Dreams Villamagna Nuevo Vallarta -- All-Inclusive Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

You'll catch the ultra-modern vibe of this resort the minute you enter the lobby. The sleek, white-on-white space is open to the natural light and ultra-cool, white-on-white, sleek lobby, finished and furnished in tasteful modern style, open to the light and wind, and square modern cube chairs and tables offer seating. From there you can see the long, curving pools -- which will usually be crowded with kids. In general, the pool area is pretty severe looking, with no hut bars typical of other all inclusives in the area, and no swim-up bars (drinking is not allowed at the pools).

One side of the property faces mountains, the other the sea. Walk around and you'll see people engaging in all sorts of activities -- from swimming, to surfing, to tennis, to jumping on a giant trampoline. Catch the sunset on the roof at the sushi bar.

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Nuevo Vallarta is a resort destination north of Puerto Vallarta. There's no real city center here, just a lot of big hotels and upscale apartments/homes by the beach, including this one. From Nuevo Vallarta you can get to Puerto Vallarta in a minimum of 20 minutes by cab to check out the Old Town's restaurants and nightlife. But if you just want to chill on the beach and in the hotel, play a little golf and/or watch the waves break, Nuevo Vallarta’s a nice place to get away from it all.

• 12-minute drive to Puerto Vallarta Airport
• 20-minute drive to downtown Puerto Vallarta
• 10-minute drive to nearby golf courses

The basic deal here is, if you’re in the Ocean View Tower, you see the ocean from every room. In the other tower, the Tropical view, you see the mountains. The Sierra Madre is a beautiful green mountain range, out there beyond Banderas Valley.

That said, the rooms, called Junior Suites, are great. On entry, the bath is to one side, with a deep free-standing tub in the middle of the room, a separate shower behind glass with an oversized shower head, and an elevated double sink atop the vanity. The furniture is contemporary in mode, dark wood beds -- king or two doubles, and bright chairs and sofas. Every room has a hot tub on the deck, an I-pod dock, flat screen TV, and a free mini-bar stocked with juices, sodas, and beer (sorry, no liquor or wine).

The hotel also offers a trio of ground floor three-bedroom Family Suites in the adjacent condominium project that share the pools and facilities with the hotel. These three expansive, elegant suites have direct access to the pools, and the decks are shared. However, they do have a lot of style to offer: contemporary furniture throughout, two bedrooms with king beds and one with two doubles, kitchenette with granite countertops (not fully equipped though), huge bathrooms with separate showers and tubs, a hot tub in the master bedroom, multiple flat screen TVs, in-house designer toiletries, and the same 24-hour room service that's available in the hotel towers.

• Baths have deep, freestanding tubs with separate showers and double sinks
• Contemporary furniture throughout; dark wood mixed with bright sofas
• Private furnished balconies with Jacuzzis
• 26-inch flat-screen TVs
• 24-hour room service
• Internet usage costs extra
• Free minibars (beer only; no liquor)
• Some rooms have ocean view, others have mountain view

• Long free-form pools with cool design (though drinking is not allowed in pool area)
• Full-service Dreams Spa by Pevonia
• Ample fitness center with a few machines and free weights
• Lighted tennis courts (fee for night use)
• Rooftop sushi and cocktail bar
• Good kids’ activities -- Explorers’ Club -- including movies on the beach
• Multiple beach and poolside activities including sports, snorkel tours, diving clinics
• Free Wi-Fi (only if you download the hotel's App, which also lets you make free international calls and book appointments at the resort)
• View full list of amenities

The Explorer's Club offers:

• Large, secure playground area
• Sand castle contests
• Story telling and music
• Treasure hunts
• Arts and crafts
• Indoor game room
• Video games
• Big-screen movies under the stars
• A weekly tent camp out on the beach or at the club

• Vallarta Adventures summer camp for 10- to 14-year-olds includes SCUBA, surfing, swimming with dolphins, and more

• World Café serves an international buffet daily
• Seaside Grill, steaks and grilled specialties, in an open air dining room near the beach
• Oceana, under the same roof as the Seaside Grill, serves fresh seafood
• Portofino has a high end Italian menu, and serves adults only
• El Patio is the house Mexican restaurant
• The rooftop lounge, Gohan, does sushi along with beverages.
• 24-hour room service from all dining facilities
• 5 bars and lounges