Third year staying here and it's usually fine, but the immediate time share sales pitch is obnoxious. Even when you know it's coming and you clearly communicate that you're not interested, it continues. This year there was an event at Mantamar, which meant all of a sudden guests don't have access unless we want to pay extra for it. On top of that, insanely loud music and bass coming from Mantamar from 11am - 10pm, meaning you can't enjoy your room or Eden pool because of the noise. They really need to decide if they want to be a luxury resort, or a day-long nightclub. If PV again, will have to rethink if this is the place to stay anymore. read more

I would not recommend the Almar Resort. It's branded as a "luxury" resort but it is far from luxury. The pros: The service was pleasant and the staff was nice and the Eden infinity pool area was gorgeous. That's about all. The cons: The room reaked of a foul odor - like wet, moldy towels. The AC did not work. The L'Occtaine bath products honestly smelled like dollar store cheap body wash. The breakfast was DISGUSTING and took over an hour to arrive. Beware: They almost force you to a time share presentation immediately after check in. Just keep saying "No" and eventually they will give up but they are very persistent. This place is not luxury. read more

1-Star Review -- My Personal Experience at ALMAR Luxury Resort The aggression & and mafia like dramatic scene. I just had one of the most uncomfortable experiences I've ever had at a hotel, especially after spending over $5k for the weekend plus additional charges at the beach club and pool. When I was checking out, I told the staff I was running late and needed to leave. They already had my credit card on file, and I hadn't used anything from the minibar anyway. Instead of letting me go or doing a quick check, I was told to sit and wait 10 minutes while they inspected it. When I said I didn't have time to wait, five staff members dressed in black approached me and insisted I couldn't leave until they checked the minibar. The whole situation felt extremely aggressive and unnecessary. It honestly felt intimidating and "mafia-style" in the way it was handled -- that is simply how it came across to me in the moment. After all that, the minibar was completely fine. Everything was there. The whole thing turned into a big, dramatic scene for absolutely nothing. After the money I spent and the way I was treated, I can confidently say I won't be returning, and I'll be telling friends who ask about PV to avoid this place. Something so simple should never turn into an experience like this. read more

BUYER BEWARE!!! We booked on their website for their best room, no discounts and a few days later checked my American Express card and the amount dud not match. They said they could use that toward our expenses while we stayed but how do you not notify the customer. That was almost $300. Then we come to check in and they tell us our room will be ready at 3. I said 3 exactly? I understand there is a check in and check out policy but if the toolkit is ready, what difference does it make for the hotel to let us occupy it. We checked in at 12:30 so it wasn't like I was asking for an additional day. They don't even pretend to check if it was ready they just said come back at 3. I said we'll be at the pool bar, how about you call down there when it's ready and they looked like I was crazy? From outlets on both sides of bedroom that didn't work (I mean so loose a charger can't stay in), to the AC working intermittently but providing waterfall liquid falling from the ceiling it just felt "tired". These rooms in the beach tower are not that old, they've just been neglected. The shower door couldn't stay shut so it was a lawsuit waiting to happen with a how slippery it was when you'd step out. We had to beg for product replenishment in the room as if they thought we'd arrived with Tupperware containers to bring it home. How about make sure they're filled before check and not make it our reasonability to al when we're already in the shower. At first the refrigerator wasn't cold enough so we turned it up and then that caused the sparking water explode. We had asked for the minibar to be emptied but they also refused. We prefer to keep items in there we actually enjoy versus filled with beverages that had been made cold, hot and the. Cold again (we made that mistake a previous time when we got a skunk's Champaign that tasted like dirty water). They just have inept people there these days at the front desk and that's really what it comes down to. Check out was a whole other debacle. We were anticipating the 30 minute departure saga but this was an all new low. I've been coming here for 6 years in a row, at least 1x per year often twice. The place has become a total dump and they nickel and dime for everything. We just checked out and of course they charged us $7 USD for each espresso pod that was left in the room. So over $100 in coffee pod charges needless to say where nowhere in the room suggesting there's a fee. Im surprised they didn't charge for almar water bottles they replenished each day. I've never been at a hotel that charged for the coffee pods. When we first arrived I asked the manager to reach out and they never did. Of course not, the owner of this joint haschecked out too it seems. We'll be staying at Tryst the next time. Although it's not on the beach, it seems all the capable employees have moved ship and so will we. Waitstaff and pool attendants are pronominal but the overall lack of Management and poor customer experience is a no for me. read more

Everything about this place is top notch. The service, the food and the facilities are all lovely and beautiful. We have stayed here twice for extended vacations and we can not wait to go back. The location is great too. Step out the front door and you are in the middle of PV. read more

