Occidental Nuevo Vallarta

Manicured lawns and rows of palm trees greet guests when they arrive at the Occidental Grand Nuevo Vallarta. The hotel’s pebbled driveway leads to a grand port cochere, where bellmen open car doors and carry luggage to the lobby. The atmosphere is buzzy, but doesn't feel crowded. Soaring ceilings and multi-story windows bring an abundance of natural light and certain breeziness to the open-air lobby. Modern furniture lends a contemporary aesthetic that’s carried out across the property. 

Though children are welcome at the Occidental, and there are plenty of family-friendly perks, like a kids' club and kids' pool, the majority of guests are adults. This is not a spring break type all-inclusive, nor is it a total snooze. The resort’s upbeat, activities-centric atmosphere is geared towards adults who want to relax, but also have a good time. It should also be noted that the hotel allows smoking in most public areas, like the pools, bars, and the beach, but not the restaurants. 

The Occidental Nuevo Vallarta is located on the beach in (you guessed it) Nuevo Vallarta, a popular resort town about 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta and 20 minutes north of the airport. Nuevo Vallarta was developed in the 1980s as a resort community, and hasn’t stopped growing since. The beach is lined with mega resort after mega resort, and large shopping complexes house restaurants, supermarkets, and American fast food outlets like Starbucks and Subway. Nuevo Vallarta doesn’t have the same authentic Mexican feel as Puerto Vallarta, and is known more for family-friendliness than nightlife. From the Occidental, guests can easily walk to coffee shops, restaurants, additional hotels, a large mall, supermarket, and casino.

Like the lobby, guest rooms have a contemporary flair, with red, white, and chocolate brown color schemes. Deluxe Rooms, the hotel’s entry-level category, are a bit tight on space. Though rooms have a modern style, cheap clapboard furniture detracts from their look. They’re equipped with one king bed or two double beds, but feel too small for four people. Families may want to book interconnecting rooms, or upgrade to the Royal Level, which offers larger suites. In-room amenities include flat-screen TVs, free minibars, coffeemakers, electronic safes, and ironing equipment. Wi-Fi costs extra. Bathrooms feature faux stone tiles and countertops, thin towels, and wall-mounted soap dispensers in the showers. Guests should note that bathrooms do not have tubs, and showers have peek-a-boo glass windows that lack privacy (though moving closet doors can block this feature). Rooms do not have balconies, which some guests find disappointing at this price-point.

The Royal Level is the Occidental’s answer to club level service. Royal Level rooms are larger, and guests receive access to an exclusive club lounge with perks like free Wi-Fi, a private concierge, and preferential restaurant reservations. The Royal Level lounge is an upscale space where guests can order drinks and munch on light snacks throughout the day. The adjacent dining room is the Royal Level’s exclusive restaurant, which serves a la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Royal Level guests also receive exclusive access to one of the hotel’s two pools.   

There are two pools at the Occidental: one for everyone and one exclusively for Royal Level guests. The main pool is the property's hub. It’s where most of the hotel’s organized activities take place, and where the majority of guests spend their days. The pool is surrounded by blue and white plastic lounge chairs and several umbrellas, but there aren’t enough lounge chairs for the amount of people who come to the pool each day. Next to the pool, there’s a shallow kids' pool for little ones. Throughout the day, upbeat music keeps the atmosphere lively, while the hotel’s activities team entertains guests with dance lessons and water aerobics. 

The Royal Level pool is quieter, and slightly more upscale than the main pool. This pool is surrounded by cushioned lounge chairs and has a pergola-covered jetted hot tub. There’s also an adjacent lounge area that overlooks the beach. Unfortunately for those seeking serenity, the Royal Level pool is still within earshot of the sometimes noisy main pool. 

The Occidental offers direct beach access to a gorgeous stretch of Nuevo Vallarta’s beach. Lounge chairs are arranged in neat rows along the sand, beneath a small forest of perfectly planted palm trees. The beach has soft sand and calm water that’s great for swimming, boogie boarding, and kayaking. There’s a beach volleyball court, where staff members regularly organize games and mini tournaments. In the mornings, guests can participate in sunrise yoga on the sand. 

All-Inclusive dining at the Occidental is good. The food offered at the hotel’s restaurants is fresh and flavorful, but can feel a bit repetitive after a few days. Guests looking for the culinary experience of a lifetime will not find it here, but those accustomed to all-inclusive fare will likely find the Occidental’s offerings on par with its competitors. Travelers looking for truly great all-inclusive dining may want to upgrade to the nearby Dreams Villamagna, though rates are significantly more expensive. 

The Occidental has two all-day buffet restaurants, La Hacienda and Le Buffet. It also has two a la carte restaurants, Los Olivos (Italian) and Tokyo (Japanese). The a la carte restaurants are only open for dinner, and reservations are required. Additionally, Royal Level guests have access to an exclusive a la carte restaurant adjacent to the Royal Level lounge. There are a handful of bars located across the property, including one in each restaurant, one in the lobby, and one next to the main pool. 

The Occidental’s spa is small, and feels a tad clinical, but offers a variety of treatments, including massages, facials, and body wraps. Single and couples treatments are available. The fitness center is located above the spa. It's equipped with modern TechnoGym cardio and weight machines, as well as a few free weights. 

Though the Occidental is usually filled with more adults than kids, the hotel has lots of family-friendly amenities. The on-site kids' club hosts regularly scheduled activities for littles ones. Kids ages 4 to 12 can visit the kids' club to play games, participate in arts and crafts, or run around outside on the playground. In addition to the kids' club, the hotel has an indoor game room, several sports courts, a life-size chess set, and an open-air theater that hosts nightly productions.