Get Glamorous in Puerto Vallarta

Before John Huston’s 1964 film, The Night of the Iguana, Puerto Vallarta (PV) was a sleepy fishing village. But when Liz Taylor arrived to keep an eye on her lover, Richard Burton, while he was filming with the voluptuous Ava Gardner, sparks flew. The publicity buzz about Burton and Taylor’s torrid affair, and the hit movie itself, put PV on the tourist map. Today, the destination reigns as one of Mexico’s hottest sun spots, yet it manages to retain its colonial charm.

Hacienda San Angel

In the hilly heart of PV, owner Janice Chatterton renovated five traditional villas, linking them with winding walkways and tropical gardens. Starting in the reception lounge, once owned by Burton, the Hacienda, furnished with exquisite art and antiques, looks like something from the pages of Architectural Digest.

The staff cater to your every whim, from serving mango margaritas at one of the three pools to organizing in-room spa treatments.
Until recently, only staying guests could dine here. Now, non-guests may reserve ahead for an alfresco table on one of the many terraces or in the inside dining room. (haciendasanangel.com)

Fiesta on the Malecón

Sunday night is fiesta time on the Malecón, PV’s lovely seaside promenade. You’ll usually find a band playing in the Plaza de las Armas, Puerto Vallarta’s main square. Seniors dressed in their finest come out to dance, teens flirt and parents buy balloons and ice cream for their kids. From one of the many street vendors, try barbecued corn on the cob slathered with chili-lime butter and enjoy being part of the pulse of vibrant Vallarta. When the sun goes down, watch a folkloric dance spectacle in the Los Arcos, the open-air amphitheatre.

Bountiful Botanical Gardens

Wear walking shoes to explore the collections of palms, roses, ferns, agaves, orchids, coffee and vanilla trees at Vallarta Botanical Gardens. A fascinating variety of birds and butterflies also call this paradise home, so bring your camera and binoculars. Take a refreshing dip in the Rio Los Horcones, then head up to the Hacienda de Oro restaurant for an alfresco lunch of pizza from the wood-burning oven. Closed Mondays. (vbgardens.org)

Hot Spa

Artsy and organic, Terra Noble Spa is perched high in the Vallarta hills. Indulgences include hot stone and chocolate massages in open-air cabanas with giddying views down to the town and Banderas Bay. You may also take part in an ancient Aztec sweat lodge ceremony called a temazcalli. Drums, chants and medicinal herbs are part of the purifying ritual that lasts about two hours inside a mud “igloo.” Call in advance to reserve your treatments. (terranoble.com, 322-223-0308)

Fore!

The Four Seasons Punta Mita golf club (about an hour’s drive north of PV) boasts two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses: Pacifico and Bahia.
In June 2008, Pacifico was named the number one golf course in the world by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. It boasts eight holes bordering the Pacific Ocean or Banderas Bay and the world’s only natural island green. And, just when you’re feeling a bit parched, cart gals arrive with lemon-scented iced towels and Evian spritzes.
(fourseasons.com/puntamita)