| From: Raymond, Salem |
| Date of Stay: August, 2008 |
| Playa Los Arcos Beach Resort was located in the heart of Puerto Vallarta's romantic old town, a short walk away from the heart of town. All the best restaurants in PV are just blocks away. The hotel's location directly on the beach was perfect, everything at our fingertips. The most impressive thing about Playa Los Arcos is that it is the choice of many Mexican national tourist families, helping to create a cosmopolitan atmosphere blending tourists from Euope, North America and Central America. The hotel is family friendly and mostly bilingual staff are very helpful. We will definitely stay there again! |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: March, 2008 |
| this was our third stay at this hotel and we will be returning in february for a fourth stay. the staff is quite hospitable. if you treat the front desk staff well, the room arrangement will also be excellent. breakfast is fine and the beach is great as is the beach service. excellent restaurants all around within walking distance as is the malecon and downtown. |
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| From: Emily |
| Date of Stay: March, 2008 |
| Other than that I was walking out on the balcony to go to my room we didn't have a phone and the space was limited. If it was just me it would be fine it wasn't what I was expecting and that I would never do that again. It was the second time I didn't and don't plan to go back. |
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| From: AMANDA, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date of Stay: May, 2008 |
| great hotel, great staff, great location, reception staff grumpy. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: March, 2008 |
| We had been to the area before and knew of this hotel and loved its look and location, right in the heart of Old Town, with lovely pools and landscaping & right on the beach. However, our first night we were given a horrific room (#419 -- don't take it!): small & dark & cramped & claustrophobic. It took us 2 days of arguing with the hotel to persuade them that this was NOT a "Superior Standard" room. Finally, we did get a nice room with a veranda & lovely view of the pool & hotel grounds, so were satisfied. Discussing this situation with a number of other guests, we discovered that there are indeed many bad rooms in this hotel and most of them seem to be given to people who book over the Internet (the hotel itself suggested that we always book over the phone; however, some people who tried that said they could never get through -- yet another dilemma!). Many rooms are dark, some have no views; there is a musty smell in a lot of the rooms, which can be mainly overcome by just airing them out.Decor, however, is Spanish style wood & very tasteful; public areas are really lovely; the situation in the Old Town is just perfect (probably too noisy if you really insist on total peace & quiet, tho' many rooms are relatively quiet), but we like the bustle and activity of Mexican street life. So...this is a great hotel -- if you get the right room! |
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| From: Stephanie |
| Date of Stay: February, 2008 |
| Great location with super friendly staff. The pool, beach, and restaurants were great. The room was small and sparse but clean and the beds were comfortable. |
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| From: carol |
| Date of Stay: April, 2008 |
| the staff overall was fantastic ...the facilities were great,activities great,again staff fantastic ...i especially appreciated that the onsite staff didnt bother you about paid activities...they asked nicely once a day and did not badger constantly....would highly recommend this facility and yes we are planning to return next year or sooner... |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: January, 2008 |
| My wife and I have been to PV 17 times in the last 18 years and have stayed in hotels and condos from Los Muertos beach to Nuevo Vallarta. We have stayed at Playa Los Arcos five times for a total of 39 days in the past three years. This is a thirty year old family orientated Mexican hotel located in the heart of town with thirty year old Mexican plumbing. Note that you are in the center of town. Three sides of the hotel face busy streets. And, the beach is the most crowded in PV. If you are looking for a quiet Ramada where the only Mexicans are the English speaking staff, this isn?t it. There are many different types and prices of rooms, from very small ?economy? rooms to mini-suites with kitchenettes. Average room size is about 240 sf. and most have balconies. There are no non-smoking rooms so we bring a can of Oust just in case. The hotel has just changed out the mattresses with thick pillow tops so that the beds are somewhat softer than before. Still not like home as innersprings are not widely found in Mexico.The staff have always been courteous and helpful and the restaurant staff does not differentiate between paying guests and the all-inclusive guests. The all-inclusive is a good deal. The most we have paid is 29/day/person. Breakfast and a couple of drinks with nachos watching the sunset and you?ve made your money back. I would suggest finding somewhere else for dinner as the food is bland to my taste. There is entertainment every night in the restaurant/bar.All in all, if you?re looking for a modest hotel on the beach in the center of PV and have reasonable expectations, this hotel is a very good value. |
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| From: Matthew |
| Date of Stay: April, 2007 |
| I thought the star rating meant the hotel was clean and comfortable. I did not get a good nights sleep because of the noise on the street. The room smelled bad and the throats of the guests became sick. Just dingy and dirty. I know it was Mexico but it was not a Sheraton or Hilton quality. Lower than the star rating you gave it. |
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| From: Mariana, Washington, DC |
| Date of Stay: April, 2008 |
| The Los Arcos hotel is in old town Puerto Vallarta. Therefore the hotel comes with the territory. The room was very small and smelled of mold. All the walls were stained yellow hinting that mold might be a problem. After finding this to be our reality for the week we made up our mind that a room is a room just to lay your head but in reality you work hard all week for some pampering on vacation. After getting used to small quarters and living space we had no choice but to look for fun else where. We definately found that in the staff. They were very American friendly and we shared many laughs throughout the trip. The hotel bar/resturaunt is very average. Even though the people were nice they could not make up for the average food. I would suggest eating at other places throughout your stay even though the all enclusive package will save you money. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: May, 2007 |
| The ""Supperior Room"" we paid for over looked 2 loud streets, The windows do not open for fresh air, It smelled of mold. I tried to get a better room but they said this was a great room...Compared to what I asked. They made me feel like a snob. I paid over 100 for this dump of a room and the food at the resturant was just as bad. The pool was great, people are help ful except when you would like to change your room. I will not stay again. Wild iguanas in the bushes that hiss. |
