Aerial view of the Banderas Bay coastline in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta & Banderas Bay

All-inclusive resorts, sorted by the zone you actually want to stay in

Nuevo Vallarta and the Hotel Zone are forty minutes and two completely different holidays apart. This guide breaks the bay into 8 zones and tells you which resorts sit in each one, who they suit and what the trade-off is — no booking engine, no invented prices.

49Resorts listed
8Zones covered
33Local guides

Featured

Resorts worth knowing about

A cross-section of the bay: adults-only, family, luxury and value, in different zones.

See all 49 resorts

How to use this guide

Four questions that decide your resort

  1. 1

    How far from town?

    If you want to walk to restaurants, stay in the Hotel Zone or Old Town. If you want the resort to be the holiday, cross into Nayarit.

  2. 2

    Adults only or all ages?

    Almost every zone has both, and several complexes run an adults-only and a family property side by side — useful for mixed groups.

  3. 3

    Is the plan really included?

    Several properties here sell all-inclusive as an optional add-on. We flag those, because the difference shows up on the final bill.

  4. 4

    What is the beach like?

    Long and flat in Nuevo Vallarta and Flamingos, small coves on the south shore, busy and urban on Los Muertos. It changes the trip more than the room does.

From the blog

Guides for the days you leave the resort

Restaurants, tours, beaches and the practical stuff — written for people already staying here.

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This guide is read by people who have already decided to come to Banderas Bay and are choosing where to spend their week. Featured listings, banner slots and sponsored guides are available.

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