TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

My wife and I initially arrived at Dreams Vallarta Bay with the anticipation of a truly memorable trip, particularly as we were undergoing IVF treatments. Regrettably, due to unforeseen complications with the IVF treatment, my wife required emergency surgery, which prevented her from participating in egg implantation. Despite this unexpected turn of events, the staff at Dreams, provided exceptional care and ensured that the remainder of our stay was as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. They demonstrated outstanding service, attending to our every need. I cannot overstate the positive impact their attentiveness had on our experience and my wife's recovery, after we checked into Dreams.

Question: those that say this hotel was better years ago, what do you mean? In what ways was it better. Was it just because it was newer and kept more refurbished? We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Rooms were good, service good in spite of the masses of people, Views fantastic, grounds on property well kept. and food like any other all inclusive. Only complaint was reservation process for hibachi restaurant. Stood for an hour only to find that most days only 5:30 and 10:90 seatings were available. Weather outrageously hot but what would you expect?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly perfectly sums up my first—and definitely last—visit to this resort. The Good The staff was genuinely exceptional. With one notable exception (more on that later), everyone was friendly, attentive, and eager to help. Special recognition goes to Cristian, Olena, and Raul, who consistently delivered five-star service. Rooms were clean, service was prompt, and finding a drink was never a challenge. The Bad The resort's open-air design may sound appealing until you visit in July and realize the humidity is apparently an included amenity. As someone who grew up in Louisiana, I thought I understood humidity. This resort taught me humility. The lobby, lounges, bars, Preferred Club, and even many indoor spaces felt hot and humid with little relief. The Preferred Club is oversold and underdelivered. The lounge looked like a former business center that received a modest makeover and a new sign. The teen center and family amenities were particularly disappointing. A foosball table and two PlayStations do not constitute a family entertainment program. The beach experience was underwhelming, with constant vendor traffic and less-than-ideal beach conditions. The food was comparable to a budget cruise—edible, but not memorable. Aside from the Asian restaurant, dining options were consistently mediocre. The Ugly Within two hours of arrival, we realized this resort was not a good fit and attempted to transfer to a sister property, the Hyatt Ziva. We were fully prepared to pay any transfer fees and rate differences and weren't seeking discounts or special treatment. Unfortunately, our interaction with Jair at the Preferred Club desk was the low point of the trip. Despite sitting at a Preferred Club desk as a Preferred Club guest, I was told he could not assist and that I needed to call reservations myself. When I asked for a manager, I was directed elsewhere rather than offered assistance. Thankfully, Olena completely changed the experience. She and Raul immediately stepped in, were professional, accommodating, and genuinely tried to help. Unfortunately, resort staff have no authority over reservation transfers, and while reservations could move us to another property, they could not guarantee what portion of our prepaid stay would be refunded. Rather than risk losing the full amount, we stayed. Raul helped move us to a different Preferred Club room, sparing me from further interactions with Jair. Final Thoughts In the end, we still managed to have an enjoyable vacation thanks almost entirely to the staff who cared enough to make the best of a disappointing resort experience. My Rating: Staff: ????? (except Jair) Resort: ????? Food: ????? to ????? Family Amenities: ????? Preferred Club Value: ????? Bottom Line: If this resort marketed itself as an adults-only value property, my expectations may have been different. But as a family resort with premium "Preferred Club" offerings, it simply does not deliver. The staff deserves far better than the product they're being asked to support.

3.5–4 Stars | Good Stay with a Few Bumps Along the Way My stay at the resort was overall good, but there were a few issues that kept it from being a great experience. The absolute highlight of our trip was the breakfast buffet. There was a wonderful variety of food every morning, and everything we tried was fresh and delicious. Benito, our breakfast server, was exceptional. He was warm, attentive, and consistently went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. He truly made our mornings enjoyable. When we first checked into Room 2064, I noticed the room wasn’t as clean as I expected. I mentioned it to the bellman who brought our luggage, and housekeeping came back to clean it again, which I appreciated. I was also celebrating my birthday during our stay, so I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t acknowledged at all. It’s not something I expect, but it’s always a nice touch that many resorts offer and would have made the trip feel a little more special. The biggest issue happened after dinner at the hibachi restaurant. When we returned to our room, we found puddles of water all over the bathroom floor because the ceiling was leaking. It was definitely not something you want to deal with while on vacation. Thankfully, the front desk handled the situation professionally and immediately moved us to another room. I really appreciated how quickly they resolved the problem, even though it was stressful to have to pack up and switch rooms. I also want to give a shout-out to the daytime bartender at the bar near the elevators leading to the guest rooms. I wish I could remember his name because he was fantastic. He was always friendly, welcoming, and made excellent drinks. Employees like him and Benito really stood out and made a positive impression. Overall, while there were some housekeeping and maintenance issues, the staff’s customer service helped make up for them. The resort is located in a beautiful area, which is one of the reasons I would consider returning. With a little more attention to room upkeep and those small personal touches that make guests feel special, this could easily be an even better experience.

The resort is beautiful, and the views are absolutely breathtaking. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, and the property itself is very scenic. I highly recommend renting a private cabana, especially if you want a more relaxing and comfortable experience away from the larger crowds. We traveled with two children, and they enjoyed themselves during the stay. However, compared with other family-friendly Dreams resorts, there could have been more consistent daytime activities and evening entertainment for both children and adults. The resort becomes much busier from Friday through Sunday. During the week, we usually did not experience a wait for the restaurants. Once Friday arrived, wait times increased to approximately 40–60 minutes due to the larger crowds and limited restaurant availability. The food options were somewhat limited. Breakfast at the buffet was pretty good, but lunch could have offered more variety and better options. The Italian restaurant was adults-only, which reduced the dining choices for families traveling with children. Castaways’ second level was also closed, which further limited availability. The reservation-only restaurants were difficult to book because reservations often became unavailable within about 10 minutes of opening. Some restaurants were also closed one day during the week, making it even harder to secure a reservation. We rented an Oceana cabana and were able to order food from Oceana. The food was amazing, and we were glad to have the opportunity to try it because Oceana was not otherwise accessible to us while staying on the Dreams side with children. The drinks were good, and the bartenders were able to make the specialty drinks I requested. However, the bars did not always have drink-rim ingredients such as Tajín or sugar. The entertainment was one of the most disappointing parts of the stay. Many of the evening performances were short, slow, and lacked energy. Some of the singers were not very engaging. There was a show on Friday night, but it was not advertised well and was held downstairs, so many guests may not have known about it. The nightclub was closed and appeared unfinished. The area smelled strongly of paint and did not seem ready for guests. There was very little adult entertainment and not enough consistent family entertainment compared with other Dreams, Breathless, and Secrets resorts we have visited. The pool area could also benefit from more music, activities, and daytime entertainment. Overall, the resort is visually stunning and offers beautiful views, nice rooms, and a peaceful atmosphere. Our children enjoyed themselves, but guests looking for lively nightlife, dancing, and a full schedule of family entertainment may be disappointed. The resort seems better suited for families and adults who prefer a quieter, more relaxing vacation and early evenings.