Marival Emotions Resort And Suites

We were disappointed with this vacation. [Details]

great experience, friendly staff, clean resort, spacious and clean suites [Details]

There were some good points, but overall Marival Emotions was quite disappointing. The landscape grounds and public areas within the resort are well kept, maintained. The pools are as expected but for the kiddies pool had slides that caused bruising for the toddlers. The room wings looked good on the outside but inside the individual rooms were very dated and in ill-repair. The beds are in great need of new mattresses and the bathrooms are over-painted, poorly grouted and the plumbing fixtures need changing starting with the shower head and taps. The sink knobs were reversed - the left one turns counter-clockwise to turn on the flow, while the right one turns clockwise (confusing even after a week). Restaurants were not impressive and the food was mostly not up to the usual Mexican quality. Workers generally were friendly: the welcoming concierges were especially helpful and joyful, and the restaurant hosts were welcoming, but the main lobby personnel at the check-in desk were rude, inefficient, and some were either poorly trained or had very limited ability in English as they would pass us over to the next worker each time. Beach was great, youth arcade/games room was modest and could use some imagination, nightly shows were quite amateurish. Oh... and don't ditch your arm bracelet before you check out or they will charge you 500 pesos before giving the "all-clear" receipt the concierge needs in order to release your luggage on leaving - they fail to warn you of this on check-in! [Details]

We had a good time at the Marival, although not sure I'd return. The staff were amazing, all very friendly and accommodating. There were a LOT of stairs so if you have mobility issues that's something to note. We didn't have an issue though and saw strollers and wheelchairs so there must be elevators somewhere. The food was okay, although I'd recommend a chocolate fountain for the adult buffet (there was one at the kids buffet, but I saw way too many fingers in that to actually try it). The staff were all so nice. Location was good ($5 uber to the Chedraui for stocking up on things). Our room only had cold water (the hot water tap was there but nothing came out of it) [Details]

Our stay was absolutely the best. We did have a bit of trouble at check in while trying to add an additional person to our room. This was related to communication issues, but was resolved. Otherwise, we loved our room.it was very large & 5 of us and a baby fit in it perfectly.

The Concierge worker Miguel was absolutely the best. He clearly cares about the well being of all guests. And Mary at the Pergala restaurant was a gem too. [Details]

We had a great week at the Marival. The food was great the service was exceptional and the staff was incredible. We would definitely return to this resort. [Details]

Right from check in the experience was very disappointing. First off our room wasn't ready until 6:30 PM (after arriving at the resort at 3 PM). Then once we got to the room our luggage was never delivered, I ended up having to go back to the lobby and get the bags myself and was very rudely confronted by the bell hop for doing so after waiting an additional 3 hrs. The workers at the resort spoke very little English making it difficult the whole way through the trip. The package we purchased at the resort was for the Marival Family Emotions and was supposed to include welcome sand toys for the kids a stocked mini bar for kids and adults, the toy package was never received and the mini bar was never fully stocked and the small amount of pop that was put in was never restocked once emptied. The food was ok , but never changed. The lunch and breakfast options were exactly the same over and over. They were doing tile work on the swim up bar at the family pool each morning before the pool opened, but would not clean up as they worked, a member of our party ended up stepping on old broken tile left in the pool that gave him a long cut in the bottom of his foot that required medical attention. We had a large family suite that included an upstairs section for the parents with a separate bathroom. The plumbing in this room never worked ( toilet would not flush and no hot water) we notified the concierge and nothing was done for the week we were there [Details]

For context to this review, we were a pair of mid-twenty-year-olds celebrating the end of a university semester with what we hoped to be a relaxing vacation. We have also stayed at a wide variety of resorts to compare this experience to. **CAUTION - an hour after I arrived home I became violently ill due to food poisoning from the resort. Others reported getting food poisoning during their stay at the resort, so carefully consider this risk when thinking about staying here.

