Occidental Riviera Nayarit hotels in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Just got back from spending 10 nights at the Occidental. We had a wonderful time! This resort has a new manager, who has just been there for a week. She has started making some changes and the staff seems to be excited about it. I'm not for sure how old the resort is, it is in good shape, with some minor upkeep needed. They were tearing out bushes and doing some demolition while we were there. There is no swim up bar, but the bar is right next to the pool and beach. They do have name liquor, you have to ask for it by name or they will pour bar brand. I suggest taking an insulated cup as it is very hot there, and your drinks melt very fast. At this time they do not have any waiters around the pool or beach, but we were told that the new manager is going to start that soon. They do have lots of chairs at the pool and beach, so no one was getting up early to save chairs with towels as I have seen at other resorts. This is their slow season, or rainy season. There was not a lot of guest during the week, but on the week ends locals come for their vacations, so it gets busier then. You are able to swim in the ocean here, unlike Cabo, and the water was very warm. Sometimes the water has a little seaweed. The beach was really dirty with trash and other seaweed the first few days we were there, then it was cleaned up and stayed that way. The ocean here is not the touquoise color like Cancun, nor is it clear like Cancun, but there was some great boogie boarding, which is free.