From the moment I arrived, nothing was as it should have been, and the overall experience was abysmal. This trip was booked as part of a vacation club trial, which I purchased last year after a self-booked visit in which, ironically, I had a much better experience as a regular guest than I did this time as a "member." I had hoped for consistency, if not an elevated experience, but unfortunately this stay was riddled with problems. Upon check-in, I was placed in a sixth-floor room overlooking the Eden pool area. Unfortunately, the view was of a filthy elevator shaft rooftop, which was not at all what I expected. I accepted it without complaint to avoid making an issue, but it certainly set the tone. That evening, we had dinner at SkyTop during a storm. The restaurant was nearly empty, yet our meal was disrupted by an obviously intoxicated guest who intruded on multiple tables. He sat with us uninvited, insulted me, guessed my age, and made inappropriate remarks. Despite his behavior, stumbling and even falling, the staff did not intervene to protect our experience. While our server offered a complimentary shot of tequila, what I truly wanted was privacy and appropriate action taken against this disruptive individual. The following day, my niece enjoyed a spa massage with Brian Lopez, which she spoke very highly of. Later in the trip, I also had the pleasure of receiving one of the best massages I've ever had from Eden. Both Brian and Eden provided five-star quality service that truly stood out as highlights of this otherwise disappointing stay. Unfortunately, while my niece was at the spa, I discovered that the air conditioning in my room had failed. When I called maintenance, I was patronized and told to "turn on the unit," as though I didn't understand how it worked. Eventually, I was informed that the system had frozen and was irreparable, and I would need to change rooms. At the front desk, I encountered additional disrespect. When I requested a new room, the agent (Angel) dismissed me abruptly and then entered a side room, after which I heard staff laughing, presumably at my expense. This behavior was unprofessional and unacceptable. My reassigned room (403) was more spacious, which at first was a relief, but the television's volume did not function. When I reported this, maintenance again implied I simply didn't know how to use the remotes. It ultimately took over 24 hours and multiple staff members to resolve a very basic issue. Additionally, for two days my room was not stocked with coffee, forcing me to use the Nespresso machine and incur unnecessary charges. Finally, at checkout I explained to the front desk staff that I had not enjoyed my stay(also Angel). Their indifference to my feedback made it clear they cared little about the guest experience. To make matters worse, when I spoke with the representative overseeing the vacation club/timeshare sales during my sales pitch, he dismissed all of the issues I had raised with a simple "it is what it is." This attitude was extremely disheartening and confirmed my disappointment in having purchased this trial membership. Because of all of these problems, I will not be returning or recommending Almar to any of my clients, colleagues, or friends. I am very relieved that I backed out of the five-year vacation club deal I had originally signed and chose only a one-week trial. This was your opportunity to impress me, and unfortunately, you fell short on many levels. The only redeeming part of my experience was the exceptional spa treatments provided by Eden and Brian Lopez, and Carlos who was an excellent concierge, who all deserve recognition for their outstanding professionalism and care. Beyond their efforts, however, my stay was profoundly disappointing. Since none of the staff seemed caring enough to make anything right or give me any credit for any of my disappointing stay, my only recourse is to leave a negative review on Tripadvisor and Yelp read more

I wanted to find a relaxing, laid-back resort for our first ever visit to Puerto Vallarta and came across the Almar Resort. Billing itself as the LGBT Beachfront Experience, I thought this might be the place for us to chill out. In many ways this is an awesome place to stay. Located on the beach at the south end of the Zona Romantica (Romantic Zone), the hotel tower has undergone an extensive renovation along with the addition of a smaller modern building called Mantamar. The existing tower rooms are well appointed and pleasant although a bit bland in their design. They feature walk-in showers and separate space for the toilet, with dual vanities as well as a separate mirror and vanity with bench seat for personal care. Rooms also feature a microwave, wet bar and mini refrigerator, although the fridge is mostly filled with purchasable food and beverages. Our room on the 12th floor had a sweeping view of the bay and beach. The rooms in Mantamar have a more modern and colorful vibe with similar amenities. Some rooms have a glass shower exposed to the rest of the guest room and the rooms are also adjacent to the beach club. These rooms are intended to be the "party" area and the beach club pool and club reflect that intent. The older tower has the Eden pool on the fifth floor with an infinity pool, hot tub and swim-up bar. There are cabanas for rent if you want to spend the day hanging out. It is more relaxed and a nice break from the thump-thump-thump pounding music at Mantamar. That said, to each his own: you can choose the experience you want here. The food at the Eden bar is delicious and a highlight from our stay. We ordered the ceviche, tuna sashimi and fish tacos: all were executed with care and were very good. The pool food is a hidden gem at this hotel. The infinity pool faces the ocean and is sparkling clean. During our visit we enjoyed meeting several other guests on vacation; everyone was kind and fun to talk to. The main tower features a rooftop bar, called the Top Sky Bar. On the positive side, the views are incredible here and is an awesome place for a drink. However, the food is truly awful and ranges from barely edible to total crap. I had a hamburger that was cooked on the surface but raw inside. My husband ordered a bruschetta that looked more like a slice of toasted Wonder bread with some salad fixings scattered on top. We also received a complimentary breakfast that was better but still flavorless and skimpy. Some aspects of our stay were not pleasant unfortunately. The business office has a very antiquated system in requiring a paid security deposit for the room as well as a deposit to cover expected food and beverage charges. Most hotels simply let you place a credit card on file to cover incidentals but that is not allowable at this property. The most annoying part of our experience however is the timeshare presentation. They bill it as a "membership" but let's face it: they are connected to RCI, one of the big players in the timeshare industry so make no mistake, membership functions as a timeshare would. The presentation is insulting in that they very boldly tel you that the only reasons that people don't buy in is that they either 1) don't understand the package (i.e. you must be stupid), or 2) they can't afford it. The high pressure tactics don't work on me having been in sales myself. I know the game and I wasn't biting. Despite this unpleasantness, we did receive two massage appointments in the hotel spa. These were very good and professionally done and were a nice introduction to the spa services available. For those fitness minded individuals, there is also a gym. The spa is located adjacent to the Top Bar on the top floor of the hotel. I think this property works best for men as the majority of guests were male. I did see some women couples hanging out at the pool, but not sure how comfortable they were with the male-oriented atmosphere. Overall, it was a good stay at this property, but they lose a star for the bad food in the Top Bar and the ham handed timeshare presentation. Recommended. read more

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Emmanuel was absolutely amazing. He helped us get situated in the room. The room was spacious and the jacuzzi on the balcony was such a welcoming sight after a long day. Take a chance, try it out. You won't regret the experience! read more

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We went to Almar for the first time this past month and absolutely loved it. The rates were competitive and the room we stayed in was amazing. Comfortable bed, spacious, living room area, hot tub, and a balcony with an ocean view. The service in the restaurant on top of the property was excellent. We went there every morning for breakfast and Oscar took very good care of us. The drag show on Sunday was a lot of fun, as were the bottomless Mimosas. We also spent a lot of time at the upper pool and bar area. The view was fantastic and bar service top notch. Brian and Mayra made us always feel welcome. It is a great resort for the gay community, but it is also a wonderful experience for straight couples. read more

Decent hotel, great to have free access to the beach club. AC did not get very cold. Cleaning service was minimal.