Location of the resort: PROS - 20 minute drive from the airport, 10 minute drive from the premier company for excursions, felt safe and comfortable CONS - a 30-40 minute drive to downtown, on the side of the bay with rougher water (if you like to go in the ocean)

Check-in experience: PROS - they bring you a drink right away, no line up CONS - they did not provide us with the lock to the safe at first, they also did not provide us with the wifi information until after we asked, minimal information about the resort, the male explaining the resort was sexist as he never looked at me, provided conflicting information about restaurant bookings to what the bookings person said (front staff said book in the morning for that evening while the bookings person said she could book for our entire stay)

Room: PROS - "club" section means the lowest rooms you can get but we were lucky enough to look out directly at the ocean, the beds were relatively comfortable with a topper having been added for comfort, air conditioning worked great, shower produced a nice amount of pressure and never ran out of hot water, a variety of English tv channels, good room darkening curtains CONS - there is a gap under the door to let in bugs, no fan in the bathroom so it gets very steamy, very minimal bathroom supplies provided (shampoo & soap), no robes provided, the safe is just a key lock so it does not feel very safe, the room was very tight feeling, the grout is disgusting and overall cleanliness is lacking, no water bottles/snacks/beer provided in the mini fridge, had to hold the lever to get the toilet to flush, tv so tiny you could easily fit it in your suitcase, plastic patio furniture, the wifi was inconsistent, the tv was glitchy

The resort amenities: PROS - adult only pool (regulated relatively well), botchy ball pits were a unique option, waterpark for kids looked fun, arcade for teens seemed busy all the time, water sport options available (although the ocean is far too rough to use any of them), some of the spa options seem somewhat reasonably priced, the club lobby was very comfy with tvs that you could request various sports to be played, shops allowed for purchasing snacks CONS - no sports bar, no lazy river, no side tables next to loungers to put your belongings on, the loungers do not lay completely flat for sun tanning purposes, the tiling around the pool is not even so it is a tripping hazard, mini golf/shuffle board/tennis courts/a club exist but we did not check them out

Entertainment: PROS - variety of shows (Moana, Michael Jackson, Mexican Show) CONS - primarily lip syncing, dancing is not coordinated, location is obscure, bar is really small

Food/drinks: PROS - La Perola (Mediterranean restaurant) was delicious, La Perola is also a sit down breakfast every day and was amazing (compared to the buffet), fresh crepes made in the evening by the buffet, they have drink menus above the bars to give you ideas for drinks you might like to try (although they are often too heavy on the alcohol and have ice chunks in the blended drinks) CONS - the buffet is pretty small so there is not a lot of selection despite the themed nights, the snack bar gets invaded by aggressive black birds who actually go in to the food in the buffet portion - I believe the snack bar is what led to my food poisoning, the Italian restaurant was good but the service was so slow, in the 8 days we were there we were only allowed to frequent 3 restaurants and due to a lack of communication it is still unclear whether you book the morning of for that evening or if you see the booking person at the beginning of your trip and book all the nights you wish to eat at a restaurant at once

Staff: The staff who stock the mini fridges in the rooms as well as the maids do the absolute bare minimum, even when you leave a tip. There were a handful of servers/bartenders who truly wanted to get to know you and honestly made my day. Namely, Eduardo who serves breakfast at La Perola, Francisco a bartender at the bar next to the snack bar, and a very kind team of ladies who served drinks in the club lobby in the evenings. Most staff noticeably provided better service to people who spoke fluent Spanish as well as better service for men. There were moments at the resort where I thought I did not even exist as a human being because I was ignored while my counterpart was given priority. The staff also walk through the property to get to where they work, so you can be sun tanning and they are carrying table clothes just behind you for dinner - very unprofessional and awkward.

Beach: PROS - wide and long for walking, waves are great for bogie boarding, the beach is clean in terms of algae CONS - lots of locals crowd right next to the resort on the beach due to a public access point, there are wasps that dig holes in the sand and are easy to step on (bring water shoes)

Overall experience: I would never stay at this resort ever again. Period. We never got bombarded by people trying to sell us a time share, but when we asked if we could be taken to the nicer resort a little ways down the beach to see if we would be interested in staying there, they told us they wouldn't take us unless we were able/prepared to potentially buy a time share. As a result, we will actively warn people to stay away from this resort because it will result in you wanting to go home at the end of the trip instead of dreading to leave such a beautiful place. Not to mention there is a high risk you will experience food poisoning from their food. Importantly, there are no elevators on the property so it is not accessible for people with disabilities - had to watch a father carry his daughter down the stairs as the mother carried her other child and the wheel chair down. [Details]

I have never stayed at a cleaner or more beautiful resort My first vacation in 40 plus years staff and food is outstanding
I highly recommend this resort perfect [Details]

Overall it was a great place for a family vacation but too noisy and busy if you didn't have kids .Something for everyone. [Details]

