Villa Ballena - Activities

• Private 60 foot negative edge Pool and spa
• Outdoor professional Grill
• High-Speed Wireless Internet Access
• Access to private beach club and two ocean front pools.
• Access to fitness center and spa
• Access to private (night lit) tennis courts
• One private golf cart
• 24-hour gated security
• Breakfast service

Dining In | Dining Out | Golf Courses | Entertainment & Activites
Tennis | Spa | Yacht Rental | Additional Activites

 

DINING IN
Puerto Vallarta is home to a fantastic array of culinary delights, but many restaurants are located a good distance away from the residence. If you feel like staying home while someone else does the cooking, your concierge will be happy to assist you. A private chef can be arranged to create a variety of dishes at your request, or you can take advantage of a set menu. Contact your concierge well in advance if you would like to hire a private chef for any meal at your residence. This service may not be available for reservation once you arrive at the residence.


DINING OUT
Puerto Vallarta is known for incredible restaurants offering a variety of tastes and specializing in fresh seafood. Your concierge will be happy to make dinner reservations or offer further suggestions.

Beach Club The Beach Club is the closest restaurant to your residence, but it is only open from Dining 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The Beach Club can stay open for dinner if requested, but you must make prior arrangements with your concierge well in advance. You are able to run a weekly tab at the beach club by identifying yourself with the name of your home. If you want an individual tab, further identify yourself with your name. Please make sure to settle up with the beach club prior to departure. Cash or major cards are accepted.

The Beach Club offers a simple menu that is perfect for lunch or a light snack.

Fine Dining We recommend making reservations for the following restaurants in order to ensure availability.


CONCIERGE PICK: CAFÉ DE ARTISTES
Chef Thierry Blouet has created a menu of innovative bistro cuisine. Choose between an eclectic ala-carte menu or a traditional prix fix with wine. The seafood is incredible, but dedicated meat-eaters will also find plenty to enjoy. The décor is a romantic fantasy of gilt, glass, and artisan craftsmanship, and features lush multi-leveled gardens for a before- or after-dinner drink. The menu is pricey, but the uniquely-crafted dishes are worth the expense. Try the lobster bisque for a delightful appetizer.

Cocina
Another Thierry Blouet restaurant, the cuisine here offers an elevated bistro fare in a more intimate setting. The décor is romantic and offers wonderful privacy—the perfect choice for a romantic evening for two.

Kaiser
The atmosphere of a Viennese café of the fin-de-siècle, with bentwood chairs and a Maximilian oil portrait of the emperor in his royal ermine, is a perfect compliment to a great continental menu. The Espresso Bar also serves breakfast, lunch, and traditional Austrian desserts.

The River Café

De Santos
Hipster ambiance and trendy, reasonably priced international cuisine combine in this "see and be seen" restaurant. The disco next door is open until 5:00 a.m. De Santos serves dinner late (until 2:00 a.m.) if you're looking for a bite after a night on the town. The bar is open even later - until 4:00 a.m.

Iguana Restaurant & Bar
Located on the hills above Playa Mismaloya, eight miles south of Puerto Vallarta, the Iguana overlooks Banderas Bay and sits on the same location where “Night of the Iguana,” starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner, was filmed in 1963. Visit for the atmosphere and to take in the original set, not for the food, and keep in mind that Iguana is a long drive from your residence.

Mark’s Place
The nearest restaurant to your residence, Mark’s features a great international menu in a charming open-air restaurant with occasional live music. Located in Bucerias.

Trio
Focusing on hearty, "honest" food from around the world, the eclectic menu features plenty of seafood as well as traditional favorites such as lamb and duck. The décor is contemporary and friendly. Open for lunch and dinner.

Los Xitomates
Pronounced “HEET-oh-maat-eh,” this restaurant is named in honor of the tomato (“xitomatl” in Aztec), and features Mexican cuisine with updated twists. Dinner only.

Casa de Pancake
Casa de Pancake is the breakfast spot in Puerto Vallarta. With over 70 items on the menu, the Casa is known for its griddle. With its variations on the buttermilk and syrup theme—pancakes with peanut butter, pancakes with eggs, pancakes with sausages…you get the idea—the Casa can’t go wrong.

Chez Elena (Puerto Vallarta - semiformal attire)
One of the most romantic restaurants in the city, Chez Elena’s ambience is amplified by a lush garden, colored lights, and lots of candles. The menu is geographically all over the place, from Mexico to Indonesia. But the restaurant’s location, nestled in a hillside not far from the center of it all, couldn’t be better.


