Playa Los Arcos on the beach

[northstar]

Can anyone tell me how good this hotel is and does it matter If I stay at the beach hotel or the Los Arcos suites. There will be a total of 4, 2 adults and 2 kids. However, one of the kids will be 16 and considered another body.

Another Hotel recomended is the Hotel Gaviota. Can anyone tell me the pros and if any cons of this Hotel.

[Jennybean]

Considering you will be there with a group, the Los Arcos Suites sounds like a good idea to me, because it has a kitchen. You still get all the privileges of the flagship Playa Los Arcos as well.

These hotels aren't the Four Seasons but from friends who have stayed there I understand they are clean and the staff is great. And you certainly can't beat the location - right in the heart of the south side, close to everything.

Check them out on the web at www.playalosarcos.com - click on Los Arcos Suites.

[mrmike9]

I agree with Jennybean completely. I have stayed at all three Los Arcos properties and I think that the suites is your best bet for 4 people because the rooms are bigger. You're just around the corner from Playa Los Arcos so you're still close to the beach. Also Los Arcos Suites is a lot quieter than Play Los Arcos where there is a lot of street noise.

[Dblue34]

Just a note. There are very few rooms at Playa Los Arcos that you can hear the noise from the street (mostly a combo of Olas Altas traffic & Andele late night musc). The difference in price of a superior room and the street room is under 100 pesos a night. To me the conveinence of staying 50 meters from one of the best beach in Vallarta is worth giving up a little room size.

Also, the sunset view from your room/balcony at Playa Los Arcos dwarfs that at Los Arcos Suites.

-Dblue

[northstar]

Jennybean (Apr 26, 2004 09:50 p.m.):
Considering you will be there with a group, the Los Arcos Suites sounds like a good idea to me, because it has a kitchen. You still get all the privileges of the flagship Playa Los Arcos as well.

These hotels aren't the Four Seasons but from friends who have stayed there I understand they are clean and the staff is great. And you certainly can't beat the location - right in the heart of the south side, close to everything.

Check them out on the web at www.playalosarcos.com - click on Los Arcos Suites.

Thank you for the heads up. My biggest problem at this time is trying to reserve a room for the period of 12/24-1/14/05. Do you have any tricks besides the website? I have sent in my request to reserve a suite using their website but have not heard back from them. I understand this is their prime time and the reason i want to secure a room .

[northstar]

mrmike9 (Apr 27, 2004 01:19 a.m.):
I agree with Jennybean completely. I have stayed at all three Los Arcos properties and I think that the suites is your best bet for 4 people because the rooms are bigger. You're just around the corner from Playa Los Arcos so you're still close to the beach. Also Los Arcos Suites is a lot quieter than Play Los Arcos where there is a lot of street noise.

Thak you for the heads up and noise tip. Because I'm planning my own trip I don't have the resources travel agencies have and having a hard time reserving a suite during the period of 12/24/04-1/14/05. I have used their website and sent a request to reserve a room but have not had any success. I think it's to early to reserve for this time.

Thanks

[northstar]

Dblue34 (Apr 27, 2004 04:23 a.m.):
Just a note. There are very few rooms at Playa Los Arcos that you can hear the noise from the street (mostly a combo of Olas Altas traffic & Andele late night musc). The difference in price of a superior room and the street room is under 100 pesos a night. To me the conveinence of staying 50 meters from one of the best beach in Vallarta is worth giving up a little room size.

Also, the sunset view from your room/balcony at Playa Los Arcos dwarfs that at Los Arcos Suites.

-Dblue[/quote

Being on the beach and the option of watching the sunset from your room is a definite +++. Since we will be there for 3 weeks I 'm hoping that we will be able to eventually get an awesome room with a beach view and balcony. My understanding is that there are limited rooms with balconys with a beach view. One of my main goals is to get a room with a beach view.

[webmaster]

Hi there,

We'll soon be developing a realtime online system for reservations on the Playa Los Arcos Hotels, for the time being if you have trouble reserving online at their site you can reserve in real-time (depending on the date) on PuertoVallarta.net, here are the links:
Los Arcos Suites: http://www.puertovallarta.net/accommoda ... .php?id=27
Playa Los Arcos Hotel & Suites: http://www.puertovallarta.net/accommoda ... .php?id=30
Los Arcos Hotel & Jr. Suites: http://www.puertovallarta.net/accommoda ... .php?id=41

Kind regards

Mogens
Webmaster

[Dblue34]

As I said before, there are few rooms that have the noise problem or do not face the beach. Someone please correct me if I am giving out false info, but I believe out of the 175 rooms, 160 have an ocean view. I have been staying there since 1988 and have never had a room without a balcony and ocean view. Once they put me in a street room and told me I could move the next day, only to call my room one hour later and tell me they had a better room for me.

