Crown Paradise Continues To Be Paradise!

[luvthis]

Bob & I just returned last night. It was another fabulous stay at the Crown. Ana was on holiday, so we missed her, however we had corresponded with her via e-mail before we left home. Danny Boy, Dani, Aldo, Mariana & many of the other staffers are still there. We felt like we had returned to family. Temperature was hot & humid all week. The sun was bright each day and it only rained on the night before we left home (what a magnificent light & sound show!). The hotel was pretty empty as it was off-season but on Friday, October 3rd, many more people arrived & we were told the hotel would be full in another week or so. We enjoy a quiet surrounding, so less people is more to us in making a relaxing vacation. The food was better than last year when we stayed. I had mahi-mahi two times in the Paradise restaurant & it was yummy! This year we actually enjoyed the Paradise restaurant more than Salvadors. The wait staff was exceptionally friendly & the view of the ocean is spectacular from their tables. We walked next door to the Playa De Oro and ate at the Ibiza restaurant two evenings. The food was excellent. This restaurant is new (since Kenna came thru last year). It is by reservation & shorts are not allowed. One night we had filet mignon & another night we had capon chicken. Ibizas is definately worth the walk next door. It is closed on Friday nights. Oh yea...FYI for those of you going. Salvador's is closed on Sunday & Paradise is closed on Monday. The Japanese restaurant next door at the Playa is closed on Wednesday. Now you can pre-plan your restaurant encounters. Anyway, we enjoyed breakfast room service twice & it arrived hot & on time. Bob likes made-to-order omelets, so we had the Playa De Oro breakfast buffets a couple of mornings, as well. We really like the ice cream that the Crown offers. If you don't see it on a menu, just ask for it. They will gladly serve it to you. The sherbet is great, as well. The drinks were great. Aldo (head bartender) was right on top of things. He would see Bob & I coming up the beach & as soon as we sat down he quickly mixed up our favorite choice. There's always plenty of ice. Drinks are NOT watered down...you get as much & sometimes more than you asked for. Even though the hotel was very quiet, the staff faithfully tried to get guests to become involved in the daily activities. They all have lots of energy and enthusiasm & that can be hard when you have few people around the pool & of those, many are just wanted to do nothing. Applause for their efforts. The nightly shows were great fun. Very colorful costumes & the staff members dance & perform to everyone's delight. Don't miss the Mexican Show (Sunday) Broadway Show (Wednesday), the Magic Show (Thursday), the Hollywood Show (Friday), & the Fantasy Show (Saturday). Monday & Tuesday nights are more audience participation (Karaoke on Monday & Silly Games on Tuesday). After the show each night the staff offers to take a group to the local discos, such as the Zoo. Cost is about $5-$6, which includes one-way transportation. Keep in mind drinks are extra but if you want to party as a group it's a nice way to go. The Crown Paradise continues to be the place Bob & I gravitate to. We will be back again next September (God willing) for our 6th visit. We have been told that the people who live in and around Puerto Vallarta choose to go to the Crown Paradise & buy a "day pass" when they want a day away. That says volumes as to the quality, atmosphere & value of this resort. TO ALL THE STAFF AT THE CROWN PARADISE...THANK YOU! YOU ARE A SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE. Best, --Jean & Bob from Wisconsin P.S. The one area that needs to be worked on is the elevators by the ocean front rooms. They do not work consistently. It's kinda luck of the draw. Sometimes they come, more times they don't. We learned a few tricks on trying to get one, but even those tricks didn't work consistently. The hotel is aware of the problem & is trying to fix it. However, if you are in a wheelchair or have physical limitations, keep that in mind. The view from our room was wonderful & we loved our ocean front room, even with the challenges of having to walk up and down steps when the elevator didn't come. I guess we considered it "forced exercise" which considering all we ate & drank was probably not all that bad for us, even though we huffed & puffed about it every time. If you have any further questions, please feel free to e-mail me. We love to promote this lovely resort.

[chuck]

Another great trip, I had no doubts. I thought of you ofter during your time in PV and was wishing I could be there too. I know every word you said about the Crown is true, because every time we have stayed there you are treated like family, actually better. I am trying to find a good time to make a trip back there but am finding it hard to get a deal through Funjet with a charter flight. Not only do I prefer the charter because of the price, the arrival and departure times are much more to my liking and 3.5 hours from STL MO direct can't be beat.
Will continue to check the posts for you guys to see what you are up to.
Chuck & Kay