If Puerto Vallarta has caught your eye as a vacation destination in 2026, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been traveling to Puerto Vallarta for the past 30 years and even lived there for nine months during college. So, suffice it to say, I know PV well. Also, as someone who’s been to Cancun and Playa del Carmen, I feel strongly that Puerto Vallarta is the better Mexico destination. Plus, the airport customs lines are way more efficient in PV than at Cancun airport. 

Okay, let’s jump into it with my top Puerto Vallarta hotels and resorts for 2026. I want to emphasize that I’ve stayed at each of these spots during personal family trips, so I’m giving you my genuine, honest take on these places.

Learn More: Best Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta in 2026
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Top Hotels and Resorts in Puerto Vallarta for 2026

 1. Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments - Best Puerto Vallarta Resort That's Downtown

​My husband and I honeymooned here, and of all the all-inclusive resorts I’ve stayed at, this is my top pick in terms of food and location. Located in downtown Puerto Vallarta, just a 10-minute walk from the city’s famed Malecon, the Buenaventura is great for those who want the benefits of an all-inclusive with the vibrance of being in the heart of the city. 

As hinted above, the food here is unbelievable, though my favorite is their beachside restaurant, which makes for a delicious lunch spot by day and a romantic dinner at night. For reference, you have to make a reservation for dinner here since it’s one of their specialty options and isn’t open every night. However, it’s open each day for lunch. Plus, you’re right on the beach, overlooking the ocean, so the views are fantastic. 

While the nighttime entertainment at the Buenaventura isn’t the best, it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker since you can just walk around town to different bars and nightclubs.

Pros

• Convenient downtown location
• Fantastic food selections
• Friendly staff
• Great beach
• Beachside restaurant

Potential Drawbacks

• Minimal nightly entertainment
• Sometimes hard to find available poolside chairs (though there were always plenty of chairs on the beach)

Find out more in my full-length Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments Review
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2. Hotel Encino - Best Affordable Puerto Vallarta Hotel 

​The Hotel Encino is located in downtown Puerto Vallarta at the beginning of the city’s beloved romantic zone. A traditional hotel rather than an all-inclusive, this place is perfect for those who want to stay in Puerto Vallarta but prefer to eat at local restaurants. And since you’re right in town, there are lots of great restaurants to choose from. 

I stayed here with my parents, and while the hotel is older, it’s in immaculate condition and has a charming, authentic aesthetic. If you’re on a budget and looking for something other than a traditional ‘tourist’ experience, this is a fantastic hotel. There’s even a local cat who loves to hang out in the lobby. 

Pros

• Located in the romantic zone in downtown Puerto Vallarta
• Clean and authentic Mexican design
• Easy access to lots of local restaurants
• Bar and restaurant on the top floor
• Top floor pool
• More affordable than all-inclusive

Potential Drawbacks

• No option for unlimited food and drinks
• Older rooms
• The beds were pretty hard

Read my full Hotel Encino review to learn more
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3. Hotel Friendly  - Best Puerto Vallarta Resort for Families 

 The Hotel Friendly is an all-inclusive resort in Puerto Vallarta’s hotel zone, and I stayed here with my parents and my cousin, Nicha. The hotel zone is great for folks who still want to be around the ‘action’ but not necessarily downtown. That said, you can easily hop on a bus that takes you into town.

The Hotel Friendly Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic choice for families; their activities program always has plenty going on, both during the day and at night. This was the last resort I stayed at, where I had a full entertainment team that organized daytime activities and performed in elaborate nightly shows. I think kids and teens would enjoy the Hotel Friendly’s fun and vibrant atmosphere.

Pros

• Hotel zone location
• Fantastic daytime activities and nightly entertainment
• Entertainment team
• All-inclusive resort

Possible Drawbacks

• Might be too rowdy for couples without kids who want something more low-key
• The food was fine but not necessarily memorable

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do Spring Breakers go to Puerto Vallarta?
Yes, absolutely! While Cancun might be considered a notorious spot for college spring breakers, Puerto Vallarta has the advantage of being fun for both college spring break and families. Plus, I consider Puerto Vallarta much safer than Cancun and easier to navigate.

How busy is Puerto Vallarta during Spring Break?
Puerto Vallarta can get busy during Spring Break, especially if your trip coincides with Semana Santa, when many families from nearby cities like Guadalajara vacation there.

Is March a good time to go to Puerto Vallarta?
Yes, March is a great time to go to Puerto Vallarta because it’s not during the unbearably hot and muggy rainy season. Prices might be slightly higher because it’s a busier time, but there are many accommodation options here, including Airbnb, so you’ve got plenty of choices. 

Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site.

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My now-husband Tyler and I went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for our honeymoon and stayed at the Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments. If you’re looking at all-inclusive resorts in Puerto Vallarta, I’ll share my honest review of this hotel and our experience there.

