TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

This was our first time to Puerto Vallarta, we have been to the Riveria Maya many times. Travelled with family but all our kids are adults so I cannot comment on anything small child related. Compared to most resorts we have stayed at, the Krystal Grand is small but we didnt mind that. Please read this honest review to the end. Rooms- My husband and I booked a deal of the day room and ended up in a nice little apartment style room with partial ocean view. We were quite happy with it. What was new to us is that everyone in our group had issues with the key cards randomly not working. So we would have to go to the front desk and them wait for maintenance to come and change batteries. This happened to my niece 3 times, sister twice and our room once. Food - Everyone enjoyed the main buffet, it was always good with lots of variety and it was always clean. Servers were very friendly and attentive. The snack bar by the adult pool was good too, the fish tacos were yummy. We ate once at The Grill and Ayami, both good but nothing to write home about. My sister booked these for us and she didnt seem to have an issue however we heard from other people there, that they were having a hard time making reservations. Pool - We knew that there was an adult pool here but all the reviews we read before coming it wad hard to tell if it was open to everyone over 18 or if it was an exclusive thing only. Happy to report that the adult pool is for everyone over 18. The pool was beautiful, overlooked the ocean and had a swim up bar. Even though this is an adult pool, everyday we witnessed "those parents" who thought their kids were the exception try and use this area. It was like an entertainment all on its own watching them take up a bunch of chairs get all settled in try and use the pool, then someone would complain and security would come. We didnt understand why this happened though because the other pool was beautiful, really big with lots of chairs. It had a snack bar there, a bar to get drinks, the washrooms were close and clean. No swim up bar in that one though so I guess that was why? Entertainment- The entertainment staff was fun and they had stuff always going on. At night there would be something different at the main pool area. We were in our room by 8:30pm every night so cannot comment on any night life, however we went up to the sky bar one night to see what is was all about. View was really pretty. We went up early and were the only ones there but we heard it was the place to be at night. We also went to the Time Out bar to check it out. Again we were there early but it was a nice place to play cards or have a game of pool. Beach - The beach was clean, ocean was warm with no seaweed or rocks. The vendors on the beach asked us everyday to buy something but noone was ever rude or pushy. The beach was beautiful and you could walk in either direction for a long time but the absolute worst thing about staying here was the people bringing their horses down to the beach everyday. These poor animals are forced to stand in the sun all day, feet tethered so they can't move. No food, no water. The owner sits in the shade while the horses are forced to stand there until someone wants a ride. Then when someone does want a ride they ride behind the horses and whip their bums the whole time so they trot. This is all for the tourists out there that HAVE to ride a horse down the beach. It was so very sad to see. I emailed the SPCA to see what regulations there are for these horses etc but have not heard back from them. Im sure there are people out there that think this is ok treatment for horses and thats what they are meant for but we dont agree. We know this won't ever stop but how about some regulations for these animals on how long they have to stand in the sun in 1 spot. How about some shelter, how about giving them water or keeping them cool in the ocean. I think we will stick to the Riveria side next time. Thanks for reading.

Victoria, Salba and Damian are amazing members of the entertainment group. They are incredibly engaging and kept everyone involved in the activities. I really enjoyed Victoria was so good with the kids karaoke. Damian made me giggle when he was dancing in a cow costume during the foam party. Service at the resort is amazing, our room was way larger than we expected and everyone from the gardeners to the front desk made our stay amazing. The beach by the resort is clean and safe. And it is within walking of mega commercial, a large Costco like store.

Very nice! Great resort! Salvador and staff were great!

2.0 / 5 Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing hotel experiences I’ve had while traveling throughout Mexico. One of the most concerning issues occurred during our stay—cash (USD) was taken from our personal belongings inside the room. The hotel’s response was minimal, offering only to file a report with no meaningful resolution. While check-in was smooth, the standard queen room was extremely small, outdated, and did not resemble the photos online. Our initial view overlooked a garbage area between buildings, creating an unpleasant smell. After requesting a room change, we were required to pay for an “upgrade,” which still fell far below expectations. The upgraded room was not properly cleaned—sand was present in the shower and across the floors, fixtures were broken, and amenities like the minibar were either missing or very limited. Cleanliness and maintenance across the property were consistently poor. Elevators and hallways were dirty and had noticeable odors, and common areas had dirty dishes and trash left unattended. Walls were thin enough to hear neighboring rooms at all hours. The pool area was unclean, with debris and used cups throughout, and the swim-up bar and other bars lacked quality service. Staff appeared disengaged, and drinks were poorly made with limited options. Dining was also underwhelming. The buffet was often unclean, with food that was either cold or overcooked and very limited in variety. Based on feedback from other guests, we chose not to try the on-site restaurants and instead dined off property. Additionally, there was little to no nightlife, with most facilities closing early, leaving the resort quiet and inactive in the evenings. The only positive aspect of this hotel was the beach, which was clean and well-maintained. However, this alone does not outweigh the overall experience. The property does not meet the expectations set by its online photos and descriptions. I would not recommend staying here.

We had an amazing experience here, the service was friendly and everything went smoothly. I loved that the menu changes daily offering a wider variety of options. Our server Oscar Rivera and his boss Hector went above and beyond! They were so kind, quick, and checked in on us just the right amount. They really made our visit even better.” Highly recommend!