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| From: Lisa |
| Date of Stay: April, 2007 |
| It was a very nice hotel, but the room was very musty smelling. We brought air fresheners with just in case, but they couldn't mask the musty smell. Also, the beds are hard as a rock! Otherwise, the place was great! |
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| From: Marc, San Francisco, CA |
| Date of Stay: March, 2008 |
| I've stayed at Playa Los Arcos on the beach at least 3 times and keep going back because it's friendly, comfortable, and located in an interesting part of town. This hotel is like a 4-star hotel gem. There seem to have been continuous maintenance and few changes over 20 years. The front entry water feature was removed many years ago to open up a view from the street of the courtyard and beach. The only more recent changes I could detect are: 1) a hot tub/spa was added next to the pool and 2)the larger of two the hotel's two pet iguanas has passed. May he rest in peace. Please understand that my own preference is generally to avoid isolated hotels and self-contained resort compound atmosphere--populated largely by foreign visitors. Playa Los Arcos is located on prime beach away from the airport and Nueva Vallarta. It's in a busy Mexican neighborhood. It has Mexican and foreign guests. People stop there for Sunday brunch. Walk out the front door of Playa Los Arcos and you're in town passing(and probably patronizing)some good restaurants (Brasil, Cafe du Sud, Maximillian's),--and also pair of great taco stands,--or walking down the malecon (an extended beach-fronting walk or plaza). Leave from the courtyard and you're at the hotel's al fresca bar/restaurant or on the beach. The weakest aspect of the hotel is probably its courtyard pool. It's an older U-shaped building, and the pool is squeezed into the courtyard which cuts into pedestrain circulation. Newer hotels--and just about any is newer than Playa Los Arcos--tend to have spacious giant kidney-shaped pools with wade-up bars. So, if you must sip your marguerita out of a coconut while wading knee-deep in a pool with 50 other tourists, you'd do better to seek shelter elsewhere. Need a cab. The Playa Los Arcos staff gets you one with a negotiated, fair fare. No dickering or over-charge. What Playa Los Arcos lacks in decadence or luxury, it exceeds these others in charm, location, and service. |
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| From: Reviewer has requested to be kept anonymous. |
| Date of Stay: May, 2007 |
| I would suggest not spend the extra money for a room up charge. I've stayed here twice and you'll pay the same for a econo room -vs- an upgrade |
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| From: Dennis |
| Date of Stay: February, 2005 |
| . The room was smelly and very loud. Property was under construction. Staff wasn't able to change or upgrade the room, even for my wife's 50th birthday, nor offer anything else for the occasion. |
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| From: John, Detroit, MI |
| Date of Stay: March, 2008 |
| The Los Arcos Hotel is an older small hotel located in the center of the Zona Romatica part of PV. It offered exactly the atmosphere we were seeking. Not like going to a spanking new all inclusive hotel where you probably wouldn't leave the property, Los Arcos is in the middle of the Restaurant district and is only 4 blocks from the Malecon. We walked to all the places we wanted to visit just using a cab to get to/from the airport. We signed up for the All Inclusive when we got to the hotel but dropped it after two days because it seemed to be about the same menu everyday and to get a beer to drink on the beach required a walk up to the bar to get just Sol or Indio. The waiters on the beach would not bring anything to all inclusive holders. So considering the variety of eateries within walking distance and the food available on the beach we quit all inclusive. You can still charge a bill at the on-site restaurant to your room if you want. Ask if a refrigerator is available for your room, we got one at no cost. |
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| From: Loren |
| Date of Stay: February, 2008 |
| The staff at Playa Los Arcos was very warm and friendly. I enjoyed most their care with respecting your privacy when posted on the door, but still calling to confirm if you would like service of the room. Although the rooms were spacious, I found the comfort of the beds to be less than desirable. Almost like adding large beds in the room was an afterthought - needless to say I didn't spend too much extra time relaxing in bed. Laying in the sand provided greater comfort. This hotel was quaint and in a great location - and for that I might consider staying here in the future. However, after meeting people in the area, some of the other nearby locations would likely fit the bill for comfort and relaxation. |
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| From: Chris |
| Date of Stay: February, 2008 |
| We have stayed at the Playa Los Arcos one other time, about two years ago. The seem to have done some upgrades since then, especially in the bathroom. We had an economy room. The room was a decent size, but the bathroom was tiny, but very clean with a new shower stall and fixtures. We had a partial ocean view, which was very nice. It is in the Romantic Zone and close to lots of very nice shops and wonderful restaurants. The downtown area and Malecon are also within walking distance. The staff was very friendly and efficient.I think they might have refrigerators to rent, but we asked the front desk to give us a cooler and ice, which they did rapidly. I would definitely recommend this hotel. |
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| From: Patrick |
| Date of Stay: February, 2008 |
| The hotel is extremely well situated in the downtown old part of the city near great restaurants and other activities. The hotel is small and does not have a large area for sun but is adequate if you get up a little early. Drinks are good and service excellent. I liked it a lot in spite of my room being very small and not having a view, but then again how much time will you spend in the room. I would recommend it and will stay there again. |
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| From: Jami, Detroit, MI |
| Date of Stay: January, 2008 |
| The Playa Los Arcos is a beautiful old hotel in a fabulous location. The hotel staff was extremely nice and very polite. That being said, the hotel needs work. Specifically, the rooms need to be remodeled and CLEANED. I had read reviews before we went which mentioned a mildew smell but I was not prepared for how awful it really was- in the first room they gave us. It was intolerable. We told the bellman that this would not work, he was not shocked. We stayed there one night then they moved us. Our second room was better. Still, the furnishings need help. I looked at a suite and it wasn't great either. For the money I think you could find other places. |
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