Hotel Verana - 48304 Puerto Vallarta

Verana is magical & perfect! We will definitely be back! My husband and I went in March, and I wish we had booked longer! There is so much beauty to take in. The service from the main staff (Federico, Chuy and Chano) was absolutely exceptional. We had 2 massages each (a must needed splurge after all the steps) and both masseuses were great. I could go on forever about how beautiful this place is - there are plenty of reviews lauding this place as the gem it is, so I am going to address the negative reviews. TLDR: anyone with a negative review obviously did not research where they were going at all. 1. I read reviews complaining about beverage prices being high. This is beyond false. The cocktails are all between 10-15 USD. This is very reasonable for high quality liquors and fresh squeezed juices in a high-end venue. They had a nice selection of mostly Mexican wines at reasonable prices that paired well with the cuisine. Verana tries to be local about their menu choices. They have a well stocked bar of mostly tequila and mezcal. 2. I read the food prices were a rip off. This is also beyond false. The meals they serve are fresh and each meal is 3 courses and every bit of it is delicious. I understand higher prices in high end, crazy remote locations. We went with the full-board option but we would have been fine with just half board of breakfast and dinner. Dinners are set menus for everyone, while breakfast and lunch have more options. If you have a dietary restriction be sure to tell them well in advance so they can plan ahead. 3. Excursions. We did a fishing trip (led by Federico's brother, Moi) and had a blast! It was just the 3 of us on a little boat. We caught a mackerel and a bonito. And then we saw about a million dolphins and a few humpback whales. One waved to us! The kitchen prepared our catches for us that day. Along the way, Moi pointed out the beach they take you to for the "private beach excursion". It looked awesome and no one else was there. I had read another review that turned us off from it but if we go back we will 100% be booking that. Other guests told us they did the all day trip, hopping off the boat at different little towns along the coast, eating and drinking at different spots. I would definitely book that next time as well. 4. One super weird reviewer complained about how remote the place is, and wrote this odd rant about couples reading romance novels instead of exploring the town of Yelapa...This place is remote, quiet and peaceful. The wifi is not great. I couldn't check my work emails and I was glad for that. I literally sat and stared at the trees, the many different birds, for hours. I read a whole book (The Devil's Highway). This is a place to come unwind, unplug and reset your brain. Sometimes we go on trips to cities and we love staying in more "local" spots, but that isn't what Verana is for. We did go into town one day and went to the close waterfall. I recommend doing this on a weekday. We went on a Saturday and the tour boats of day travelers come in hoards so that was not an ideal day. But we sat on the beach for a few and then lazily took a water taxi back to the dock of Verana. 5. A recent review complained about their reservation being canceled because someone in their group had recently undergone foot surgery. There is no way their friend could have walked from the blue house to the main house. I am in good shape and my calves were so sore from the climb. I think Verana did this group a favor. The town of Yelapa would not have been any easier. I don't even know how they would have gotten in and out of the boat with a bad foot. 6. We did not see mosquitos the whole trip. If you go in the off season I'm sure it's terrible, that's why it's called the off season. At dusk, these little gnats that annoyed but didn't bite would swarm for about an hour. 7. One review complained about: hearing the ocean too loud. I don't even know what to do with that. Yes you can hear the ocean at the ocean. Bring earplugs to help you adjust to the night sounds of the coastal jungle.

No joke, this is the best place I’ve ever stayed. I stayed here for 2 nights and I wish I could have spent way more time here. Everything was excellent!

It isn't for everyone, but if you know what you're getting into it can be a really wonderful experience. If all you care about is counter space in the bathroom, hot showers, and air conditioning, don't waste your time. If instead you're looking for beautiful views, the sounds of birds and tree frogs, and really getting away from our crazed world, you couldn't have asked for a better place. The staff is gracious and welcoming, the food is very good, and the surroundings are magnificent. From the minute you arrive on the boat and then climb up the hill to Verana, you know you are entering a different world. The private beach picnic alone is worth the trip! If you are an adventurous traveler, it's a place you should seek out.

Our stay was amazing. It was incredibly peaceful, food was great, staff was fantastic. We will absolutely stay here again. The hike up is pretty brutal if you are not in shape and even for us two who are in the gym everyday. We went in October and it was still pretty hot be we had lovely thunder and lightning in the evening. Our boutique was right next to the restaurant/bar and had AC. We highly recommend for a remote experience.

Verana was by far the best vacation my husband and I have taken. Everything was unique, personal and well thought out. I was nervous about the stairs as I had just broken my pelvis a month and a half prior, but with taking my time, it was manageable. The food was delicious, fresh and local. We did some tours, and I would highly recommend booking the private beach. They pack a lovely picnic, and the solitude is to die for. My husband snorkelled and swam with the sea turtles - was on his bucket list! We will be back and will recommend!

Loved it here but I could understand it isn't for everyone. For example I loved that our "room" had no walls, literally, it was a roof on stilts with comfy beds and chairs, all impeccably selected to make a gorgeous jungle vibe come through. Despite no walls we had excellent privacy because of an extremely well thought out layout. We walked around our room in our birthday suits and never felt awkward because no one ever walked by, like I said, excellent layout. As for the staff I cannot say enough good things. From being met at the docks to getting local insights from the bartenders they were all just wonderful. This place wasn't the cheapest option but it was worth every penny.

My husband and I spent 5 nights at Verana with two of our friends. It was our 4th time visiting Mexico and truly surpassed all of our other trips. We stayed in the secluded V-house which is about a 5 minute walk from the other houses and restaurant/ pool, but on the way up from the dock. We loved the V-House, the views were amazing and we loved being up in the trees. We ate all of our meals at their restaurant. From breakfast to snacks to dinner, everything tasted fresh and delicious. The staff were all extremely warm and accommodating. Thank you to Frederico and his brother to the very special activity days exploring the coastal area and picnic! Verana was fully booked during our stay but it still felt extremely quiet and private. I recommend bringing ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones in case there is a big party in Yelapa during your stay! (This happened only 1/5 nights on the Saturday we were there) I loved the sustainability of staying at Verana. The dishes and bar glasses were all reusable, the toiletries in the rooms were in small clay pots or wrapped in leaves. They also have filtered water dispensers everywhere- I recommend bringing a reusable water bottle :)

My wife and I spent 5 nights in Verana in March of this year and had an amazing time. We stayed in the tea house which has a beautiful view of the ocean and the bay near yelapa. We woke up every morning to the see the sun rise over the hills on the far side of the bay and to the sounds of birds chirping and singing. Staff would leave coffee and tea at the entrance to the House at about 7am each morning before we went down for breakfast. The food was excellent with the dinner menu being a set one. Even without any choice we both really enjoyed the meals every night. We did mescal tasting, dinner under the stars which were both amazing but I think our favours activity was the excursion to the private beach. All the staff were amazing, so friendly and helpful. Verana was our first stop on a 2 week honeymoon and it was the best place we visited in Mexico. We will definitely be back.