Pros: What We Loved About The Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Great Moments

The Location
The Buenaventura Grand Hotel and Great Moments is located in downtown Puerto Vallarta just before the city’s iconic Malecon boardwalk on the north end. This means you’re in the heart of town, and lots of great restaurants, shopping, bars, entertainment, and more are within walking distance, including Old Town Puerto Vallarta (or the Romantic Zone). You also have easy access to buses that can take you south and north of the city for day trips to places like Sayulita, Bucerias, Yelapa, and more.

Of course, staying in the city isn’t for everyone, but if this sounds like something you’d enjoy, the Buenaventura’s location is unmatched. 

The Service
The service here, particularly from the waitstaff in the restaurants, was incredible. Every time I go to Mexico, the kindness of the Mexican people is always one of the best parts of the experience. Every time we had a meal, the servers went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. 

The Food and Restaurants
I've been to many all-inclusive resorts in Puerto Vallarta over the years, but the Buenaventura Grand Hotel was my favorite for the food! The access to fresh seafood really stood out for me — from ceviche, mussels, and seafood pasta at lunch to an entire night dedicated to seafood dishes. Other specific foods at the hotel we loved were the tortillas, soups, French toast, and fresh fruit (the papaya especially!).

Honestly, there were so many great choices, including the two specialty restaurants, that you’ll never go hungry. And if you need a break from hotel food, just walk out the door, and you’ll find dozens of local restaurants in the city.

The Honeymoon Suite
We stayed here for our honeymoon, so we booked the honeymoon suite and were really happy with our room. The Buenaventura’s honeymoon suite included an ocean view room, private balcony, in-room jacuzzi, king-size bed, unlimited toiletries, and a complimentary mini-bar with daily refills on soda, water, and beer. Best of all, you could hear the ocean at night while you sleep – not a bad way to relax at night.

The only downside was that we're pretty sure there's a second honeymoon suite across the hallway that had a better view, which I had seen in pictures online. Also, the hotel advertises their honeymoon suite as including a canopy bed, but that isn’t accurate; it’s a standard King-size bed. I don't think the lack of a canopy is necessarily a dealbreaker, but just something to note.

Cons: What We Didn't Like About the Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Great Moments 

Better Welcome After Check-In
To preface, the process before and during check-in was great. When we arrived in Puerto Vallarta, we took a bus from the airport to our hotel,  but we weren’t entirely sure where to get off. As it turned out, we saw a couple of Buenaventura employees on our bus (they were wearing their work uniforms with the logo, which was how we knew). They were on their way to work and were more than happy to help us get there, even taking my luggage as we got off the bus and bringing it to the resort. 

After a smooth check-in, however, we were immediately greeted by one of their salespeople. Here’s the thing: rather than trying to give us a sales pitch after a long day of traveling, we would have preferred to be given a tour of the hotel grounds. No one explained to us where things were, particularly the specialty restaurants, and we felt kind of lost those first few days. 

Nightly Entertainment
Daily activities at the Buenaventura Puerto Vallarta are similar to other all-inclusive resorts, but the nightly entertainment left much to desired. The only night they had an actual “show” was the Mexican fiesta night. Other than that, it was just music in the hotel lobby or sometimes karaoke. The nice thing about being downtown is that you can just go out on the town after dinner, but one thing I’ve always loved about all-inclusive resorts is the nightly entertainment with exciting, fun shows. That being said, I think the resort’s location probably makes it difficult to stage nightly shows since they don’t have the space for a permanent stage area. 

More Pool Access
OK. So this isn’t necessarily the resort’s fault, but it is something to keep in mind. Toward the end of our trip, the majority of guests at the resort switched from families with lots of kids to large groups of older adults who’d reserve a bunch of pool chairs for themselves as early as 8 a.m. That means if you’re not the type to ‘reserve’ your chair at the crack of dawn, you may be out of luck if you want to lounge by the open pool areas. However, there were more available chairs on the beach, so when the pool areas were full, we’d just head down to the beach.

Rocky Shoreline on the Beach
While the beach was lovely, if you plan to actually go in the water, you’ll probably want some water shoes as the ground there was very rocky. Again, this isn’t a fault of the resort itself, but if swimming in the ocean is a high priority, this could be a drawback. 

More Vegan Food Options
My husband is vegan, and while the hotel had some things he could eat, the options were very limited. So, if you have food restrictions like that, you should look at Puerto Vallarta hotels that are explicitly marketed to provide more vegan-friendly foods. 
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Is the the Buenaventura Grand Hotel & Great Moments Worth It ?
We had a great time regardless, and we really liked staying right in town. But I might suggest looking into more romantic Puerto Vallarta hotels or adult-only resorts if you're going for a honeymoon specifically. The vibe at the Buenaventura was more fitting for families and friend groups; we were one of just a few couples here. 

Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site.

