Canadian World Traveller Summer 2019 Issue

65
The Hotel Rosita, Puerto Vallarta
Article and photography by Steve Gillick
It’s rare to have someone describe a hotel
check-in as “magnificent” but that’s
exactly how we felt when we arrived at the
Hotel Rosita. A few people were ahead of us
in line so the staff suggested that we relax in
the lobby lounge for a few minutes. Having
just arrived in the city, we opted to stand in the
open section of the lobby under the deep
blue, sunny sky. Overhead, several
Magnificent Frigatebirds were floating,
swooping and gawking at us as if they were
checking out the newcomers. ‘Magnificent’ is
actually part of the formal name of these
huge seabirds, known for their characteristic
tuning fork-shaped tails. It was a mesmerizing,
almost surrealistic scene.
Within minutes, Marcelo Alcaraz, the General
Manager and Cezar Zepeda the Sales
Manager came by to extend a personal welcome,
and while standing in front of a painting
that depicts the Hotel Rosita in 1948 when
it became the very first hotel to be built in
Puerto Vallarta, Marcelo noted that in those
days, before the advent of indoor plumbing,
each of the hotel’s eight rooms had a large
container filled with water so that guests could
take their showers.
But a jump ahead to 2019 shows that the current
115 room, three-star property has enthusiastically
responded to the demand for comfortable,
tastefully decorated accommodation.
Attached to our large ocean view room
was a balcony that overlooked the hotel pool
area and allowed for us to watch beachfront
activities, listen to the sounds of soothing
ocean waves and view stunning sun rises and
sun sets.
And then there is the Malecon, the ocean side
boardwalk that pretty well begins at the Hotel
Rosita and stretches one kilometer (roughly
3000 feet) south along Banderas Bay. Our
greeting at the hotel included a personalized
list of attractions and activities in the city,
along with a guide to the famous sculptures
that are part of the celebrated Art Walk along
the Malecon.
For travelers who love to immerse themselves
in the energy of the city, the Hotel Rosita is
perfectly located. Just outside the hotel
entrance is, well…everything: souvenir shops,
restaurants, bars, fast food, coffee shops,
local art galleries and, not too far away, is the
iconic Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe and
the charm of Old Town. In the evening the
crowds converge along the Malecon to stroll,
eat at food stalls and pose with a host of colorful,
creative buskers.
But the hotel is also a short walk north around
the curve of the Bay to Versailles, where delicious
foods inspired by local street cuisine are
a draw for locals and visitors. The Bahia
Tostado at Lamara Seafood and the Shrimp al
Pastor at Abulon are reason enough to
explore the area. And in the nearby Zona
Hotelera lies what is possibly the worst kept
culinary secret in the city: the amazing
smoked Marlin Tacos at Tacon de Marlin.
The Hotel Rosita is a great place to stay with
a relaxing ambiance that includes sunset
bliss, Magnificent Frigatebird-amazement
and very friendly staff who greet you as a
friend.
www.hotelrosita.com
Canadian World Traveller Summer 2019