Planning your wedding or anniversary trip? Check this Mexican destination with a touch of Hollywood glamour
Consider Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for your next romantic travels!
Engagement season is here, many are planning a wedding, choosing a photographer, planner, venue, florals…all the things. Maybe you have not even started to think about the honeymoon yet, or are leaving it for later. Perhaps you and your partner (married or not) just want to have a romantic vacation in a spectacular place like Italy, but only have a few days available to travel and you rather go somewhere closer (if you live in the States.) If this sounds familiar, you may want to check Puerto Vallarta out, not for nothing it was Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s legendary love nest. It is such a cool destination, easy to get to from the US where you get so much value for your money.
My husband and I had the best time in Puerto Vallarta, back in September, and we had so many people asking us questions about our trip, that I decided to write this blog to help you plan your own trip there if you want to relax in authentic Mexican style with a touch of Hollywood glamour.
We planned this trip in a flash, we were actually searching for a beach hotel in Florida, where we could drive from Nashville. But everything was very corporate looking and super expensive. It occur to us that instead of driving so many hours, we could fly to a Mexican beach with a more authentic flavor that offered a romantic vibe and was easy to get to in the same amount of hours as our planned drive.
I am a bit obsessed with finding hotels with charm, amazing architecture, design, and great service. So I was so happy when I found Hacienda San Angel, a truly Pacific paradise. Our only difficulty was picking which one of the 3 pools to try first. We had one for each day we stayed there.
The price was right, and much better looking than any of the Florida hotels we were searching for. Our room was amazing, and spacious, with a big terrace for just the two of us overlooking “Bahía de Banderas”. Intimate and sophisticated, Hacienda San Angel has twelve gloriously romantic suites offering breathtaking views of the world-famous Banderas Bay to the west, the Sierra Madre mountain range to the east and the terra cotta rooftops of the charming city all around.
“The late Richard Burton purchased the Hacienda’s main villa as a Valentine’s Day gift for his wife, Susan in 1977, after falling in love with Puerto Vallarta as he filmed John Huston’s The Night of the Iguana there in the mid 1960’s. The cult classic film put Puerto Vallarta on the map as a favorite vacation spot for the international glitterati, including Burton’s ex, Elizabeth Taylor, who owned a house mere blocks away from Susan’s.” Read more about the history of Hacienda San Angel HERE.
We had a taste of why Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor made it their home. We actually slept in Richard Burton’s room at La Hacienda San Angel (Celestial Room) and had dinner at Elizabeth’s former home: Casa Kimberly’s The Iguana Restaurant. Casa Kimberly is also a boutique hotel with a bit more opulent style than Hacienda San Angel, for those that prefer a perfect mix of modern amenities and magnificent Mexican colonial style. You can take a look at Casa Kimberly suites HERE.
We enjoyed sunrises, sunsets, and rain showers from our balcony, and delicious fresh food at the beach. Also tasted “raicilla” for the first time, an artisanal agave drink only found in the area. Our fabulous server Edu, at La Palapa PV, went above and beyond to make sure we had the best food and drinks while we were launching at the beach every day. They take pride of the tropical elegance and fabulous service they provide at La Palapa PV since 1959!
We also loved the amazing food and ambiance (live music) at La Capella Restaurant. A highly recommended treat. We recommend making a reservation around sunset time. From their website: “La Cappella overlooks the city of Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay, and the iconic Guadalupe Cathedral. Every evening, our guests enjoy breathtaking sunsets, live instrumental music, and our Italian & International Cuisine. La Cappella also has a full bar and wine list.”
Everyone asks about safety, I always say: use common sense when you go anywhere, even at home. Puerto Vallarta is a small city. We felt very at ease walking the cobblestone streets from our hotel to the beach, and exploring the city center. The three days we stayed there felt so relaxing as we started with our breakfast brought to our room terrace at sunrise, then headed to the beach, read, had lunch there, walk back to the hotel for pool time and then dinner at one of the restaurants mentioned above, La Iguana, a couple of blocks away, and La Capella just across the street from our hotel. We had a car service from the airport to our hotel, (ask your hotel to arrange it for you), but we took a city taxi from the hotel back to the airport. Hacienda San Angel’s concierge, called for a cab. Pretty easy.
The weather was perfect for us coming from winter wonderland to tropical paradise. We had some showers in September, but it was not a big deal. They didn’t disturb the mood, if anything it made it more cozy. We were told that traveling there on February and March is the best time if you don’t want rain and love to explore nearby “Boca de Tomatlán” a secluded beach only accessible by boat nearby, where the water is turquoise during those moths. We look forward to come back sometime soon to explore that part of Puerto Vallarta.
If you’re looking for a more family friendly or an all inclusive option for a large group try La Troza in Boca de Tomatlán.
Or, If a modern-yet-charming luxury resort is more of your style, try Punta Mita. I have my eye on W Punta Mita, a luxury resort “Perched on the ocean in the heart of one of Mexico’s most gorgeous beaches, W Punta de Mita invites you to immerse yourself in a truly remarkable hotel experience. Colonial grandeur blends seamlessly with the extraordinary artistry of the indigenous Huichol peoples."
Wherever you decide to stay from all of these options, I suggest going directly to their websites, or call them to make your reservation. I’ve found that talking to the actual people who run these hotels will give you a better experience than booking with Expedia or the like. There’s nothing like adding real, person to person, customer service to your travel experience.
No one is sponsoring this post, this is my personal opinion and the real experiences my husband and I enjoyed during our recent trip to Puerto Vallarta. I hope it helps you plan a dream vacation. Please email me or DM on IG to let me know if you go and you agree with me that Puerto Vallarta is truly an amazing place to treat yourself to a relaxed, romantic, and delicious vacation.
Last, but not least, if you want to get married in Puerto Vallarta check your options for intimate weddings at Hacienda San Angel HERE you can book me to meet you there to photograph your wedding, or you can book a honeymoon lifestyle session or exquisite portraits when you stay at Hacienda San Angel for any other occasion.
