Pros

  • Excellent beachfront location with great snorkeling
  • Spacious guest rooms with classic Mexican design
  • Quaint pool in a verdant setting
  • Adjacent to fabled El Set restaurant
  • Great beachfront restaurant adjacent to hotel
  • Stunning views from every room
See More Pros

Cons

  • Small beach disappears at high tide
  • No elevators and lots of stairs
  • Wi-Fi in lobby area only (free)
  • Hard beds
  • Some bathrooms are small and smell like sewage
  • Maintenance issues in rooms
  • No store on-site or nearby
  • No fitness center
See More Cons

Bottom Line

For budget travelers, the 20-room Playa Conchas Chinas can be a cheap, intimate, and even charming option. The upsides include the a small pool area surrounded by lush greenery and a quaint beachfront location (though the beach disappears at high tide). Rooms, however, are a bit mixed. Though most are spacious, with classic Mexican style (think: tiling and bright colors) and great ocean views, expect some maintenance issues (such as missing knobs on furniture and balcony doors that don't close all the way). Some bathrooms are small and smell like sewage. Though kitchenettes are available in many units, there's no grocery store close by so cooking in will prove difficult; the adjacent restaurants are both popular.

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Pool

Oyster Hotel Review

Playa Conchas Chinas Hotel

Scene

Intimate budget option with beautiful views

Playa Conchas Chinas was opened in 1979 on one of the sweetest little beaches in all of Bahia Banderas (though the hotel's stretch of sand disappears at high tide). This 20-room boutique is a bit worn around the edges and lacking in elevators and amenities, but some budget travelers may still find it charming.

From the street, the hotel is an unremarkable, somewhat drab-looking building, with a cobblestone parking lot out front. But once guests go into the neat little lobby with its brick arches and polished tile floors, down the meandering stairs, by the quaint pool and gardens, they'll likely have an entirely different impression.

The beach is a tiny and disappears entirely at high tide, but guests can stroll out among the offshore rocks and snorkel in clear waters. La Playita, one of the coolest beachfront restaurants in all of Vallarta, is shared with a neighboring hotel.

See More Scene

Location

Near Old Town on a seemingly remote slice of beach

Playa Conchas Chinas is just three minutes south of Old Town, directly on the beach side of the highway.

Despite its close proximity to downtown, it feels a world apart; it faces the aquamarine waters of Bahia Banderas and there are jungled hills rising behind.

  • 30-minute drive to Puerto Vallarta Airport
  • 3-minute drive to Old Town
  • 30-minute drive to Marina Vallarta
See More Location

Rooms

Spacious rooms decorated in classic Mexican decor

The 20 rooms and suites are situated across two levels down a few dozen steps from the lobby level. They all have French doors opening onto balconies overlooking the scenic bay, as well as classic Mexican decor (think: tilework and bright colors). Beds are hard and there are some maintenance issues such as worn furniture.

  • Bathrooms feature authentic painted ceramic sinks and Mexican tile throughout. Some are quite small, however, and there are some complaints of cleanliness issues and sewage smells.
  • Many rooms have small kitchenettes with two-burner stovetops, sinks, refrigerator/freezers, and colorful Mexican tile counters.
  • Private balconies with ocean views
  • A mix of flat-screen TVs and tube TVs
  • Some guest rooms have whirlpools on the balconies.
  • No Internet
See More Rooms

Features

The beach is the highlight here, though it disappears at high tide

  • Free Wi-Fi in lobby
  • Small beautiful beach with snorkeling (though the sand disappears at high tide)
  • Small pool with lounge seating
  • 24-hour front desk
See More Features

All-Inclusive / Food

The hotel itself doesn't feature on-site dining, but there are a couple of great options at hand

La Playita, a perfectly located three-meal restaurant, lies on the beach at the bottom of the hotel. The restaurant, shared with a neighboring hotel, offers good, reasonably priced food in a wonderful spot.

El Set, the large, open-air restaurant next door on the street/lobby level (there’s a dedicated passage from the lobby to the restaurant) is sort of a legendary place that once upon a time was the hangout of choice for the gang shooting "Night of the Iguana" down the road (hence the name). It has some movie-related paraphernalia, a huge patio where tour operators bring busloads of cruise ship passengers for sunset cocktails, and Mexican food at semi-high prices.

See More All-Inclusive / Food

Oyster Hotel Review

Playa Conchas Chinas Hotel

Scene

Intimate budget option with beautiful views

Playa Conchas Chinas was opened in 1979 on one of the sweetest little beaches in all of Bahia Banderas (though the hotel's stretch of sand disappears at high tide). This 20-room boutique is a bit worn around the edges and lacking in elevators and amenities, but some budget travelers may still find it charming.

From the street, the hotel is an unremarkable, somewhat drab-looking building, with a cobblestone parking lot out front. But once guests go into the neat little lobby with its brick arches and polished tile floors, down the meandering stairs, by the quaint pool and gardens, they'll likely have an entirely different impression.

The beach is a tiny and disappears entirely at high tide, but guests can stroll out among the offshore rocks and snorkel in clear waters. La Playita, one of the coolest beachfront restaurants in all of Vallarta, is shared with a neighboring hotel.

See More Scene

Location

Near Old Town on a seemingly remote slice of beach

Playa Conchas Chinas is just three minutes south of Old Town, directly on the beach side of the highway.

Despite its close proximity to downtown, it feels a world apart; it faces the aquamarine waters of Bahia Banderas and there are jungled hills rising behind.

  • 30-minute drive to Puerto Vallarta Airport
  • 3-minute drive to Old Town
  • 30-minute drive to Marina Vallarta
See More Location

Rooms

Spacious rooms decorated in classic Mexican decor

The 20 rooms and suites are situated across two levels down a few dozen steps from the lobby level. They all have French doors opening onto balconies overlooking the scenic bay, as well as classic Mexican decor (think: tilework and bright colors). Beds are hard and there are some maintenance issues such as worn furniture.

  • Bathrooms feature authentic painted ceramic sinks and Mexican tile throughout. Some are quite small, however, and there are some complaints of cleanliness issues and sewage smells.
  • Many rooms have small kitchenettes with two-burner stovetops, sinks, refrigerator/freezers, and colorful Mexican tile counters.
  • Private balconies with ocean views
  • A mix of flat-screen TVs and tube TVs
  • Some guest rooms have whirlpools on the balconies.
  • No Internet
See More Rooms

Features

The beach is the highlight here, though it disappears at high tide

  • Free Wi-Fi in lobby
  • Small beautiful beach with snorkeling (though the sand disappears at high tide)
  • Small pool with lounge seating
  • 24-hour front desk
See More Features

All-Inclusive / Food

The hotel itself doesn't feature on-site dining, but there are a couple of great options at hand

La Playita, a perfectly located three-meal restaurant, lies on the beach at the bottom of the hotel. The restaurant, shared with a neighboring hotel, offers good, reasonably priced food in a wonderful spot.

El Set, the large, open-air restaurant next door on the street/lobby level (there’s a dedicated passage from the lobby to the restaurant) is sort of a legendary place that once upon a time was the hangout of choice for the gang shooting "Night of the Iguana" down the road (hence the name). It has some movie-related paraphernalia, a huge patio where tour operators bring busloads of cruise ship passengers for sunset cocktails, and Mexican food at semi-high prices.

See More All-Inclusive / Food

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Beach

  • Cable

  • Children's Pool

  • Cribs

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pool

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.