Ford and I recently spent some time in Punta Mita. We first spent three nights at the 177-room Four Seasons Punta Mita, which I’ll be reviewing in this installment. Then we spent three nights at the 15-room Four Seasons Naviva, which is a brand new tented resort next door, and I’ll be reviewing that in…
Continue reading: Review: Four Seasons Punta Mita, Mexico (Ultimate Resort Complex)
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Great review but this place won’t see my money. I have no desire to spend any time in Mexico.
@Ben: don’t get me wrong, my best friends are from Mexico. BTW, I am latino, born and raised in Latin America and have been to almost all countries from Mexico down. I love the culture, beautiful places but I simply don’t feel safe there. I am not the type of person that goes into a gated resort and stays there. I love resorts like this but love to go out and explore the local places. I like to eat where locals eat, go to small family owned stores and by local handcrafted things. I simply don’t see myself doing that in Mexico. Add to that the cost. At almost $2,000 per night, I would rather spend that money in a similar place in Europe and Asia. I just don’t see myself spending that much money in places I need to be inside a resort for safety reasons.
Ben, Thank you for the wonderfully detailed review of the FS Punta Mita. We have enjoyed the property in the past. Easy to get to, impeccable service. Try to stay at the ST Regis next door for a review. In some ways as hard as it is to believe it is better.
The Doubts loved this place when we went with the kids when they were young.
But watch out for the treadmills in the gym. They’re lethal.
Stayed at the Saint Regis next door last spring for five nights. Actually was also able to use suite upgrade certs for an ocean view suite. While we were there, we also visited The Four Seasons, and walked over to their beach once. Area is beautiful and we had a great stay. We also took the time to go north and stay in Sayulita, a sweet casual surf / beach town. Very different than Punta Mita, but still fun to visit.
I'm always amazed at how many people can routinely afford these kindof rates. Speaking of, and I think it's been brought up several times in the past, but it would be really great to know how much those travel advisor rates are when you book those. Or maybe let us know if you'd actually pay the regular rate for a given property, to give us a sense of "is it worth it".
I've been to Mexico over 30 times in my life. Mostly Los Cabos area but also Punta Mita, cancun, cozumel, Riviera Maya etc. While there are definitely dangerous places in Mexico, these resort towns are probably much safer than most major cities in the US.
Seems a bit of a waste for a gay couple to go to Puerto Vallarta and then not stay in the gay neighborhood though? No matter the luxury, undoubtedly someone gay would have a better time at the gay beach location in PVR
We used to live in Punta Mita and frequented the Punta Mita Beach Club (private to homeowners and their guests), almost every day. It is located within walking distance just to the south of the Four Seasons Resort. Wonderful memories in a beautiful, serene location.
Glenn, of course it's worth it if this is the kind of resort you like and you can afford it, or in the case of the neighboring St. Regis, have enough Bonvoy points. We were at the St. Regis 3 years ago in Jan. and the resort was sold out. So was the Four Seasons. Obviously, people are voting with their wallets that it is "worth it". We had one of the greatest resort visits of our lives to the St. Regis and I will never forget it. Lucky's reviews and articles are priceless.
There are plenty of places in Mexico where you can go out and do all you like to do Santastico and still be safe. I was just in Merida on Yucatan and it was amazing. No issues. Other places like Oaxaca, San Miguel de Allende, etc. You dont have to spend the $2K per night, and can still go out and immerse yourself in the local culture. It' sdoable and safe. But then again, to each their own. I love Mexico and I will be going more and more.
Looks nice but Jesus a thousand dollars +++ a night??? In Mexico? Plus food. Plus drinks. That’s just insane. Even if you have the money I don’t see the value. This isn’t Tahiti or the Maldives…. And truly wonderful lazy rivers can be found for much less! Tip… both the Hyatt Hill Country and Lost Pines have amazing rivers with swim up bars….
I realize it’s all supply and demand but to anyone thinking of spending $1k+ a night here plus food plus drinks (so more like $1.5k per day) then I have some wonderful swamp land for sale in TX…. Great investment!
Why? If your not looking to party, hookup, or show off then what’s the point? The gay area is very gay. Dirty. Stinky. Crowded. Reminds me of a gay Bourbon Street. The beach isn’t that nice there either. They live in Miami - they can have gay whenever they want it.
LOL, quite funny cause I'm Mexican living in Mexico, and I feel the opposite, I feel quite unsafe in the USA, with all those random shootings and hate crimes happening everywhere and more frequently up there. Yes, Mexico is dangerous, but at least you know what to expect and it's easy to skip dangerous areas. So far, the only time I've ever been mugged was in Paris, France.
What an awful thing to say. Zona Romantica is a unique destination for the gay community but is very party oriented and a hyper-sexualized environment. Deciding on behalf of an entire population that this is a “better time” for them than relaxing at an upscale resort is despicable. Not to mention people aren’t defined by their sexual orientation.
