2nd trip Palladium Vallarta by Panzita

[Anne]

Created By: Panzita on Sunday, July 12th, 2015

My wife and I just completed a two week vacation at Grand Palladium Vallarta. We traveled as Travel Club members, so some of the services we received are exclusive services to Travel Club members, however, the majority of this review should apply to all guests.

We arrived to the resort on Saturday afternoon and were greeted very warmly by Angelly, Roger, Alba, and Daniel. After checking in…and some extensive chatting, we were taken to our room in building 3, which had a spectacular view of the ocean. We stayed in a Grandmaster Ocean View Suite which is a two room suite with a King bed, separate living room, and a terrace with an outdoor Jacuzzi. This particular suite had two large closets and a bathroom with a huge shower with a window. Needless to say, the vacation was off to a great start.

Our next stop was the Travel Club lounge, which is set atop the Cliffside with a spectacular panoramic view of the Pacific. We spent a good deal of time there every day and need to mention Cindy and Michelle (and Marlen who did some reliefs) who work there. Not only did they provide excellent service, but were genuinely warm and loving. They truly live the Travel Club motto of “From Guest to Family”. The specially decorated coffees and juices, which I named “Cindy Sunshine”, were so very appreciated and my friends admired them very much.

The resort is small, rugged, and intimate. It is very distinct from other Palladium resorts which are large and expansive. This difference, however, is a strength. The quality of service we received met or surpassed the service we received at the other Palladium resorts we have visited…as did the food and beverages. The staff was unbelievably friendly and attentive, and while I certainly can’t remember every single person by name, some people stood out. Rosa, Hector, Alfredo, and Nazly were not only efficient, but showed a warmth and friendliness that made us want to keep coming back just to see them.

We ate in every restaurant at least once. We ate at Vive Mexico twice and it was very nice and the setting on the outdoor terrace was amazing. The food was very good, and the freshly made guacamole at tableside was fantastic. We also ate at Bamboo twice and were spoiled by Chef Joaquin, who came to our table and made us special sushi. Our steak at Ribs and More was awesome as were our dinners at Portofino. We also went to the beach bbq one night. It was by far the best beach bbq we have attended and will definitely do it again next year. I found the food to be very good, the best I have had in the a la carte restaurants in a Palladium.

Because we had gold bracelets, we had access to the Royal restaurant, where we dined 5 times, including a special romantic dinner which was a surprise to me. The food was absolutely amazing. While the romantic dinners are not included, if you are celebrating a special occasion, they are definitely worth doing…they are truly unforgettable moments. Again, the service and food in the Royal Restaurant were amazing.

We went to the spa 6 times over our two week stay for a variety of massages and other treatments. Perla and Yolanda were excellent and Alejandra at the front desk was sweet. The services were so relaxing and really needed.

The grounds were always well kept and there are so many men and women who work hard to keep them looking clean and beautiful…but I must mention Martha, our maid, who did an awesome job despite my messiness. Every day, I would find all my things put into a little caddy with the remote control to keep me organized, only to leave everything out the next day. And she always wore a smile!

While I really didn’t participate in any of the activities, my wife did yoga most days at 10:00 and zumba classes. Juan Carlos was very helpful and went out of his way with my wife to show her things and to lend her a yoga mat for the duration of her stay so that she could do her back exercises in our room. His infectious smile and enthusiasm were abundant…he’s a great guy.

And I cannot forget Roger, our concierge. How could we. If we entered the lobby, he would be out of his chair, in the heat, to meet us…despite me telling him it wasn’t necessary. Whenever we needed something, he was there. His attentiveness and friendliness must be noted.

Which leaves just one more note, the management of this hotel. From the top down, the management of this hotel works as a team…they are professionals. Twice I went into the lobby to see Daniel, the assistant director of operations, doing check ins because there was a need. Leadership by example! Albina is so lively and enthusiastic about food, no wonder everything was so good. Alba from guest services, Karin from the spa…they are just amazing, with huge smiles and hugs and always there to assist. But most importantly, Angelly…if you are a Travel Club member, you need to know that Angelly is an amazing Travel Club manager. And she truly cares for her members. I was so impressed with not only her competence and attentiveness, but also her zeal for the Travel Club.

For any Travel Club members, or anyone in general, I highly encourage you to visit this resort, but to not go with the expectation that it is like the larger properties…because it isn’t. But if you get past that, I can’t see how you could be disappointed.

[Author]

Posts