My family and I love everything about Marival. The food in the buffet and la a crates were excellent and the service was great. The waiters and bartenders were always very friendly with fast service. The pool and beach areas were beautiful and very clean. The shows at night were excellent and very professional.
My kids (4 and 7) loved going to the Kids Club. The kid's pool was super cool and there were plenty of different activities for them to partake in throughout the resort. The staff at the kids club was also exceptional. Stephany, Adriana and especially Ricardo made my kids feel welcome and safe. My kids enjoyed seeing them every day and they will be truly missed! ❤️ [Details]

This was our first family vacation to Mexico and this resort was great. Very friendly staff and good food. Will definitely come again. [Details]

We had a great time at Club Marival! It was the perfect size for us. Pool, food and beach are less than 5 min walk from rooms. [Details]

When we first got there, we were given over to time share presentations before we were given our wristbands. They outright lied to us about working with our travel rep, and we missed our travel meeting. When they gave us our room, it had 2 single beds in it, and a safe so small my purse wouldn't even fit in it. No fridge, no hair dryer. 3rd floor walk up, no elevators. When we asked for a room where we could at least sleep in the same bed, they charged an additional 200.00 on top of the 3700.00 we had already paid! Not impressed! [Details]

the kids club was great as well as the staff. the evening entertainment was awesome. I really enjoyed the beach area as well as the kids pool. the staff were very friendly. the club side where we stayed was rather noisy and now as nice as the newer grand side as far as rooms go. I wish there was an a la carte lunch. I got tired of buffet. Also if you want to get the most out of the hotel you need to be part of the timeshare, also the Residence is gorgeous if you want more luxury and you can still use the facilities. [Details]

This was not our typical vacation, but we were looking for a quick getaway before Xmas and this worked. We were not expecting the hard sell to buy a timeshare. But once we got passed that we enjoyed our stay.

The room was very clean and comfortable. Kudos to the staff. The bathroom was a little tired and the bed a little hard. I think our biggest problem was the fan, which was noisy. We ended up turning it off at night and opening the patio doors. The view was fantastic!!

Some friends have mentioned that you can't swim at the beaches in Puerto Vallarta. We had no problems here. The waves were big enough to boogie board, but small enough to swim in. The beach was sandy and we had plenty of space and deck chairs. Even saw a few fish while snorkeling. We spent most mornings at the beach.

There are a number of pools to choose from, depending on how much activity and noise you're comfortable with. The gym has the standard selection of equipment. There are bikes to borrow if you want to cycle to the shops. Beach volleyball, tennis and non-motorized water activities are also available. We were planning to kayak and paddleboard, but didn't get around to it. Did take a bike tour of the town, as part of the hotel activities. If you haven't been to the area before, do this before just hopping on a bike. I would not have recognized the bike routes and rules of the road otherwise.

The restaurants that require a reservation are quite good. If possible, make a reservation before departing. This was a quieter time for the resort, so some restaurants were closed on specific days. The buffets were average, with fast food style at the Pizza buffet.

We took an excursion out to Marietas Island for some whale watching and snorkeling. Definitely the highlight of the trip. We saw humpback whales breaching, spy hopping, etc. The snorkeling was good, with plenty of angelfish, parrotfish, eels, etc. Recommended to wear a sunscreen shirt instead of putting on sunscreen as the sunscreen will harm the coral. The boat crew was attentive, helpful and knowledgeable. Not to mention an excellent chef making fresh salsa, guacamole, rice, etc for lunch.

For what we paid, this resort was excellent value. [Details]

checking into the hotel was not a great experience. we had requested a ground floor room or one with an elevator close by as i have a heart and lung condition and i should avoid stairs. we were told our room had and i counted from bottom to our floor had 34 stairs and we were not eligable to get a room close to elevator. When we had finally checked in we asked the clerk where our room was and he pointed to the outside door and said left. No porter with our baggage in sight we started to look for our room and an hour and half were still looking for room and our baggage.
we did not know until near the end of our stay that airline only has a specific area and if we wanted an elevator we would have to upgrade at $10 per night.
the front desk people were not of any help to us to try to solve our problem.
as a matter of interest on Mexican night we met a couple from Whistler and they had requested a third floor room and got a ground floor room and when they complained they were immediatly moved to a third floor room with an elevator handy. What is with that?
If these problems can be solved we would certainly go back to this resort as we loved the people ,food,and everything else (except the front desk) [Details]

