Rosita Hotel

In 1948, the area that’s now Puerto Vallarta was not yet a tourist destination. Hotel Rosita was the very first hotel built along the beautiful blue waters of Banderas Bay here, starting with just three rooms. Today, the hotel’s traditional Mexican style, with whitewashed walls, red tile roofs, and brick-framed archways, is its most distinctive characteristic -- along with its claim to being the city’s oldest hotel. (The year 1948 is proudly displayed right below the hotel’s name outside.) The hotel’s lobby leads into a large indoor-outdoor courtyard with arched passageways and pillars that open up to the sea. Covered seating areas here pick up the ocean breezes blowing through. Just past the front desk, a lovely tiered fountain is hidden between dense bushes.

While the quaint, historic feel of the hotel’s lobby and courtyard may be somewhat charming, elsewhere the building just feels old, tired, and even neglected. Particularly, the rooms and bathrooms are dreary, dark, and in desperate need of many updates. This is not the best place for a beach holiday, as the beaches here are rocky and litter is a pretty common sight. But for a budget option, the hotel does offer a pool, restaurant, and a great central location right next to the beach at the end of the Malecon. 

Location is probably Hotel Rosita’s best feature: It’s situated right on the oceanfront between two sections of beach (though this area of beach isn’t the most clean or attractive). Rosita is on the north end of downtown at the beginning of the Malecon, a long promenade along the water with lively bars and local music and entertainment. McDonald’s is directly across the street and a Starbucks is close by, but lots of local joints, authentic Mexican restaurants and beachfront seafood shacks, are also within a block or two. The river markets and the Romantic Zone, a lovely part of town with cobblestone streets and sidewalk cafes, are about a 15- to 20-minute walk away. And the airport is about a 15-minute taxi ride away.

Guest rooms are where the Rosita really shows its age. Walls and textured ceilings look like they’ve been painted over dozens of times, and the bones of the building -- the walls and floor -- feel old and creaky. Rooms are very basic and dreary, with no decorative touches to add warmth or style -- there’s very little color and nothing adorning the walls. Traditional carved wood furniture, faded bedspreads, and small tables and chairs with dull orange tablecloths sum up the look. The Standard Rooms have slightly more updated bathrooms with newer sinks and fixtures, but overall the bathrooms are old, dark, and dingy, with shower stalls that could use fresh tile grout. 

There are two basic rooms types: Ocean View and Standard. The Ocean View Rooms, in the front of the hotel, face out to the deep blue sea. The Standard Rooms in the back of the hotel are a bit larger and have views of the city. There are a few Ocean View Suites, which consist of two rooms and a bathroom in the middle. Many rooms -- including those with city views -- have nice balconies, but only the Ocean View Rooms include mini-fridges. All rooms have flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning.

The main feature of the hotel is a lovely, medium-sized, kidney bean-shaped pool that faces out toward the ocean. Several blue plastic lounge chairs line the pool on all sides and finding a seat shouldn’t be a problem. A handful of umbrellas offer shade, and the courtyard near the pool has lots of nice green shrubbery and flowers.

There's a concrete walkway right in front of the hotel, providing a barrier from the ocean right below, lined by big rocks. A large metal gate (that’s locked at night) by the pool opens to the walkway and the beaches. The beaches themselves are city beaches, and are quite rocky and very public. They’re not the cleanest beaches around -- litter isn't uncommon -- and some guests might think twice before swimming here.

The hotel’s Agave Restaurant is located next to the pool, offering both open-air seating and outdoor tables. It serves light fare and traditional Mexican food for breakfast lunch and dinner. The indoor section is a room featuring a series of catacomb-style archways. The hotel has free Wi-Fi and a computer and printer in the lobby for guests.