Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Refugio del Mar is located in the beautiful small town Bucerias on the bay of Banderas with miles of safe and clean white sandy beaches. Just one block away from the beach and only 20 minutes from Puerto Vallarta and the International Airport.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Business
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Calle Benito Juarez 51 Esq. Francisco I Madero, Bucerias 63732 Mexico
Name/address in local language
Refugio del Mar Hotel Boutique
248 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in a prime location, Refugio del Mar Hotel Boutique garners acclaim for its exceptional service, with many guests lauding the friendly and helpful staff. The hotel's amenities, including well-equipped rooms with kitchen facilities and serene pools, are consistently celebrated for enhancing stays. Cleanliness is a standout feature, with immaculate rooms and grounds often mentioned.
Visitors find solace in the hotel's quaint atmosphere and beautiful landscaping. Its central location earns praise for the convenience it offers to beaches, shops, and dining, making it a popular choice for travelers seeking both relaxation and local exploration.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Quaint
Rooms
Comfortable
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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We were met upon arrival by Jorge, who escorted us to our room in building 3, and provided us with a list of amenities of the resort and recommendations about what to do in Bucerias during our short 4 night stay.
The room was equipped with a full kitchenette and a cozy shared balcony overlooking the pool. Each of the three buildings in the resort had its own pool that we were free to use, but since there seemed to not be many guests during our stay, we mostly made use of the salt water pool in our building, and had it to ourselves. The pool was quite cold, but refreshing and felt nice when followed by a hot water shower!
We had a lovely time exploring the little town of Bucerias, as a first time visitor to Mexico, I think I much preferred this small town feel as opposed to other resorts in more highly trafficked areas of Puerto Vallarta. The hotel was in walking distance to many eateries, cafes, bars, and was a short block away from the beach. We rented bikes one day and rode down to Puerto Vallartas Hotel Zone, and borrowed the golf carts to drive around the quaint cobblestone streets.
The only downside is the noise if you are a light sleeper and looking to sleep in. The walls must have been quite thin, because I was woken up each morning with sounds from our neighbor. The resort is close-ish to the main freeway, so you can hear the traffic, but we were mostly exhausted by the end of the day that it didn't seem to affect our sleep too much.
We did purchase the additional breakfast plan which although delicious, could get monotonous after a few days (choices are limited to either chilaquiles, eggs, pancakes, waffles, or a bagel and includes orange juice, coffee, and fruit), and the food and coffee options are so plentiful in the area that I would have liked to venture out.
Of note, we were traveling during COVID, so we enjoyed what felt like having the place to ourselves. Staff all wore masks, rooms were cleaned daily (with the option to forgo room cleaning if preferred). Most of the restaurants and bars in the area close early at 8pm, and depending on where you go, can get a little dicey regarding social distancing and capacity, as it seemed establishments did not have restrictions in this regard.
Overall, we loved the quiet, peacefulness of Refugio Del Mar, its amenities, closeness to the beach, and outstanding service and friendliness of its staff that I would definitely be back for future vacations! Thank you for a relaxing visit!
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Date of stay: January 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spent 6 nights here, close to beach, you can borrow golf cart to run around in. It’s about 400’ from main highway 200, which means you will hear very loud exhaust from buses, trucks and did I say huge trucks, very annoying. If you want wash clothes in your room you must ask for them everyday at the office. Very close to all restaurants, which is very nice.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We stayed at this property for 4 nights, June 20-24 2021. We were greeted with an early Check in by Regina, perhaps one of the most genuinely nice people! So hospitable, and so kind. She is a true treasure of the team!
The hotel is spread out through 3 buildings, all on the same block, within 1 minute walk. We were in Building 2, which for me has the most charm, stayed in a Deluxe 1 bedroom accommodation. Room was equipped with 2 full bathrooms, a sofa bed, very comfortable King size bed, and laundry was located in the Master Bath.
