Written by Mattew Long, LandLopers.com

A lot of the appeal of an all-inclusive resort is that, you know, it’s all
inclusive. Your every need to seen to and there’s nothing really to worry
about. Sometimes this isn’t a good quality though, especially if you’re so
walled off from the surrounding area that you don’t learn anything. Travel
is about relaxing, but it’s also about the experiences, and that’s why I
was so pleasantly surprised to see how effectively Dreams Puerto
Vallarta Resort & Spa fused local experiences with a world-class luxury product. Dreams Resorts & Spas offer vacationers Unlimited-Luxury®, a new and better way to have it all with al la carte dinning, 24-hour room service and around the clock entertainment.

Photo Credit: Matthew Long

My first night at the resort featured a community-wide dinner celebration
featuring the best of Mexican food and culture. The beach in front of the
hotel was transformed into an open-air dining room and guests in flowing
dresses and white linen shirts ambled to their chairs, smiling in
anticipation of the evening event. The food, an elegant spread of Mexican
treats, was laid out alongside beautiful displays and centerpieces. The
setting was perfect, the palm trees swayed in the warm breezes and the
smell of the salt spray wafted by lackadaisically.

Photo Credit: Matthew Long

The meal was delicious, and everyone seemed content and happy as more and
more eyes began to flit towards the stage, wondering how it would be put
to use. As the coffee cups were filled, the host for the evening made an
appearance and then the real fun began. The rest of the evening was a
procession of musicians, dancers and assorted other performers showcasing
the best of Mexican heritage and culture. There was no doubt that night
that not only was I in Mexico, I was really experiencing the best it has
to offer.

Photo Credit: Matthew Long

Photo Credit: Matthew Long

Dreams Puerto Vallarta doesn’t stop there, throughout the property on a
daily basis there are subtle infusions of the local area. Whether it was
enjoying a surprise Mexican lunch or browsing through the wares of
craftsmen set up near the lobby, I really felt like I was vacationing in
Mexico and not at a featureless resort somewhere.

Throughout my time at Dreams, I was impressed by the language lessons,
specialty spa treatments, meals, and everything that was done in order to
enhance the guests’ Mexican travel experience. I can’t think of a better
combination than a fun, relaxing vacation while learning more about the
fun and vibrant Mexican culture at the same time.

Have you stayed at a Dreams property? What did you like best about how
they added local experiences to your stay?

About our guest blogger:

Matthew Long, Editor-in-Chief and creator of LandLopers.com, has a true passion for travel. As someone who has a bad case of the travel bug, Matt travels the world in order to share tips on where to go, what to see and how to experience the best the world has to offer. Matt is a Lonely Planet Featured Blogger, a contributor to many other travel sites and publications including Dabble Magazine. Matt’s site LandLopers.com is listed in the Top 100 Travel Blogs, Top 100 Independent Travel Blogs, Most Influential Online Travel Personalities and Washington Flyer’s Top 100 Travel Blogs. You can also find him on Twitter: @LandLopers and Facebook: Facebook.com/LandLopers