OK, So let me tell you about this great place we stayed while in Puerto Vallarta last month. I previously mentioned that we booked our flight and hotel on Orbitz.com and found a great deal on this luxury gay boutique hotel called Casa Cupula. We basically got our room, which turned out to be huge, (beautiful marble shower for two, entertainment system with ipod jack and kick ass speakers, in room safes) for half the price because we were staying during the low season, and this also meant that we were practically the only guests! Because there really was no one else around, they gave us a free upgrade to a larger room! A canopied King Bed!My two most favorite things about this place was, one, their amazing level of service, and two, how luxurious the place looked and felt! – yes, I am that shallow some times. The staff at Casa Cupula are top-notch. They did everything they could to make sure we had the best time while we were there, from making us this amazing spiced coffee in the mornings, to even calling art galleries all around town looking for a specific art piece that we saw in a window and wanted at the best price. We thought that because there were so few guests that they would maybe cut down on the staff, or not put all the chairs out around the pool, or what not, but it was quite the opposite. Everything was impeccably maintained, and the staff was literally at our beck and call. We were always greeted with a smile and genuine inquiries after our time around town. They also were key in guiding us to the best restaurants, beaches, bars, and tours, and made a lot of the arrangements for us. It literally felt we were staying with friends, only with Spanish accidents!Now combine that level of service with an amazing facility, and you have vacation paradise. The old part of Puerta Vallarta is old buildings and cobbled streets built on the hills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, and Casa Cupula is perched along the side of one of these hills, in and among dense tropical greenery. When you look out form one of the terraces, or even better, from the stunning rooftop infinity pool, you get the most amazing view out to the ocean. This more than makes up for the fact that it is not along the beach, and requires an uphill hike each day back. (We honestly didn’t mind the hike, though, and liked that we were away from the “hot spots” and could have some quiet.) When you can pull yourself away form the views, you are then met with equally stunning visions of traditional Mexican architecture with a modern design twist – both interesting and stylish. Not only was our room more than we expected, but the public areas were equally above standard. There was beautifully maintained tropical plants and flowers surrounding the pools, plush and modern furnishings in the open-air lounges, and dining areas, and levels upon levels of terracotta tiled terraces.
During our stay there, we felt like those people you see in the travel shows and magazines who can afford the best there is. In real life, we are not those people, and during the high season, we would lot be one of those people either. But because we traveled when no one else wanted to (recession anyone?) we became our fantasies for a week.I could go on and on, but I suggest you simply log on to their website and see the photos for yourself. Or better yet, give them a call and book a stay. I guarantee you’ll love it!
http://www.casacupula.com/
Travel tip: When you land in Puerto Vallarta and exit customs and all that, there is a row of booths marked taxis. Taxi drivers have to pay a tax to be able to go to and from the airport (or rather you pay it for them), and to regulate that, you pay at these booths ahead of time, receive a slip of paper proving you have paid, and then you hand that paper (which also has your destination on it) to your driver, who will then take you where you need to be. It is actually kind of nice knowing that this process is all regulated, so you don’t really have to worry about getting to the right place or paying too much. Remember that what you pay at the booth does not include tip, so if your driver is awesome, like ours was, then give him some pesos at the end.
Travel tip: When you land in Puerto Vallarta and exit customs and all that, there is a row of booths marked taxis. Taxi drivers have to pay a tax to be able to go to and from the airport (or rather you pay it for them), and to regulate that, you pay at these booths ahead of time, receive a slip of paper proving you have paid, and then you hand that paper (which also has your destination on it) to your driver, who will then take you where you need to be. It is actually kind of nice knowing that this process is all regulated, so you don’t really have to worry about getting to the right place or paying too much. Remember that what you pay at the booth does not include tip, so if your driver is awesome, like ours was, then give him some pesos at the end.
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