Comfortable room with a great view overlooking large pools and sandy beach. Good choice of on-site a'la carte restaurants, each with extensive menu items, friendly service and presentation eg. fresh guacamole prepared at table at Mexican restaurant. Outside seating at most. Bicycles and cycling tour guides included. Very good, safe bike trails adjacent to resort. [Details]

It was our first time going to Puerto Vallarta and we were a little worried cuz we didn't know what to expect but once we arrived at the resort were blown away. Club Marival is definitely for families. [Details]

Other than having to take two flights of stairs to get to our room (which kept me in shape) our two weeks were enjoyable. There are many nice pools and the staff tried hard to please. I thought the food was very good with lots of choices although my partner was somewhat dissatisfied. Our room was very basic and showed signs of wear and tear...I would say that you get what you paid for and perhaps it would be worth upgrading to a more updated package. [Details]

the room was wonderful, always kept clean and well stocked by cleaners. Very nice beach, one of the best I have seen in Mexico and certainly the safest for children.Food at Casa Bella was repetitious but plentiful, more Canadian than Mexican. The entrance looked like a fine place for younger children. Best meal by far was at Las Palomas!Really like the little Pizzaria--also a fine dining place for kids. [Details]

We stayed in a one bedroom suite, which is the way to go with a family. We have two kids so the room size is perfect. Our room was in a quiet location which was really nice (RM# 10-103). If you would like a spot on the beach, I would suggest having someone go down early in the morning (6:00 am) and place your towels on the chairs. The a la carte restaurants are great, do not really like La Bamba (steakhouse), steak is really salty there. However, the Italian restaurant is really good! Ask for a Spanish coffee at the Mexican Restaurant - it is quite the show! It is also nice to go to the M&M Lounge for drinks before supper and watch the sunset. The server there is Guadalupe - she is really nice. Have a Chocolate Martini or a Mango Martini, they are both very good, maybe too good! If your flight doesn't leave until later in the day but you need to check out, there are showers at the tennis courts that you can use to clean-up after a day at the beach. [Details]

I have been to this area 5 times and mainly stayed at one of the 3 RIUs. This hotel was by far the worse hotel in the area. The rooms are outdated, unsanitary, and disgusting. The rooms on the first floor are all full of black flies. Sofa, curtains and bed covers are all dirty and seem like they have not been washed in years. We changed rooms 3 rimes. Buffett food was so bad with selection that during every meal someone was complaining. It was all by-products and leftovers from previous days. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE FOOD BY THE POOL not EVEN SNACK.
Please don't ruin your vacation and pay a little extra and go somewhere else. [Details]

GOOD ALL AROUND VALUE FOR FAMILIES WITH
YOUNGER CHILDREN. WOULD GO BACK! [Details]

We had a fabulous time at Club Marival. We are a family of 4 with kids aged 7 and 4 - the pools and beach were perfect for lots of water time fun. [Details]

My boyfriend and I had a great time! [Details]

The Club Marival Hotel was fine. What we did not like was the time share pressure at check in. The staff would not let us have our wristbands and room keys until we had agreed to go to a time share presentaion.I have been to this hotel before and many others in Mexico and have never had to put up with this before.Our room was clean and comfy but the location of the room was awful!!!! The room was above the lobby bar and most nights the noise was deafening. The loud singing and whatever else they were doing was almost unbearable.Some nights the noise went until 2:30 in the morning.For those two reasons I will never return to that hotel.
The food and bars were excellent. All of the staff were awesome. The hotel was very well taken care of,but I still won't go back. [Details]

The room we got was right above the noisiest bar at the resort so we ended up paying to upgrade to the Grand. There was no beer in the fridge and we were told they haven't supplied it for three years, we were there 1 1/2 years ago and there was beer in the fridge. We ordered Corona from room service (extra charge) and got a beer we had never heard of, they only have Corona on tap!! Why didn't they tell us this when we ordered! But all in all we had a great time and would definately go back to the Marival, although we'd make sure it was the Grand side. [Details]

This was my third stay there it was great!!!! [Details]

5th stay at this resort and have enjoyed another vacation there. So many familiar friendly staff that make it such a great place to stay. Service was exceptional, resort is kept so clean and fresh and the beach is always the same....fantastic! [Details]