Love this hotel. Was our first ever Four Seasons. Have been back now 3 times. Can’t wait till we can drop our son off at the FS kids club at 5. Food is amazing and the environment is to die for. The laundry is very helpful if traveling with kids too. They also offer snacks at the pool and ice cream daily. The staff are so friendly too.
Great detailed review and nice property. I stayed at the Conrad Punta Mita not too far away in 2021. Tough for me to see the value in booking this FS property given the rate, additional costs for food and drinks and Mexico's horrendous tourism taxes. Def like the ability to use points especially in Mexico.
Well, one never knows where and when the bad boys hit you. I have travelled to over 80 countries, including many places in war zones in Africa and Middle-East, where no one in his right mind would go. I have been robbed twice, both times in 5 star hotels. In Rio at knifepoint, in Milan at gunpoint.
Ben, thanks for a thorough review, but I will never understand how you 'rate' hotels at the beginning of your reviews. Not just this one, but many others. You gave this hotel 5 ***** yet still said:
"Now, admittedly the Four Seasons Punta Mita opened in 1999, so it’s not going to be as cutting-edge in terms of design as the Four Seasons Los Cabos, for example. However, that’s also part of the charm, in a way, as the red-tiled rooftops are fitting for the area"
Perhaps my comment isn't valid as I haven't stayed at this hotel so don't know what you do, but if just going by the pictures, the property and rooms look very dated, yet you said how great the staff and service was.
I wonder if your 'star' ratings should be broken down to show 1-5 for Location; Hotel/Resort grounds; Accommodation; F&B and Staff and Service. Or did you once do this before then changed it?
I have never felt unsafe in Mexico. Meanwhile, I constantly feel unsafe in the US, where we have daily random mass shootings.
$25 for a few pieces of Gyoza? In Mexico? Jeez! Still, I’d stay here in a heartbeat. Was booked at the Conrad nearby last year and was super excited about it but had to cancel when I changed jobs
I don't get it. The property just looks bare to me. You travel to a tropical country just to then stay around... completely mowed meadows with a few alibi palm trees standing around? I'd prefer something much more vibrant and wild.
The nightly rate is obviously not considered in any of these reviews, since it is a (sponsored) travel agent rate, so no wonder the Four Seasons consistently score 5/5.
But even then, the room does not look particularly great. The restaurants do look like one of the highlights, but paying $1500-2000 / night for this place, hilarious.
Travel advisor here - they certainly paid a lot more than $100/night. It's entirely possible Ford was comped the stay, but a 3 night stay is almost unheard of for that (assuming he reached out to request something and was not invited by FS). This is especially true at a wildly popular property such as Punta Mita. TA rates tend to be anywhere from 10-50% off BAR, so they were likely still paying several hundreds of dollars per night, and possibly one night comped.
@ Santastico -- As mentioned by others, there are plenty of types of vacations you can have in Mexico. Obviously you can enjoy the safest vacation imaginable inside a gated community, but there are all kinds of "open" areas of Mexico that are safe, from San Miguel de Allende, to the areas around Los Cabos, where you can go out and enjoy the local culture and sites all you want. Like others, I feel safer in many parts of Mexico than I do in many parts of the United States.
As far as the price goes, that's totally fair. At the end of the day you're paying for proximity to major global wealth centers, and the prices reflect that. Of course you could go somewhere in Southeast Asia that's luxurious for a fraction of the price, but that's also not exactly an easy weekend getaway from Los Angeles.
At the end of the day these places are priced based on supply and demand, and they do pretty consistently run high occupancy.
@ Mark -- Thanks! Definitely plan to give the St. Regis a try next time (I love trying different hotels), and of course it's awesome that it can be booked with points.
@ Jimmy’s Travel Report -- Happy you had a great stay at the St. Regis. We really wanted to visit Sayulita... hopefully next time.
@ Noa -- To each their own, I guess? Personally I'm an introvert, and as far as I'm concerned, the quieter a place is, the better. We're also new parents, so our goal with travel is mainly to relax, while working out, eating relatively healthy, and staying caught up on work. We drank very little on this trip (I mean, at least by Mexico vacation standards).
I've heard a lot of stories about what happens at gay beaches in Puerto Vallarta, and that's not exactly the vibe we were looking for this trip.
Anyway, just my two cents...
@ TheBestBlackBrent -- I rank Four Seasons properties so high because they consistently deliver on what they promise, with great amenities, very friendly service, and good food.
I think the topic of considering prices with reviews is an interesting one. It doesn't matter which luxury hotel brand we're talking about, the reality is that the cost of hotel stays in North America has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic.