Went to Puerto Vallarta in August/September. We booked Almar and saw it had good reviews. Our stay there was great. We had zero issues. I've seen a lot of posts about the AC not working but I'm glad we did not have any trouble with that. It would have ruined our experience seeing as we do not like the heat. If anything our AC was too cold lol. We got out the shower shivering, but of course didn't mind. We had food at the SkyBar one evening which was good and a few drinks at the pool. I will say when ordering drinks make sure you tell them exactly which alcohol you want because if you don't they will assume/upcharge their top shelf liquor. Staff were nice and friendly to us. Never had any problems even when we lost one of our keycards. Although checking in did move a bit slow we were greeted with drinks so it all balanced out! lol. All in all I would recommend. It's not a bad walk to any part of Zona Romántica. Price of the room wasn't bad either when we booked!! Although the spa was pretty expensive so we opted to get massages elsewhere. read more

Almar - View from the gym - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

This hotel poses a threat to the safety of its patrons. I booked a room here in March, just after the whole upset in Puerto Vallarta. Everything was back to normal and the area was safe, unlike what we were hearing in the American news media at the time. While PV as a whole was safe, I felt really unsafe at the Almar. To my surprise, during our stay, the resort was hosting Shangela for their Drag Brunch. For those of you who are unaware, Shangela has been in the news over the past few years for the alleged sexual assault of 7 members of the LGBTQ community. These accusers describe being purposely intoxicated and drugged by the drag star, and waking up to the drag performer sexually assaulting them. So imagine my surprise to see Shangela herself there performing like nothing ever happened. I was extremely upset by this. So upset in fact, that we ended up cutting our stay short and checking into another gay resort nearby. This is absolutely unacceptable. When seven members of the community come forward with allegations, a place that caters to the gay community should take the allegations seriously. I find it extremely unlikely that 7 individual accusers, all with similar accounts over many years, would be making up the allegations. Especially when all the accusers are gay men themselves. So to allow them to perform at your resort is a slap in the face not only to the victims, but the entire gay community. It was honestly surprising that so many of the patrons were out there Hallelooing and cheering for the alleged rapist. While that was shocking to me, I quickly found out that I was not alone in being upset by this. Later that day, we met a group of travelers who shared my disappointment in the resort. After chatting with them for a bit, I felt reinforced in my disgust and ended up looking for a replacement hotel. Almar resort was not accommodating at all. When we complained to the front desk staff and asked for a refund on our remaining nights, 5 in total, we were denied. Which just further confirmed just how little this resort cares about its customers. We ended up at a lovely new resort with an amazing LGBTQ friendly vibe, and I'm so glad that we found them. We will be staying with them for all of our future stays in Puerto Vallarta. Shame on you Almar!! It is obvious to this traveler that the almighty dollar is more important to them, than the safety of their patrons. If you have a stay booked here... cancel now!! Because they won't let you do it once you check in. read more

If you are a gay man - GO for it. If you are a straight woman you can forget you exist! I came with a group of 25 for a birthday celebration. We were excited since it was our first time. Meaning the females. My friend & I were not greeted with a friendly smile or greeting more like the help! I informed them that 3 other ladies booked partial ocean & were given a room the 2nd floor with no view. I expressed how I emailed the hotel a week before & no response. "Mar" stated we are fully booked. I stated I should get the room Im paying for. I was dismissed. We left our CC with a $250 hold for inessentials in the room or bar. Nope didn't matter. Anytime we ordered something we needed to pay up front with a card or money because they claimed our card was not on file when we showed proof of our $250 hold receipt. Breakfast is included. Well you are allowed one choice from the menu. You can order additional but for a cost. Don't order the eggs it's probably ONE scramble cold egg. Order the pancakes it'll fill you up for an hour. The beach area the service was excellent. Irvin was a complete doll very attentive & friendly. Again I had to go get my CC because I couldn't charge it to the room. At 10am i asked for bottled water for the room & tidy up the room. At 5p I called to inquiete why wasn't our room tidy up with water clean towels. They stated we asked too late pass 3pm. That's when I lost it. We had been at the beach since 10:45a we turned the sign at 10am. Our room no partial ocean view but 2%. We had full street view. The bed with hair ! The balcony full of hair. Would I come & stay here again?? NEVER!!!! read more

Almar - Is that partial ocean view??? - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

ALMAR is another one of those TIME SHARE SCAMS! As soon as you check in they tell you that your room is "not ready" -- then the scamming begins!! Someone at the waiting area will start pressuring you to sign up for their OVERPRICED time share while promising you room upgrade and free massages if you agree to "attend their so called no pressure 30 minute" time share presentation!!! It will eventually turn into a 2 - 3 hours of wasted time! read more

Someone in the Almar staff likely housekeeping) went through the wardrobe, unzipped our bag, found the interior pocket and took all of our cash. Since we were staying here for several more days we bought a bicycle lock to keep them out. We reported it management but they failed to do anything to make it right. It put a damper on our anniversary vacation. read more

