Mayan Palace Vallarta

Mostly good

We have stayed at other Mayan Palace properties (Mazatlan and Riviera Maya) and decided to give Nuevo Vallarta a try based on other vacationers recommendations. Overall the place is nice. More walking than the Riviera Maya location, which isn’t necessarily bad. Poolside food was very good and good service. The Nuevo location does not add a mandatory gratuity on your bill, so you tip as you like and we generally overtipped but had excellent service. One thing I didn’t like was the “competitive” feeling by the pool. We were sometimes greeted and encouraged to sit in an area of the pool when we would have chosen another area and then you feel as though you can’t move because the server works a specific section. Also much competition in selling their theme nights. Clearly they get a comission to sell these, but being asked a couple of times a day if you have bought yet and to keep so-and-so in mind when purchasing was a little stressful. They were so disappointed when told you had bought from someone else. The restaurants were fine…we ate at the one down at the sea garden and the one right on the water by the pool. We got the free buffet with the timeshare presentation and it was fine. One complaint is the lady in the restroom with the tip jar at the big ( buffet breakfast) restaurant. We accept it when out and about in town but I really don’t expect or accept it in our own resort. I was also disappointed with the beach. I knew the water wouldn’t be as nice as in Riviera Maya and didn’t expect that to be a big deal…but it was. Also the beach is kind of short. To the right you can only walk as far as the Sea Garden and to the left you dead end at a river, so it was a more limited walk than I expected. Rooms were nice, the same as at Riviera Maya. We did the Fiesta Night, which at $45.00 per person wasn’t really worth it…but still glad we did it. Went to Puerto Vallarta for the day once and did the Los Veranos Canopy tour (which we all enjoyed) and went to Nuevo one day to shop (and ate at Brasil”s in the Paradise Plaza…which was a fun experience) All in all a good vacation but I think I like the Riviera Maya location better.