The Hyatt Regency Maui is regularly charging $1,000+ per night, while the Andaz Maui is often charging $1,500+ per night. And those are the prices now -- they've already dropped compared to what they were.
Is the Hyatt Regency Maui "worth it" for $1,000? I mean, I'd argue that pricing is way steep, but at the same time, if people are willing to pay it, isn't that just the price?
The reality is that the Four Seasons is priced in line with other luxury properties in the area. The times that I comment on price are when an option is significantly more expensive than the competition, but doesn't deliver anything that sets it apart.
@ ArnoldB -- That's totally fair, and I think different people are looking for different things from their vacations. Some people are absolutely looking for something more adventurous, while others are just looking for a relaxing weekend away from home.
@ JG -- I think your point about supply and demand is right. Luxury hotel rates in North America have increased disproportionately in the past few years.
By comparison, many luxury hotels in other parts of the globe have become a bargain by comparison. We haven't seen nearly the rate increases in Tahiti or the Maldives that we've seen in the United States.
If you're willing to travel far (as many of us in the miles & points world are), then that's going to get you more bang for your buck. But for those who want a quick weekend getaway, have limited time off, and can afford it, traveling closer to home is the obvious choice.
We stayed at this property shortly after it first opened in 1999 and the coolest thing I remember is going to down to the beach one morning and a local fisherman came ashore with his fresh catch and laid down a nice colorful blanket to display them. The Four Seasons executive chef was there to tell you the different ways he could prepare each fish for you, so they tagged our choices with our room number and we got to enjoy them for dinner that evening. A truly unforgettable experience!
@pstm91 appreciate your thoughtful and valuable insights as always! This is really great information. And if it's indeed something like 2 nights half off the regular rate + a comped night, then it's easy to be more forgiving I guess.
To be clear I'm not questioning the quality of Ben's reviews at all, and I enjoyed this one for sure, but perspective is important especially at these price points IMHO.
Absolutely agree with you. I love these reviews as well and if for nothing else, it helps provide context. I do feel like Ben has always been transparent but I do think he can improve the transparency on these higher-end non-points stays.
I don't think that the price needs to be 'justified', it is fine that there are ultra luxury resorts. The pricing indeed does not make much sense, price - quality is definitely out of whack in North America. So I guess you are sort of stuck with limited options that are extremely overpriced as a result, which is not really the point.
As a reader the reviews and review rating are just hard to follow, since in my mind you should definitely have different expectations from a Four Seasons than a Hyatt somewhere. Four Seasons should be 'peer reviewed', so all of them scoring a 5/5 does not make much sense to me personally. I see for example that the other property obviously gave a better experience, which in my view could be reflected more in the scoring or breakdown. We all 'know' that Four Seasons is a great hotel brand, I am personally more interested in knowing which ones really stand out among their peers.
I've stayed at the Conrad Punta de Mita just a few minutes away, and visited the Four Seasons for dinners. The Conrad is half the price and bookable with points, and the only discernible difference I can see is it doesn't have a lazy river.
Had the good fortune of spending most of a week here many years ago. That infinity pool view is still one of the best I've ever had, second only to a place I stayed in Thailand. One day we noticed a small war-looking ship cruising back & forth off the coast. Sure enough, later that day metal detectors were set up everywhere & President Fox was on the property. This review brought me back, thanks!
I love how people are saying that $1K per night is too expensive for this property, I guess they haven't traveled since before 2020. Everyplace in the US and all over the world for luxury properties have increased at least 30%. This just to be around $700 per night for their entry level room, now it is over $1K per night! I have personally stayed at this hotel twice and next door at the St Regis a few times also. I can say without a doubt, they are in my top 5 hotel properties that I have stayed at within North America, there is nothing in Cancun that can compete with them, nor Miami. I would say only Aspen, NYC, and certain hotels in LA can compete with them, also a couple in Cabo. The level of service one gets in Punta Mita is excellent. If you have never stayed at a hotel at this level and are only an internet follower, you should keep your opinions to yourself until you actually visit and experience Punta Mita. It is expensive for a reason. The only competition it has in this area is the St Regis next door, the One&Only down the way and the new Auberge. Other than that, you have to go to Cabo or the new Four Seasons Tamarindo. The food here is really good and the staff will help you out if you interact with them and not treat them like the help, you know that you do! I had the staff assisting with tequila tasting and off menu food items and getting great tables at the restaurants in town. Everyone knows your name within a day and treat you as if you are a long time guest. It is one of the most friendly places that I have visited and there is no crime here. I met people that had only stayed in Cabo before and remarked that after visiting here that they were never going back to Cabo. Also Puerto Vallarta doesn't have a luxury property, so this is the closest one to the city. Cheers to your excellent reviews and don't let people who have no idea about this property and will never stay at it bother you at all. Looking forward to more adventures