Villa La Estancia - Riviera Nayarit

We have been to Villa la Estancia several times, but this trip it has not lived up to our expectations. We requested a room away from the pickle ball courts, since the noise in the mornings woke us on past stays. They gave us an upgraded room on the 6th floor with a nice view, which was nice. But the bed was a little too firm and lumpy and the pillows were too hard and thick. They did give us better pillows and also a mattress topper which helped. We also had a leak in the ceiling of the bathroom. My partner did not notice the water on the floor and slipped and almost fell. They repaired the leak but after that we felt the need to leave the patio doors open at night, as the room seemed musty. Luckily the temperature at night and the sound of the waves was perfect for sleeping. The men's bathroom in the lobby of the hotel also had a water leak every day, so I think they have some issues with aging infrastructure. One of the main reasons we chose Villa la Estancia is to be able to eat at La Casona restaurant on the all inclusive plan. The restaurant is gorgeous with nice views of the beach and sunset as you have dinner. They also have live music, usually a piano player. However, on this visit we felt like second class citizens at La Casona. The options for entrees have been reduced for all inclusive guests. We previously had options of filet mignon, a cornish hen, and a short rib entree. These are no longer available to all inclusive guests unless you pay extra as an ala carte selection. The limited entree choices became repetitive over our 10 day stay. The food quality was very inconsistent. We had to send our tenderloins back for being undercooked. The baked potatoes were undercooked as well, which should not happen at a steak restaurant. A baked potato should be soft inside with a crisp skin. We were only served a properly cooked potato one night. This was in spite of me specifically requesting the potato to be well done/extra crispy. We still enjoyed the french onion soup and lobster bisque as well as the salads, but our entrees were generally underwhelming. There used to be several bread selections to choose from, but now just one relatively bland bread at dinner. The reservation system also seems to be skewed against the all inclusive guests. We were told we could not reserve a specific table when we made reservations for dinner. However, on several nights as we arrived for dinner, we were told a specific table we wanted outside was reserved. On Valentine's day we ate at La Casona. They seated us at an inside table with the AC blowing on us. It was so cold, I had to run up to the room and get sweaters for both of us. Other guests at the indoor tables that night commented that they wished they had brought sweaters. The AC blows way too cold inside the restaurant at night. It was a nice gesture that they presented couples with a nice bouquet of roses after dinner. There are many good things we enjoyed at Villa la Estancia. We had excellent drink and food service on the beach from Santana and Ricardo. Angel and Daniela were very welcoming at La Casona for dinner. We really enjoyed breakfast every day at La Casona. Lorena and Giancarlo provided great service. The french toast was seriously the best I’ve ever had. Lunch at La Parilla was also very good. Many times we wished we could order one of the breakfast or lunch options for dinner, but that was not an option. Our ocean view from our room on the 6th floor was beautiful. The beach was great. They are very helpful, providing umbrellas to keep you shaded and comfortable. We could see some whales breaching while sitting on the beach during our stay in February. The main pool is heated and swimming in it daily was nice. Overall, a good stay, marred by some of the issues at La Casona as an all inclusive guest. I hope these may be addressed before we return.

Everything about this resort was luxurious and beautiful. The suites are very spacious, well stocked and are very clean. The beach is stunning with gentle waves and NO seaweed at all. The food is excellent and so is the spa. The staff are very attentive especially Jesus at the pool who goes above and beyond to get you anything you need. Esmeralda was incredibly hospitable and gracious as a breakfast server!! I would highly recommend this resort for couples and families.

We had a great time at Villa La Estancia. Our beach chairs guys, Jesus, Angel, Cesar, and Ivan took great care of us. They went out of their way to be sure we were taken care of. They are great representing the hotel.

Highly recommend resort! Clean, great service, and fantastic layout! Jesus and Angel were the best pool boys! All of the doormen were spot on!

This was our 4th visit to La Estancia. We absolutely love it, it’s beautiful, clean and the service/food is always stellar. By the pool, Jesus and Angel always made sure we had what we needed. And always service with a smile from them! We saw a couple that was celebrating their anniversary receive a cake and flowers. How fun! And something new this year, every afternoon Jesus and Angel would come around with fruit cups. What an awesome touch. It was always timely and a perfect treat. Would definitely recommend La estancia.