Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta Review

I recommend Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta over Marriott Resort

Here is why I prefer the Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta for our visits. For years, our preferred base in Puerto Vallarta was the Marriott Resort in the Marina. We loved stepping directly onto that smooth sand after breakfast. Then we walked along the surf all the way to the river drainage near the airport. The veteran staff made those stays memorable. Guillermo greeted us warmly at luggage every arrival. Andrea worked the breakfast grill with immense pride for twenty-five years. Then, new owners bought the hotel and made changes that resulted in the termination of long-time employees and the hotel losing many loyal guests, including us.

The Marriott property barely honored elite membership. We held Marriott Ambassador status two consecutive years. In return, the front desk placed us in poor corner rooms with no views. Then the beach cabana rates rose to nearly one hundred dollars a day on top of resort fees. Finally, management announced a conversion to an all-inclusive model. That decision ended our relationship with that property.

We already had stayed at the Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta once during a sold-out weekend. Because we visit Puerto Vallarta two to three times each year, we decided to return.

Upgrades and the 6-Foot Sliding Windows

We found that the Sheraton actively honors loyalty and its location is a huge win. Elite members regularly receive complimentary room assignments on the twenty-first, twenty-second, or twenty-third floors. These high vantage points face the open ocean and Banderas Bay. You also get views of the Malecon and the nightly fireworks.

The window architecture creates an open experience you never see in American high-rises. In the United States, commercial building codes mandate sealed windows or strict four-inch limiters. At this property, the horizontal support bar sits forty-two inches off the floor. Therefore, the structural mullion rests cleanly above your seated sightline on the couch. The bottom glass panel delivers an unbroken view across the water.

Furthermore, the upper panels slide back a full six feet. That massive opening turns the living room into an open observation deck. You take clear pictures without glass glare. The evening breeze flows inside, and the surf provides natural sleep noise.

During our stay, that wide opening paid off. We watched a pair of humpback whales swim and surface in the bay. We photographed them directly from our room without boarding an excursion boat.

Room Features and Coffee Logistics

Upper-floor rooms offer generous dimensions with either two large beds or one king-sized bed. You get a palapa chair, a desk chair, and an expansive electronics counter. Storage includes ample closet space and drawers for clothes. The room also supplies a small refrigerator, a safe, two robes, and slippers.

Typically, housekeeping places the loveseat flat against a side wall. We immediately shift it into the center of the room in front of the window. With that furniture move, we sit comfortably with morning coffee and watch the bay. We move it back into position before checking out.

The room provides a Nespresso capsule machine. However, we travel with our own mini Nespresso brewer and capsules. The pillows are flat, which is common in international resorts. I now travel with my own pillow as well. More on that in future stories. The bathroom includes a walk-in rainfall shower, a dedicated toilet room, and a wide sink area.

Because the property lacks filtered tap water, bottled water is a constant requirement. Fortunately, we bring down two or three small bottles every time we visit the lounge. Directly across the street, an OXXO convenience store reopened after burning down during cartel violence in February. You can purchase a one-and-a-half-liter water bottle there for fifteen pesos, or eighty-three cents. A two-liter bottle costs twenty pesos, or one dollar.

The Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta 23rd-Floor Lounge and Pool Grounds

The top-floor Club Lounge provides substantial daily food service. The morning spread features fresh yogurt, berries, sliced fruit, a potato dish, and an egg dish. You also find bacon, sausage, croissants, sweet breads, and machine cappuccinos. Juice selections include green juice, alongside smoked salmon and cream cheese.

At five in the evening, the staff serves hot food. The buffet features guacamole, chips, prosecco, wine, and drinks. Entrees can include chicken or beef, taquitos, and salmon or another type of fish.

Get this, this hotel charges no daily resort fee. You can also get ice cream cones on site at night. The pool areas are large and clean. The hot tub is adequate for Puerto Vallarta. Chair hogs are rare here, so finding open lounge seating is simple.