​If you’re looking to save money while traveling abroad, hostels are a great way to go. In this review of the St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona Hostel, I’ll share my honest experience and opinions to help you decide if this sounds like a place you’d want to stay at during your Barcelona visit.
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How Much Does It Cost To Say At St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona?
Specific rates will vary depending on when you travel and the type of room you reserve. Generally, you can expect lower prices in less-busy travel seasons and rooms with more people in them. Conversely, you can expect to pay more for booking a single or private room. The cheapest rooms will be the 12-person dormitory-style room.

For reference, I stayed in Barcelona in April around Easter and in a 12-person dormitory female room. My 3-night stay totaled about 197 euros, with my nightly rates ranging from 62 to 70 euros. However, I stayed at this hostel again the night before my flight home, and the rate for that night was just 29 euros. 

What Is There To Do At St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona?
Like most hostels, St. Christopher’s has tours of the city, pub crawls, and nightly events. They also have a rather large bar and social area where people can drink, mingle, and watch sports. 

Is St. Christopher's Barcelona a party hostel?
Compared to other hostels I've stayed it, this felt like more of a party hostel. They had a great bar area full of people hanging out, which is great for socializing with new people, and they advertised lots of nightly outings. Depending on your vibe, you may or may not like this. For what it's worth, as someone who wasn't out partying all night, I didn't mind this hostel one bit. It wasn't a situation where I couldn't sleep because people were partying and being loud. 

Where is St. Christopher's Inn Barcelona?
 St. Christopher's Inn Barcelona is located at Bergara, 3, Eixample, 08001 Barcelona, Spain. 
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How far is St Christopher's to Barcelona center?
St. Christopher's is centrally located, so you're right in the heart of the city! You can easily walk to popular spots like shopping on La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter, Barceloneta Beach, and Sagrada Familia. It's also just around the corner from the bus stop to get to and from Barcelona Airport. 

What I Liked About St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona

• The Location - St. Christopher’s Inn is located in the heart of Barcelona in the Las Ramblas neighborhood, so you have easy access to lots of shopping and restaurants. You can also easily walk to other parts of town, including Barceloneta Beach and the Gothic Quarter. I didn’t use the bus once during my Barcelona trip.
• Easy Airport Access - When you arrive at Barcelona Airport, you can take the A1 bus and get off at the Placa Catalunya bus stop. From there, the hostel is about a 5-minute walk away. I booked my reservation through Hostelworld, and after booking, they send you directions on how to get to the hostel. This also made it easy to get back to the airport since I could get back on the A1 to return to the airport.
• Safe Location - As someone who lives in Los Angeles, I would say I have a skewed perception of safety since LA can feel really unsafe at times. However, I felt totally safe in Barcelona, including the area where the hostel is. 
• Privacy Curtains - My hostel room included privacy curtains for each bed, which was nice and also helped block out lights if you were trying to sleep.

What I Didn’t Like About St. Christopher’s Inn Barcelona

• Party Hostel - This isn’t inherently bad, but if you’re not into partying and staying out super late, you might not like the idea of roommates getting back in the middle of the night, sometimes rather loudly too.
• Tiny Bathrooms - I can only speak for the 12-person dorm rooms, but considering we had the most people, you’d think we’d have slightly bigger bathroom spaces. Nope, not at all. There were two showers, one toilet, and a single sink and mirror area, which meant if you were trying to get ready at the same time as someone else, it could be a challenge. 
• Timed Showers - The showers at this hostel were timed; you’d press a button, the water ran for 30 seconds, and then you’d have to press it again to get the water back on. The reason behind this is a noble one since they say it’s for conservation. That being said, I didn’t necessarily feel like it shortened my showers, but just made it more frustrating when the water kept turning off. Not the worst thing in the world, but still something to note.

FAQs About Hostels in Barcelona
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1.) What's the best hostel in Barcelona?
The best hostel in Barcelona is going to be what fits with your travel style and interests. Every hostel has its pros and cons. If you're into more of a social scene and want to stay in a vibrant, central location with easy airport transfer access, I would definitely recommend St. Christopher's Inn. 

2.) How much is a hostel in Barcelona per night?
The cost of a hostel in Barcelona will depend on several factors, including the type of room you choose, the time of year, and of course, the hostel itself. From my experience, hostel rates in Barcelona can range from as low as 29 euros per night all the way up to 70 euros per night for a dormitory-style room with 12 people.

3.) Are hostels in Barcelona safe?
Yes, in general hostels in Barcelona are safe. Before booking a stay, though, I recommend making sure the hostel has secured access for both the hostel building and the bedrooms. You should also research the area in which you're staying, and of course, exercise standard safe travel precautions, especially if you're traveling solo. However, I felt incredibly safe at St. Christopher's Inn, even when I had to catch a ride to the airport at 4:00 a.m. 

Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site.