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Hotel Friendly Fun Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

4.3(6,664 reviews)

Family

Hotel Friendly Fun Puerto Vallarta - the former Friendly Vallarta Beach Resort & Spa, now trading as Friendly Fun Hotel Puerto Vallarta under operator Friendly Hola Vallarta S.A. de C.V., with the spa page still calling it Friendly Vallarta Different Experiences - is Puerto Vallarta's most accessible budget all-inclusive, a tower of more than 300 rooms directly on Banderas Bay in the Zona Hotelera Norte with a walkable location that its pricier neighbors cannot match for sheer convenience. The beach here is genuinely one of the underrated perks - Banderas Bay's calm Pacific water is consistently swimmable, non-motorized water sports are included, and the resort sits on a caramel-colored stretch of sand that does not feel like a consolation prize despite the low room rates. The staff are the consistent bright spot in every review category: warm, eager, and genuinely hospitable in a way that covers for a lot of the property's physical shortcomings.

Traveler Insights

Pros

+Prime location directly on Banderas Bay in the Zona Hotelera Norte, with the hotel's own beach access and the commercial zone, ATMs, city centre and the Malecon all close enough that the resort sells proximity to them as a headline feature
+Genuinely warm and attentive staff who earn the hotel's name, with multiple travelers specifically praising the enthusiasm and helpfulness of the service team
+The published all-inclusive list is broader than the price suggests: food and drink around the clock, free Wi-Fi, free private parking, a tennis court, non-motorized water sports, theme nights and shows, a kids club, the spa and a gym open 7am to 10pm with a certified instructor on hand
+Budget-friendly all-inclusive price point that punches above its weight for the Puerto Vallarta location - you are paying far less per night than comparable beachfront properties nearby
+The beach itself is genuinely beautiful - Banderas Bay's calm Pacific waters are consistently described as excellent for swimming, and non-motorized water sports are part of the package
+Late-night eating is a real strength rather than a gap: a Late Snack service runs 10:30pm to 5am every night at Restaurante Fiesta, Friendly Coffee pours from 7am to 10pm, and the Lobby Bar stays open from 5pm to 1am with ambient or live music and karaoke
+Five named restaurants give variety across a week: Azul (chef's cuisine, reservation and smart-casual dress required), Villa Linda (international buffet), Frida (Mexican, adults only, reservation required), El Palmar (buffet) and Fiesta (Mexican and tacos), plus stone-oven pizza and a beach club menu of gourmet burgers and hot dogs
+One of the few Puerto Vallarta all-inclusives with a proper pet policy: a dedicated pet-friendly floor of garden-view rooms with a welcome kit and direct access to green areas, backed by published rules and a signed liability waiver

Cons

−Rooms are visibly dated in places, with aging plumbing fixtures, worn furniture and bathrooms that show the hotel's 20 years of operation - condition varies by room, and luck of the draw matters
−A la carte restaurant food quality is inconsistent and often disappointing, with reports of cold entrees, overcooked proteins, and limited flavor variety compared to what the menu promises
−The buffet, while broad in selection, skews heavily toward overcooked, under-seasoned food - the variety is there but the execution at the station level lags
−Loud music around the pools can be a deal-breaker for guests seeking a quieter, more relaxed beach vacation, especially midday and into the evening
−The two specialty restaurants come with strings: Azul and Frida both require a reservation and enforce a dress code (no caps, sleeveless shirts, sport shorts or beach sandals), and Frida is adults only, so a family's a la carte choice narrows to Azul plus the buffets
−Room maintenance requests can take a long time to be addressed, and issues like leaky faucets or broken AC get resolved slowly if at all during a week-long stay
−Airport transfers are not on the hotel's published inclusions list, so budget for a taxi or shuttle from Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz airport rather than assuming it is covered

The physical reality of the hotel is that it is aging. Rooms run from a 42 square metre Standard through pool-view and 44 square metre Deluxe partial sea view, panoramic bay view and Family and Friends categories, all with a private balcony or terrace and all sleeping up to four, but many are clean yet dated, with bathroom fixtures and furnishings that feel like they belong in a previous decade. The food reflects the price point: two buffets (Villa Linda and El Palmar) carry most meals, Fiesta does Mexican and tacos, and the two reservation-only specialty rooms, Azul and adults-only Frida, get mediocre reviews for execution despite smart-casual dress codes that promise more. Where the hotel genuinely over-delivers is after dark: the Late Snack service at Fiesta runs 10:30pm to 5am nightly, and the Lobby Bar keeps live music or karaoke going until 1am. The pools are pleasant and the ocean views are real, but the constant loud music around the pool area is a genuine dividing line - people who love that energy will thrive here, and people who came for a quiet beach escape will find it exhausting. The real value is the location: Puerto Vallarta proper is a 5-minute drive or an easy walk, giving you access to excellent independent restaurants, the Malecon waterfront, and nightlife that has nothing to do with the resort's own offerings.

Friendly Fun makes the most sense for budget-conscious travelers who want a Mexican beach vacation, value location and beach access above all else, and are willing to eat out at local restaurants a few times to supplement the on-site dining. It is also one of the few all-inclusives in town that will take a dog, with a dedicated pet-friendly floor and a published policy. It is a better pick than staying in the city without beach access, and a significantly cheaper option than the larger Marriott or Fiesta Americana properties on the same strip. Nearby day trips include the Sierra Madre foothills, Sayulita surf town, whale-watching in Banderas Bay (December to March), and the Vallarta Botanical Gardens.

Common Questions

Is Hotel Friendly Fun the same hotel as Friendly Vallarta Beach Resort & Spa?

