Punta Mita & Riviera Nayarit, three hotels
Punta Mita is the private peninsula at the northern tip of Banderas Bay; the Riviera Nayarit runs from there up a jungle coast.
Punta Mita is the private peninsula at the northern tip of Banderas Bay; the Riviera Nayarit runs from there up a jungle coast. The point has two Jack Nicklaus courses, Mandarina its villas in the trees above the Pacific, and across the bay lies the long shore of Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta. All three hold five-star standing. We looked at every candidate from Puerto Vallarta to Mandarina and kept only those whose service holds up to the address. Three made the cut.
Five-star hotels in Punta Mita & Riviera Nayarit
3 hotels
The neighborhoods
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita · Punta Mita — © Four SeasonsPunta Mita
The private peninsula at the northern tip of Banderas Bay, with two Jack Nicklaus courses and one of the three hotels. Here are the point, the surf side along Punta de Mita's northern shore, and Litibú beach just beyond the edge.
Mandarina
A jungle preserve above the Pacific, with villas in the canopy and on the cliffs rather than a beach strip. It lies on the Riviera Nayarit coast north of the bay, beyond the surf villages of Sayulita and San Pancho, with one of the three hotels.
Nuevo Vallarta & Puerto Vallarta
The long eastern shore of Banderas Bay, with its marinas, its Malecón and one of the three hotels. Here are Nuevo Vallarta's beach and marina on the Nayarit side, Puerto Vallarta's Malecón and Marina Vallarta across the state line in Jalisco, and the boat-only coves of the south shore at Quimixto.
Good to know
Which are the five-star hotels in Punta Mita & Riviera Nayarit?
Three. Every hotel we list in Punta Mita & Riviera Nayarit holds five-star standing: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, One&Only Mandarina and Xinalani Retreat. Each has its own page, reached from the list above, with a concierge behind every stay.
Should I stay on the peninsula, at Mandarina or on the Vallarta side?
The Punta Mita peninsula holds one of the three – Four Seasons on the private point – and it is the choice for golf, the gate and the point itself. Mandarina is one hotel, One&Only, in a jungle preserve up the coast: villas in the trees and on the cliffs rather than a beach strip. The Vallarta side holds the third – Xinalani, a retreat on the bay's south shore at Quimixto, reached only by boat from Puerto Vallarta, for when the point is to disappear.
When is the best season for Punta Mita?
November through April – dry, clear days, a warm sea and the humpback whales in Banderas Bay from about December through March. May and June run hot before the rains. July through October is the wet season on this coast, green and humid with afternoon storms, and the Pacific hurricane season besides – quieter, softer, and worth a look at the forecast before you commit; the concierge will tell you what the weather has been doing that week.
Which of these are all-inclusive, and which take adults only?
Not on the peninsula or at Mandarina: Four Seasons and One&Only are conventional resorts where you pay as you go, with one exception worth knowing before you book: Xinalani is an eco retreat on Quimixto beach south of Puerto Vallarta, reached only by boat, with jungle casitas and yoga every day – a different trip from the peninsula, and listed here for exactly what it is.
How do I reserve a stay?
Search your dates on the hotel's page to see reference rates, then send the concierge a request. The concierge confirms exact rates and availability with you before anything is booked, and any payment and its timing are set out before you confirm.
