Puerto Vallarta sits inside Banderas Bay, whose shape and mountains block most of the Pacific swell. Some of the calmest water is in the coves south of town, where cliffs and headlands shelter the resort beaches. For an all-inclusive on its own cove, book Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. To walk to the Malecón and the Zona Romántica, book Playa Los Arcos on Los Muertos Beach.
Booking for live prices · Review for our take
| Hotel | Rating | From/night | Area | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta | Very good | ~$310 | Las Estacas cove, south of town | Best overall · all-inclusive on its own cove | Review ↓ |
| Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa | Excellent | ~$325 | South shore, Km 7.5 | Luxury · swimmable cove beach | Review ↓ |
| The Westin Playa Vallarta, an All-Inclusive Resort | Relaunched May 2026 | ~$290 | Marina Vallarta | All-inclusive on Marriott Bonvoy | Review ↓ |
| Velas Vallarta Suite Resort | Excellent | ~$375 | Marina Vallarta | Families · all-suite all-inclusive | Review ↓ |
| Sheraton Buganvilias Resort | Excellent | ~$170 | Hotel Zone | Best value · kids' club | Review ↓ |
| Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel & Romantic Getaway | Excellent | ~$180 | Downtown, Playa Camarones | Adults only · walk to the Malecón | Review ↓ |
| Playa Los Arcos Hotel Beach Resort & Spa | Good | ~$185 | Zona Romántica, Los Muertos | Old town on foot · optional all-inclusive | Review ↓ |
Those are entry-level nightly rates outside the November–April peak. Hyatt Ziva, the Westin and Velas are all-inclusive; Garza Blanca, Villa Premiere and Playa Los Arcos sell an all-inclusive plan as an option. All seven sit on the sand. The beachfront resorts hub runs the same test across Mexico and the Caribbean.
Which Puerto Vallarta beachfront resort should you book?
For most travelers, book Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. It's all-inclusive, it works for families and couples, and its beach is Las Estacas, a cove enclosed by cliffs. Check Hyatt Ziva availability early – November through April is peak season.
For a bigger budget, book Garza Blanca. On Marriott points, book the Westin. With kids who need space, book Velas Vallarta, where every room is a suite.
| Your trip | Book | Where | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-inclusive, sheltered beach | Hyatt Ziva | Las Estacas, south | A taxi ride to the Zona Romántica |
| Luxury, quiet cove | Garza Blanca | South shore | About 15 minutes from downtown |
| All-inclusive on points | The Westin Playa Vallarta | Marina Vallarta | Still building reviews since the relaunch |
| Family suites, all-inclusive | Velas Vallarta | Marina Vallarta | Far from the old town |
| Best value, near town | Sheraton Buganvilias | Hotel Zone | A big resort – 470-plus rooms |
| Adults only, walk to the Malecón | Villa Premiere | Downtown | Its beach is small and rocky |
| Zona Romántica on foot | Playa Los Arcos | Los Muertos Beach | A lively town beach, not a quiet cove |
Still deciding? See Hyatt Ziva rates – an all-inclusive with a cove of its own.
Which part of Puerto Vallarta has the best beaches?
For calm water, the south. Garza Blanca says its cove separates the beach from the open Pacific, which is what makes it swimmable. Hyatt Ziva's Las Estacas is enclosed by cliffs. Tour operator Vallarta Adventures counts Conchas Chinas and Las Gemelas among the calm coves.
For town, Los Muertos and Camarones. Vallarta Adventures says Los Muertos has lifeguards and that its pier works as a breakwater. Camarones and Palmares are Blue Flag beaches with lifeguards.
For the big resorts, Marina Vallarta and the Hotel Zone. North of downtown, closer to the airport, is where most of the large all-inclusives sit.
| Area | The beach | Best for | On this list |
|---|---|---|---|
| South shore | Coves sheltered from the open Pacific | Calm swimming, quiet | Hyatt Ziva, Garza Blanca |
| Zona Romántica | Los Muertos – lifeguards, a pier | Restaurants, bars, the old town | Playa Los Arcos |
| Downtown | Camarones – Blue Flag, lifeguards | The Malecón on foot | Villa Premiere |
| Hotel Zone | Resort beaches north of downtown | Value, families | Sheraton Buganvilias |
| Marina Vallarta | Resort beaches near the marina | All-inclusives, the airport | The Westin, Velas Vallarta |
Puerto Vallarta closes beaches when the currents turn. In March 2024, Civil Protection red-flagged 9 of about 20 beaches, Camarones and Garza Blanca among them. Check the flag, and swim in the morning, before the afternoon wind.
South of town: the coves
Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta
The all-round booking. Hyatt Ziva sits at Km 3.5 south of downtown on Las Estacas, a cove surrounded by cliffs. Hyatt describes it as the resort's own beach, with about 1,250 feet of frontage.