The kitchen had the basic utilities, do plan on purchasing oil and salt and pepper as there are so spices or oils of any kind. I think if management would leave salt and pepper and a glass canister of olive oil, that would be awesome! There is a dishwasher, but no tablets provided or sponges or washing liquid. I think a sponge and washing liquid should also be provided. The water in the refrigerator spout tasted salty to us, so we purchased instead at Chedraui. I also wish paper towels and napkins were provided. Perhaps a small amount just at the beginning of the stay.
Daily housekeeping was on point! I started the dishwasher in the morning, and the amazing housekeepers emptied it! Team work! they kept the apartment and the whole property in Perfect condition.
In the garage across the street, they offer Bicycles, Golf Carts, Beach Chairs, Towels, and Umbrellas at no cost. The Golf Cart was awesome to ride around town, and to Visit Chedraui for groceries and Supplies. It was such a great amenity.
Having normally stayed in Puerto Vallarta, the beaches in Bucerias were a let down... however the pools were a huge plus! Building two pool was perfect and the perfect temperature and very pretty with Palms, and plants and flowers all around. Didn't miss the beach with this pool.
All in all, I would totally recommend this property. The amazing customer service, clean and spacious accommodations, and the charm of the place really make you feel at home.
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Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We could not have had a lovelier stay. Check in was a little slow but this is pretty normal in Mexico and we are used to it. Room was not ready which we expected ( we were early) so had our swimsuits handy and waited by the pool. Were told they would let us know when the room was ready but never did. No worries, after a couple of hours at the pool we wandered up to the lobby and found our rom was ready. A father and son started this company and you can see it is a hard working small family business.We were in a studio in building 3, only 2 years old.They name, not number, the rooms Ours was "Huapango"
The pool was right outside the door. There was a king size bed, 3/4 size fridge, microwave and 2 burner stove and coffee maker. No tea kettle for my tea but they brought one over when I asked. No soap or sponge for dishes but again brought over when asked. The room and bathroom were immaculate. There was a lot of attention to detail. Free golf cart use to go to supermarket for groceries. (we ate breakfast in the room and packed sandwiches for the beach . We usually ate dinner out) There were a few Tupperware containers for our use. There was free use of beach chairs and umbrella. The beach is 2 short blocks away.
Staff knew English, were friendly/accommodating. One night I needed medicine and Jorge, the son, offered to drive me in his own car as he knew the pharmacist would not speak English. I was blown away by his kindness and consideration. We will definitely come back!!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â room was by the pool which was very quiet as most people go to the beach. There was some street...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Present day amenities while preserving traditional Mexican decor. ie. stainless appliances, washer & dryer, and a large flat screen with satellite that has hundreds of channels. The location is 2 short blocks to the beach, but we spent most of our time at the large private pool that was shared with 6 other units. The pool was almost always empty and open all night at a comfortable temperature. The beautiful compound was all enclosed with tight security. The location was right in the middle of the great supply of local restaurants, but we found the convenience and quality of healthy food served through their own restaurant brought right to our door quite promptly was great! They have a whole fleet of golf carts available at all times and we used it one day to hop around Bucerias. Air conditioning blows as cold as you want it. The fresh squeezed orange juice is to die for! Fernando's personal attention made check-in & out fast and easy. He also arranged for our covid test and helped us procure boarding passes etc. Rooms are extremely clean, other guests were friendly and respectful. This experience was far better than our all-inclusive where we were constantly masking up. Our masks here were only in the office. There is 3 compounds and they are making a fourth, along with a new restaurant across the street that architecturally is looking to be the premier dining experience in Bucerias. Karen's a few steps down the street was yummy, and Ozzie's Sports Bar was fun for Super Bowl. We will definitely go back. Book early, they are already scheduling next year and some guests stay months at a time.
