Hacienda Buenaventura Hotel & Mexican Charm All Inclusive

Hacienda Buenaventura is located on the side of the highway, but its open-air lobby feels like a calm oasis, with vaulted ceilings, brick archways, and hanging star-shape lanterns. A beautiful central courtyard resembles a tiny town square with its leafy plants and tiered fountain. Twinkling fairy lights are strung above wrought-iron cafe tables, where guests sit down to enjoy the atole and Mexican pastries that are always on offer. Around the property, potted bougainvillea and traditional wooden wheels and carts give the hotel a pastoral village feel, and the quiet atmosphere seems to match. Guests are a mix of families, couples, and retirees -- many of whom are in-transit. Hacienda Buenaventura is a popular pre- and post-cruise stopover, thanks to its proximity to Puerto Vallarta’s cruise terminal and airport. 

Located on the side of the highway, Hacienda Buenaventura doesn’t have the most serene setting, but it’s hard to beat the hotel’s convenience. It’s a four-minute drive from the Puerto Vallarta cruise terminal, and a seven-minute drive from the airport. Downtown Puerto Vallarta and the famous malecon are about a 15-minute drive from the property. Hacienda Buenventura isn’t beachfront, but is has its own private beach club, a five-minute walk from the hotel. 

Rooms at Hacienda Buenaventura are small and dated, with hot pink bedspreads and bulky dark wood furniture. Wall decor is limited to generic paintings and hanging mirrors, which make rooms feel bare and lifeless. Flat screen TVs are the only marker of modernity, since the key operated in-room safes seem older than the hotel itself. And don’t expect amenities like mini fridges or coffeemakers -- in-room features are limited to wall-mounted hairdryers and toiletries. While some of the hotel’s bathrooms have been renovated, most still feature old tile work and shower/tub combos. But revamped ones do have travertine vanities and sleek glass-enclosed shower stalls. Outside, rooms have private balconies or patios with wrought-iron table-and-chair sets. Most rooms have views overlooking the hotel’s large central courtyard, where the pool, spa, and restaurants are located. Because of the hotel’s location so close to the highway, some rooms and hallways are subject to traffic noise.  

Hacienda Buenaventura’s appealing freeform pool is the hub of the property. Everything centers around it, and the majority of guests spend their days lounging in the sun or splashing around in the water. The adjacent snack bar is open for lunch, while the main restaurant, Los Portales, serves buffet breakfast and dinner. At night, the dinner buffet is usually themed, with coinciding food and entertainment. The hotel’s weekly Mexican fiesta is a huge hit with guests, and features a massive spread of regional specialities including tamales, moles, elote, aguachile, and smoked marlin tacos and burritos. For dessert, guests can indulge in camote and cocados while sipping atole or champurrado. During the Mexican fiesta, a local mariachi band plays traditional folk music while dancers perform the jarabe tapatio (Mexican hat dance) on a stage built above the pool. Though Hacienda Buenaventura isn’t located on the beach, it has its own private beach club a five-minute walk from the property. The beach club has a small palapa-style bar that serves snacks and drinks throughout the day. Beach chairs and umbrellas are lined up along the sand, though the area is subject to lots of pesky beach hawkers. For a quieter place to relax, guests can check out the hotel’s spa, which has several open-air treatment rooms and a temazacal, a traditional Mexican sweat lodge. The hotel’s Wi-Fi is free and works well across the property.