My new husband and I were married in Puerto Vallarta a few weeks ago. We left the next day for our once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon experience at Verana.
We stayed in the Studio, which was beautiful. It is mostly enclosed but the floor-to-ceiling windows allow for a breathtaking view of the bay below. We also have great views from our front patio (where we sipped coffee and tea each morning) and back patio. The shower is partially open air but private. The only truly open space was the sink. This was great for us...although you let go of many of your inhibitions at Verana, we loved the privacy and beauty of the Studio.
We had booked both the honeymoon and spa package, so our days were filled with amazing spa treatments and romantic touches. We tried almost every treatment the spa had to offer! The best were: (1) the couples bath - you have most of the spa (bath, massage table, watsu pool), lit by what seemed like a hundred candles, to yourself for a romantic evening under the stars...we agreed it tops our list of romantic evenings, (2) the coconut sugar scrub (you are gently scrubbed with coconut and sugar, rinsed with coconut milk, wrapped in sheets, and "steamed" with a spray of warm water - heavenly!), (3) my hot stone massage, and (4) my husband's watsu massage. After Ginger's (one of the wonderful ladies managing the spa) hand/foot treatment, I felt energized and like I was walking on air!
The honeymoon package included a trip to the beach - it was fun, but rough waters meant we could not visit the preferred Bola beach. The beach we visited was kind of dirty.
After hosting a 90-person destination wedding, both our immune systems bottomed out...the spa responded by making my husband a special wrap to sooth his skin, and the kitchen brewed me fresh carafes of ginger-thyme-lemon tea each day to soothe my sore throat and cough. One of the girls at the spa gave my husband a quick lesson in accupressure, and sent him down the hill with a mix of essential oils and instructions on how to lesson my congestion. They took such great care of us! When we were too tired to come to dinner the first night, the staff delivered a gourmet meal down to our house.
The sceney is breathtaking...the sounds of the jungle that rock you to sleep and surround you during massages, the infinity pool with its view of the ocean, the lights of the city at night - I will never forget my experience at Verana. We are trying to carry our lessons from Verana into our daily life - healthy eating with fresh foods, a reorganized master bedroom that is more like a sanctuary and less like Grand Central Station, and I even convinced my husband to join me in Pilates (he took yoga one morning at Verana and loved it!)
I also cannot thank the staff enough for making it such a great stay - the staff is very international and interesting to talk to. We made such great friends. We never experienced any pressure from the staff to attend activities, or found them inexperienced (as discussed in other reviews.)
The chefs are SO very talented...it was a true pleasure to experience their talent firsthand...gourmet food at every single meal...I have never eaten so well in my life as I did that week. For example, "taco night" included 15 different gourmet salsas...everything was delicious. One night, during a candlelight dinner set up for us in our house, the appetizers were dates stuffed with cream cheese and baked with bacon...it may sound suspect, but is was so delicious! They combined flavors I never would have thought of...like chocolate and chile cheesecake...so yummy.
There were only a few negatives, or maybe considerations. First, Verana is a very chic resort with high service standards and amazing cuisine. That being said, it is in the jungle, and you have to be prepared to spend the week with bugs in your house, lizards on your walls, checking for scorpions, climbing through the mosquito net to go to the bathroom at night, etc. The boat ride over, depending on the ocean, may leave you, and some luggage, a bit wet. We got used to the lifestyle after a few days but true diva types may not enjoy the Verana experience. Also, bug spray is a must (esp. in the mornings, at night, and hiking up/down the mountain to through the jungle to the resort)...it doesn't need to be super strength...OFF Skintastic worked for us.
Second, do not underestimate the hike up the hill. Our first hike was on little sleep, immediately post-wedding, with sneakers full of sand from getting off the boat, and therefore miserable. The hill is steep in some parts, but the trail is also rocky in places, so sturdy shoes (Tevas worked well for folks) and going at your own pace are a must. During the week, the hike was better with proper shoes, bug spray, rest, and the expectation that we would be unable to breath for a few minutes once finally at the top.
Last, Verana is an expensive experience. It was well worth it to us for our honeymoon, but it may prevent us returning with the regularity we would like.
To close this lengthy review, I'll just say that while we are pretty well traveled, we are slightly on the "pampered traveler" side...letting go of those hangups and allowing ourselves to truly experience Verana - its beauty, its staff, and the guests it attracts - was a wonderful experience.