Our Story
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We started our quest for a vacation property in Hawaii, where we got married in 2010 and returned every year for our anniversary. The weather is perfect, the scenery is gorgeous, and the culture is exotic. But man, it is far from Toronto and it is expensive. After looking at many condos, we realized that 350 square feet in an old building just wouldn't cut it.
At Christmas 2016 we thought we would try something different - the Pacific Coast of Mexico. We were already quite familiar with Cancun and the Mayan Riviera. Convenient, close, nice beaches, but a little crowded and very commercialized. (Worth going for the Mayan ruins, though.) So in late 2016 we checked into a place we had never heard of before - the Grand Sirenis Resort in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (don't even try to pronounce it). Located on the Riviera Nayarit (which we had never heard of either), the resort was beautiful, restful; the amenities luxurious and the staff friendly. La Cruz is a quaint fishing village on the Bay of Banderas about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. While there we looked at two popular gated communities as well as a condominium tower and were very tempted to buy. In fact we made an offer on a condo unit in Punta Esmeralda - but another buyer must have outbid us. |
By this time we were very curious about Vallarta itself, so we booked another trip and this time stayed right in the city, at a lovely condo in the hills of Alta Vista.
As you can see from the map, we were walking distance from La Palapa, one of the best places for a drink and dinner on the beach. The problem was walking back - the neighbourhood is called "Alta Vista" for a reason. High views require steep climbs. If you're flexible and active, it's a nice workout. If you're a little older or a little wobbly from too many margaritas, it's a cab ride or an Uber. Every time.
Though the views weren't terrible they were blocked by a growing number of high rises. But the biggest problem was the noise of the street - roosters crowing, dogs barking, trucks idling, music blaring, at all hours. You can close the doors to get some quiet - but then you lose the "outdoor living" that to us is so special about tropical climates. |
In the space of two years, we stayed in Puerto Vallarta six times, in seven different neighbourhoods, and looked at dozens of condos as well as some houses. We wanted no compromises: nice views, modern building, robust security, big pool, quiet neighbourhood, in Puerto Vallarta proper but walking distance to everything.
Beachfront condos on the South Shore (we went looking as far south as Mismaloya, and checked out condos on Punta Negra beach, Playa Esmeralda, and Playa Gemelas) were very tempting indeed - but despite the stunning ocean views and proximity to the beach, these are not walkable locations. Do we really want to take a bus or taxi to the city to go for a stroll? And what if we are cooking dinner and run out of red peppers? Do we want to drive to town, find a parking spot, and then drive back, in high season traffic?
Just when it started to seem impossible to find the perfect spot, a unit in Rivera Cuale became available. We might even call it "Casa No Compromises."
Beachfront condos on the South Shore (we went looking as far south as Mismaloya, and checked out condos on Punta Negra beach, Playa Esmeralda, and Playa Gemelas) were very tempting indeed - but despite the stunning ocean views and proximity to the beach, these are not walkable locations. Do we really want to take a bus or taxi to the city to go for a stroll? And what if we are cooking dinner and run out of red peppers? Do we want to drive to town, find a parking spot, and then drive back, in high season traffic?
Just when it started to seem impossible to find the perfect spot, a unit in Rivera Cuale became available. We might even call it "Casa No Compromises."
From Canada to
Puerto Vallarta
Wendy
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Wendy and Martin at Coco's Kitchen
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Martin
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