Casa Dona Susana (formerly Los Arcos Vallarta)

regular visit

keep coming back to this hotel year after year because it is economical, friendly, near everything worth doing, and has the use of three different facilities... however there are too many wonderful restaurants and bars in the local area to go the way of the all inclusive package.

Right around the corner from the beach

I was originally slated to have a standard room, but I noticed that the windows did not open. I went down to ask whether there was another option, since I suffer abit from asthma, and since it was low season (and only because it was low season) did they have an option: and beautiful it was! A balcony! The view was not the best, but I could sit outside (after borrowing a coffee maker, and having coffee in my room!) and ’view’ the ocean. Again, the Casa is not at the ocean: but that’s okay, since it’s all of 50 paces away. The staff is extremely friendly (although, the FD staff tend to stay on the phone on what appear to be personal calls, while you are waiting for service?) and leave ’flowers’ made of toilet tissues when making the beds! Quite nice. The neighborhood is great: access to the beach is via the Playa los Arcos (easy!); restaurants & bars abound in the neighborhood; as do the taco stands around the corner! In less than five minutes (strolling) you are on the Malecon; even before that, you get to the Island with the Banyan tree!

Traveler's tip

You will be pestered on the beach to purchase the ’local goods’. A friendly "no gracias, amigo/amiga" is sufficient. It won’t keep them away, but you will feel better than just ignoring them.

Not very impressed

The rooms were packed together very tightly. I did not like that you only had about 2ft of moving space around the bed to do any unpacking or anything. The shower was tucked away in the bathroom, the sink being so close that if you are a somewhat larger person you would not be able to make it in and out of the shower. The service was decent, going to the hotel down the street for food and drinks was not too bad, but this hotel was defiantly more "authentic" rather than luxurious.

Well worth the money, excellent staff, great location

Hotel was ok, nothing luxurious, clean and well staffed at a great location with access to their sister hotel that is more up scale. Well worth the price.

Nice enough for frugal travelers

This is a charming hotel. Don’t expect fancy accomodations. Walls are not sound proof, I could hear the commotion going on near by every morning. If you are looking for a room to sleep and take a shower and save money for other activities this is the place for you. Nothing fancy or expectacular just a place to crash after a day full of outdoor activities. The swimming pool is nice and quiet, perferct place to relax. Hotel is located withing waling distance of malecon, restaurants down town.

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Attactions I recommend are: Exploring the Jungle, Zip linning

NIce Place To Stay, But

Requested a King sized bed when making the reservations but hotel could not accommodate upon arrival and we ended up with 2 singles. Found hotel to be very quiet which was what we wanted. The only problem which we encountered was that our room on the first floor was always one of the last to be made up so we didn’t have a clean room to come back to till sometime after 4:00PM each day. No one paid attention to the sign provided by the hotel requesting our "room was vacant and should be cleaned now" and placed on the outside door knob every morning before 9:00AM. Suggest an upper floor room as the maids start from the top and work their way down each and every day.

Great Hotel

Great tourist class hotel in old town with access to all the facilities at Playa Los Arcos across the street where you can get a umbrella and chaise on the beach. Staff is friendly. Rooms are basic but very clean (good sheets). Nice roof top pool for an afternoon siesta or quiet read. Close to the best restaurants, nightlife and shopping.

Traveler's tip on dining

Restaurants: Breakfast: Andelay (1 block) - grab a sidewalk table and have the special while watching the morning unfold. Dinner: (1)Fajita Republic (2 blocks) - better than Cafe D’Olla and no line. Get the fish or steak fajitas. (2) Picnic (3 blocks south) - Get the half spit-fired chicken with rice and oven roasted potatoes, with a beer for less than $10 and then get some gelato on the way back from in front of the Pizza place on the corner.

Okay very noisy and bathroom had a sewage smell

Good for the price but pretty noisy.

Cozy on a Side Street

Quiet and on a side street, but access to the Los Arcos Hotel for the all-inclusive is very convenient. Attentive, friendly staff. Cabana restaurant looks out over the ocean - birds, dolphins, whales all visible. I could stay there all winter,

Traveler's tip on saving a few bucks

All inclusive added on is relatively cheap.

Great price;friendly service

This is a nice, quiet hotel off the main drag, but still very close to the beach. Check in went very well with the exception of the clerk failing to give us a handout explaining all the ammenities and how to utilize the all inclusive aspects (plus our free BBQ grill coupons). We asked the sister hotel and they provided the information. The access to the sister hotel’s beach was excellent. Only a one minute walk from the Casa Dona Susana. We had a great time and the staff was attentive and helpful. I will say that we were constantly harrassed by vendors walking around trying to drum up business, but they at least weren’t pushy. The food was buffet style, but excellent. Lots of variety and at least five cakes to try at every lunch and dinner. Drinks were ok, but you are limited to certain brands with your all inclusive. The room was relatively old but still charming. The beds are quite hard as there are no box springs, just wood underneath the mattresses. All in all, an excellent experience at this hotel...and you certainly could not beat the price.

If it bothers you, this section of Puerto Vallarta is very gay freindly. Not many public displays of affection though.

Nice hotel in Old Town

We stayed there on our recent trip. Nice hotel, very friendly. Great pool on the roof. No windows in rooms, though. Bathroom really small.

Beautiful boutique hotel!

