get when you pull up to somewhere that is beautiful and then that feeling is quickly compounded when you see the exuberant room you are spending your days in. In all my travels, I have never enjoyed a room so much that I would rather be in my room on the patio, then down on the beach, but that all changed when I laid eyes on my room at Hotel Mousai. I have also never had the urge to cry upon leaving a hotel, but I was so sad to leave I almost did. It is easy to see why people decide to live here. Just below this hotel they have another tower, a residence where if you would like you could live and kids are allowed.

There were good reasons to leave the room though. Lounging at the rooftop infinity pool, getting a massage at their lavish spa (more about that further down), and to participate in the included activities. At Hotel Mousai there were many activities included like kayaking to Los Arcos with snorkeling, paddle board lessons, yoga, a guided hiking tour in the jungle to waterfalls, and more. Between paddle boarding, relaxing on my patio hammock, or having a cocktail on the rooftop pool I was in heaven.

Villa Estancia. Photo by Meagan Wristen.

Where I stayed was for adults only, but I was able to tour two kid-friendly properties in nearby Riviera Nayarit, Villa Estancia and Riu Palace Pacifico. Most of the time I travel with my kids, and I know many people cannot travel without their kids. I wanted to be sure to mention these hotels, because they would both be amazing places to stay with kids.

Villa Estancia is an all-inclusive luxury experience for families. Their villas feature all the things I love when traveling with kids: washer & dryer, full kitchen, and multiple bedrooms. If you want a regular room without a kitchen they have those too. Many of those share a balcony with the larger suites. This enables additional family their own space without everyone having to be together. My next “dream come true” moment at Villa Estancia was when I found out that their all-inclusive package included laundry service. Someone else doing our laundry during a family vacation AKA mom’s happy all week!

Riu Palace Pacifico. Photo by Meagan Wristen.

Nearby Riu Palace Pacifico is also family-friendly. They have a playground, lifeguards at the pool and the beach, and an ice cream bar in one of their restaurants. This was the only resort I have been to in Puerto Vallarta, where I have seen a lifeguard. This resort is completely all-inclusive and has five restaurants, including an elaborate buffet, live entertainment nightly, and beach activities including boogie boarding and hobby cats. You might be wondering what my “dream come true” moment was here? It’s below and it was a big one!

Dinner on the beach at Riu Palace Pacifico

Dining on the beach. Photo by Meagan Wristen.

Unforgettable Meals

My last “dream come true” moment of the trip was dinner on the beach. Everyone should splurge and have an intimate beach dinner. Our last night in the area that is exactly what we did at Riu Palace Pacifico. As we sauntered towards our candlelit table under a sheer white tent, I was totally blown away, and that was before I had a bite of food. They served us a tapas style dinner of authentic Mexican food. Course after course we were absolutely delighted. We were literally moaning over the food. This evening on the beach is something I will never forget and I highly recommend it.

The sushi at Hiroshi is incredible. Photo by Meagan Wristen.

My dinner the night before though was just as good. We dined at the exclusive Hiroshi, a sushi bar inside of Hotel Mousai while the sun set. After meeting their chef and deciding on eating whatever he sent out, we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. I was originally disappointed that we did not have a table closest to the beach view, but my disappointment quickly dissipated. Turns out the entire restaurant has a view of the sunset, there are no bad seats. One of the most fun ways to dine is letting the chef send out whatever he or she decides. I mean, who knows the menu better than the head chef. He sent out sushi, soft shell crab, and much more. I cannot write about Hiroshi without mentioning their cocktails. I do not know who created their cocktail menu, but I am assuming that the person is a genius. You literally cannot order wrong here.

The water here is stunning and calm enough to paddleboard on. Photo by Meagan Wristen.

Boundless Activities

If there is something you have always wanted to do, the likelihood of that activity being available either in Puerto Vallarta or Riviera Nayarit is pretty much guaranteed. If there are certain things you enjoy doing, I suggest booking a hotel that offers it. For example, Hotel Mousai has paddle boarding, but Riu Palace Pacifico has hobby cats for you to sail. If you are really into one and not the other, why not book the hotel with your activity? One of the hotel activities I did while staying at Hotel Mousai was the Los Arcos kayaking tour with snorkeling. Getting up close to Los Arcos and seeing all the tropical fish was incredible, but the most amazing part was when I saw the biggest jelly fish I have ever seen. Luckily it was no where near where we were snorkeling, and there was only one!

The largest jellyfish I have ever seen! Photo by Meagan Wristen.

Hotel activities are great, but Puerto Vallarta has many activities like taking a boat out to Las Caletas. I have not been yet, but heard all about this upscale excursion from my friend and fellow Gnational Gnomad, Cacinda. If you have a day available, this sounds like THE activity to do. Las Caletas includes breakfast, lunch, an open bar, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, animal encounters, and a cooking lesson. All of which is on a private beach.

Spa Day

One of the most tranquil activities is visiting a luxurious spa. I have found that there are many good spas in Puerto Vallarta, but my personal favorite was Spa Imagine at Hotel Mousai. My massage therapist Maria gave me the best massage I have ever had. I left there completely stunned how great the whole experience was, it was definitely a “pinch me, I’m dreaming” moment. My massage began with eucalyptus aromatherapy and a foot wash, followed by a deep tissue massage. Afterwards, I indulged in the hydrotherapy ritual with a steam room, sauna, hot tub, a pressure massage shower, and a 6 cycle vitality pool. I left the spa feeling completely rejuvenated.