Almar - Bike lock to keep staff from stealing our stuff - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

Reservation representative, especially the manager named Erika was not helpful and less than sympathetic on the situation. The airlines had canceled the flights due or a global IT outage. When explaining the situation to the hotel, they could have cared less and still charged for the accommodations without offering at least one night credit. Unless you're looking to loose money, I do not recommend the Almar Resort in Puerto Vallarta...shameful. read more

This stay was a huge disappointment, made far worse by how unaccommodating and dismissive the GM was--despite the fact that they were fully aware of ongoing air conditioning issues. From the moment I arrived in one of the nicer top-floor suites, the AC kept shutting off--during the day when I returned to a stifling room, and in the middle of the night when I woke up hot and uncomfortable. At first, I brushed it off, assuming it was a balcony sensor, since I could usually restart it. But halfway through my stay, around 10 p.m., the AC failed completely and would not turn back on. Maintenance came, then a second tech, but neither could fix it. I was moved next door for the night--a temporary solution that seemed reasonable. They assured me it would be fixed in the morning, so I left all my belongings in the broken room. By mid-morning the next day, nothing had been done. When I checked with the front desk, they acted like they had just heard of the problem. Since my friend and I were effectively living out of two rooms (one working AC, one with all our belongings and no AC), I asked for a second key. Shockingly, I was told the GM refused. When I spoke with him directly, instead of showing any empathy, he interrogated me like I was trying to pull a scam. I had to explain why two guests in two rooms would need two keys--something any reasonable manager should understand. His tone was insulting and accusatory. When a contracted HVAC technician finally arrived, he admitted the truth: the resort already knew the system had a leak and that they just keep topping it off with freon instead of fixing it properly. He even said he regularly comes back for the same issue and guaranteed it would fail again. The GM came up afterward and outright lied to me, claiming the AC hadn't had a problem in "over four months." When I asked him if he could guarantee it would keep working, he instead tried to downgrade me into a smaller Jr. Suite--far from the Luxury Suite I paid for. I pointed out that I had already slept comfortably in the same-size suite next door, so why couldn't I move there? His excuse: "It's reserved for another guest tomorrow." As though I wasn't a paying guest standing in front of him. His attitude was basically "take this lesser room or stay in the broken one that was topped off." When I asked what accommodations he would make for downgrading me, he looked at me like I was unreasonable for even asking. His "solution"? A total of $50 in bar credit for four nights--a laughable and insulting offer considering the hassle, lies, and ruined experience. To add further insult, we were expected to haul our own luggage between rooms with zero assistance. This fiasco cost us nearly six hours of wasted vacation time, on top of the stress and frustration of dealing with a GM who treated me like I was the problem instead of the guest who had been wronged. I was lied to, denied fair treatment, offered a smaller downgrade as though it were a favor, and tossed a $50 credit like an afterthought. I would never recommend staying at Almar, and I will never return. read more

This place is awesome. It felt luxurious but was very affordable. The staff was great, the food fantastic the menu for room service was all night long. The view from the rooftop club and shows there were fabulous. It's located i right on the beach and at the edge of restaurants and nightlife in Zona Romantca, so they're all a quick walk away, or you don't have to hear and deal with that at all. Perfect escape. read more

Te reto a que encuentres un lugar para leer un libro aquí. Boom boom boom, everywhere, all the time...before breakfast until late... Unless you're accustomed to living in a disco, you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere to relax except in your room with noise-canceling headphones. read more

There is Zero customer service. My husband and I have been owners for 18 years and the past 4 have seen a drastic decrease in every aspect of service and amenities. It sounds little, but we are no longer listed on the 'welcome board'. Others are, but not us for some reason. I've even asked and they don't seem to care. Our requests for room preference also go ignored even after requests made months in advance. For example for a room that is not by the bar because of noise. The list goes on. If we were not owners, I would not go back. There are much better values, with better amenities, and most definitely a higher quality of employee elsewhere. read more

Beautiful place - very overpriced rooms Front desk staff are flat out rude Beach staff was great - beach food is amazing Super over priced massages read more

Almar Resort is listed as a Luxury LGBT Beachfront Resort. True to it's name, it faces the Pacific Ocean and gives large access to the beach, dazzling beachfront view, and complimentary access to Mantamar Beach Club through the use of a non-removable wrist band that they give you on day 1. I also appreciate that this is adult only, so there are no kids running around the 2+ pools that they offer within its premises. The large amount of not-so-good reviews are due to the fact that they have been moving at a glacial pace at construction, access to certain parts of the premises, their strict policy on no-guests for those who are looking for 'visitors' to 'enhance their stay', and for their attractive yet utterly unhelpful staff that are very good at the check-in process but horrible when it comes to anything else. When it comes to nice accommodations, beautiful rooms, and convenient location, the competition (including Casa Culpa) aren't able to compete. Very important to book this place a great 4-6 months in advance to ensure you get consecutive days in the room choice of your preference. My favorite is the Mantamar Front Row Suite. Despite it being a bit more flashy and having a comic book theme, I enjoy that it's right next to the pools, nearby the bottom level exit, and has a jacuzzi within its room. Depending on the type of room, availability, popularity (i.e. Pride events or New Years), and days of the week, prices would range from $110-$300 per night for a room. read more

