Seasoned Puerto Vallarta travelers don’t need to be sold on the bay. They already know the deal: the misty blue silhouette of mountains behind the coastline, the golden-hour light at sunset, the quick hop between town and the north shore when you want a change of scenery.
What’s new for 2026 is the hotel roster itself, bringing more rooms and distinct personalities. This is the year Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit are courting points-savvy all-inclusive travelers, ultra-luxe guests and adults who want all-inclusive options just for them.
Here are the best hotels to book for 2026 in Puerto Vallarta and the Bay of Banderas.
The Westin Playa Vallarta, an All-Inclusive Resort (relaunching May 1)
For years, the Westin has been a smart choice, especially for travelers who like being near the marina/airport side of Vallarta without giving up real beachfront. In 2026, The Westin Playa Vallarta, An All-Inclusive Resort becomes a much better story: The property relaunches as an all-inclusive on May 1 with a full redesign and a more “luxury resort” approach to the format.
This is the best pick for points-friendly travel. All accommodations have ocean views, and the setting keeps it feeling insulated, even though you’re a short drive from the airport. It’s also one of the most practical options for families, with the shallow family pool and a kids club/outdoor play area.
What’s worth watching for in 2026 is the refreshed suite mix, including swim-up and private plunge pool options, the Heavenly Spa, and the on-site food and drink program, including a botanical-forward mixology bar and a multivenue dining hub with plenty of alfresco seating.
Susurros del Corazón, Auberge Resorts Collection
Susurros del Corazón is one of the newer players on the Punta Mita peninsula. The resort sits comfortably alongside the area’s established luxury properties, offering a slightly more relaxed (but equally elegant) design-forward take on the Punta de Mita experience.
The arrival sets the tone immediately. There is no traditional front desk or formal check-in flow. Guests are met with a smoky, sweet cocktail (which can be infused with tequila or left without) and eased into the beautifully manicured property. Accommodations range from standard rooms and suites to multibedroom cases and residential-style villas, making the resort flexible for couples, small families or groups.
Interiors lean modern and coastal, with stone, linen and natural textures layered with locally sourced art. Many rooms open fully onto oversized terraces, and select suites include private pools that are more generous than typical plunge pools.
At the heart of the resort are three adjacent infinity pools — one adults-only, one family-friendly, and one designed for relaxation. The beach is a major draw, with wide, soft sand; easy access; and distinct zones for beginner surfing, swimming and paddleboarding.
Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve‘s headline stats matter because they shape the experience: a 920-acre setting with jungle and more than four miles of beach, plus a relatively limited room count (91 rooms and suites). This is the 2026 pick for travelers who want a self-contained luxury ecosystem.
It’s not isolated but designed so that the property is the main event. Dining is part of the draw — multiple venues with distinct angles, from Pacific-focused cooking to Asian-leaning raw and grilled dishes to wood-fired flatbreads — and the activity roster is substantial: guided hikes, snorkeling, cooking classes centered on Nayarit traditions and an impressive wellness center.
UNICO 20°105° Hotel Riviera Nayarit
UNICO 20°105° Riviera Nayarit is an adults-only all-inclusive with a noticeably smaller footprint than many resorts in the area. With 141 rooms, the property feels contained and easy to navigate, which makes a difference over a multiday stay — you’re not waiting on carts or shuttles, and it’s easy to move between the beach, pool, restaurants and rooms.
Guest rooms follow the brand’s established style carried over from its sister property in the Riviera Maya. The vibe swings modern and comfortable, with balconies that include deep soaking tubs. Ground-floor swim-up suites are popular for guests who plan to spend most of the day near the pool. One of the most-used spaces is the rooftop bar, Alto 20°105°, which overlooks the Bay of Banderas and tends to fill up around sunset for drinks and a swim as the day winds down.
This hotel is best suited for couples or groups of friends looking for an adults-only stay with good food, a social atmosphere and the convenience of an all-inclusive about 20 minutes north of the airport.
Garza Blanca Sanctuary Tower
Garza Blanca has always been the “best of both worlds” choice: PV proximity with a resort footprint and a quiet stretch of beach. Sanctuary Tower takes that and pushes it upward with a 20-story addition of 118 oceanfront suites, each with a balcony, Jacuzzi, and panoramic bay views. The suite variety is designed to widen the traveler mix: larger two-bedrooms for families, high-end penthouse options for couples and playful family-forward rooftop concepts.
Sanctuary guests still tap into the wider Garza Blanca ecosystem of restaurants, pools, beach, fitness and kids club, plus new concepts and rooftop-only spaces that skew more adult.
VidantaWorld BON Hotel
BON Hotel is for travelers who think “resort” should mean range. The hotel itself is all-suite and intentionally simple in shared amenities because the broader VidantaWorld campus is the point: dozens of restaurants and bars, multiple golf courses, spas, a mile-long beach, enormous fitness facilities and family favorites like wave pools and a lazy river.
The practical nuance is that VidantaWorld is huge, and so BON guests should be comfortable budgeting extra time for transport. The tram system is essential; the app helps; and shuttles may require more coordination than a smaller resort.
This is for families, multigenerational groups and travelers who want an activity-rich vacation where every day can look different.
Rosewood Mandarina
Rosewood Mandarina is the quiet flex of the north: a luxury resort tucked into a bucolic bay.
The resort is organized into three zones across flatland, beach and mountain. Every suite includes a private plunge pool, and the design leans artisanal, from Indigenous craft references to custom furnishings.
The resort is also unusually strong for travelers who want to do more than lounge. There are equestrian experiences, zip lining excursions through the surrounding forest, golf and a spa complex built around a centuries-old parota tree.
This resort is for special-occasion travelers, serious resort people and families who want uncrowded luxury.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
