Boutique Hotel and Vista Vallarta
Yachts and fishing charter boats cruise into Marina Vallarta on the north end of town and tourists cruise the lively assortment of shops and restaurants lining the marina. Tucked away in an upscale residential neighborhood nearby, the Casa Velas Hotel Boutique is a small, all-inclusive, adults-only 5-star resort set apart from the fracas of the waterfront. A shady canopy of mature trees and gracious gardens are the setting for what appears to be a grand hacienda. Eighty spacious suites have private balconies or patios, most with bubbling hot tubs outdoors and garden views. In-room art by the famous Mexican designer Sergio Bustamante adds to the vibrant style of the interiors. (http://www.hotelcasavelas.com)

Topped by a colossal chandelier inhabited by monkeys and parrots, the indoor/outdoor restaurant steps down, theater-style, to gleaming tile floors and a terrace shaded by fluttering palms. When the pianist sits down to play at the white baby grand, you'll think you're in Havana in 1940. The garden-surrounded swimming pool and the upper terrace by the lily pond are places to linger over margaritas. Through the trees, you will get a glimpse of the adjacent Marina Vallarta Club de Golf, the longest-established and most popular course in PV.

A member of leading Spas of the World, Spa Casa Velas offers European-style treatments, sauna, steam, a fitness center and greenery views from the whirlpool; plus medical programs involving extensive testing and consultations with an on-site cardiologist. A shuttle will take you to the sister resort, the mega-high rise, 5-star Grand Velas All Suites and Spa Resort, for night life, family-oriented activities, a little shopping and beachfront dining. (http://www.grandvelas.com)

One of the nicest amenities at Casa Velas is the small, elegant, private beach club, where white-jacketed waiters serve fresh sushi and light meals beside the pool. You can jump on a jet ski from here, or hide out in a private cabana, and this is just the spot from which to watch the nightly fireworks over the bay.

The concierge will book your tee times and provide transportation to Vista Vallarta Golf Club, a few minutes away in a cool upland rainforest in the foothills of the Sierra Madres. The Nicklaus and Weiskopf courses here are far and away the most challenging in the PV area. On the Nicklaus, the starter said to us, "Add a few points to your handicap before you decide which tee to play. And, make it easy on yourselves--hire a caddy." Although a caddy stood by, at the ready, we forged ahead on our own, and were glad we each brought along a half dozen extra balls. (http://www.vistavallarta.com)

Mowed-down, generous Bermuda grass fairways are balanced by ravines, streams, impenetrable rough and Jack's typically well-protected, large, tiered greens. Dramatic elevation changes and riots of bougainvillea will keep you on your toes for over 7,000 yards. The PGA Champions Tour makes an annual stop at the Nicklaus, so conditions are nicely maintained, and moist climate and misty mountain backdrop are a refreshing change from the warm, dry coastline far below.

The Weiskopf is a tight twist through a jungly valley amid overhanging, mature strangler figs, ficus and palms. Adding to the excitement are zillions of bunkers and carries over a yawning ravine. Two tips: every putt breaks toward the ocean, and the clubhouse restaurant is to be avoided.

A Spanish Colonial Gem and the Tiger
Although the breezy, waterfront Malecon in the town of Puerto Vallarta is a nice esplanade for a stroll, you will need to turn away from the blizzard of tourist traps to find the PV of old. On a quiet, cobblestone side street, when you knock on a heavy wooden door, a small window opens and a face appears. The door swings open and you step into what appears to be the courtyard in the estate of a Spanish grandee of the 18th century. Burbling carved stone fountains, secret gardens, parlors and patios; and a museum-like collection of 18th and 19th century statuary, paintings and artifacts create Hacienda San Angel, an inn like no other--five vintage houses were combined into one elegant enclosure of fourteen suites, three swimming pools and dining terraces high above the rooftops of the city. Every detail in each unique suite has been attended to, from lace-trimmed towels to private terraces, four-poster beds hung with filmy drapes, antique furniture and Venetian chandeliers. The sound of soft guitars leads diners to a candlelit, open-air dining room where views of the fanciful bell tower of the iconic Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe and sunsets over the bay are legendary (a very limited number of reservations are taken for diners who are not guests at the inn).

Soon to become a part of the inn, a newly acquired house on the next street is under reconstruction and will have a stupendous, unobscured view of the bay. (http://www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com/sanangel)

Hacienda guests are allowed access to golf at the Four Seasons Punta Mita; and, the concierge will make advance tee times for you at El Tigre Club de Golf and will transport you to and from the course, which is located just north of town within Paradise Village Beach Resort and Spa at Nuevo Vallarta. (http://www.eltigregolf.com)

Don't be fooled by the appearance of the wide, rather flat, undulating fairways of El Tigre--this Robert Von Hagge design is not for sissies (7,239 yards, 74.5/133 slope/rating). Acres of water, 150 or so fairway bunkers, endless doglegs, an island green and fast greens are among the challenges. Ten lakes and hundreds of palm trees add to the fun at this resort course set up with tees for players of all abilities. Save some energy for the three finishing holes where sand and water are much in evidence; the 18th is a 621-yard monster, with water bordering the entire the left side.

Good news: El Tigre is protected from sea winds, and fresh, white sand has been installed, in anticipation of the annual arrival of the Canadian Tour. Bad news: the course is lined with houses and roads. An impressive, Ernesto del Castillo-designed clubhouse has an excellent European-style day spa available to golfers, complete with steam, sauna, Jacuzzi, massage services, and showers; and a large pro shop and a nice restaurant.

The Oasis of Punta Mita
On a spear-shaped peninsula at the northern end of the Bay of Banderas, about an hour north of the airport, lies a secluded beach and golf resort, the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, where peace, privacy and extraordinary personal service are the orders of the day. 135 guest rooms and 30 suites (1- to 3-bedroom) in low-rise buildings are perched at the ocean's edge along pearly pink-beige, sandy beaches. Crashing waves are all you can hear of the outside world, and who cares about the world as you doze on your pure white hammock on your private terrace. White marble floors, HDTV, deep soaking tubs, exotic wood shutter doors, ceiling fans, all-white bedding and comfortable sofas and loungy furniture create guest accommodations that are hard to leave. New in 2007, the Coral Suite is a 5-bedroom beachfront sanctuary with media, workout and spa rooms. (http://www.fourseasons.com/puntamita)

You can hang over the edge of the infinity swimming pool and gaze into the sea; arrange for a candlelit dinner on the picturesque rocky point, play tennis, or book a fishing expedition or a daytrip on the 50-foot private yacht. Kayaks and other non-motorized water vehicles are complimentary. Join the chef on the beach as he makes his daily choice right off the fishing boats, and scurry up to the lounge for the tequila tasting before a pampering treatment at the Apuane Spa.