This place gets a solid 3 stars. The room we had was spacious and clean. The room had a great view. Staff for the most part were pleasant and helpful. The pools were amazing. The proximity to the beach is great. The location to all of the night life in Zona Romantica is great. The food at the hotel was decent but pricey. The downsides: The first thing when checking in is the disclosure about the extra fees, which you can have in your room and when, the items not included in your stay and check-in and check-out times which they seem to be very strict about. Caveat don't show up a minute early and don't leave a minute late. If you like club music expect it all day everyday no matter what room you are in. Do expect a very heavy handed time share pitch. Do expect watered down drinks that aren't cheap. Do expect if you sit by the pool to be asked by every masseur at least 10 times if you want to book a massage. And do expect to pay an arm and a leg despite the price on the price list. Do expect to wait 20 minutes at checkout for them to check the mini bar. The long and short of it, if you want to stay at a gay hotel this is it. You are definitely paying for the gay. If you want to stay some place that has good value, this is not necessarily the place. read more

We've stay here numerous times in the past (and I'm actually the YELP Duke of the property) but the attitude this places gives is just unacceptable. My partner recently had back surgery and I have a severe ankle injury which stairs are difficult. So we walked in to use the elevator to get to their Mantmar beach club. They refused to let us use it and said to use the stairs. These stairs are treacherous and with the issues we have it's a real problem. Why they won't let someone use an elevator to one of the their attached businesses is a joke. I guess if I had said we were going to the TOP they would have to let us so what's the difference? Well I told them they would be getting a bad Yelp review (which previously was a 4star from me) after the treatment they gave us. We are soon to be local residents and I'll happily spend my money elsewhere. read more

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We stayed first week of October 2023. Birthday celebration and had family and friends join us. The hotel is a lovely hotel and the staff are incredibly kind and helpful. However there are a number of issues we experienced. First off, the hotel isn't very accessible for people with disabilities. The few ramps accessing the property are often blocked by cars or motorbikes. The ramps inside the hotel such as the one to the rooftop is so steep and has no handrail even my able bodied partner struggled to help me up the ramp. None of the stairwells have handrails and when it rains the bridge ramp from the lobby to the rooms is closed. Causing me to have to sit in the lobby until the rain is over. The room we booked was a partial ocean view. However we were placed in room 606 above the 5th floor kitchen and had to listen to the exhaust vent run 24/7 and smell the grease from the kitchen, so sitting on our balcony was never pleasant. The bed was also so saggy that my back was in pain the whole trip. We also rolled into the center of the bed as there was no support in the mattress. The queen beds advertised are actually full size or double beds, not queen beds. We asked for a new mattress or room and were told there were none available. We asked for a shower mat for the floor as it's like grease lighting when wet. The hotel doesn't offer any shower mats. So we used towels. We sent out our laundry for wash and fold. When our laundry came back, the two shirts with food dropped on the front was still there and one pair of shorts we had forgotten to remove a tissue from the pocket, still had the tissue in it and yet the tissue was intact. The laundry wasn't washed but we were charged for it. When we checked out, we were told one bottle of water had been used in the mini bar. We never used anything out of the mini bar, we only used the two free bottles of water left in the bathroom each day. In fact we even used the water from the tap and never had an issue with the water at the hotel. We had friends who stayed the first part of the trip at the hotel with us until they moved to another hotel because similar issues with their room. They were charged for a bottle of water used from the mini bar they never took. They also tried to charge them for a missing iron in the room, plus they wouldn't refund any portion of the remainder of the hotel fees paid when they departed early because of the inconveniences, they stayed in room 704, also above the 5th floor kitchen roof and had to smell and listen to the exhaust fan 24/7 and they had construction in the room next door, so they were listening to hammering and sawing for hours each day when they would be in their room. The hotel should make guest aware of construction going on and block those room from being occupied. They should have also offered to move our room to another partial ocean view room when we asked or given us an option to upgrade at least to another floor if a similar partial ocean view room wasn't available. In short, not a great experience for us. read more

Almar - Rooftop bar and restaurant - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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Huge disappointment on so many levels. We booked online knowing that we might not get the best room. But also not expecting to get the worst room in the house since it was a Monday and maybe 1/2 full. Photo is our view. Then we went up to Sky bar. Ordered two margaritas as it is their happy hour. Two for one. They brought four margaritas and insisted that we pay for all. We felt scammed which is always a bad feeling. Asked to talk to the manager both days. No reply. So I would say if you have tons of money to throw away and don't mind being ripped off by a staff that is trained to scam this place is for you. And management that is so below par. This could be a good fit otherwise. Stay away give your money to good people who do not rip you off just because you're in a gay environment. read more

Almar - Our View. - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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(My visit was the week of September 20th, 2021) I absolutely loved my stay at the Almar. Perhaps I was lucky enough with most of the complaints in prior reviews to no longer be an issue; however, I 100% recommend staying at the Almar! This hotel has not only beautiful views but the service and staff are top notch here. Upon check-in they'll offer you a complimentary beverage but there will be an attempt at a mini timeshare presentation. Gotta respect the hustle though lol. Pricing was more than fair than the rooms and there's something for every budget. My partner and I decided to splurge for our first stay (we stayed at Almar before and after our all-inclusive stay at a different resort) in their Grand Almar Hydrobath and Terrace Full Ocean View and holy fudge were the views breathtaking. This particular room has two patios for use, l'occitane amenities, a jetted hot tub, multiple storage, and two bathrooms with showers. My partner loved the nespresso machine but be warned they do charge per pod which wasn't much. The pools and landscape are breathtaking here and the staff is always maintaining the grounds. I really loved the saltwater pool with swim-up bar! You can also order food there so that was great. One perk about staying at Almar is how you have access to the Mantamar dayclub pool. This place gets poppin and the fact you're saving about $25/$30 per person per day for access to Mantamar alone is reason enough to stay at Almar. Mantamar is accessible to the general public. Make sure to double check if your stay includes complimentary continental breakfast which has coffee, juice, fruit, and toast. The property is LGBTQIA-oriented and is very queer friendly! read more

