It's always nice to see a familiar face. In a city like Puerto Vallarta, which seems to grow and expand with every blink of an eye, that familiar face is the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center, one of the mainstays of the Puerto Vallarta skyline for four decades.
The resort opened more than 40 years ago, one of the original large-scale hotels in Puerto Vallarta. Since its opening, it has been a familiar sight along the Bay of Banderas shoreline, a quiet witness to the transformation of this once-pocket-size port city into one of the biggest tourist destinations in Mexico.
I recently checked into the resort -- a first for me in the 10 years I have been coming to Puerto Vallarta as an adult. And while the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center has decades under its belt, it is anything but old school. Quite the contrary, the resort has managed to adapt to keep up with Puerto Vallarta's fast-paced evolution, all the while remaining a classic centerpiece on the beaches of the Bay of Banderas.
While rooms at the resort don't have balconies, they do have floor-to-ceiling windows that provide some spectacular views of the Bay of Banderas. Photo Credit: Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center
Check out that view
The first thing you'll notice when you arrive in your room is the view. Even if you've been to Puerto Vallarta dozens of times, it's impossible to not be wooed by the stellar view of the brilliantly blue bay, the scruffy terracotta-tiled roofs of downtown and the towering, jungle-covered peaks that fade into the misty distance. While each of the 437 guestrooms has a wow-worthy view of the bay, the views from the higher floors really steal the show.
I stayed in room 2214, a Club Level room with a king bed, small couch and seating area. While none of the rooms have balconies, I was greeted each morning with views of endless blue water, courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows. All of the rooms were renovated in 2017 as part of a multimillion-dollar refurb, which included the rooms, public areas and the spa.
• Related: Puerto Vallarta's Hotel Mousai ups the glam factor
Guests can opt for either an all-inclusive package or a European Plan, either of which I can recommend, depending on what the goal of the trip is. Normally I don't suggest visitors come to Puerto Vallarta for an all-inclusive package, since the city has such fantastic restaurants, so if clients are looking to explore the destination, EP is the way to go.
On this trip, I was a guest at the Sheraton for a wedding, and the group had very little intention of leaving the resort, so we went for the all-inclusive package -- and it was the right move to make. The dining at the resort hits the spot, from the full beachfront breakfast buffet at La Villita, with a huge selection of international options, to speedy (and fresh) room service to stellar sushi at Umai.
The Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center has been an icon of the Puerto Vallarta skyline for decades. Photo Credit: Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center
Head for the pool
While the beachfront in front of the resort is a little lackluster (which is, frankly, not uncommon for the beaches in the heart of Puerto Vallarta), the Sheraton Buganvilias certainly makes up for it with a great pool. The resort is family-friendly, so the pool can be full of energy, games and music during the day, but it's such a large pool that everyone can find a place to themselves. Rows of chaise lounges mean that you're rarely without a place to lay out, and pool service is always fast and friendly.
• Related: The top Mexico travel dupes for 2024
Friendly may even be an understatement. The staff all around the resort was fantastic. Large wedding parties can be overwhelming with all the excitement ahead of the main event, but the staff at Sheraton Buganvilias is not only professional, but extremely accommodating, light-hearted and experienced.
The Sheraton Buganvilias has one of the best pieces of real estate in Puerto Vallarta, halfway between the airport and downtown with a prime location on the beach. With such a great location comes great responsibility to be a place that guests can count on for a standout vacation in a city saturated with options. It's easy to see why this is a resort that has withstood the test of time. And for someone like me who has come to call Puerto Vallarta home, there's something comforting in knowing that this is a place that was here long before I was and likely will be for a long time to come.