We just returned from a short moms' vacation (no kids!) at the Barcelo. Our expectations were exceeded from the moment we walked into the room. It was huge with a large sitting area and 2 flat screen tvs. Even the shower was fancy. As we booked the trip, we had the feeling that we were getting a good deal and we felt that way as we returned home.
Not only is the property beautiful, but the staff is so helpful and friendly. We have the warm fuzzy feeling about our poolside server and our water aerobics instructor.
The food was good and there was a lot of it. We mostly ate at the buffet. As a chef, I am very grateful when I don't have to prepare the food and even more excited when there is such a variety. We love the omelet bar at breakfast. We also ate at the Don Quixote restaurant. Fabulous service and the tapas selection rocked!
The hotel had pretty low occupancy while we were there, so we enjoyed having our pick of poolside lounges and there was no one else in the gym when we went.
Overall it was a great experience and we can't wait to go back. Maybe we'll even take the kids next time.

PARADISE...
We stayed at La Jolla April 13 through the 19, 2008...it was amazing.
If you are booked at this property in the future please know you have a phenomenal vacation ahead of you if...you want diversity, nature, local flavor, relaxation, pampering and a break from the "hub bub" of the other Puerto Vallarta hotels and busy areas this is your dream come true.
Barcelo La Jolla is surrounded by lush green mountains, a beautiful bay (not Caribbean water but then again, your not in the Caribbean), and indeginous wildlife that greets every rising and setting sun. Plan to hear beautiful ocean waves, birds chirping, the fun activity of the pool and swim up bar and plan to drink a ridiculous amount of tequilla or other "booze" to your liking. ("Salud is the Mexican word for cheers "sa-looth" it also means "bless you"...who knew??)
Tip - Don't forget your bug spray...yes they are there...the "no-see-ums"...aka...Bastardo Bugs...but where aren't there bugs??

The staff was VERY accommodating and many of them became our very good friends over the course of the week. We tipped a fair amount...okay I was tipped obsessed. But honestly we budgeted a certain amount to tip before we even left because we knew we wanted to put a smile on their faces (mission accomplished!) and we heard how hard they work (true), how much they deserve it (true) and how happy they are to receive it (ridiculously true).


As other reviews say, the rooms are beautiful (spacious and new) as is the view no matter what floor you are on. We were fortunate enough to be on the 9th (top) floor overlooking the pool, ocean and mountains (God bless the big bag of chocolates we brought the Front Desk at check in- it equaled an upgrade even though that was not our intention).

Our activities and what we recommend...

Massages at the end of the local Mismaloya Beach...by Alextpa.
Sweet Jesus...the best massage I've ever had and I've had quite a few. My boyfriend and I did the hot stone massage for $95 for 1 hour for both of us. Picture it...wind chimes, soft music and white shears blowing in the breeze. The whole time you faintly hear ocean waves crashing in the background as you're being massaged by skilled Mexican woman's hands...unbelievable.
(1 hr full body massages for $70 for 2 but please try the hot stone!!)

Tony's Hide-a-Way
Phenomenal restaurant in the small town of Mismaloya. We met and were catered to by Tony's son who was an excellent representative of this once in a lifetime restaurant. The menu is not paper but a raw version of what you are about to order and receive. Fresh Mahi-Mahi, Filet Mignon, Shrimp or Beef Shish-Kebabs, or the best shrimp (Garlic, Coconut or Bacon Wrapped) you may ever eat in your life...literally the size of your fist and the flavor of pure divinity. (We also had the Mahi-Mahi that was equally amazing)
Tony Jr (as we call him) was a great source of information and truly a kind soul...please go visit them...you will NOT be disappointed. You're literally in a tree house overlooking paradise; mountains, Barcelo La Jolla and real life in Mexico.

Wildlife Connections
Dolphin and Whale Watching in the Wild...no Sea World here my friends. These were real biologists researching these amazing creatures as they took us along on their journey. You're guaranteed to see dolphins (maybe whales but they mostly leave the bay in March) in their natural inhabitant and it's people that genuinely care about their well being and know a ridiculous amount about them...very educational and breath stopping fun.

