More about Las Palmas by the Sea
Our Experience at Las Palmas
by A TripAdvisor Member
We recently (December 28/03 - January 4/04) spent a week at Las Palmas. The place is just an average resort with modest amenities. The beach was fine, as were the pool areas. We found the bar and wait staff to not be friendly and since at this time many Mexicans were vacationing at the resort as well, they seemed to always get served first and received better service and bigger portions. Don't even try to have a visitor see you at the hotel!! We have friends that live in Mexico, so they decided to visit us at the resort for a couple days. Even after paying for a day pass (95.00 US) they were constantly harassed by security and staff, and weren't even allowed to have a towel for the afternoon! We paid for an evening pass (35.00 US) and then later were told by staff that our guests would not be allowed to eat dinner with us. After much arguing with management, they finally agreed to allow us to visit together. We've been to Puerto Vallarta many times over New Year's and have never experienced anything like this before at other all inclusive resorts. Would we go back to this resort? NO! There are many nicer resorts in Puerto Vallarta that would can get for the same or a better price! If you decide to go, go with no expectations!
The truth about Las Palmas
by A TripAdvisor Member
Ok... here is the update on Las Palmas. We stayed there for a week (Dec. 6th - 13th, 2003) and many things have changed since others have visited. For starters, the "sewer" smell people were talking about was cause by a hurricane last year. There was absolutely no smell what-so-ever during our visit. I understand that hurricane destroyed alot and that the resort was closed for awhile, but it is fine now. The food was "ok" and the shows were terrible. My only real complaint was last they did not have a swim-up bar as stated by Apple Vacations. Other error: They only have 2 pools (1 adult and 1 family) but they did have a jacuzzi which was perfect. These issues may have been errors made on Apple's part, though, not the hotel. The drinks were good and the people were great. Sure, the furniture is old, but who cares? It's a 3-star. You get what you pay for! The entertainment used to be "professional" from what we were told... not anymore. If you like to get drunk and sing kareoke, you'll love it. Otherwise, be sure to request a room away from the stage. It gets pretty noisy. The show is over at 11:00PM and the bar right there is open until 1:00AM. The maids and bellhop were great. Tip them; they deserve it. Don't bother with the Specialty restaurant. It is not good. On the all-inclusive plan, you get one reservation for every 7 nights you stay there. The drinks were pretty good and the snack bar was decent. Warning: they sell time-share right at the hotel. If you're interested, great. I cannot stand timeshare people, but they only approached us once and didn't bother us for the rest of our visit. Oh... Be sure to request an ocean-view room with a balcony. We requested and rec'd an ocean-view, but no balcony. It just had a sliding glass door that opened and straight down 4 floors it goes. Be careful!!! Las Palmas is much cheaper than many other 3-star resorts in the area. So, if it's low cost you're looking for, stay there. I probably wouldn't go back simply because I like good food and swim-up bars. Also, if you exchange money at the hotel, be sure to count it before you leave the desk. We almost got screwed twice, but mistakes happen so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Hope this helps you to make a good decision!!!
Loved the Las Palmas !
by TripAdvisor Member quebeker
Hi.....Want to share my experience with the LasPalmas Beach Resort...we
went there, my husband and I....in January 2000....Rated 3 stars 1/2, I
think the LasPalmas was a very good hotel for our first experience in
Mexico...The weather was perfect, not a single rainy day...Good
sides:1)The beach is not like the ones in Cuba, so don't expect a white
fine sand.....but I loved the beach, I loved watch the waves of the
ocean Pacific....If the ocean is too rough, you still have the nice
pool of the resort...2) The staff...very friendly, helpful...especially
the entertainment's staff....they can speak very well FIVE
languages...I was impressed: spanish, english, french, italian,
german.....they also were great for the day entertainment, and also at
night..it was very amateur, but we had fun with them all the time!!!!3)
the rooms, not so big or impressive, but everything worked fine, and it
was always very clean....4) the ground...very beautiful, kept well
clean, lovely tropical gardens , and also the place where you
eat....gorgeous...5) the city of Puerto Vallarta is something to not
miss....people are friendly, you can go shopping and get almost
everything you need..bargain (mexicans love that!) and don't miss a
tour to visit the old city....
The only bad side: I was not impressed with the food at the buffet...very greasy, too spicy, and cold....we complained about that, and I think it's the fact that the buffet is outside, near the beach..so when it's windy, they have hard time to keep the food warm enough....but the fresh fruits were awesome... yet, you can find something you like in the buffet....if you aren't too picky;and the only meat we got at the restaurant a la carte was very good....
The I would recomment this resort, though.
Las Palmas- everything you need to know
by A TripAdvisor Member
Vacationed at Las Palmas from December 20th-27th, based on a recommendation from family who had stayed there prior to the hurricane.
The Hurricane has clearly had an impact on the economy and quality of certain aspects of the hotel-namely the food.
Accomodations - we stayed on the backside of the hotel(garden view) on the top(4th)floor. It was definitely quieter than staying oceanside, where the loud music from the activity pool starts around 8:30 am. Room was small but very clean- no complaints.
Layout- there are 2 pools, one for adults and one for kids. The kids pool also hosts aerobics and pool games, all very fun, but the loud music can wear on you after a few days, so the adult pool is tranquil and a great option. There is also an adult-only jacuzzi which overlooks the ocean- great!
