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Grand Matlali Suites & Villas Riviera Nayarit

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico

3.9(1,521 reviews)

Family

Grand Matlali Suites & Villas occupies a niche few Riviera Nayarit properties attempt: a hilltop retreat in the Sierra Madre foothills above La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, with panoramic views of Banderas Bay and a design built around nature and privacy rather than beachfront convenience. The 63 rooms run from Junior Suites and Master Suites up to two-, three- and four-bedroom villas, every villa with its own private pool, and the infinity pool looks like it spills straight into the bay. For travelers who value views and quiet over stepping onto the sand, it delivers something the big beachfront resorts cannot.

Things to Know

All-Inclusive Optional
Timeshare Pressure

Traveler Insights

Pros

+Hilltop setting in the Sierra Madre foothills with sweeping views of Banderas Bay; the vistas from the terraces and the infinity pool are what guests call the trip highlight
+Every villa (two, three and four bedrooms) has its own private pool, and some Master Suites do too, which buys a level of seclusion a beachfront all-inclusive complex cannot match
+Only 63 rooms spread over a hillside, so it feels genuinely private compared with the big resorts of Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta's hotel zone
+Flexible plans: book bed and breakfast directly and upgrade to all-inclusive on arrival, and the all-inclusive plan is valid at the Eva Mandarina beach club as well as the hotel
+Eva Mandarina, the resort's private beach club, comes with towels, loungers, palapas, showers, a restaurant and bar, and transport from the hotel lobby
+La Cruz de Huanacaxtle is a charming, less-touristed fishing village with a marina, seafood restaurants and a Sunday market, a real contrast to cruise-ship Puerto Vallarta
+Rates sit in the mid-market, with typical nightly prices around $85 to $135 for a room in late 2026, which is very reasonable for a villa-with-pool setting

Cons

−No beach on site: the hotel sits in the hills and the beach club is reached by shuttle, a ride the hotel puts at five minutes and guests describe as closer to ten, so beach time runs on someone else's schedule
−Both hotel restaurants require a reservation (Rodizio only for dinner), so the dining feels more like booking tables than wandering into a buffet, and the lineup is two restaurants plus the beach club and pool bar
−Timeshare sales pitches come up again and again in guest reviews, and a vacation club shares the address, so expect to be approached and be ready to say no firmly
−Guests report amenities being cut back, including wellness and exercise areas, and the current official site no longer describes a spa, so do not book for spa treatments without confirming first
−Upkeep has not always kept pace: travelers have flagged pool maintenance issues and the single jacuzzi being out of service
−Steep internal paths and hillside layout make getting around hard for guests with limited mobility
−The beach club keeps daytime hours only (roughly 9:30am to 5pm), so there are no sunset beach evenings without your own transport
−Consistency varies more than at large chain resorts; the experience can swing depending on which venues are operating when you visit

The practical experience has real highlights and real friction. The resort has two pools, an artificial lake and one jacuzzi, and dining centers on two restaurants, Raixes and Rodizio, both reservation-only (Rodizio for dinner), plus the El Mirador pool bar and the restaurant and bar at the Eva Mandarina beach club. The default rate is bed and breakfast, with all-inclusive available as an upgrade on arrival that also covers the beach club. The beach is a short shuttle ride away, and the club runs daytime hours only. Where guests are less happy is operations: amenities cut back, a jacuzzi out of service, pool upkeep lagging, and persistent timeshare pitches from the vacation club on site.

Grand Matlali is best for couples, friends and families or groups who want a villa with a private pool and a dramatic view, are comfortable with a shuttle-to-the-beach routine and plan to explore beyond the resort. At typical rates around $85 to $135 a night for a room in late 2026, it is a value play rather than a luxury splurge, especially compared with Punta Mita a few minutes up the coast. La Cruz's marina and Sunday market are right nearby, Sayulita and Punta Mita are short drives north, and Puerto Vallarta's airport is about 45 minutes away.

Common Questions

If the resort has no direct beach access, is a beach vacation here actually feasible?

Yes, with planning. The resort has a private beach club, Eva Mandarina, with loungers, palapas, showers, towels, a restaurant and bar, and transport from the hotel lobby. The hotel calls it five minutes away and guests describe about a ten-minute ride. The club keeps daytime hours, so if you want to wander back and forth to the sand whenever you like, a beachfront resort will suit you better.

