“Welcome to Villa Bella! I hope you enjoy your stay with us.” And so we began our celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. Elsa greeted us at the Inn with a cool towel with which to freshen up and an offer of a complimentary drink to settle into the vacation time warp. We stayed at Villa Bella for a week in the Master Suite from Aug 5th through the 12th. Elsa and her staff welcomed us into their family and allowed us to share in their lives and home. Set up on the hilltop, the Villa overlooks Banderas Bay and the town of LaCruz.
We were picked up at the airport and thus avoided the Time Shark hassle. Our bags were taken to our suite as we were given a tour of the property. We enjoyed a beautiful, panoramic view of the bay and town below. There is a lap pool that wraps around the lip of the hill where my wife and I enjoyed swimming and gazing over the edge at the seascape. Our suite was immense and equally scenic. It had an open-air living room, kitchen, dining area, and a vista balcony where we lounged at night before retiring for the evenings. The air-conditioned master bedroom had a comfortable king-sized bed with a foam egg-crate pad for added padding. There was a spa bathtub and the décor was exquisite.
It was easy to slip into a kicked back lifestyle for our vacation. As owner and manager, Elsa went to extraordinary measures to help us celebrate our 25th. We were provided with more than enough information on how to get around in the taxis, on the buses (14 pesos into Vallarta and more exciting than any ride at Great America, 20 to 40 minutes to Vallarta depending on your driver), and where to walk in LaCruz for the best meals. LaCruz is for the moment a rural town, complete with chickens in the yards, on the verge of expansion and was very hospitable. We comfortably walked the cobblestone streets to “Tacos on the Street” which was only open on Saturday and Sunday, but is a destination restaurant. We tried at least one of every item on their menu and were stuffed for less than 200 pesos. We enjoyed hikes up and down the beaches and even enjoyed the climb up and down the hill to Villa Bella. (If you are whipped at the end of the day, the taxis will run you up the hill for 10 pesos) There’s a little market at the bottom of the hill where you can pick up provisions for the afternoon and evenings.
Breakfasts were delicious. Juan and Rosa cooked great morning meals consisting of various tropical fruits and juices. We either had egg dishes, pancakes, or French toast. The coffee was always hot and filled. We rolled up the stairs to the open-air dining room around 9:15 and were always greeted with a smiling, “Buenos Dias!”
Selfishly, I would like to keep this quiet bit of paradise to ourselves and recommend everybody to stay somewhere else so we can come back, but thanks to those who stayed before us and shared their stories, I have shared ours. I have to say that we truly enjoyed our stay at Villa Bella. We felt welcomed into their family. We heartily recommend it to anyone that wants a true taste of the culture, away from the hype of city, and wants to stay in a secure and peaceful inn. We are already talking about when we think we can go back. Larry and Cindy.
We were picked up at the airport and thus avoided the Time Shark hassle. Our bags were taken to our suite as we were given a tour of the property. We enjoyed a beautiful, panoramic view of the bay and town below. There is a lap pool that wraps around the lip of the hill where my wife and I enjoyed swimming and gazing over the edge at the seascape. Our suite was immense and equally scenic. It had an open-air living room, kitchen, dining area, and a vista balcony where we lounged at night before retiring for the evenings. The air-conditioned master bedroom had a comfortable king-sized bed with a foam egg-crate pad for added padding. There was a spa bathtub and the décor was exquisite.
It was easy to slip into a kicked back lifestyle for our vacation. As owner and manager, Elsa went to extraordinary measures to help us celebrate our 25th. We were provided with more than enough information on how to get around in the taxis, on the buses (14 pesos into Vallarta and more exciting than any ride at Great America, 20 to 40 minutes to Vallarta depending on your driver), and where to walk in LaCruz for the best meals. LaCruz is for the moment a rural town, complete with chickens in the yards, on the verge of expansion and was very hospitable. We comfortably walked the cobblestone streets to “Tacos on the Street” which was only open on Saturday and Sunday, but is a destination restaurant. We tried at least one of every item on their menu and were stuffed for less than 200 pesos. We enjoyed hikes up and down the beaches and even enjoyed the climb up and down the hill to Villa Bella. (If you are whipped at the end of the day, the taxis will run you up the hill for 10 pesos) There’s a little market at the bottom of the hill where you can pick up provisions for the afternoon and evenings.
Breakfasts were delicious. Juan and Rosa cooked great morning meals consisting of various tropical fruits and juices. We either had egg dishes, pancakes, or French toast. The coffee was always hot and filled. We rolled up the stairs to the open-air dining room around 9:15 and were always greeted with a smiling, “Buenos Dias!”
Selfishly, I would like to keep this quiet bit of paradise to ourselves and recommend everybody to stay somewhere else so we can come back, but thanks to those who stayed before us and shared their stories, I have shared ours. I have to say that we truly enjoyed our stay at Villa Bella. We felt welcomed into their family. We heartily recommend it to anyone that wants a true taste of the culture, away from the hype of city, and wants to stay in a secure and peaceful inn. We are already talking about when we think we can go back. Larry and Cindy.