Bars- there are 3. The main bar is by the adult pool- nothing to complain about, though we are sure they water down the liquor, as you can drink all day without getting a buzz.
There is another bar at the snack bar and then one in the lobby for the evening- again all liquor appears to be watered down.
Food - in one word- benign. Not good not bad. The buffet was amply stocked and looked delicious, but all the food tasted very bland and middle-of-the- road. All the beef and pork was like shoe leather- stick to the chicken!
Salads were good and lots of carbs to chose from, potatoes, rice etc.
The whole buffet had a distinctly European feel.
There were a couple of stations serving Mexican fare- stick to that, at least it has some flavour.
Shows- in a word, amateur. Karaoke etc. The hurricane has definitely tightened the entertainment budget. Drink alot and the entertainment is tolerable.
Atmosphere- we spent alot of time walking down the beach and checking out the other all-inclusives- they were all monolyths and too large to be personal. We enjoyed the quaintness and Swiss Family Robinson feel of Las Palmas and the fact that it did not take 10 minutes to walk to your room.
We suggest eating meals in town at least once or twice to get a real taste of PV, other than that, it was enjoyable for a three star.
Alot of fun!
by TripAdvisor Member HookedonVacations
Just returned Monday February 23rd from Las Palmas Beach Club. Had a wonderful vacation. This is my second visit to Puerto Vallarta so I had something to compare it too there. The resort was very quaint but most enjoyable. The staff was helpful and of course very friendly and tried to help you as best as they could. The food was probably the downfall, very tiresome after a few days. I think I expected more. The buffet was cut back due to the hurricane last year. The drinks were great, the other guests were wonderful and friendly and lots of entertainment. The room we had was on the ground floor which was all redone since the hurricane so it was very nice! The beach has also got alot smaller since the hurricane. The weather was fantastic as well. But all in all the vacation was great especially coming from snow and a cold winter!! Very enjoyable and would go back again!
Very Satisfied
by A TripAdvisor Member
My wife, 9 year old grand-daughter and I just completed a stay, week of 02-09-04, at Las Palmas. First, I'd like to address the negative comments from previous writers. The food - we did the AI - each meal had a sumptous (20 or so entrees) buffet for anyone to find a satisfiying meal. The buffet had a Mexican twist to all their offerings, but as an earlier writer said THIS IS MEXICO! We enjoyed experimenting with some new foods. And the fruit - it was wonderful to have tomatoes that didn't taste like cardboard, fresh pineapple and cantelope! If you don't like that, don't do the AI - there is a Burger Chef a couple of blocks down the street. The sewer smell - yes I noticed it a couple of times. But our room was on the far East end of the resort, and the smell seemed to come from the property to the East of Las Palmas, not on the property itself. And, the smell was barely noticeable, and noticed very infrequently. This problem would NOT make us return to Las Palmas. Drinks - yes, they're in business. The mixed drinks could be a little light, but you can order any improvement that you might want, and the bartender will comply with no complaint.
Entertainment - well, it's free. We only saw one segment - that was a mime who did a great job and had the whole crowd laughing to tears. On the positive side - the staff was friendly and helpful, the beach was a good as you will find in PV, and the location of the property is perfectly situated between the airport and "Centro", the downtown section. Ride the bus - it's cheap (4 pesos) and convenient, and the bus driver will help you get off where you want to. On our last trip to PV we stayed at the Krystal. If we were to go again, we'd stay at Los Palmas - especially for the difference in cost. Lots more, but I'm tired of writing. I would answer questions if you wish to e-mail.
Photos
Sunset at Las Palmas Beach Resort
Forum Posts
How much is the internet surcharge at Las Palmas hotel in PV?
by oldguy472003
Will be there at Christmas and considering using Inet cafes and leaving the netbook at home, as the hotel charges for access in the lobby and does not offer wifi in rooms.
Anyone had experience with the cost of using cafes as compared to the hotel surcharge?
Thanks a bunch.
Re: How much is the internet surcharge at Las Palmas hotel in PV?
by xymmot
Usually the hotel interrnet cafes are expensive like 5-10 dollars a hour. If outside the hotel, you can find them under 5 an hour, sometimes much cheaper, If you can do with out the netbook for a few days do it and relax. If you happen to see a internet cafe along the way, drop in for a while. I do not think it is important when I take a vacation. I even try to get rid of my phone when I can. By the way if you carry a phone, most of them do work in Mexico and there might be a Starbucks out there to get on line to check the Wi Fi messages. Cheers Tommy x
Re: How much is the internet surcharge at Las Palmas hotel in PV?
by rkearns
mcdonalds has wifi. they just give you a passcode and don't charge.
also, the internet cafes there are really cheap. i was there in august. i think i paid like 3 bucks an hour. depends on where you go.
Re: How much is the internet surcharge at Las Palmas hotel in PV?
by oldguy472003
Thanks to both of you.
Netbook stays home this trip.
Re: How much is the internet surcharge at Las Palmas hotel in PV?
by Felix_Zurita
Hi there
The cafes option in Mexico still a very cheap option, the problem in PV is that you need to go to the town to find them, I recommend that don't take your computer there, use better your cell phone, if you have a data plan you just can contact your local Cell company in the US and ask for international data plan, you will be surprise but the 3G cellular network in Mexico sometimes is more reliable than here in the US; just be sure that get a good plan in advance in order to save money and don't get surprise for international roaming charges.
Buen viaje.
Felix
