Crown Paradise Golden Resort Puerto Vallarta

Crown Paradise Golden sits in a stucco building covered in salmon-and-cream hues, all topped with terra-cotta roofs. Rows of balconies holding planters add some lush greenery to the facade. Inside, its big lobby reflects a contemporary look thanks in part to extensive renovations in 2015. A dark wood reception desk topped in a slab of marble anchors the space, and blue bench seating are paired with modern wood-block coffee tables. A new open-air buffet area, installed in 2015, gives a breezy dining space with tile floors, hanging plants, and a view toward the ocean. Despite these fashionable additions, many areas have only the veneer of "new." Details betray an older property with dated tiling, slow elevators, and wear here and there. This Crown Paradise is an adults only spot, although guests can cross paths with families and kids while taking advantage of the amenities in the sister property next door. (Some restaurants and entertainment are shared between the two.) However, the resort's adults-only status doesn’t mean it’s a party zone. Late-night entertainment doesn’t run that late, and couples skew toward the middle-aged and senior set, though younger guests who’d rather relax than party find their way here, too.

This Crown Paradise shares its beachfront location with a number of other resorts in Puerto Vallarta’s Hotel Zone. The beach itself is busy, but still fairly wide and clean. The location is just south of the cruise ship dock and north of downtown, offering a good balance between the more secluded feel of the hotels in the upscale Marina Vallarta golf community and the more hectic scene found in the heart of the city. Each hub is about a 10-minute drive away, and both offer a range of restaurants and shops. Nightlife options can also be found downtown. Even closer is the mall (a five-minute drive), which features department stores, an air-conditioned food court, and an inexpensive movie theater with comfy seats and American movies. Licenciado Diaz Ordaz International Airport is a 10-minute drive.

While rooms were soft-rehabbed during the resort's renovation, guest rooms still feel somewhat dated and small, especially in the bathrooms where aged tiles, faded grout, and old fashioned color schemes are most noticeable. In entry-level Deluxe Ocean View rooms, beige tiled floors are paired with stucco walls, with turquoise accent walls behind the beds and blue accent pillows and runners. The newer dark wood furnishing looks nice paired with navy accents on the headboards and desk and table countertops. Bathrooms in entry-level rooms feature an odd combination of white stucco walls, beige tiled floors, and rose-colored marbled tiling on countertops and around the shower/tubs. All units have balconies with pool or ocean views, too. Entry-level rooms can accommodate three guests and feature two double beds or a king size bed, While these rooms are on the small side, bathrooms are adequately sized, and balconies with patio chairs add a little extra space. Upgraded suites and Jacuzzi Rooms offer indoor or outdoor whirlpool tubs. Throughout, rooms are solidly equipped with AC, 42-inch plasma TVs, irons and ironing boards, safes, coffeemakers, and minibars stocked daily with free bottled water and soft drinks, plus two cans of beer. Bathrooms have free individual toiletries and hairdryers. Wi-Fi is included. 

Like many all-inclusive resorts, Crown Paradise Golden offers entertainment, several dining facilities, a pool, beach, bars, and wellness facilities. Guests can also take advantage of amenities at the family-friendly sister property next door, Crown Paradise Club. For the most part, food and drink are included, though guests will have to pay extra for wines, specialty dishes like lobster, and room service delivery. Wi-Fi, taxes, and tips are also included, as is entertainment and activities that are “non-motorized” (i.e. shows, tennis, and volleyball). Guests will have to pay for same-day minibar refills, laundry service, spa treatments, tours, and transportation.The huge draws, of course, are the beach and pool. Cupped inside the resort is the outdoor infinity pool, which looks like it’s disappearing into the sea beyond. Long, streamlined, and free of the water features typically found at family-friendly properties, the pool is great for swimming laps or taking a dip. It’s surrounded by big lounge chairs and roomy canopied daybeds. Another favorite spot is the whirlpool, directly connected to the pool bar. Cabanas and loungers are also lined up on the beach, where a stretch of sand and ocean give guests a chance to relax or swim. There’s drink service at both the beach and the pool. But this paradise isn't without its downsides: Complaints include persistent peddlers at the beach, no umbrellas for guests in lounge chairs, and difficulty nabbing cabanas at busy times.Most dining takes place in the hotel's main restaurant, Bellavista, an open-air cafeteria which offers breakfast buffets, a la carte lunches, and themed dinner buffets. Guests tend to find the food decent, though not extraordinary. The other two restaurants, Paradise (Mediterranean food) and Salvador’s (International dishes), offer a la carte dinner menus and require reservations and a “resort elegant” dress code. All meals are included in the room rate, save for specialty dishes like lobster. Guests are also free to take advantage of the three restaurants at the resort next door, which specialize in Asian, French, and Italian cuisine. Room service is available 24 hours for a fee.Other drinking and dining options are poolside: A poolside grill and bar offers casual food like burgers, while The Breeze Bar, which provides beach service, doles out drinks, continental breakfast, and snacks, like guacamole or paninis. The lobby bar is open the latest, closing at midnight.Daily entertainment ranges from morning yoga or afternoon water aerobics to games like volleyball or bingo. The property has two clay tennis courts, and private sessions can be arranged for an extra fee. For late night dancing, guests can go to Nitro Club (three days a week) or the Sport Bar Collage across the street. The other evenings, the hotel offers karaoke or evening shows -- think Vegas- or circus-themed performances -- which are also sometimes at the beach.The property also has meeting, event, and wedding space that can host over 400 guests. The on-site gym is satisfactory, with a big weight-lifting machine, a full rack of dumbbells, and rows of spinning bikes, but there are only a handful of other cardio machines. The spa, which was under renovation during our review writeup in late 2017, offers a range of treatments for extra fees, including manicures, pedicures, massages, scrubs, and facials.