Yup, it's that time of the year... Here's the deal: six nights at the Hotel Riu Jalisco. Ever been? Go for it? Meh?
pv is great and im not even into the whole 'party scene' a'la cancun - that stuff is there, but its can also be a very relaxed town. i passed thru there while traveling around the country a few summers ago, only intending to stay for a couple days and it turned into about a week. it is very easy passing the time on the beach, eating $2 grilled shrimp on a stick and pina coladas. the beach is very nice, although the waves are kind of weak. the town is in a bay so the water is pretty calm. if you want to get the full mexican experience (or as full you can get in pv) i would recommend sticking around the river and south of it - the gringo part of town is the northern end (cruise ships, outback steakhouse and fanny packs) - cheaper hotels and restaurants are around the river, plus the beach is right there. sounds like yall already got a place to stay, but i would recommend the hotel azteca to anyone - we had 3 beds for $25 a night and only a 10 minute walk from the beach - clean rooms and a rooftop terrace w/ 360 degree view of the town. there are also some really cool daytrips that you can take around the bay - you can hop on a bus and go either direction along the coast. we didnt go north, although i heard the beaches there are amazing and more secluded. we did go south one day to a couple cool places - los arcos, which is a rock island about a football fields distance out - its a good swim to get out there, but there are some really cool coral reefs and tropical fish - just watch out for sea urchins! yelapa is another really cool place, but its a little further away - there are some cool waterfalls and swimming there. and avoid the playa las sillas azules (blue chair beach) - unless you are into hairy dudes in neon g-strings (not that theres anything wrong with that) have fun!
Make sure you go to Le Kliff restaurant and time it so you'll be eating around sunset. AMAZING view, and pretty damn tasty food as well...
I recommend Las Carmelitas as one restaurant not to miss. The views from up above are wonderful! I second Yelapa as a day trip to consider. You'll need to take a water taxi to get there though. I remember the ride being pretty rough on the speed boat, but the views and sleepy atmosphere were very nice. We stayed in Old Vallarta so we could get the most authentic experience. Plus, it was nice blending in with the locals, having easy access to the Malecon, and taking in the unforgettable sunsets. If you want more ideas of what to do, Tripadvisor.com is an excellent resource to check out. Riu is a solid choice. We stayed at the Riu Palace Punta Cana in the Dominican and had a great time! Usually the all-inclusive thing isn't what I'd normally look for in a vacation, but the Riu experience changed my mind.
