Our romantic getaway began at the Vallarta Palace Hotel. Each afternoon they deliver a bucket with two iced corona beers and chips and salsa and guacamole. Heaven!
Here is the view from our room at the Vallarta Palace Hotel.
This is the view inside our room at the Vallarta Palace Hotel. Note the big jacuzzi tub!
Our room had an incredible view over the Pacific ocean..here is a shot looking out from our room.
Another picture taken from our patio out towards the Pacific. We had the same view at the outdoor restaurant where we ate most of our breakfasts. Moletes and chilaquiles were our favorites!
One of our first days, we had lunch in Zihuatenejo at the Fat Mermaid or La Siera Gorda. Cold beer and tiratas (fish strips marinated in lime juice) and fish tacos were incredible.
We also stayed at the Ixtapa Capella! Capella has stunning views as it is built on the side of a cliff. It has a funicular to take you up and down if you dont want to climb the steep stairs. It is actually great fun to ride! Here we are in Capella's infinity pool. You can tell how amazing the views are. 
We also spent a little time checking out The Tides Zihautenajo. We had a fabulous meal here out on the beach.
Here are our delectable dishes: Bowden's seafood plate and Kemper's sea bass.
This was our view of the town of Zihautenajo sparkling across the bay.
Flaming coffee after dessert at The Tides!
We spent a day deep sea fishing out of Zihautenejo and had a blast. Bowden caught the first fish-mahi mahi. Kemper caught more fish-and bigger ones! The sea was really rough..you may not be able to tell from the pics,but the waves were like The Perfect Storm...
We enjoyed a really unique dinner outside at Capella. We took some of the tuna and mahi (dolfin) back and visited with the chef in the afternoon after fishing. He offered to cook our catch for us specially for dinner.
Here is some of the sushi and shashimi that the chef made from the tuna we caught!
The Vallarta Palace Hotel and Capella Ixtapa were captivating properties. We also loved taking a peak at the Tides Zihautenejo. We did not want to come home!
Here is some of the sushi and shashimi that the chef made from the tuna we caught!The Vallarta Palace Hotel and Capella Ixtapa were captivating properties. We also loved taking a peak at the Tides Zihautenejo. We did not want to come home!To learn more about romantic couples getaways in Mexico, contact luxury travel advisor Bowden Sarrett.
We began our adventure in Nuevo Vallarta, where we boarded a boat. (There they have huge tanks and work with and train dolphins and I assume have regular shows and swim sessions.). We took the inflatable boat ride to a tiny village where we got in the back of a truck to ride up the mountain. Seat belts required! Finally at the top we were outfitted with climbing harnesses and helmits and applied lots of bug spray before we mounted surefooted mules for a slow ride to the summit. 
After a safety talk and an up close visit with a tarantula we descended by multiple zip lines over the trees and waterfalls and also did a little bit of rapelling which twice landed us in freezing cold water. 
The day involved a little bit of hiking and lots of fun and the reward at the end was chips and salsa before the ride down the mountain in that same old truck. They had cold beer for sale too! Below are more fun photos. This experience is a must for anyone wanting a bit of adventure while on vacation in 
I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, and though I was not with my children, the family-friendliness of the hotel was evident. In fact, I ran into several parents with young children during my stay. The rooms are spacious, and the one bedroom suites are particularly nice for families as they have a sofa bed in the living room. There’s even ample space for a rollaway (which was one of the plushest I have ever seen), so each child can have their own bed.
The main Four Seasons pool is modest in size compared to other Las Vegas hotel pools, but it is quiet and well-staffed with pool attendants who promptly bring towels and a pitcher of ice water with lemon wedges. There’s even a sunglass butler to clean guests’ glasses and tighten up loose screws. A small wading pool located on the far side of the bar gives parents with young children their own retreat. And for children of all ages (even grown-ups), the Mandalay Bay wave pool and lazy river are just steps away through a private gate which only Four Seasons guests may use. 
The Four Seasons Hotel actually occupies the 35th through 39th floors of the Mandalay Bay tower. However check-in is completely separate, and guests take an express elevator to their rooms. It is possible to never see a slot machine or gaming table while at the Four Seasons, but for those who want to gamble, the Mandalay Bay casino is just steps away through a key carded door exclusively for use of Four Seasons guests.
Brownell is a Four Seasons Preferred Partner, so my guests receive daily breakfast for two (a $76 value, which covers the wonderful buffet), a $100 spa credit per room, and a complimentary upgrade, based on availability. And suites are very affordable right now, as a Buy 1 Night Get One Free promo runs through the end of the year.
The resort is an oasis of serenity and beauty…an amazing place. 
I highly recommend it for a couples get away. There are no connecting “rooms’” at this resort, so this not ideal for families. While there are fabulous villas to rent for a multi generational get away, its still better if your kids are a little older as the rooms at the villa are also separated from one another by a pool or a reflecting pond (depending on the villa chosen). 
As far as activities go, there are many to choose from. A highlight for us was a sunset ride along Long Bay beach with Provo Ponies (
Some other things we enjoyed were: spa treatments at the Regent Palms hotel, a snorkeling trip with Big Blue Unlimited (
My all time favorite dish, however, was the tuna sashimi appetizer (big enough to be eaten as the main entrée) at Coco Bistro. It was delicious! 
Other meals not to miss are dinner at dinner at Amanyara, my favorite new hotel in the Caribbean, and lunch poolside at Parrot Cay if you take a snorkel trip for the day.