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Date of stay: February 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â All rooms are slightly different, we ended up in a luxury king which was perfect for us.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Excellent facilities. A peaceful soaking pool on the rooftop terrace was my favorite place to relax. The great big fridge along with a dishwasher did not go unappreciated. Close to many great restaurants and shopping.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is a nice smaller boutique hotel with a great location in the golden zone of Bucerias. Rooms are large and modern with a Mexican flair. Our room had a full kitchen. Several nice pool areas. Short walking distance to many great restaurants and shopping and less than 2 blocks from the beach. The on-site restaurant and cafe was great, and we used the complimentary amenities including beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, bikes. And we occasionally used the golf carts to go to the large grocery store about 8 blocks away so that we didn't have to carry the groceries. While there is always room for improvement we had a great time overall and would return next year without hesitation. Some things to consider are 1) not all rooms have a balcony so if that is important to you make sure you request a balcony room, 2) street view rooms may be noisier, and 3) the hotel is spread over three separate buildings each with unique features so do your research. If you want to try a more authentic Mexican experience with the conveniences of a boutique hotel and if you are ready to skip the all-inclusive mega hotel options nearby we would recommend the Refugio Del Mar.
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Date of stay: March 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â If possible request a specific room, ie 'room with a balcony and pool view'
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and myself were completely pleased with our accommodations for three nights at the Refugio Del Mar and since we are staying in four towns altogether on this trip, wished we had stayed longer here. The beach was two very short blocks away (I swam each day and had clean towels, a beach chair and beach umbrella all in good shape), their restaurant had a menu that we both liked (try the apple/spinach salad) and our room had a full size frig, microwave and cook top which allowed us to make breakfast before going out and enjoying our days. Arnold and Jorge were SO, SO, SO helpful. Plus their English was excellent. Everyone wore masks.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Our room, the Salambo (maybe Malambo) was very quiet and right next to the free washer and dryer...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This hotel was in a great location, close to everything. There are free golf carts and bikes to use to help you tour around. They also have free beach chairs and umbrellas for guests to use too. They have 3 different buildings, all with pools which we had access to use, but only used the one on the roof of our building. It was a perfect spot for a night cap or two. We stayed in the Oli room, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. 1 bedroom with king bed and full en-suite the other bedroom is queen bed with full bathroom right across the hall. Full kitchen. Worked great for 2 couples. The room had a small balcony that overlooked the street with the restaurants. Great vantage point to people watch before getting your day started. Wednesday nights there is a street dance on that street, so with our balcony we had front row seats to watch, or quick access to the dance floor.
The beach was a block and a half away, with Karen’s Restaurant and Bar right there at the beach, good food and 3-5 happy hour. A few massage tents to choose from, we visited Isabella’s, right beside Karen’s. 250 pesos for 60 min massage. Great massages.
The hotel restaurant food was great as were all the staff at the restaurant and hotel, so pleasant and accommodating. We thoroughly enjoyed our 10 day stay at this hotel. And would definitely recommend it to anyone and definitely would stay here again on our next trip to BucerÃas.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
They’re clearly building a little empire in downtown BucerÃas, founded on the service which the organization obviously prioritizes.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
They claim the tap water is filtered, it was fine for brushing your teeth…
But we did drink bottled water, all you have to do is ask at the office and they will deliver you a 5 gallon jug of bottled water with a pump for a very reasonable price. Just take yourself individual water bottles to fill and refill.
When we were last there, the rooftop patio was on Building One, but guests from any building could use it. You can also use any pool. They have been building a fourth building and I am not familiar with what amenities it has or if everyone has access to that building.
Vancouver Coast and Mountains, Canada90 contributions3 helpful votes
Groceries are cheap. Booze is cheap. Plus you can choose the quality. Take a golf cart to the Chedraui. Eating out can range from cheap to mid range. Still way cheaper than what you are used to at home and lots of fresh seafood. Tacos junior for instance....2 of us ate and had beers for under $10 Canadian.
Made several visits to Mar y sol.
Just do some googling and you can see prices.
Enjoy.
San Diego, California181 contributions131 helpful votes
"Most helpful tip would be skip the rental car. Easily accessible by taxi taxi stand is only one block away very accessible by public transportation Uber and taxis."
There are more places to choose from in the Bucerias area.
PRICE RANGE
C$151 - C$281 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
MexicoPacific CoastNayaritRiviera NayaritBucerias
NUMBER OF ROOMS
23
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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