The ranking below covers the bay from end to end, ordered by real guest ratings, our score breakdowns, and how much the plan includes. Where a resort sits on the bay decides whether town is a walk, a taxi or a day trip, so the location line on each card is worth reading. Tap through for photos, the included-versus-extra picture, and pricing, and see our Puerto Vallarta guide for the bay explained.
Chains on this list
Loyal to a brand, or curious how the rest of a chain stacks up? Each profile ranks every resort the chain runs.
Plan the trip
Picking the resort is half the work; our Puerto Vallarta travel guide covers the rest: when to go, weather month by month, safety and entry requirements, and how the areas differ.
How this ranking works
Every list on this site draws from the same catalog: resorts we've individually researched, with the all-inclusive fine print read so you don't have to. The order weighs verified guest ratings, what's genuinely included at the base rate, and how each property performs on the thing this list is about: here, puerto vallarta.
The seal next to a resort is its Palmprint: our 0–10 grade for how well it delivers on this list's promise, the same mark you'll find on its full profile. The details of what we weigh, and what disqualifies a resort outright, live in how we score. Lists are re-reviewed as ratings and policies change; this one was last checked September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Puerto Vallarta or Cancún for an all-inclusive?
Vallarta for calm, swimmable water, a real town with its own culture beside the resorts, mountain scenery, no seaweed season, and a shorter flight from the western U.S. Cancún for the turquoise Caribbean colour, the deepest resort selection, and cenotes and ruins within a day trip.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta?
November to May, with the whales in the bay from December to March. June to October brings dramatic afternoon storms and lush green hills, and it is the Pacific hurricane season, with the late-summer systems bringing serious rain even when the bay's geography softens the wind.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta?
The sweet spot is November–May; whales in the bay December–March. The rainy season runs June–October: dramatic afternoon storms, lush green hills. Pacific season June–November; Banderas Bay's geography has historically softened direct hits, but late-summer systems bring serious rain.
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