Dune Buggy's in the Sierra Madre
Or as I like to call them....DEATH BUGGYS. Although very scary at first it wasn't that bad after you got used to it especially after the Tequilla Tasting (why don't they do that in the beginning???). However, please know when you first start driving your "dune buggies" you start in downtown Vallarta on basically what reminded me of a go-cart. It's 2 miles through the city next to buses, semis, taxis, etc. until you get to the mountains. The "guys" were having so much fun but I thought I WAS GOING TO DIE. Ladies if this if what your boyfriend, husband, etc. is into please do it but know a shot first may ease the fear! (Sort of kidding but not really...you're in Mexico...it's kind of like the medicine there and as should be!!)

Le Kliff
No words to describe the ambiance, food, service or night we had. One of a kind. It feels like you're on the edge of the world watching the sun drop off the earth. It's not cheap like some other Mexican restaurants can be ($120.00 US for 2 for dinners and 2 drinks) but you can't put money on what you see and feel while you're there...splurge and enjoy if you go.


Overall we had the best vacation of our lives. I've traveled extensively and this was by far my favorite. AMAZING VALLARTA! We're 32 & 33 best friends and boyfriend/girlfriend and wanted to see Mexico; it's beauty, it's culture and most importantly we wanted to "get-away". We did it all. Vacation in my opinion is what you make it...our motto was "Roll with the Punches" although we were fortunate to have "no punches" and only good times. We talked about the highlights but remember the minor little things are what make your vacation. For us it was taking the bus (6 pesos = 60 cents per person) which was part of being apart of "the culture", talking with the people (brush up on your Spanish...it will help!) and enjoy the little moments. Life's too short to do otherwise.

Enjoy your Trip....Barcelo La Jolla and Puerto Vallarta are amazing....if that's what you choose to make it. Enjoy!!

13 years ago, my husband and I saw La Jolla de Mismaloya from a tour boat and were so impressed, we decided we would visit someday. So... on our second trip to Puerto Vallarta, we decided to spend 4 nights at La Jolla de Mismaloya followed by a week at our PV condo. We stayed at La Jolla from 4/8 through 4/12/2008 and were not disappointed at all.

We opted for the standard (deluxe) room and were given room 1206, which is in building 1 on the 2nd floor. During check-in, we asked if it was one of the renovated rooms (it was). Balconies on the 2nd floor (of building 1 and also, it seems, of building 2) were extra-large--bigger than balconies on any other floor.

The room itself was beautiful. It had marble floors throughout (so much better than carpeting in US hotels--you can be sure they are clean). The living room had a pull-out sofa that could sleep two and a nice-sized LCD TV; a sliding door provided privacy from the rest of the unit.

The bathroom was decent-sized with a large marble shower that had a huge shower head. Continuing to the bedroom, another sliding door could be used for its privacy. A coffee maker (re-stocked daily with new coffee supplies), safe, and refrigerator were integrated with the spacious wall of closets. The refrigerator was stocked with a variety of snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non), most of which were available no-charge on the all-inclusive plan. Bottled water was also provided and replenished as needed.

The bedroom was large and had a comfortable king-size bed, couch, table and chairs, and another large LCD TV. It had a ceiling fan and separate thermostat (the living room had both, too). Bedroom curtains were much-appreciated room-darkeners.

Sliding glass doors led to the big balcony which was furnished with a wrought-iron table and chairs. A towel rack was installed on the balcony--a nice touch to accommodate wet towels and bathing suits. (Watch for bird droppings.) Though the room was "standard," we had a great view of the beautiful grounds and of the ocean.

Buffet meals were just fine. Breakfast was our favorite, because everything was uniformly good. Pastries were yummy, as were the breakfast "croissants" (in the pancake area) one could smother in caramel, chocolate, or vanilla sauce. The egg lady was a perfectionist in her preparation of omelets and eggs (and would even throw away an imperfectly cooked egg). All lunch and dinner buffets had a large selection and we could always find dishes that were well-prepared. Dinners were often themed, such as Italian or Asian, so each night's offerings were different. My husband especially liked Italian night, though make-your-own pasta (and Mexican dishes) were available at every dinner. Some of the Asian foods were tasty, but were very different from the tastes we were used to. I adored the guacamole and ate it as much as I could. The chiles rellenos were outstanding. Lunch and dinner included desserts and ice cream. With the exception of some (or sometimes most) ice cream flavors, dishes were always available and replenished.

