StarwoodGuy: Westin Puerto Vallarta (Working Holiday)

So it was time for an escape from the rainiest Seattle winter I can ever remember. Since I can work remotely and I am trying to burn through my Starwood points in anticipation of the Marriott takeover, I booked an 8 night stay down to the Westin in Puerto Vallarta, my favorite hotel. As always, the hotel takes such good care of its guests especially Angel in the Club Lounge/Royal Beach Club. I can get lots of work done while still having plenty of time for the beach and gym.

Angel is still outstanding, and while many regulars complain the warm options have been removed from the night time selections in the Royal Beach Club, there is still a selection of cheeses, sandwiches and desserts and they keep the cocktails flowing, and the breakfast has remained extensive. The hotel is gearing up for major renovations with the Royal Beach Club scheduled for large changes this year. It is difficult to know at this time how many changes will come with the new merger but only time will tell. Also, the guys who work the beach and seating area next to the beach are the best, the drinks seem to get stronger every year, all while doing hard work in the heat keeping the guests happy.

As with the lower Canadian dollar, the Peso is noticeably weaker, with food and drinks in the hotel and in Puerto Vallarta in general being a great deal for Americans. The only huge downside currently is how busy the city has become. I have been coming down since 1998 when Alaska Airlines had one flight and there were only a few other options for coming down to Puerto Vallarta. Now the airport is overflowing with planes stuck on the tarmac for hours and not enough gates to accommodate the increased traffic. I cannot remember ever seeing Delta Airlines here a few years ago and now the seem to be every other plane taking off with wide body plans coming in from Canada and even England now. The airport, only recently expanded a few years ago, is already in need of another expansion due to the huge demand. It is likely only a seasonal issue from November through March with spring breakers coming in at the latter month, but the increased business is a great thing considering the close escape the city had with last year's hurricane.

Typical with this time of year the humpback whales were out in full force. I see them occasionally off of the hotel, but this year we were treated to a mother and calf who spent an entire day splashing and jumping just off of the beach. A truly amazing sight to see all day long from the Royal Beach Club, your balcony, and just watching on the beach.

The grim news was of course the Zika virus with Alaska Airlines and the Canadian carriers announcing waivers for passengers wanting to avoid Mexico. So far there is no indication of any slow down in Puerto Vallarta, but the Westin leans towards the older side of guests except when there is a conference or a wedding, so the Zika virus is likely less of a concern for most here.

I did manage a large walk along the beach all the way up to Nuevo Vallarta.

As always, an amazing stay, great service, and perfect weather! Hopefully all changes under Marriott will be for the better...or please make no changes at all!