I visited with two friends this time and when we pulled up to the property, we had no idea this was the start of nearly seamless visit. We were immediately helped by two gents who grabbed our luggage and bags. **Check-In** The two guys who greeted us stacked our shopping bags and luggage on a cart, as we settled our room details. The person helping us, Edder (sp.) quickly took our IDs and payments for both "incidentals" ($500 pre-auth) and for the resort fees ($30 per night). To avoid an improper mini-bar billing issue, I requested that the mini-bar refrigerator be emptied. **Room** I chose the Mantamar Backstage room and I received room 317, whose view was an alleyway. The room's retro-futuristic style, included neon accents, stained glass and mesh inserts in the cabinet doors. The room had a king bed and was expansive, accommodating a table, two nightstands, a dresser, a large wall unit holding a sink, microwave and a relatively large mini-fridge. In the restroom area, the water closet and shower was side-by-side. The dressing area had a couple large drawers for storage. One glaring deletion from the room is a closet. In the dressing area, there is a clothing rack, also holding the room's safe. **Atmosphere** The whole property is immaculate, down the art in the transition areas and the setup of the Eden Pool Deck - you definitely get the feel of being in an exclusive environment but the other guests are down to earth and we even met several groups of very friendly guys. **Food** This part of the review is courtesy of my friend who ate at the Top Sky Bar; he had a the breakfast sandwich with potatoes and salad. He indicated that it was tasty and fresh. **Drinks** I didn't drink on property, but I saw several interesting artisan drink additives (dried fruit, etc.). Friend #2 (see below) ordered a margarita b/c he's a lightweight - he noted that the drink was weak, so you can imagine what that means for someone else who likes to get a stiff cocktail **Gym/Spa** The gym is probably less than 250 sq. feet and is a rudimentary version of your home gym (weights up to about 50 lbs.), a couple treadmills, a stair climber and a bike or two. There is a small multi-workout machine, a couple incline benches and a kettle bell or two. There were towels and a stellar view of the Banderas Bay. I was there very early at 8am or so when the gym opened **Pool** There is much said about the Eden Pool Deck and - it's a very serene environment with the infinity pool overlooking Mantamar and the Bay. I feel they could stand to amp the music a bit; one warning, the folding beach chairs on the Eden Pool Deck are free to use, however, the lounging beds which hold 2-4 people are $250 for the day - you decide if the price is worth it, to be 2 feet behind the beds **Beach** During my stay, all of the Mantamar chairs lining the beach were available but they were sparsely used; we never sat there because the "seen and be-seen" Mantamar vibe was not there since it was closed **Wifi** I had to work two of the days I was on vacation; if you are leading a Zoom meeting and need a stable connection, you may be out of luck; Using video and sound together seemed to cause frequent disconnections. Is the connection not strong enough to support the entire property or did my PC demand too much bandwidth? **Staff** Every member of staff I personally experienced was very accommodating to me; anything I requested was normally done with one exception: I had to make three requests for an ironing board before I received one. Overall, I can attest to the fact that the staff listens and they respond. According to friend #1 below, he had a small issue with manager upon check-in, which I were due to glorified online room descriptions **Summary of overall Experience** The property owner(s) have successfully created a highly Instragrammable experience - however, small details are lost at times (WIFI, finishes/materials in the guestrooms). Noise from construction can be annoying, but luckily we were gone quite a bit. I think that there should be a weekend moratorium on the work. I polled both of my friends and: **Person 1 (me): 8.5, based on the fab look of the property, friendly staff, attentiveness, views from the public areas of the coast, chill environment and friendly guests **Friend 1: 8.5, cleanliness of the property and styling of the guest quarters **Friend 2: 8, based on the quality of the breakfast, property cleanliness PROS: generally quiet b/c of Mantamar closure, very nice front desk personnel and housekeeping staff, styling of the guest quarters, pristine common areas CONS: daily audible construction noise (minimal), drinks were weak, Mantamar was closed for repairs, trying to navigate the property and multiple elevators servicing different areas of the property, expensive Eden lounging beds, slowly responses to some requests, inaccurate website descriptions for room types, inartful mgmt interactive, weak WIFI read more

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Almar canceled my reservation the day before I arrived. Why? Because I failed to respond to the single email they sent informing me that essentially they don't accept the AMEX card they allowed me to use when booking the reservation. Their booking site accepts AMEX, then they send a single email asking for a different card. Clearly, Almar is avoiding AMEX service fees at your expense. I was 1 of 14 in our group. It was sorry so sorry ..."why don't you try to add yourself to one of your friends reservations?" I ended up canceling the trip entirely because I ran out of time to figure out alternative accommodations. Almar provided no help. As it turned out, my 13 friends all experienced nearly two days of no water. That meant no toilets and no showers. Almar told them it was a neighborhood issue but that was BS. I've stayed at Almar previously. Don't let them fleece you just because it's branded "GLBT". There are FAR better options in the Romantic zone. Try Pinnacle. read more

Almar - Shady credit card practice at Almar - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

I just check in right now. I was here last august. I supposed to stay at Governors Suite at Marriott hotel coz I have titanium status but i choose to stay here thinking I'm getting the suite we stayed last august Instead I got a small suite. Is this the way they treat their loyal guest? I never stay here again. I even talk to the manager of front desk and it's worthless. Customer Service and loyal guest don't exist to this hotel. I booked for romantic suite ocean view but they give me a small suite part building and part ocean view. Nothing on my booking says part ocean view. I Hate the room and the building view. It's not the the pic on the website! As I check in, I met few guest that complain about the room assignment and someone has been assigned my room but complain and they moved to different rooms. This is their tactics! Pretending to be luxurious but rooms is not. Rooms has no soundproof, you can hear music from rooftop and pool. Even on nights from rooftop bar and bluechair bar across the hotel. would not recommend this hotel at all. Drinks and food at the Eden pool (hotel pool) is very expensive, more expensive than California drinks. read more