Generally, a 7-night stay allows one dinner at Don Quixote and one dinner at Los Arcos, the two a la carte restaurants. A 3-night stay allows one dinner at either restaurant. When we stayed, it seemed to be a low season with less demand, so we were told we could just ask the Concierge and he would probably make reservations for whenever we asked. We did go to Don Quixote and had an excellent meal with very good service.

Speaking of service, it was impeccable. Our room was clean and we never wanted for anything. Waiters were almost always attentive (I can only think of one meal, when we arrived toward the end of serving hours, that the waiter seemed distracted and forgetful). Bar service by the beach and pool was great. Yes, we did tip everyone, but since we had different servers and rarely saw the same server twice, tips did not influence our service at all--it was just plain good.

The Reception desk exchanged dollars to pesos at a very competitive rate.

Entertainment was provided every night. We saw only one show, the Mexican one, and it was fantastic. It was performed outdoors and the echoes just magnified the sounds of the dancers' feet. The mariachi band was one of the best we've seen and the entire troup was very talented in their performance of Mexican Folkloric music and dance. We've seen several similar shows, but this was a close second--though much smaller--to the Folkloric Ballet in Mexico City.

The beach was decent-sized (many beaches in the PV area suffered after Hurricane Kenna, but this one is still adequate). It was much less crowded than the pool deck and was very peaceful except for the occasional beach vendor. La Jolla attempts to keep vendors out by asking them to stay outside barrier ropes, but vendors don't always follow the rules (though they sure do when the security guard appears).

Speaking of pools, the main pool was beautiful, the kiddie pool was nice (though seemingly not used much) with a water slide, and a separate "sports" pool was used for volleyball games. As an early riser, I saw many guests furtively placing towels and other placeholders on chairs in the early morning hours. By 8:00, all umbrella-shaded chairs were "reserved." Nothing was done to prevent it, though it was against the published rules. Spending time on the beach and, on occasion, coming back later in the day to vacated pool chairs was fine with us.

The Activities staff seemed to have something going at all times, but we learned the trick was to watch the board by the pool, rather than go by the published schedule in our check-in packet. Same goes for the show times, which could change from the times published. Any questions could be answered by Activities staff, who were always present.

A game room and a well-equipped (I never had to wait for a treadmill) exercise room were also on-site, as was a Chico's water sports kiosk (from where we got complimentary kayaks).

If it were possible, I would not give La Jolla a 4 rating but would give it 4-1/2. I did not give it a 5 just because the food was variable--some very good and some very mediocre--at each lunch and dinner buffet. With that said (and with my limited experience), I have not had better food at any other all-inclusive resort. But since I have had better buffet food on some (but definitely not all) cruise ships, I know an excellent buffet is possible.

We had a wonderfully relaxing and carefree experience!

This review is coming late...my fiance and I stayed here last June of 2007. I'm an experienced all-inclusive traveller and can tell you this is an awesome resort.

When we arrived, we were upgraded to a two-room suite, and nope we did not ask, but were pleasantly surprised when we walked in to our room.

The buffet was average but they are all the same to me at all AI resorts. Be sure to make reservations to the restaurants upon your arrival. This will be the best place to eat on property.

The beach is small and we never had a problem finding a lounge chair. We didn't experience any bug problems. We also didn't have any trouble finding a lounge chair, yes maybe early in the morning, but come on...most people don't lay out by the pool ALL DAY LONG. Also, if you want a massage, you can walk over to the "public beach side" and get one for $30 rather than $60 at the hotel spa.

Activities are listed on the board by the pool every day so be sure to check the schedules. There is plenty to do and please take a taxi ride into town! We had so much fun shopping and drinking cerveza at ten in the morning! (hey it was hot and we're on vacation)

The sports bar we partied at was open until late in the evening and be warned, the tequila is served in double shot glasses! Yes we missed our tour the next day because we had too much fun the night before. During the day your drinks can get warm, so you might want to bring an insulated cup from home.

Our room was cleaned every day but yes, use your hotel safe. My fiance left some money in his shorts pocket and it did come up missing. However, we didn't let that affect our vacation.

The staff was friendly, our rooms were clean and very nice and would return. This is a wonderful resort!