Dblue34

[Jennybean]

Hi North Star - your indication that you would like a view would change my recommendation. I had recommended the Los Arcos Suites based on your original post indicating that beach front may not have been as important as other stuff, and because you had kids I thought a kitchen might be nice for you to have (fridge for cold drinks and snacks, cooking facilities for breakfasts/lunches, coffee maker for morning coffee, etc). But as you've indicated you'd like a view for your lengthy stay then I'd say stay at the flagship property. A friend who stayed there a while back indicated Room #3 (I think) was one of the nicer ocean view rooms.

If beachfront with a view and a pool is a factor for your lengthy stay, you might also want to consider the Tropicana, just a bit further south beachfront on Amapas. They have undergone a considerable renovation and the new tower rooms are VERY nice. Good pool too.

Just some more food for thought. (-:

[susana]

You have picked a great part of town, just finding who can accomodate you best will be the trick. The 3 Los Arcos properties, Gaviotas & Hotel Eloisa (some rooms with view), Vallarta Sun Suites & Hotel (no view but nice and in the neighborhood); Tropicana, and the Emperadora might be worth contacting too. Olas Altas & Basilo Badillo (street names) are a perfect location with tons of activities, shops, reasonably priced restaurants, and the busy local beach of Playa Los Muertos.

[northstar]

Jennybean (Apr 27, 2004 11:08 p.m.):
Hi North Star - your indication that you would like a view would change my recommendation. I had recommended the Los Arcos Suites based on your original post indicating that beach front may not have been as important as other stuff, and because you had kids I thought a kitchen might be nice for you to have (fridge for cold drinks and snacks, cooking facilities for breakfasts/lunches, coffee maker for morning coffee, etc). But as you've indicated you'd like a view for your lengthy stay then I'd say stay at the flagship property. A friend who stayed there a while back indicated Room #3 (I think) was one of the nicer ocean view rooms.

If beachfront with a view and a pool is a factor for your lengthy stay, you might also want to consider the Tropicana, just a bit further south beachfront on Amapas. They have undergone a considerable renovation and the new tower rooms are VERY nice. Good pool too.

Just some more food for thought. (-:

Thank you I'll check out the Tropicana. Doesn't the Los Arcos beach property have suites with kitchenettes? When I checked there web site out. They had Master suites as well as jr. suites at the beach property. But when I called the 800 number and talked to their agent she said the only rooms they had were the superior rooms and could not guarantee reservations at that time and to call back in June. My delimma is that I don't want to miss a good room by delaying and having to opt for a room without a kitchenette.

[northstar]

susana (Apr 27, 2004 11:57 p.m.):
You have picked a great part of town, just finding who can accomodate you best will be the trick. The 3 Los Arcos properties, Gaviotas & Hotel Eloisa (some rooms with view), Vallarta Sun Suites & Hotel (no view but nice and in the neighborhood); Tropicana, and the Emperadora might be worth contacting too. Olas Altas & Basilo Badillo (street names) are a perfect location with tons of activities, shops, reasonably priced restaurants, and the busy local beach of Playa Los Muertos.

Thank you for your recomendations. I'll check these proerties out. It is very trickky trying to determine which hotel to chooss based on cost, location, amenities and feedback from others that have stayred at a particular hotel. My choice of Playa Los Arcos was based on recomendations, location and price. They seem to have fairly reasonable rates and the perfect centralized location. What hotel(s) have you stayed at and were you there during Christmas and through New years?

[bzy1]

North Star,
Booking with the hotel direct does not mean you will A.) get a better rate. B.) Get a better room C.) get a reservation at the time you want.

Right now, 99% of the hotels are not renting their Christmas/New Years weeks as they have not set the prices and because they sell blocks of rooms to places like this site, Travelocity, Expedia, and other travel agencies.

In all tourist areas, there are expos held each year where agents and hotels come together to buy and sell space. Say a hotel has 100 rooms, they try to sell blocks of rooms to as many different agencies as possible, maybe even as high as 80% of all their rooms. If the agency (cies) do not sell ALL of their rooms a couple of weeks out, they revert back to the hotel to sell.