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I had reserved a room for an event in January. I had a surgery in October and got two terrible infections and I was told to not travel and especially not to go in water. I pleaded with this resort to give me a refund and submitted two Doctor/Surgeon notes multiple times. They said I purchased a non refundable room and there are absolutely no exceptions, I tried to dispute this with my credit card company three times but to no avail. I contacted them a final time asking if we could split the cost. They said absolutley not. They said had I not disputed the charge they would have given me a credit (they never told me any such thing) . Bottom line is Im out $2562.00 and they wouldn't work with me at all, lesson learned to never buy non-refundable but this place could have had a little compassion, even $100 dollars of would have been a gesture. So that's my story, unfortunate but what are you going to do. I would never give them another red cent though. #SCUMMYPLACE read more

We actually were stupid enough to purchase membership at Almar in 2012 before construction even began. We heard horror stories about these timeshares never working out, cant use your week, never availibility etc. They seemed to have solution for that in contract. Point system per weeks that you can save/bank use any time. AA+ membership for additional cost promissed guaranteed reservation, points not expiring etc. Once resort was open, two years later, they withdraw all those contracted benefits. Do not buy membership at this place. Better off making reservation if you want to stay there None of the perks they promise will materialize. Once they have your money , there will be always an excuse why you can't get what you were supposed to. See contract page of AA+ benefits supposed to recieve, and see email whats left. Reservation no longer guaranteed, your weeks expire after 2 years. Use it or lose it. Better off just making reservation when and if you want to stay here. Cheaper too if you do the math . There are other , better options now in PV for gay travelers. read more

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Stayed over a week during early April 2024. I'd say it was "fine" and nowhere I'd rush back to. Pro's: - Room was clean and they were on top of cleaning daily - Good security (this can be a bit of a con if you wan't to have guests) - Bed was comfortable and they were replacing the couches while we were there, which is a needed update. - The fifth floor Eden Pool was great, we spent a lot of our days there, it was a more chill alternative to Mantamar - Beach front views, if you get a good one, and that is a coin-toss - they are marketing those rooms to timeshare owners and so you may get a view of the roof of Eden or the Mantamar club. - Nice to have access to breakfasts in the morning and the food on property is good. - Staff are friendly and responsive. Con's - They had an issue processing my Amex payment. I got an email asking me to email my security code, which is not a secure way to transmit information. I called instead, but that's a risky practice. - Loud at night, especially on weekends. I'm a light sleeper who turns in relatively early. This isn't the place for people like me as the Blue Chairs and Almar noise plus Mantamar and pool noise is just overwhelming. Forget listening to the ocean waves. - Hand held shower that wouldn't switch over to the overhead shower head. I'm tall that so was less than ideal. - My A/C didn't work for a couple of nights. No one really explained much to me about why, it ended up being a glitch with the door sensor. Spending two nights with no A/C wasn't great. Workers came at 10 PM one night and just sort of left without fixing it or the desk saying anything. - Housekeeping doesn't refill coffee or tea, or stock the minibar with additional waters (they do leave more for the bath though). So you end up getting your own. - Be prepared to spend more for food and drinks here. The food is good but the drink up-charges are significant when compared to any other option on the beach. We went to Green Chairs to meet friends and paid about 1/3 what we were paying at Almar for a margarita. They were no different in quality. So in short, it's an okay spot, not one I'd rush back to. I have stayed in VRBO's with a beach view before and would likely go there instead. read more

Welp, so far this planned 7 day stay is off to a rocky start... Upon arrival to check in we were pleasantly greeted. As we waited to be checked in in the couch area one displeased guest came in to the front desk slowing down our check in process. Shortly after that guest was done another displeased and outwardly angry guest came to the front desk grabbing the attention of the whole reception team further slowing down our checkin process which led us to joke that another and we would be out. After being checked in and before being shown to our room we were given a virtual tour as well as a time share sales pitch... other Yelpers make mention of this in their reviews so we were aware this would be part of the process. Upon our first night on Sunday construction continued until midnight, mind you we were well aware that construction noise would be a thing during our stay but we were told hours would be from 08:00 thru 18:00 Monday through Friday with it ending a little earlier on the weekends. The next day on Monday for a noon drink and dip in the pool we stopped by Eden Pool & Lounge Garden. The majority of the servers were pleasant (one kept mentioning about getting it on with my boyfriend). Our few hours there were bliss. Shortly after signing our bill we descended down the elevator for the beach when I noticed I was charged for 3 waters, not just the 1 we had, honest mistakes happen I get it. We go back up to have that revised. Going back down I then noticed that the prices for our drinks went up, after having had the extra waters removed, now at this point feeling taken advantage of we went to the front desk where they phoned the staff to make sure it is fixed and revised by the time we head back. Yes I overlooked and signed for the incorrect charges both times but I feel as though this is just common practice. After a second night of construction proceeding after 18:00 I called the front desk staff to see what they could do, after a few hours of back and fourth around close to 23:00 Antonio was able to find us an amicable solution and moved us to another room away from the construction without additional charges with his supervisor's approval. The rest of our stay was pretty uneventful. We avoided any further drinks or food at the Eden Pool & Lounge Garden after our first visit. The night room service menu was pretty limited (as far as vegan options) but the guacamole and chips hit the spot. Though we were not able to get a late checkout we were allowed to continue using the facilities after checking out until it was our time to leave for the airport. read more