It has 335 rooms, five restaurants and an adults-only swim-up bar, so couples get their corner too.
From around $310 a night for two, all-inclusive. Book this one if you want everything included and a beach that feels like yours. Check Hyatt Ziva rates.
Garza Blanca Preserve Resort and Spa
The luxury cove. Garza Blanca is at Km 7.5 on the south shore, about 15 minutes from downtown. Its beach sits in a natural cove, which the resort says separates it from the open Pacific.
Snorkel gear is free from the beach hut. The resort is straight about the limits: the beach isn't near a reef, so it runs a free kayak-and-snorkel trip to Los Arcos for the fish.
From around $325, with an all-inclusive plan as an option. Book this one if you want a polished, quiet resort on calm water. Check Garza Blanca rates.
In town: Zona Romántica, downtown and the Hotel Zone
Playa Los Arcos
The old-town booking. Playa Los Arcos sits on Los Muertos Beach, which the hotel calls Playa del Sol, a few steps from the pier. The Zona Romántica's restaurants and bars are around you.
You can book it room-only or all-inclusive.
From around $185. Book this one if you want the old town on foot and the beach outside. Check Playa Los Arcos rates.
Villa Premiere
Adults only, downtown. Villa Premiere has 80 rooms, every one with an ocean-view balcony, about seven blocks from downtown. The minimum age is 16, per hotel reviewer Oyster.
The all-inclusive plan is optional. There's an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, a spa and daily beach yoga. The trade-off: Oyster calls the beach in front small and rocky, with currents that make swimming risky, so you'll swim in the pool.
From around $180. Book this one if you want adults-only calm and the Malecón on foot. Check Villa Premiere rates.
Sheraton Buganvilias
The value pick. The Sheraton is a large resort in the Hotel Zone, with direct beach access and a kids' club. All-inclusive rates are available.
It's big – more than 470 rooms – and Marriott Bonvoy points apply.
From around $170, the lowest rate on this list. Book this one if you want a full resort on the beach without paying resort prices. Check Sheraton Buganvilias rates.
Marina Vallarta
The Westin Playa Vallarta
The new all-inclusive. The Westin Resort & Spa relaunched on May 1, 2026 as The Westin Playa Vallarta, the first all-inclusive Westin in Mexico. It sits on the beach in Marina Vallarta, among more than 300 palms from the original coconut plantation.
All 281 suites were redesigned. Thirty have private plunge pools and 16 are swim-up rooms. Marriott Bonvoy points apply.
From around $290 a night for two, all-inclusive. Book this one if you want an all-inclusive on Marriott points. Check Westin Playa Vallarta rates.
Velas Vallarta
The family booking. Velas Vallarta is an all-suite all-inclusive on ten acres of beachfront in Marina Vallarta. Every suite has a kitchen, and the bigger ones run to three bedrooms.
Children up to 3 stay free, and ages 4–12 get discounted rates. The marina and its golf course are within walking distance.
From around $375 a night for two. Book this one if your family needs a suite, not a room. Check Velas Vallarta rates.
Also worth knowing
Blue Chairs Beachfront Resort is the adults-only (18+) hotel on Los Muertos Beach that promotes itself as LGBT+ friendly. It's a three-star with a swim-up bar and a beach club. Check Blue Chairs rates.
Hotel Delfin PV Beach Resort, the former San Marino, is a three-star near Los Muertos with an optional all-inclusive plan – the budget option in the Zona Romántica. Check Delfin rates.
Costa Sur Resort, on the south shore, became fully all-inclusive in May 2026 under new management.
Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, next to the Westin, isn't in the grid: its Expedia listing shows it closed from July 7 to October 18, 2026. Confirm it's open before you book.
Nuevo Vallarta, the all-inclusive strip north of the airport, is across the state line in Nayarit – a separate destination, not covered here. For private-pool villas up that coast, see Punta Mita.
The short version
Stay south when the swim matters. Hyatt Ziva and Garza Blanca both have coves sheltered from the open Pacific.
Stay in town when the old town matters. Playa Los Arcos puts you on Los Muertos; Villa Premiere puts adults by the Malecón.
All-inclusive on a cove: Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. The old town on foot: Playa Los Arcos.
When to go
November through April is the dry season and the peak. June through October is the rainy season – Vallarta Adventures describes short afternoon downpours and clear mornings, with water around 28–31°C. It overlaps the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which runs from mid-May through November.
In any season, swim before noon: the afternoon wind raises the waves. Weighing Mexico's coasts? Los Cabos sits where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific, and Cancun and the Riviera Maya face the Caribbean.
FAQ
Images: Another Believer / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
