Loved Tropicana Years ago and going back next week!

I loved the Tropicana years ago but haven't been back. I am so excited to be going next week!

The hotel has given me a choice of room in old section. I tend to like older hotels but I wonder if anyone has stayed in the old part vs. the new part recently.

I wonder how the rooms vary besides lack of TV at the lower price which is no big deal.

This hotel was so nice. I can't wait to check it out as the reviews seem to indicate it is still a relatively nice place.

Frequent Stays at the Tropicana

My wife and I have stayed at the Tropicana at least five times in the last 10 years and are going again this February. Good location in the old town, close to restaurants and within walking distance of the Mercadero and the main part of Puerto Vallarta. The hotel makes improvements each year; the new "tower" is our favourite; good-sized rooms and very clean. For a moderately priced hotel on the beach and in the old town, you can't beat it.

Worst food in PV

Stayed from 11/29/03 to12/13/03 Older hotel that is kept up nicely Hallways,elevators,pool area and grounds,rooms and washrooms are super clean.

DON,T TAKE THE FOOD PACKAGE

The waiters get the orders mixed up , the furnitue is dirty and dusty,the columns at the south side of the restaurant have ants and bugs that find there way on you and your food

Many very good eating places within a few minutes walking distance that have better food at better prices.

I had the ala carte breakfast package , they told me I am only entitled to have the toast and coffee or pancakes and coffee . I had to get the manager and had to argue like hell to get the bacon and eggs or omlete breakfast that was supposed to be in my package.

Too many good restaurants nearby to put up with those kind of headaches

Better than Expected

I just returned from PV Nov 28 and could easily have stayed a second week. I booked an air/flight/breakfast package based on user reviews here, and the Tropicana exceeded my expectations. My preference was for a well-located beachfront property that was clean and safe, and the Tropicana more than delivered on all counts. However, please read on and decide if this is the property for you.

I had a room facing the beach in the old tower. BTW ALL the rooms are beachfront in the old section, so I see no need to pay extra! The room was spartan but scrupulously clean. I didn't even notice that there was no television, and couldn't be bothered to ask why there wasn't one.

The lighting was a bit dim, and yes, the toilet took a few flushes to clear entirely. The beds were firm, but I like that. The lobby area is beautiful, as are the grounds. I'm sure they had substantial work to do after Hurricane Kenna last year: everything is freshly painted and spotless. People we met thought we were staying somewhere far more expensive.

For the first few days we were the only people on our wing -- until some guests started transferring in from other hotels! This prompted us to have a closer look at other properties in the same price range.

Torre de Oro? Smaller, not beachfront. Playa de los Arcos? I thought this looked really nice on the first day, but we talked to people who transferred to our hotel or who were leaving, and they hated it!

Most/all of the rooms face onto a very noisy courtyard pool, and their beach club sucks. They also didn't like their staff. Guests said they would have preferred the sister property of Suites de los Arcos, which is not beachfront.

Now back to the Tropicana. I only had breakfast there, and I concur with other posters that the food is mediocre at best, especially when you consider the average quality of restaurants in the Zona Romantica.

I'm a coffee drinker, and their coffee was atrocious, but no more so than much of the coffee I've drunk in the States. Next time I'd skip the breakfast package and just eat at any of the local restaurants within a 3-10 minute walk, which have full breakfasts for around 35 pesos. There is also an excellent coffee bar 3 minutes from the hotel.

Restaurant Hits: Cafe de Olla, Brasil Misses: Piazzetta

Verdict: How soon can I return?

LOVED the Tropicana Hotel!

We have been to several islands in the Caribbean and all over the US but had never traveled to Mexico until this past February. We went to Puerto Vallarta and stayed at the Tropicana Hotel -- booking by a travel agent friend. It was the most wonderful exposure to the country!

We loved our room, which was light, bright and spotlessly clean! We overlooked the pool and out to the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Every morning we had breakfast in the restaurant and Abel served us! He MADE our trip! We cannot wait to return!

We liked the rooms and moreso the restaurant waiters - Abel was our favorite.

We go to PV every November and have sinces l985 - we stayed at Tropicana Hotel because it is close to the beach and night life. The people that work there ae very friendly escecially 'Abel" and we would stay there again.

Great Hotel/Great Value/Great Ocean View

My partner and I loved this hotel. Right on Muertos Beach....great shops nearby. Hotel is right on the beach and away from all the newly built up tourist area. We were fortunate to be vacationing with native friends that new the area and spoke the language fluently. We would highly recommend this hotel. Hotel staff was friendly and courteous. I will more than likely stay here again if The Blue Chairs resort is not avail. HAVE FUN! HAPPY VACATIONING!

Wonderful Hotel

This was an excellent hotel. We stayed in the new addition and overlooked the beach. I am not sure about the older sction of the hotel. They just created a new lobby entrance and it was beautiful. The staff was superior and always ready to help.

Beautiful sunsets and great location

The sunsets were beautiful from the balcony of my sixth floor room. This hotel is right on the best beach in Puerto Vallarta. The rooms were comfortable and very clean. I have no complaints about the place. The staff were friendly and the restaurant food was very good. I will be back.

Excellent Hotels in Puerto Vallarta

Me and my husband were vacationing in Puerto Vallarta last Christmas and stayed at the Hotel Tropicana for 2 weeks. No complaints, great room service, great food, friendly staff and very good prices.