Royal Decameron Costa Flamingos All Inclusive Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Bucerias, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Considering its massive scale, the 620-room Royal Decameron is a surprisingly user-friendly, pleasant place to unwind and play for a few days or weeks. This all-inclusive resort feels more like a small village than a large-scale hotel, thanks to a design that features low-rise buildings of three and four stories clustered into separate blocks. They are painted in vibrant tones that add a cheery feel to the resort, with no fewer than 35 hues used in the festive color scheme.

The property is packed with amenities, including plenty of pools, a spa that features a tiny sweat lodge used for traditional temazcal rituals, a small fitness center, outdoor tennis courts with on-site instructors, an open-air theater, and a disco. Numerous activities are available for adults and children, such as water sports, biking, and arts and crafts. However, the hotel lacks an actual kids' club building, which is a standard amenity at most all-inclusive resorts. Highlights include beautiful grounds that include a tree full of iguanas known as the Iguanarium and the resort's fabulous stretch of northern Bahia Banderas beach. However, the property's massive size means that some guest rooms are a bit far from the beach.

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About 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, Bucerias is a sweet, slightly ragged town with a "highway meets the beach" feel to it. Most visitors pass through Bucerias en route to somewhere else -- except those folks headed to the Royal Decameron, on the south side of town. The hotel’s brightly painted entry arch sits just off Highway 200, a good half a mile up a cobbled avenue from the property itself.

Vallarta is far away here, but the beach in Bucerias is wonderful, and the pristine beaches of Punta Mita lie just a few minutes to the northwest. Bucerias does have some good restaurants, a fun market scene, and some interesting shops. The Flamingos golf course is less than a 10-minute taxi ride away from the resort, and half a dozen other courses are within a 30-minute driving distance. Some guests choose not to leave the Royal Decameron's property during their stay, since the resort does offer plenty of amenities.

• 30-minute drive to Licenciado Diaz Ordaz International Airport
• 10-minute drive to Flamingos Golf Course & Club
• 20-minute drive to Nuevo Vallarta
• 20-minute drive to Punta Mita
• 45-minute drive to Puerto Vallarta

The hotel’s 620 guest rooms are housed in colorful low-rise buildings that are organized into blocks which surround various pools and gardens. The rooms are functional, but not fancy. Most offer wood and wicker furnishings, tube TVs, and just a few colorful prints adorning the walls. Many rooms have connecting doors to adjacent rooms, which is a good feature for large families and groups.

Block Three is the only cluster that overlooks the beach and ocean, but the 48 guest rooms here are older and have somewhat outdated decor. It is not possible to reserve a specific room in advance, so getting into the beachfront block may not be easy.

• Tube TVs
• No Internet
• Two double beds or one king-size bed with woven, light-colored headboards
• Bathrooms have single sink vanities, showers, and no bathtubs.
• Simple and utilitarian furnishings, such as wood and wicker furniture
• Light walls, except one colorful highlight wall in each room
• Balconies or terraces with garden and/or pool views
• Block Six rooms with king-size beds also come with sofa beds.

• Outdoor tennis courts with free lessons available
• Free use of non-motorized water sport equipment, including kayaks, boogie boards, and sailboards
• Five pools, including a kids’ pool and adults-only pool
• Spa with indoor treatment rooms, open-air massage cabanas, and a small sweat lodge for temazcal rituals
• Open-air theater featuring live performances nightly
• Outdoor soccer field and basketball court
• Loaner bicycles available
• Only Internet available is at lobby computers for a fee
• Lots of activities for kids, but no kids' club building
• View Full List of Amenities

This all-inclusive features a diverse selection of restaurants, as well as multiple snack spots and bars. These dining spots are scattered throughout the expansive property, so that guests have the option of sticking close to their rooms or strolling to different sections of the resort to try other restaurants.

• Rodizio Grill is a brightly painted, open-air dining room near the northern, beachfront side of the property. The menu features grilled Brazilian salt-style meats a la carte in the evenings, and burgers and light foods from late morning until early evening.
• Flamingos restaurant, under a double palapa overlooking the beach, includes a buffet section and serves three meals daily.
• Tetatzin Bar, open 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., serves drinks by pool number one, which is the activities pool with decks overlooking the beach.
• Poco Loco, a second beach bar, near pool number two, has the same hours and offerings as Tetatzin.
• Restaurant Tropical is the busiest restaurant on the property, serving three meals buffet-style daily.
• Bar Fiesta, by pool number three, has the same hours and offerings as the other poolside bars.
• Attached Japanese/Thai restaurants Jap Jap and Wok, in the Royal section on the inland side of the road, offer buffet breakfast and lunch, and a la carte Asian options in the evening.
• Bar Keiko is located by the Japanese/Thai restaurants.
• Piccolo, by Block Six on the inland side of the road, serves Italian food for dinner only in an enclosed dining room with air conditioning.
• Mexican Fusion, on the inland side of the road, serves Mexican/Caribbean fusion cuisine for dinner only.
• La Diligencia poolside bar is by the large, adults-only pool on the inland side of the road.
• Salon Vallarta Disco and adjacent theater is open evenings for various shows, events, and TV broadcasts, and offers bar and snack service.
• Lobby Bar in the main lobby by reception