Very friendly and accommodating hotel staff. Beautiful room and pool. Get a room with a balcony. I want to go back!

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

Go to Yelapa and hike to the waterfall in the rainforrest.

a classic

showing it’s age a bit, but nice a nd quiet. good location and nice roof top pool

great for the money

my boyfriend and i are not people who travel a thousand miles to sit in our hotel room...that being said, casa dona susana was perfect for us. the staff was extremely friendly and our room was just what we needed--a place to sleep and store our belongings. the location is fantastic as well, just a block from the beach. we will stay there again.

Great Location

Casa Dona Susana is a basic, small hotel with a terrrific location. Rooms are ok, bathrooms small, with very little ventilation. Staff was helpful, food at the sister hotel Los Arcos was good. Drinks mediocre esp the variety (we had the all inklusiv option).

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Lots of shopping, night life, restaurants and transportation in the near area.

Good Price, Great Value

My husband and I spent four nights at Casa Dona Susana and were attracted to it because it is adults only. It was a quiet retreat, very conveniently located and offered the full services of the Playa Los Arcos hotel across the street. It was easy to use the spa, restaurant and bar over there and charge it all to our room. We loved the roof top pool at Casa Dona Susana. The room was small but clean and had everything we needed. I would reserve a bigger room next time. All staff was super friendly and helpful.

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

If you can afford it, pay a bit more for a smaller boat trip down the coast instead of going on a big boat with lots of people. We spent a lot of time waiting to be ferried to and from the beaches to the boat. Even so, the staff was extremely attentive to everyone.

How to relax

My wife and I stayed for 1 week at the end of October ’08. We chose it based on a few criteria. Closeness to beach restaurants and shops. No children allowed, a bonus as we were leaving ours behind for the wee, and just needed to relax. Price, really cheap for the 6 nights with advance purchase. The hotel was excellent, the rooms were clean, the staff were friendly. The rooftop swimming pool was fantastic. There is also the option of using the sister hotel’s (Los Arcos)facilities, i.e. Pool, Beach, beauty center etc. Highly recommended, go, you will enjoy it.

Traveler's tip

This is a cheap, nice hotel, close to the beach and local restaurants.

perfect getaway

small botique hotel. quiet clean close to all amenities restaurants and bars

Best Hotel Stay Yet

Casa Dona Susana had so much to offer. They had the friendliest staff, and they were very attentitive to your comfort and overall satisfaction with your stay. The room was always spotless and clean, and the hotel is just beautiful. It is connected with two other hotels just next door, and all have really cool pools and the staff welcome you to use their pool even if you are not staying in that particular hotel. Will definitely visit Casa Dona Susana again!

Traveler's tip on recreational activities

Take the Vallarta Sol boat cruise. It docks in the Marina Pier, and leaves at 9:30 am and comes back at 6 pm. Breakfast and lunch are included, and open bar. It takes you along the coast and you can go snorkeling out by these huge rocks and see some pretty cool sealife. It also goes to a remote beach (Playa de los Muertos) that you cannot get to by road, only sea. You can go horseback riding or walk to a waterfall deep in the forest. Oh, and it’s pretty cheap.

Will stay again

We thought this hotel was perfect. It was small and quiet, and not children to run around and make noise. Rooms are small, but you don’t go to Mexico to sit in a hotel room. There is a pool on the roof which is quiet and you have use of the pool and hot tub at the neighboring hotel. The hotel is in the perfect location. You can walk to everthing, including the Zip lining office (which is a must!!). You can access the beach, or for a short 3 minute walk, you are on the Malecon. Great little resturants around the corner (try Margarittaville, the best made salsa and drinks). Great place for the price!!

Traveler's tip on local attractions

Take the bus, it is cheap and the bus will say on the front window where it is going, no chance of getting lost and way cheaper than the taxis. The Canapy(zip lining) is a blast, it is a much. Watch out for all of the timeshare offers, everyone is affilliated with them(even at the shops and resturants), be firm not to get sucked in.

Wonderful Place to Stay

Beautiful hotel and amazing service in the heart of Puerto Vallarta, highly recommended!

Very Satisfied with this hotel

If your looking to be in an area close to town and be in a hotel that is more culturally expressed, then this hotel is it. Casa Doña Susana is very neat, feels like your going to a typical Mexican/Spanish home. I was very pleased and satisfied with our stay in this hotel. I totally recommend it.

Traveler's tip on getting the most out of your stay

Make sure to take a Tropical Tour, which will take you out to the jungle and some amazing views of other beaches.

2nd trip to this hotel and Puerto Vallarta

This is our second trip to this hotel in as many years. We were very satisfied with the service and the hotel. Being a hotel for adults, it was nice to have a break from lots of kids. One night there, there was an impressive thunderstorm, which caused a short power outage causing our air conditioner to die. We were promptly given a new room without question, even though it was late at night. We’d definately go there again.

Traveler's tip on dining

There are lots of really good little restaurants in the area. Don’t be afraid to walk a few blocks off the main street and experience some really good down home Mexican food.

Old Spanish Style

I was greeted upon arival by name. The check in made me feel truly welcome

Traveler's tip

Do not go in rainny season

Everything I expected for a fun Mexican vacation close to the sea.

Clean,friendly,accomodating, close to town and beach; price was right.