Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan January 14 – 28, 2008
As we had been staying in old town at Hotel La Siesta prior to going PB Maz we took a cab from there at a cost of 100 peses. We traded into PB Maz through RCI for a “junior suite”. I had previously emailed PB Maz requesting an ocean “front” room. They had responded quickly and said they would try. We arrived around noon and they showed us room 4021 (I think it was) in the newer section which yes was ocean front but right beside the wall of the Luna Palace resort. It appeared a little dark and we could see it wouldn’t get any sun until late in the day. It also had a mini fridge and we wanted a larger one. We asked to see another room in the older section. We were shown room 431 and thought it was great! We loved the views from this balcony; it got a lot of sun and had a larger fridge. Staff was very accommodating through all this. Check in was no problem. Towel cards were issued and we could set up an account to have everything charged to our room or if not, pay as we go. We opted for the later, to pay as we go, so there wouldn’t be any surprises when we checked out.
To the left of the entrance are the “time share” gals. They offered us a welcome package, which consisted of coupons for a free welcome drink each and a card for 10% off all food/beverages (not valid during happy hours). They also mentioned that if we were interested in seeing Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay to come and see them. This was the only time a presentation at Emerald Bay was mentioned to us during our 2 week stay. We came to find out later from others that the “incentive gifts’ offered to view a presentation were not applicable to Canadian’s, so that’s likely why no further approach.
Room 431 is on the top floor above the restaurant. We had no issues with noise from the restaurant and we always had our balcony doors open. (great ocean sounds during the night!)Everything seemed to quiet down and close up before 10pm. The kitchenette was great and had everything we needed. 2 burner stove with fan and light above it. Blender, toaster, coffee maker. Utensils, dishes, pots, fry pans. Dish soap and tea towels were provided daily. Fridge worked well and came with ice cube trays. All appliances worked well. An iron and ironing board is tucked away in the closet. There is also a good sized safe in the closet...no cost. We saw an A/C control on the wall but never used it.
There were 2 double beds that were extremely comfy and certainly not hard. TV worked well and had a variety of channels, including pay per view movies. A nightly turn down service is also provided. There’s a small sitting area which we hardly used as we sat mostly out on the balcony. The balcony also has a drying rack.
Bathroom was a good size with large vanity and tub with shower. Water pressure was good and always plenty of hot water. Good supply of towels, face cloths and toiletries were left daily.
Maid service was very good. Everything was always very clean. We left the maid 20 pesos daily. We always washed our own dishes and she often put them away.
We were advised that we could drink the hotel water, which we did without any problems. They have their own purification system.
There is a supply of bottled water and coffee in the room. Very pricey. We bought our own coffee during our grocery shopping trip to Gigante.
We soon decided that the location of PB Maz was perfect for us. It’s an easy walk to many restaurants and shops. Buses, taxi’s and pulmonia’s (open air taxi’s) stop out front constantly if heading further south to the hub of the hotel zone. We took the buses everywhere...north and south. Walking the beach is great too. There are restaurants along the beach as well. One day we walked as far as Valentino’s and checked out all the hotels along the way. No problem going in and looking around. Although some looked very nice I have to say I liked our spot the best!
The weather was rather cool while we were there so most of our sunning was done by the pool. It was quite cool some days on the beach. We liked the larger pool better than the smaller one as it was a little more active. There were daily activities like volley ball, horse shoes, darts, bingo etc. They also have special theme nights for Fiesta's.
There are vendors on the beach but we don’t find them a problem. Actually I thought there were very few compared to our stay in Puerto Vallarta last year. I did find it interesting that PB Maz and various other hotels put out notices discouraging guests from buying from the beach vendors. There’s is a beach vendor you shouldn’t miss. “The shrimp guy”. He comes early in the morning (7-7:30am) and first stands out front of the newer section and then strolls down to the older section. We purchased beautiful shrimp from 2X. 180 pesos/kilo for the large ones. I think they may be cheaper at the market but this was very convenient. He’ll clean them for you as well.
There were so many restaurants in the nearby area we wanted to try that we never did eat at any of the restaurants at PB. We did have a few light lunches at the pool bar and on our last night there, we enjoyed yellow fin tuna, caught by friends of ours and prepared for them at Cilanto’s. The cost was 100 pesos/pp and included all the trimmings. We’d buy a few drinks during happy hours and also bring down our own drinks in large commuter mugs from our room. We also saw people bring down food they had prepared in their rooms for snacks and lunches. PB’s rules state “no coolers or glass ware” at the pool or on the beach.
The staff at PB Maz we found to be outstanding in all areas. The concierge was very knowledgeable and helpful. She was also able to have medication delivered to the hotel for us from Moderna Pharmacy. No extra charge except for a tip for the delivery man. We found they all worked hard at keeping the resort itself and the grounds clean.
We just thought this resort was wonderful in every way. Location and service was excellent for us. On our next trip to Mazatlan we will definitely want to stay at Pueblo Bonito Maz.!
More pics may be viewed at
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