Las Alamandas

Our week-long respite at Las Alamandas was superb and came close to equaling our Laucala experience last September. There was so much perfection ... and yet ... there were service issues mostly having to do with management rather than staff (which were kindly, expert and sweet). The hard product is stunning, the suites enormous, the setting the essence of tropical magic, gorgeous views everywhere -- the ultimate beach holiday with no crowds, no bothers, exquisite gardens, flowers everywhere, a veritable incarnation of color, beauty and relaxation. The sound of the sea ever present and always welcome. Not only no crowds, but we saw only two other couples. Could have been more guests but they might have been holing up in their own luxurious private environs. Let the chef choose your dinner, just ask a day ahead. One night we had the juiciest plumpest oysters imaginable then grilled lobsters for main. Best lobster EVER! Do not miss the tequila flan. Also, the strawberries served here actually taste as berries should! Papaya = Perfection. We ate twice a day: late big breakfast followed by hot chocolate mid-afternoon, cocktails at 6pm, then dinner around 8pm. We took all our meals on the suite terraces (there were two, one gargantuan, the other more modest). We did absolutely nothing but skinny dip in our private pool, read, play chess, doze, take evening walks, and drink in the magnificent surroundings. Okay, so we drank some other things. Mind you, there are many activities: paddle boarding, river trips, horseback riding, boogie boards, biking, hiking, gym, tennis, resort tour (1500 acres), kiddie playground (no kids whilst we were here), swimming in pool, etc. Ours was the presidential suite, two bedrooms (one king, one queen), two and a half bathrooms, infinity pool with beach/ocean view (private -- skinny dipping, just remember sunscreen), four terraces (even the master bath has a terrace), hot tub (however counterintuitive for Mexico, it is pleasant under the stars and never gets all that hot), gardens, bright flowers everywhere, a fountain, folk art and crafts. The master bedroom and bath are air conditioned; not so the remainder of the suite. Which was fine in mid-May but could be dicey in hotter weather which is most often the case. Ceiling fans in living room, both bedrooms, master bath and second bedroom. I forgot to bring my iPad charger. Management located and delivered to me a charger borrowed from a staffer. I was so relieved and grateful (all my books on the tablet!). What wasn't perfect: Background, I travel with my husband who has dementia (mid-stage), when things don't go as planned, he gets very anxious and upset. I had alerted the resort to this in advance. Exiting customs at the Puerto Vallarta airport puts you into a large foyer crammed with timeshare hucksters, taxi touts and others shouting trying to snag you to make a buck. I don't blame them yet they are mercilessly unpleasant. And I am with Jim who will talk with ANYBODY. We wend our way through that maze and emerge from the airport to learn our arranged-in-advance ride is not there. It takes me 15 anxious minutes to determine this. Then, then what to do? Eventually an airport transport rep noticed our angst and intervened. She contacted the resort and, an hour later our ride arrives. It's hot, we're standing, not entirely clear what is happening. Knowing it's a two-and-a-half-hour ride to Las Alamandas. We were distressed, not a good start to our holiday. We were given a small discount for one night of our stay as service resolution. That was OK but I would have preferred a heartfelt apology and less stiff treatment by management during our stay. Not MY fault they screwed up. Our phone interactions with the desk felt stiff, somewhat uncomfortable. The presidential suite is the ONLY accommodation offering wifi, none of the other 16 do do. There is wifi in two public locations but they are not close by. Our suite had only one phone. It took a while for the restocking of the small fridge to kick in (seltzer, Diet Coke) but once alerted by phone it was smooth. We loved Las Alamandas. This was our third visit but the first in 20 years. We will return. We will stay only in the presidential suite because it has an adequately-sized pool (the others are "plunge" pools) and wifi. Besides, it's so very lovely and mostly perfect.

This place was amazing and incredibly frustrating at the same time. We chose to stay here because we really wanted (and needed) to get away from it all and just relax and unwind. The views and the grounds are truly amazing. However we came during the Easter vacation, and what we didn't realise was that this would mean that there were families with children staying there. Children I have no problem with as long as they behave - unfortunately we had to put up with them screaming loudly outside our room, and running around the dining room during dinner on several occasions. And the management acknowledged that they had had issues with this particular family throughout their stay. Really not relaxing at all. We made a complaint after the first night and the service recovery was amazing, almost too much. And we really enjoyed parts of our stay. The room we were in was great with am amazing views. We did a private tour of the property and then spent a day out on a private beach all to ourselves. We really had a good couple of days... before the next batch of unruly children arrived. There was no attempt by staff or parents to separate those people who wanted peace and tranquillity from the rabble rousing children and families. Something that could be relatively easily achieved. In the end, we ended up leaving a night early and going back to Puerto Vallarta to get some peace and quiet in the Hacienda San Angel.

My husband, two teenagers and I all loved Las Alamandas from the moment we arrived. After a very busy few months my family needed to get away and just unwind. Las Alamandas proved to be the perfect spot for reading, sleeping, swimming and just gazing out at the water. The staff could not have been friendlier or more attentive, without hovering. The grounds and rooms are beautifully designed and maintained, with hammocks and lounging platforms sprinkled throughout. How refreshing it was to not have to sign our name every time we ordered a drink or snack. We can't wait to return.

We have just returned from another trip to Las Alamandas and, again, find it to be praiseworthy. The property has undergone a refreshening and is more beautiful than ever. The staff to guest ratio is so high that it always feels as if you are at your own, private retreat. Alessandro, the chef, continues to create some of the freshest, most delectable seafood dishes that we have eaten. ( His lobster and salt baked red snapper are particularly noteworthy). Although off the beaten path, if you want to be pampered in a stunningly beautiful, secluded beachfront heaven, I would highly recommend a visit.

Superb luxury resort with unspoiled beaches, top-notch service, eco-friendly, in an extremely private/exclusive location. This is not a typical big-box chain type of resort. This is a unique 1500 acre estate with four private beaches, two lagoons, and fine amenities to spend a memorable time. Laidback luxury at its best!