The building and amenities itself are okay but the customer service is awful. 1). I get that check in is at 3:00pm. That's standard among most hotel chains. I got there a little earlier in hopes that a room might have been available. (Again not uncommon). It wasn't until 4:12 that I finally had a room available. 2). While you're annoyed with your bags waiting for a room, they call you over under the pretense that it's something regarding your check in. Instead it's an aggressive, tone deaf pitch to a time share. (Or loyalty club) as one rep referred to it as. They offer you a coupon for a massage if you come at some point during your stay to hear the pitch. 3). The manager is incredibly rude. Any concern you bring to his attention, after rolling his eyes, he'll delegate someone to 'deal with you' as he scurries away to his back office. He also wasn't wearing his mask but could be seen reprimanding an associate about his mask. Additionally he enforced the mask policy with guests but had none in sight. 4). The room was nice. It was clean and the minibar had great options. It would be better if there was at least complimentary bottled water included in the mini bar. Everything was A La Carte. It was almost as if Frontier Airlines owned the place. The toiletries were great and the cleaning staff was friendly. 5). Access to the beach is quite the hike. No seriously. Those steps are steep going down and uncomfortable going back up. Hopefully at some point they create a lift system to get guests to the beach. To be fair they offer a shuttle but who wants to wait for a shuttle to go to the beach and back. Also upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, you'll be approached by charming men offering you... 'substances' to enhance your stay. 6). Don't make the mistake of giving them your credit card or passport. A waiter 'accidentally' took my credit card home with him. I had to do without my card for an entire night, and when they finally decided to return it, 2 huge charges were placed on it. 7). The performances are somewhat entertaining but after every set, they come through the crowd asking for money. The first time was cute but after the 8th time it was a lot and quite off putting. Literally everything led to them shoving a metal vase in your face asking for a 'tip'. In summary this is a shady establishment with little to no interest in customer satisfaction. It's all about money I guess to fund the construction going on. I've been treated better at a hostel... I'll be back to PVR but not the Almar. No Thank you. read more

Almar - Manager without mask. - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

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The negative reviews of this place were shocking to us. Perhaps we came after the worst of the construction was over. Maybe they improved a lot of things since last year. But for us... the room (on the eleventh floor) was gorgeous, the service attentive, the view the best I've had in my life, the proximity to the Top Sky Bar excellent, and the included breakfasts were a really delicious and nice touch. Diego, the bellhop, is the most handsome man in PV, by the way, which I'm sure didn't influence my review at all. Okay, maybe a little. read more

My review and experience exceeded the limit for a review so I just took screenshots of my actually review! Please look at the pictures attached! read more

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Amazing experience. Beautiful hotel/resort. Great staff. Awe-inspiring pool and views. Tasteless food. All the bell hops and receptionist at the front can be a bit jarring but everyone was super helpful and nice. Almar is up a hill so walking to and from the resort can be a struggle after drinking but the location totally makes up for that. (Exit the building from the bottom as opposed to the lobby to minimize the hill). Breakfast host Michelle, so nice, so beautiful. Server Louis by the pool was absolutely thee best and attentive. Rodolfo the chef at Eden was hilarious personable and cooks right in front of you if you're seated at the pool bar. ..... unfortunately, no matter what time I ate, the food had no seasoning. That's the only reason for the deduction in stars. I will let the pictures entice you into staying here, I know I will stay again. read more

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2.5 stars really? I'm shocked! Maybe they've made some recent changes because I give them 5 stars. We stayed 5/7/2023 - 5/13/2023 and it was awesome! Below are my comments. We chose the Deluxe suite with partial ocean view (listed as two queen beds, but pretty sure they were kings like I have at home). The room was super nice, tastefully decorated, well appointed, and clean! My mattress was luxurious. This is a luxury resort. The bathroom could've used more hooks for towels but that would be my only (very minor) suggestion. The A/C was more than enough to keep our room cold, hot water on demand, and the ocean view was HUGE...far better than the listed "partial ocean view" on their website. We were extremely happy with the view from our room (we were on the 11th floor). From check-in to check-out every employee we came in contact with were not only very professional, but super friendly and accommodating. They always greeted us with a smile and eye contacgt as we passed through the lobby. Drinks and food at Eden and Mantamar were wonderful. While lounging at Eden we did get a lot of offers for massages, but who cares? The masseurs are HOT AF so just talking to them made our day!!! Daily access to the Mantamar (breakfast included each morning), unless you need a full kitchen and multiple bedrooms/bathroom, then the Almar has it all IMO. Now for the bad part. OH, there is NO bad part...everything was honestly superb and we'll definitely be staying at the Almar again - SOON! Thank you to all of the staff at the Almar for making our stay so awesome. Every person who works there deserves a shout out, but I can't remember everyone's name. However, I definitely remember Francisco (Eden pool). I had a bad sun burn and he was constantly checking on me and moving the umbrella to keep me in the shade. He ensured our quesadillas were crispy, our drinks came out fast. He's just amazing - thank you Francisco!! Also, the manager at the front desk (didn't get his name) was so nice and accommodating. I sincerely do not have a negative thing to say about the Almar nor Mantamar. read more

Almar - View from the Eden pool - Resorts Near Me - Puerto Vallarta, JAL

Made fraudulent charges to my credit card for things that we did not purchase. No hot water, no electricity for two nights, didn't get the room we ordered online, front desk help sucked. Definitely will not stay again and do not recommend. Very scandalous resort. read more