Catedral Vallarta Boutique Hotel

One of the oldest hotels in Puerto Vallarta, built in 1955,
Hotel Catedral is named for its proximity to one of the city’s most popular
landmarks: the Our Lady of Guadeloupe church, located just a few blocks away. Though
the building itself is historic, inside the hotel is fresh, colorful, and
vibrant. Brightly colored streamers and strings of lights decorate the lobby,
courtyards, and common areas, and a tall statute of a Day of the Dead-style skeleton
walking a skeleton dog greets guests at the side entrance. There are two
entrances to the hotel, each facing out onto one of the cobblestone streets
near the bustling markets of Old Town. Surrounding the hotel are several souvenir
shops selling things like tequila, handmade Mexican candies, woven ponchos, and leather bags. The 21 rooms are arranged over five floors (there is no elevator),
and along each floor the terraces are lined with plants with long green vines
hanging down into the courtyard, creating a fresh, tropical feel. The halls and
courtyard are adorned with colorful artwork and custom murals created by
Mexican artists. The friendly atmosphere offers lots of style and personality,
as should be displayed by a true boutique hotel. One interesting touch: The hotel
offers a pillow menu with a few different pillow options and an aromas menu
that allows guests to pick different handmade soaps.

Hotel Catedral is located in Old Vallarta, a lovely,
historic neighborhood with narrow cobblestone streets, right in the central district
of the town also called Centro. It’s right along the Malecon, Vallarta’s popular oceanfront promenade, and just two blocks from the beach, though the beach here is a bit narrow and rocky – walking farther south the beach gets even nicer. The famous Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, a
popular sight on postcards of Puerto Vallarta, and where the hotel gets its
name, is right down the street. There is a flea market on the next block and the hotel is also very
close to the river market, just a five-minute walk away. It’s roughly a 25-minute
taxi ride to the airport.

The rooms at Hotel Catedral are each named with the title of
a classic Mexican song, such as “Quizas, quizas, quizas…” or “Sabor a mi.” Of the
21 rooms that make up the hotel, two are Penthouse Suites, two are Master Suites, and
a few other rooms include the addition of a kitchenette. Every room is uniquely
decorated, and some have an artistic theme such as “Maria Bonita,” which is in
all pink with roses and a lyric painted on the wall.Other rooms are painted with bold colors like deep reds and
purples, and feature embroidered pillows with flower designs in a traditional
Mexican style. While some rooms, namely the single rooms, are on the small side,
all rooms have big windows that let in lots of light. A few rooms have tiny
balconies that overlook the street below. Every room has AC and a flat-screen
TV.While the hotel’s furnishings are colorful and fresh, the
bones of the building definitely show its age: Older tile floors and walls could tell a story, and the age especially shows in the bathrooms. Some
of the bathrooms are partially updated with newer countertops, while others are
small and dim, with old tile and colors like avocado green and mustard yellow
that recall the 70s. Some bathrooms are so tiny that the sink is actuallylocated inside of the shower – seriously, when you enter the bathroom and pull
back the shower curtain, a small sink is also located in there.The two Penthouse Suites located on the top floor are larger, and
include full kitchens with small refrigerators and stovetops as well as bigger, sunny bathrooms. One even includes a spacious, private
rooftop terrace located atop a creaky wrought iron spiral staircase, with
magnificent views of the town in all directions.

The hotel centers around a sunny main courtyard in the
middle of the building with a lovely little tile-adorned fountain and several
table and chairs. There’s a small cafe-like room on one side, open in the
mornings with coffee, tea, and cookies available for guests – however there is
no bar or restaurant in the hotel. But Catedral sits in a prime
location with dozens of dining options within walking distance.There’s a tiny gift shop on one side of the lobby, selling
colorful woven pillows, handmade jewelry, magnets, soaps, and other souvenirs. There
are two computers in the main lobby near the front desk with Internet for
guests to use. Adjacent to the fourth-floor rooms is a large, open
rooftop sundeck, featuring several lounge chairs and umbrellas for shade. From
the rooftop, there are great panoramic views of streets of Puerto
Vallarta, the Catedral close by, and the ocean.