Think of it this way. If you are a manufacturer of shoes, you do not just sell your shoes through your company, you look for people to sell your shoes for you. The more people placing orders and selling your shoes is what you want, same with hotels. They would rather pay companies a commission to sell their product than to pay staff, promote and do all their reservations in house.

I know some hotels that have certain rooms that they cannot even rent themselves as they have blocked them out for other companies that have been highly successful renting at them 100% year around.

Instead of dealing direct with a company, just do a good search onthe hotel name and see what other places/agencies are selling it for. You will see a difference in price, especially of one company sells a ton of rooms for them. The more an agency sells for a hotel, the better contract they get, this rates will be different for agencies, the hotels itself, and for last minute sell offs.

Oh, most Christmas?New Years rates are not out until summer, if not later.

[northstar]

bzy1 (Apr 28, 2004 11:56 p.m.):
North Star,
Booking with the hotel direct does not mean you will A.) get a better rate. B.) Get a better room C.) get a reservation at the time you want.

Right now, 99% of the hotels are not renting their Christmas/New Years weeks as they have not set the prices and because they sell blocks of rooms to places like this site, Travelocity, Expedia, and other travel agencies.

In all tourist areas, there are expos held each year where agents and hotels come together to buy and sell space. Say a hotel has 100 rooms, they try to sell blocks of rooms to as many different agencies as possible, maybe even as high as 80% of all their rooms. If the agency (cies) do not sell ALL of their rooms a couple of weeks out, they revert back to the hotel to sell.

Think of it this way. If you are a manufacturer of shoes, you do not just sell your shoes through your company, you look for people to sell your shoes for you. The more people placing orders and selling your shoes is what you want, same with hotels. They would rather pay companies a commission to sell their product than to pay staff, promote and do all their reservations in house.

I know some hotels that have certain rooms that they cannot even rent themselves as they have blocked them out for other companies that have been highly successful renting at them 100% year around.

Instead of dealing direct with a company, just do a good search onthe hotel name and see what other places/agencies are selling it for. You will see a difference in price, especially of one company sells a ton of rooms for them. The more an agency sells for a hotel, the better contract they get, this rates will be different for agencies, the hotels itself, and for last minute sell offs.

Oh, most Christmas?New Years rates are not out until summer, if not later.

Thank you for re-affirming my findings I have experienced. as yousaid there are other hotels that are accepting reservations but these would be my 3rd or 4th choices. This BB is awesome in the fact that I can get views from all walks of life.

Do you know when these agencies will post high season rates? Is it June? The agencies I spoke to were not really clear when these could be available. Can you tell I really want to stay at Playa Los Arcos???

[falcon]

Myself with wife & 2 teens have stayed at the Suites just across the hotel and have loved every minute of it. The balcony facing
onto the street is great for people watching. The coffee shop on the corner is great with all its different coffee's and pastries.
They stay open from early morning till late at nite.
If you get to reserve a suite way ahead of time try & get on 3rd floor or higher above the street lite. The biggest suite is the
one furthest away from the elevator, down the corridor and looking down at the pool & courtyard. Any pictures that you see on their
website show this suite entrance to be in the left of picture and again at the end of the hallway combination balcony. Once you
enter the suite you walk thru the living room/kitchen thru the bedroom to your own balcony facing the street. The rooms are very
aparse but adequate. You get access to the beach by going thru the main hotel lobby past the pool. All the best restaurants are within very short walking distances. My favorite was Roberto's followed by Andales. Archies wok is only a few streets over & well worth the wait if theirs a line-up,
One thing about their beach frontage try not to make eye contact with any peddlars unless you are really willing to buy.
The ladies with the fruit cups are a real deal as well as the beer from them, the hotel drinks are way to expensive. The best steak we had was at the Posada Rio Cuale hotel restaurant (at the bottom of the bridge) a bit steep but again very good. Don't be fooled
by the look of this hotel, this restaurant if very good. The rooms at this hotel are very reasonable if your looking for an alternative
to Los Arcos but a bit further away from the beach.

[charboehm]

SO which one should I stay at if I want a nice ocean veiw? I see where it doesn't pay going AI with all the resurants near the motel. Is eating off the beach safe?

[Charlieb]

Charbie: ONLY problem with "eating off the beach" is the sand....make sure and wash it first.