Family Vacations
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Family Travel

RESORT REVIEW
The Melia Puerto Vallarta is a four star, all-inclusive family vacation resort located in the exclusive Marina Vallarta Yacht and Golf area, 5 minutes away from the airport and 15 minutes from downtown. This property boasts something for everyone in the family...teens, kids and babies alike will be happy and busy...each with their own specially themed Flintstones kids club areas. Parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles can all kick back, relax and enjoy being wined and dined knowing the kids are well looked after. Vacationkids Sally Black and Suzie Sturm recently visited and they both agree, the Melia Puerto Vallarta is an excellent choice for a family reunion and a great value for a family vacation.

HOTEL REVIEWS...
They say first impressions mean everything. From the moment families arrive they will appreciate how kid friendly the Melia Puerto Vallarta Resort truly is. As parents check in, kids stay occupied with their very own VIP check in complete with welcome goodies. Barney guides the way and offers Suzie a helping hand! Please note...Barney wasn't trying to be inappropriate. Suzie backed up, Sally's camera went off, and well,...it's just one of those photos that made us smile. Please indulge us, we just HAD to include it so you can appreciate what goes on "behind" the scenes here at Vacationkids!

The Melia Puerto Vallarta is a fairly large resort with a very intimate feel. The hotel buildings create a U shape for all the public areas stretching out to the beach. In the middle of the property is a tropical water garden that winds it's way from the lobby to the shore. It gives visitors the feeling of being in their own secluded, tropical paradise.

The water gardens are accented by the mountain back drop. Kids and parents alike will enjoy walking throughout this stroller-friendly property making friends with all the fish, lizards and birds along the way. Suzie thought the fish were particularly friendly!

There is a HUGE zero entry pool at the Melia Puerto Vallarta. It has a pool bar for mom and dad along with lots of bends, twists and alcoves where families can pull up a lounge chair and splash in the sunshine.

As you can see from some of the photo here, the Melia Puerto Vallarta offers a small beach area that can be rocky depending upon ocean conditions. Still it's plenty big enough to enjoy a dip in the ocean, work on your tan and build sand castles. It does have gentle waves for little swimmers. It may be a small beach but it's surrounded with big, beautiful views of the mountains.

The Melia Puerto Vallarta offers 360 air conditioned, newly remodeled rooms with either a king or two double beds, marble bathroom with tub, hair dryer, cable TV, minibar for bottle water, safety deposit box and terrace.

There are family rooms available. Family rooms will allow 2 adults and 3 kids UNDER AGE 16 to share the same room. The family room is one large room with two double beds and a set of bunk beds offering the same amenities. You can elect to upgrade to a Jr. suite which is one large room with a king bed and fold out sofa. Generally, kids 6 years old and younger STAY, PLAY and EAT FREE at the Melia Puerto Vallarta. Of course they would have to pay airfare or parents will need to use their airline miles. Children 7-16 years of age pay children's Jr rates. Please know these children rate policies can change during high demand spring break and holiday travel periods.

There are 6 Restaurants that are part of the Melia Puerto Vallarta all inclusive plan that serve delicious meals and snacks throughout the day. Please note that certain restaurants do have dress codes and some require reservations as well as a limit to the number of times guests can dine during their stay. Dress is casual sportswear. Gentlemen are required to wear long pants and closed leather shoes in the evenings. Room service is available from 7am until midnight. There are also three bars serving unlimited domestic and imported drinks..

La Palapita - Afternoon snack bar, pool side
Quetzal Restaurant - Offers a buffet service daily, breakfast and dinner with a different theme every night. Dress code: shirt and shoes are required. La Palapa Grill - Offers a la carte grill dinner. Reservations are required, one dinner per stay. Palapa - International buffet restaurant. Serves lunch. Azulejos - A la carte restaurant serving Mexican cuisine. Reservations required, one dinner per stay. Los Vitrales - Offers service "a la carte" gourmet dinning. Open formal dress Tuesday to Sunday. Previous reservations are required, subject to availability, children under 12 only on Wednesday (Family Night). One dinner per stay.

It's very obvious the babies, toddlers, kids and teens that vacation at the Melia Puerto Vallarta are Very Important People because they certainly get the VIP treatment. This gives Mom and Dad the chance to feel like VIP's too. The Melia Puerto Vallarta boasts and impressive Flintstones themed kids club area. The Children's area is gated to keep it secure and safe. Just beyond the gate is one of the largest playground areas we've seen in all our travels! The friendly staff are very proud of the care they give their littlest guests and we could tell the kids felt the same way about them.

Each age group has their very own club house as well as a very long laundry list of age appropriate activities. Baby Rock Club offers specially trained childhood specialists for babies and toddlers ages 4 months-4 years old. It's open daily from 9am to 6pm. There is limited capacity to make sure every child gets the special attention they deserve. Here parents will find cribs, high chairs, toys and everything to make their child feel right at home. Private baby-sitters can also for individualize attention or in the evenings at a rate of $10.00 USD per hour. Sitters can be booked 24 hours in advance by hotel concierge.

Next in line, open daily from 10am-5pm is the Bamm Bamm Club (5 to 8 years old) as well as the Cool Club (kids up to 13 years old) Activities here include Playground, climbing wall, camping at hotel, mini disco. Even teens ages 13 to 16 have their own club and special daily activities program including climbing wall (areas for both little and big kids), batting cages, archery, rifle range, tennis clinics, cyber-cafe and video arcade. The Melia Puerto Vallarta has a wonderful entertainment team. Here your family will find organized activities like non-motorized water sportsts, games, contests, teen discos...you name it. There are plenty of age appropriate activities as well as plenty of "stuff" that families will enjoy doing together.

Of course, Vacationkids.com staff are considered to be family vacation experts. We can tell you all the wonderful reasons why your family should make reservations with us to visit the Melia Puerto Vallarta and still parents might be hesitant. If you want the real deal, the entire story about the Melia Puerto Vallarta, we suggest you take the advice of the world's toughest hotel critic - Meet OWEN!....

We met Owen and his mom by the pool during our stay at the Melia Puerto Vallarta (mom wanted to remain anonymous along with no bathing suit photos which we ladies totally understand). Owen stopped and asked us what we were doing and if we would take his photo. For being just three years old, he was quite the hotel expert. He went on and on and ON about everything that he liked about his vacation at the Melia Puerto Vallarta. He liked to play at the kids club, he liked to swim, he liked the pancakes, he liked his bed...Frankly, we couldn't shut him up! Mom helped to translate of course and she agreed that Owen was the happiest of campers during his vacation at the Melia Puerto Vallarta. We asked Owen if he wanted to go home and he started to cry...and there you have it! Of course the last thing we here at Vacationkids want to do is go around making little kids cry but we think Owen'opinions speak volumes and we wanted to share them here with you because he certainly did make our day.

The Melia Puerto Vallarta offers great family fun, infant care and a teen club for families looking to get the most for their vacation dollars. Few resorts in this price class offer all these services for families. Vacationkids can help you arrange a complete vacation package including airfare from most US cities. We can also make land only reservation for families living abroad, using air miles or those who want to make their own flight arrangements. Ask about our group rates as the Melia Puerto Vallarta is the perfect place for family reunions.

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