Reading all of the previous reviews, even though some are older, i have a lot to disagree with. The staff here are awful! Every time I bought a Fanta the same staff person would change how much it would cost, one day 8 pesos, the next 10. i mean 2 pesos isn´t a lot, but it´s the point of it all. We just finished our stay there and if we hadn´t paid with out card, we would have moved to a different hotel. they told us that since we paid with a credit card, they could not refund the days we didn´t use. however, the first night, we paid with our card and then they said that if we paid in cash, we could get 10% off, so they swiped our card again and they took it off. the pool is awful! it is cold and smelly, it is not heated and the tile is broken and i cut my toe the first time swimming in it. Also, make sure that you don´t leave any money out that you don´t want the maid to take. there is a little card saying <´thanks for the tips´<´so we left the tip there. when we came back that night the maid left the 20 peso tip there and took the 50 pesos on the tv stand underneath my husbands watch!!!

now there are a few good things about it. we got a simple room with fan and tv for 60 dollars a night. they are per person here, so one person is cheaper. also, if you don´t want a toilet that is soaked after a shower, don´t stay here because the only thing that separates the shower from the toilet is a curtain and 5 of our the loops were broken. if you´re not going to be in your room so much then it´s all right, it´s right off the beach, and you can hear the waves at night. the pillows are hard and we had a few ants. also, the beach right out front is beautiful but if you want to swim in it you better be wearing those ´swim shoes´or whatever they´re called because it is all rocks-pebbles and ´very rough, at least when were were there. we finally found out about the ´day pass´at playa los arcos and for the cost of the day pass you get it all back in food and drink and two gorgeous pools to swim in and smooth snady beach to go for a dip in. this wasn´t the best experience hotel wise, but we came to deal with it and if you´re looking for a basic place, without much service, or amentities then this is the place for you...we only slept there so it wasn´t so bad. also, if you have any questions about places to eat or go, ask other guests, the staff at the front desk was awful. as we were in the computer lab the other night, my husband saw the young guy take 30 bucks out fo the drawer and put it in his pocket. so this is a bit of a rant, but the weather outside was gorgeous the food in the area around us was great and we´re looking forward to returning to puerto vallarta....just not the hotel gaviota.

Stayed here over Xmas 2006. It is a "family" hotel meaning it caters to Mexican families primarily - but of course foreigners. I did notice gay travellers in the hotel - who always recognize a great bargain.

Rooms are basic, pillows terrible, beds OK, room size generous by local standards. With the newly completed extension of the Malecon - this is only a few feet away, and as a result, demand for this hotel will increase. Best to call directly and get a cash rate over the phone, which may was in fact better than a credit card rate by a good 10%. The website often does not bring up the "rack rates".

I found the Gaviota to be good value -and we visit PV often. Room cleaning service was OK; room was kept very clean with daily maid service etc. No phones at least not in my room, some rooms with TV others without, all effect the price. They have a website under hotelgaviota.com, which presents the hotel in the 'best" possible way. Actually, however, it is very laid back, but on a noisy street, the front of the hotel faces some bars that run late in the evening.

Downside is the locks on the doors are TOTALLY inadequate, and anyone could push these in, or use a card to break in. The hotel front desk safety boxes worked some days and others not. Would I recommend it - yes for value travellers looking for good clean accommodation. If you want more than that - try elsewhere.

If you want the holiday inn, then stay there. This is as a great place to stay. It feels like Mexico when you are staying there. The rooms are clean and comfortable. The maid service was superb, and she left the towels in a decoration on the bed everyday. I tipped them 20 pesos everyday which is nothing to a tourist. The pool isn't great but you are right on the beach anyway. The location is fantastic. If you want a great Mexican experience for a great price, stay at the Gaviota.

The hotel has a great view of the water, but the service was really bad. Me and my friends were there 7 days and room service only cleaned twice. They also took some of our sandals(since it was 5 girls we had alot) and left the old ones in place of the new ones. Not a friendly place to be, because the workers are anti-social. I wouldn't recommend it.