What was the first hotel in Puerto Vallarta?

The first formal hotel in Puerto Vallarta was the Hotel Gutiérrez, initially located on the second floor of the Saucedo Theater on Juarez Avenue in downtown Puerto Vallarta, you can still find the original building on the corner of Juarez and Iturbide.

Hotel Gutiérrez was later on moved to an independent building that had been the harbor master’s office and later changed its name to Hotel Océano between the Malecon and Morelos along Galeana Street (by the “lighthouse”).

This is the list of the first hotels in Puerto Vallarta:

Hotel Gutiérrez (Teatro Saucedo) 1939
Hotel Gutiérrez (Galeana & the Malecon) 1940
Hotel Rosita, 1945
Hotel Chula Vista, 1946

Above photo: Hotel Océano, formerly Hotel Gutiérrez

Mrs. Catalina Montes de Oca Contreras, the first city historian, recounts:

Continuing with my narrations on the development of the hotel business, I will mention in this branch the house of assistance of Doña Cuca Novoa, which was the only one that the port had; it was located where today is the Central Hotel.

Years later, Doña Eloisita, mother of Güero and José Manuel Preciado, came from Mascota and took over the same business because Doña Cuca was leaving here. This was around 1934. Doña Eloisita had her house of assistance for many years and her meals were famous, with the authentic homemade flavor and she charged $1.00 peso for three meals!

The port had these accommodations until 1939, when Don Manuel Gutiérrez Santana started the first small, but more comfortable hotel (Hotel Gutiérrez), which he set up on the top floor of the Saucedo Theater. It was there that the few traveling agents who came to work in the plaza began to stay. There were seven rooms and they did not have private bathrooms, but had three bathrooms for the entire service.

Later, in 1940, the hotel was moved to where the Hotel Océano was located [on the corner of Galeana and the Malecón]. The harbor master was formerly located there. Don Manuel, for the inauguration, organized a big dance. The new hotel was called Hotel Gutiérrez and it was the place where all the drivers and passengers of the bus lines arrived.

With this idea in mind, the Hotel Rosita owned by Don Salvador Gonzalez, was founded. It began in 1945.

Later in 1946, it was the Hotel Chula Vista, also owned by Don Manuel Gutierrez.

The old house of assistance of doña Eloisita became the Hotel Central and changed ownership.