Is it all-inclusive?

It can be. The standard rate booked on the hotel's site is bed and breakfast, and you can upgrade to the all-inclusive plan on arrival. The all-inclusive plan is valid at the beach club as well as at the hotel, which matters because the beach club is where most guests spend their days.

What makes the villas different, and is the upgrade worth it?

The villas come in two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts and each has its own private pool, and some Master Suites also have one. Guests who book villas consistently rate the stay higher than those in standard suites, and a private pool on a terrace over Banderas Bay is the detail that defines the trip. For a family or group splitting the cost, a villa is the best value on the property.

Do I need to book restaurants in advance?

Yes. Both hotel restaurants, Raixes and Rodizio, require a reservation, Rodizio only for dinner. The El Mirador pool bar serves snacks in the afternoon and drinks until 11pm, and the beach club restaurant runs from late morning to late afternoon. Book dinner tables when you check in, especially in high season.

Will I get a timeshare pitch?

Very likely. Timeshare pressure is one of the most repeated complaints in guest reviews, and a vacation club operates from the same address. A polite, firm no usually ends it; just do not agree to a breakfast or tour presentation unless you actually want to hear the pitch.

Is this resort appropriate for families with children?

It works best for families who want a villa with a private pool and are happy making their own fun. There is no kids club or children's program, and the hillside terrain and steep paths are harder with small children or strollers than a flat beachfront resort. Families with teens often love the villas; families with toddlers are usually better served in Nuevo Vallarta.

What's nearby

Sayulita Beach
25 min drive · 12 mi
San Pancho Beach
30 min drive · 15 mi
Marina Vallarta
35 min drive · 15 mi
Puerto Vallarta Malecón
40 min drive · 19 mi
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
7 min drive · 2.1 mi
Islas Marietas and Hidden Beach boat trip
9 min drive · 2.7 mi

More things to do (24)

Whale watching (December to March) · excursion35 min drive · 15 mi
Playa de los Muertos (Sayulita) · beach25 min drive · 12 mi
Sunset sail from Marina Vallarta · excursion35 min drive · 15 mi
Playa Monterrey · beach50 min drive · 25 mi
Splash Water Park · water park25 min drive · 10 mi
San Francisco (San Pancho) · town30 min drive · 14 mi
Las Caletas beach day trip · excursion35 min drive · 15 mi
Destiladeras Beach · beach13 min drive · 5.7 mi
Playa Litibú · beach25 min drive · 13 mi
Camarones Beach · beach40 min drive · 19 mi
La Manzanilla Beach (La Cruz) · beach8 min drive · 2.8 mi
Marina Riviera Nayarit (La Cruz) · marina9 min drive · 2.7 mi
Bucerías · town10 min drive · 3.7 mi
Flamingos Golf Club · golf20 min drive · 6.8 mi
Playa La Lancha · beach20 min drive · 10 mi
Punta de Mita · town25 min drive · 12 mi
Paradise Village Marina · marina25 min drive · 9.9 mi
Aquaventuras Park · water park25 min drive · 11 mi
Playa Careyeros · beach25 min drive · 13 mi
Las Huertas Golf Club · golf30 min drive · 14 mi
Playa Patzcuarito · beach30 min drive · 13 mi
Playa Malpaso · beach30 min drive · 12 mi
Evening show and dinner at Las Caletas · excursion35 min drive · 15 mi
Sport fishing charter · excursion35 min drive · 15 mi

Amenities

Free Wi-Fi

Spa

Gym

Beach

Style & Rooms

Room upgrades

Plunge Pool Rooms

Seaweed & sargassum

Puerto Vallarta is not a sargassum destination.See the month-by-month guide →

Every all-inclusive in Nuevo Vallarta & Riviera Nayarit →

Google Reviews★ 3.9 · 1,521 reviews

Ruth M.

7 months ago

“Very small resort in the hills. We enjoyed hiking the trail at the resort, and the complimentary 10 minute ride to the beach. The views were really nice. The room was comfortable and larger than we expected. We most appreciated the wait staff and the...”

Susan C.

8 months ago

“Wonderful friendly and helpful staff. Excellent food. Very quiet location, which is what we wanted. Shuttle is available to the beach and cart transport around the resort upon request.”