Yes - this is the same hotel-zone property of more than 300 rooms, now branded Friendly Fun Hotel Puerto Vallarta and owned by Friendly Hola Vallarta S.A. de C.V., which is why some booking listings still file it under 'Friendly Hola Vallarta' and the spa page still says 'Friendly Vallarta Different Experiences'. There is no separate sibling resort next door, so reviews under any of those names refer to this exact hotel. Guests rate it well for what it costs, with the staff and the beach doing most of the work.

Is Puerto Vallarta easy to explore from this resort?

Yes, and this is one of the property's strongest selling points. The hotel itself advertises its closeness to the commercial zone, ATMs, the city centre and the Malecon. A short taxi or Uber ride for a few dollars takes you into the heart of PV, where you can eat at genuinely great local restaurants, browse markets, and experience the city's well-developed tourist infrastructure. Travelers who go off-property even once or twice consistently say it enhances the trip significantly.

Is the beach here worth it compared to staying in a city hotel?

For beach-focused travelers, yes. The resort sits directly on Banderas Bay with a real sand beach, loungers and umbrellas, and non-motorized water sports are included in the package. The water is calm enough for swimming most of the year. If you were considering a cheaper city hotel in PV and thinking you would walk to public beaches, the on-site beach access here is a genuine upgrade worth the all-inclusive price difference.

What should I know about the room quality before booking?

Book with low expectations for room aesthetics and you will likely be pleasantly surprised by cleanliness and space. Every category sleeps up to four and has a private balcony or terrace: the 42 square metre Standard and pool-view rooms, and the 44 square metre Deluxe partial sea view, panoramic bay view and Family and Friends rooms, the last three with spa access. Many rooms are genuinely dated - think early 2000s decor, older plumbing, and bathroom tile that has seen better days. If you have issues (AC, plumbing), go to the front desk promptly; the staff are responsive to complaints in person even if room maintenance is slow.

Which restaurants need reservations, and is there food late at night?

Two of the five. Azul (chef's cuisine) and Frida (Mexican, adults only) are dinner-only from 6pm to 10pm, require a reservation and enforce a smart-casual dress code that bans caps, sleeveless shirts, sport shorts and beach sandals. Villa Linda and El Palmar are walk-in buffets serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Fiesta does Mexican and tacos without a booking. After the restaurants close, the Late Snack service runs at Fiesta from 10:30pm to 5am every night, and Friendly Coffee is open 7am to 10pm. Hours shift by season, so check at reception on arrival.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, within a published policy. The hotel sets aside a pet-friendly floor of 42 square metre garden-view rooms with a welcome kit, a private balcony and direct access to selected green areas, and it links its pet rules and a liability waiver you sign on arrival from the site footer. Read the rules before you book, since they govern where the animal can go on the property, and confirm the pet floor has availability for your dates rather than assuming any room will do.

Restaurants (5)

Type	Restaurants
Buffet	Restaurante Villa Linda, Restaurante El Palmar
Mexican	Restaurante Frida, Restaurante Fiesta
International & fusion	Restaurante Azul

From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.

What's nearby

Zona Romántica
6 min drive · 3.1 mi
Los Muertos Beach
8 min drive · 3.6 mi
Water taxi to Yelapa
7 min drive · 3.4 mi
Marina Vallarta
5 min drive · 2.4 mi
Conchas Chinas Beach
9 min drive · 4.4 mi
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
6 min drive · 2.8 mi

More things to do (24)

Whale watching (December to March) · excursion5 min drive · 2.4 mi
Sunset sail from Marina Vallarta · excursion5 min drive · 2.4 mi
Las Caletas beach day trip · excursion5 min drive · 2.4 mi
Splash Water Park · water park13 min drive · 7.4 mi
Camarones Beach · beach4 min drive · 1.9 mi
Playa Palmares · beach13 min drive · 7.0 mi
Mismaloya Beach · beach20 min drive · 11 mi
Boca de Tomatlán · town25 min drive · 13 mi
Puerto Vallarta Malecón · town5 min drive · 2.5 mi
Playa Los Tules · beach2 min drive · 0.6 mi
Playa Las Glorias · beach3 min drive · 0.8 mi
Playa de Oro · beach3 min drive · 0.9 mi
Evening show and dinner at Las Caletas · excursion5 min drive · 2.4 mi
Sport fishing charter · excursion5 min drive · 2.4 mi
Estero El Salado · nature5 min drive · 2.0 mi
Museo Histórico Naval · museum5 min drive · 2.7 mi
Mirador La Cruz · viewpoint6 min drive · 2.6 mi
Faro de Matamoros · viewpoint6 min drive · 2.9 mi
Isla Río Cuale · nature6 min drive · 3.1 mi
Olas Altas Beach · beach7 min drive · 3.2 mi
Los Arcos snorkel trip · excursion7 min drive · 3.4 mi
Marina Vallarta Golf Club · golf8 min drive · 3.5 mi
Amapas Beach · beach9 min drive · 4.2 mi
Jardín Mágico Butterfly Garden · wildlife13 min drive · 5.2 mi

Amenities

Pets Allowed

Kids Club

Water Sports Rentals

Nightly Entertainment

Buffet Dining

Spa

Gym

Beach

Seaweed & sargassum

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

Every all-inclusive in Puerto Vallarta →

Google Reviews★ 4.3 · 6,664 reviews

Amanda G.

a week ago

“We’ve just finished our second stay at the friendly and we love it. We came here last year by a (happy) accident, and it’s really the only all inclusive resort we plan on staying at. After staying at quite a few resorts, the friendly really hits the...”

Leslie L.

a month ago

“We had a nice stay with satisfaction in this resort. Regina at reception desk was very helpful and warm hearted, and sincere. She was always willing to address customers' need at her best professionally. Christina was also great in performing her...”