7 Best Family All-Inclusive Resorts in Nuevo Vallarta

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Pick your end of the beach before you pick a pool. The Flamingos hotels in the north sit near Bucerías, and the resorts at the south end sit closer to the marina and the water parks. Every resort sells a room for two adults and two children on an all-inclusive rate. Some of those beds are sofa beds. Here’s where I’d book, depending on how your kids spend a day.

Best Family All-Inclusive Resorts in Nuevo Vallarta

Flamingos or the South End

Nuevo Vallarta has two clusters of resorts about 5 kilometres apart. Pick the cluster before you pick the resort.

• North End: Flamingos Beach is the long stretch of sand that runs up to Bucerías. Riu Flamingos, Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa Riviera Nayarit and Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa front it, from south to north. It suits families who plan to spend the day on the sand.
• South End: Paradise Village Beach Resort & Spa, Occidental Nuevo Vallarta, Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit by Mercure and Marival Distinct All-Suites & World Spa sit in the southern part of town. Splash and Aquaventuras, the two water parks at the southern entrance, lie within 5 kilometres of them. That makes the parks a short taxi ride.

Beach Days With Kids

Banderas Bay protects the Nuevo Vallarta beaches, and the waves are gentle on most days.

• Gentle Surf: Waves on the Nuevo Vallarta beaches are gentle, while Sayulita and San Pancho to the north are rougher. Check the flag colour each morning before the kids go in. Keep them within reach even if they swim well.
• Long Sand: Flamingos Beach is a long stretch of sand that runs up to Bucerías. Its water suits swimming and boogie boarding.

Beds for Four

Every resort sells a rate for two adults and two children, but the beds behind the rate differ.

• Sofa Beds: Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa Riviera Nayarit puts two queen beds in the Deluxe Superior room, so each child has a bed. Its one-bedroom suites have a king bed and a living-room sofa bed, so both children share the sofa.
• Two Doubles: The Junior Suite at Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa and the Deluxe Double Room at Occidental Nuevo Vallarta both sell with either two double beds or one large bed. Request the two doubles when you reserve.
• Room Limits: Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit by Mercure lists its Club and Resort rooms for two adults and one child on its own site, while its suites take two adults and two children. The operator’s own booking page and online travel sites sell those smaller rooms for four. Ask the resort to confirm the room in writing before you pay.
• Bunk Beds: Riu Flamingos has family rooms with either two extra-large doubles and a bunk bed, or two doubles and a sofa bed, and you request the layout when you reserve. Ask the resort to confirm it. The bunk bed gives each child a bed without sharing.

Book the All-Inclusive Rate

The same room sells with and without meals, so the meal label on each rate row decides what the family gets.

• Cheaper Rows: Paradise Village Beach Resort & Spa lists breakfast-only rates beside the all-inclusive ones for the same suite, and the cheapest row is the breakfast one. Read the meal label on the row before you reserve.
• Meal Plans: Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa Riviera Nayarit sells room-only and all-inclusive rates on its own site. Check that the rate you pick says all-inclusive.
• Every Row: Occidental Nuevo Vallarta, Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit by Mercure and Marival Distinct All-Suites & World Spa price every room as all-inclusive. That leaves no meal-free row to pick by mistake.

Price Swings by Month

A family of four sees a wide gap between low and high season.

• Quiet Months: At every resort, a Tuesday in September costs less than a weekend night in February. The gap is smallest at Riu Flamingos, where every weekend night costs the same.
• Peak Weekends: Weekend nights in February cost the most at every resort except Riu Flamingos. March weekends cost less than February at the other six.

Kids’ Club Ages

Published age ranges differ between sources for some resorts and are missing for others.

• Clear Range: Occidental Nuevo Vallarta states one range on its own site: ages 4 to 12. Children aged 6 and 9 both fall inside it.
• Mixed Ranges: Paradise Village Beach Resort & Spa gives 4 to 12 for childcare on its own pages, while the Riviera Nayarit tourism board gives 4 to 11 for the club. Marival Emotions Resort & Suites Riviera Nayarit by Mercure publishes 4 to 12 in one post and 4 to 10 in another. Ask each resort to confirm the range for a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old.
• Missing Ranges: Riu Flamingos, Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa and Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa Riviera Nayarit show no age range for their kids’ programmes on their own sites. Ask for the range before you book.

FAQs

1. Is Nuevo Vallarta part of Puerto Vallarta?

No, they are neighbours in two different states. Puerto Vallarta is in Jalisco and Nuevo Vallarta is in Nayarit, as part of Riviera Nayarit. Both use the same time zone, so your watch doesn’t change when you cross the state line. Many resorts on the Nayarit side write Riviera Nayarit in their names.

2. How long is the transfer from Puerto Vallarta airport?

A private transfer takes 25 to 35 minutes, and app-based taxis take 20 to 30. A shared shuttle takes about 30 minutes to the first stop. If you drive yourself, most resorts are 15 to 20 minutes from the terminal. Shared vans drop at several resorts, so the last stop on the route has the longest ride.

3. Can you walk from Flamingos to Bucerías?

Yes, a wooded path from the northern end leads to Bucerías town, a short walk according to Villa Del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort & Spa. Resorts near the marina at the south end are a taxi ride from Bucerías. The town has its own restaurants and shops, so it works for an evening out away from the resort.

4. What do the beach flag colours mean?

Green means calm water and yellow means caution. Red means dangerous, and two red flags mean the beach is closed. Purple warns of marine life such as jellyfish or stingrays, and black marks extremely hazardous conditions. Look for the flag at the beach entrance each morning, because conditions change between days.

5. Which months are rainy in Nuevo Vallarta?

Rain falls from June to October, mostly as short afternoon showers at about the same hour each day, and mornings stay free for the beach. November to May is the dry season. December and January are the busiest months, so book those weeks early. Bring a light rain jacket for the afternoon showers.

6. When does whale watching run near Nuevo Vallarta?

Humpback season runs from December to March in Banderas Bay, and tours last two to four hours. The whales are protected, so boats keep their distance and nobody touches or feeds them. Two to four hours on a boat is a long stretch for a 6-year-old, so check the tour length before you book.

7. Are there water parks near Nuevo Vallarta?

Splash and Aquaventuras are two water parks on the highway at the southern entrance of town. The resorts at the south end sit within 5 kilometres of them, so a taxi covers the trip in minutes. Flamingos resorts are farther away, so allow a longer taxi ride. Check each park’s schedule before you set out.