Tennis Club and Tournament History

Beyond the pools, the property maintains an active on-site tennis club with lighted hard courts. From the upper floors, looking inland past the palm trees reveals the courts framed against the Sierra Madre mountains. These courts handle recreational resort play every afternoon. In addition, the facility frequently serves as a venue for professional international tournaments. The complex hosted the Puerto Vallarta Open, drawing ranked international players and spectators to the resort. Because the stadium courts feature dedicated spectator bleachers, guests can watch high-caliber competitive matches right on site. It provides an athletic dimension that most standard beachfront hotels in town cannot match.

The Lobby Bar and Dedicated Staff

The hotel bar offers an engaging social setting fueled by an exceptional crew. The staff brings warmth and varied professional backgrounds to every shift. Vanessa worked here for a couple of years while putting herself through college studying engineering. Flor recently arrived from Secrets, bringing refined resort cocktail experience to the team. Meanwhile, Brisa anchors the Lobby Bar with four years of dependable service at the property.

They remember returning guests, pour drinks promptly, and share valuable local insights about the city. Furthermore, live music often fills the space in the evening, creating a relaxed spot to unwind after dinner. Pulling up a stool guarantees top-notch hospitality and engaging conversation before you head upstairs for the night.

The Rocky Beach, Timeshares, and Wristbands

The local shoreline requires managed expectations. You will not find the soft sand of the Marina here. Instead, the beach is rocky and covered in pebbles. Walking north toward neighboring hotels only gets rougher. Strolling along the water requires sturdy, hard-soled water shoes.

The resort also operates a timeshare wing. As a result, salespeople approach guests in the lobby before check-in. I complained to the manager about this practice. The pitches became slightly less aggressive, but you must still give a firm no.

Additionally, the front desk requires guests to wear an RFID fabric bracelet. This band acts as your room key and security pass. Walking into town with obvious hotel branding feels like you are announcing where people can find you. We ask the clerk to leave the band unfastened. We slip it on loosely, take it off upstairs, and pocket it while touring. The main gate security guard only requires a visual check when you walk past.

 

Currency and Payment Strategy

When traveling throughout Mexico, paying in pesos almost always delivers the best value. Most local vendors and restaurants apply an unfavorable internal exchange rate when accepting American currency. Consequently, you pay a hidden premium on every purchase if you spend dollars outside the property.

However, this hotel presents an unusual exception where paying in dollars works in your favor. For example, the market exchange rate sat around eighteen pesos per dollar during our stay. The front desk converted dollars at a generous twenty to one rate. Therefore, settling our bill in dollars produced immediate savings.

Always check current daily exchange rates on your phone before checkout. Then ask the front desk clerk for the hotel's current conversion rate. Comparing both figures allows you to make an educated financial decision on the spot.

Transit Options and Staff Tipping

Transit from the front curb is cheap and quick. City buses stop right outside and cost eleven pesos, or sixty cents. Northbound and inland buses go to El Pitillal for the authentic vibe of Puerto Vallarta. You can experience local bakeries and plaza shopping there as well. Southbound buses head directly to the Malecon and the Zona Romantica.

For the airport, a standard taxi from the hotel costs one hundred forty pesos plus tip. Arriving at the airport, we always walk past the terminal toward the rental car center. It is about a 1/4 mile walk - 400 meters or so. From there, hail a city taxi for roughly one hundred fifty pesos or request an Uber for one hundred twenty pesos.

Finally, consider the staff. Tips matter for workers. Remember, you are paying over two hundred fifty dollars a night. A few dollars more per day will not break your. Mexican federal labor rates set basic minimum wages around three hundred fifteen to three hundred sixty-five pesos daily. That equals sixteen to twenty dollars for an eight-hour shift. Leaving fifty to one hundred pesos daily ($5 USD) for housekeepers provides substantial family support. The lounge servers and luggage team earn those extra tips every day. That is why the Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta is our home away from home.