GOLF COURSES
BOOK TEE TIMES THROUGH YOUR CONCIERGE
PAYMENT DIRECT TO COURSE

Vista Vallarta Golf Courses (Niklaus and Weiskopf Golf Courses)
Located 40 minutes away from Real Del Mar
US$ 163 Nicklaus golf course, twilight US$ 111.00
US$ 153 Weiskopf golf course, twilight US$ 105.00
US$ 45 clubs rental
Rates include the golf cart and US$15% tax
Phone number: 322 290 0030

Flamingos Golf course
Located 15 minutes away from Real del Mar
US$ 130 (valid from November 1st through April 30th)
US$110 summer rate (valid from May 1st to October 30th)
US$ 75.00 twilight
Includes 15% tax, 18 holes, golf cart and practice in the range
Phone number: 296 5006

El Tigre in Paradise Village
Located 20 Minutes away from Real del Mar
US$ 149.50, twilight US$ 97.75 (valid from November 1st through April 30th 2006)
US$ 126 summer rates, twilight US$ 80
Phone number: 322 297 0774

Marina Vallarta Golf Course
Located 35 minutes away from Real del Mar
US$ 121, twilight US$ 88
Includes golf cart, practice in the driving range and 15% tax
Phone number: 322 221 0073

Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta Golf Course
Located 30 minutes away from Real del Mar
US$ 147 (valid from November 1st through April 30th)
US $117 summer rates
US$ 35 clubs rental
Includes golf cart, practice in the driving range and 15% tax
Phone number: 322 226 4000

Four Seasons Golf Course (Book through your home course pro for this pricy place)
The concierge is no longer able to make reservations for the golf course at Punta Mita.
Phone number: 291 6000

ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES
Puerto Vallarta offers a variety of activities for the adventurer and the casual traveler alike. Activities such as golf and some of the more complicated tours will require advance reservations, which your concierge will be happy to arrange for you.

TENNIS
Two tennis courts are available for member play within the Real del Mar community, you will need to bring your own rackets and tennis balls. Courts are lit at for evening play.

SPA
Members have access to the private spa and fitness center within the Real del Mar development (call your concierge ahead of time for treatment reservations). For more advanced treatments, members have access to the Hotel Grand Velas Spa.

In-residence massages can also be arranged; contact your concierge for details.

The Grand Velas Spa is a beautiful facility with a variety of treatment options, but visitors could get lost in the spa itself. Featuring four pools of varying temperatures, from cold to hot, a steam room, sauna and cold and hot showers, the Grand Velas Spa is enough to invigorate or relax your body before your is approximately $40 USD per day or $180 USD per week, and services vary in price from $50 USD (for a back, neck and shoulders massage) to $160 USD (for a complete facial or a neck and face lift).

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES (BOOK ALL THROUGH YOUR CONCIERGE)
For tours, we recommend Vallarta Adventures www.vallarta-adventures.com, which features a large staff in addition to new and updated equipment and vehicles. Have a look at their web site for trip ideas.
Vallarta Adventures is also insured, which is not always common in Mexico. Vallarta Adventures can also charter any of their vehicles and can design private tours (at an extra price, of course) for any number of people.

Puerto Vallarta is one of the greatest locations for deep-sea fishing in the world, offering ample opportunities to catch any variety of sailfish, from Yellow-fin Tuna to Marlin, and Rooster Fish to Wahoo. Reel one in and go home with a picture of yourself standing next to a giant upside-down fish.

Padding your way around Banderas Bay is a great way to get some exercise while experiencing the true natural beauty of the area. Contact your concierge for information about rentals or tours.

Observe whales and dolphins in their natural habitats as they congregate together in Banderas Bay. Each winter humpback whales migrate south to the bay to breed and rear their young, while Pacific dolphins can be sighted year-round. There are numerous organizations that provide these tours, so contact your concierge for information.

Canopy Tours
Canopy tours are a great way to see the jungles of the Sierra Madre Mountains and get your adrenaline pumping at the same time. Cable zip lines are run from treetop to treetop 90-feet above the ground; visitors are fitted with a harness and attached to a cable, where they zip down the line to the next platform. For more information check out Vallarta Adventures at www.vallarta-adventures.com or ask your concierge for details.

Horseback Riding
Take a sunset ride on the beach or a guided tour through the jungles.

Jeep Tours
Take a jeep safari tour into the jungles of the Sierra Madres and through quiet Mexican towns. Jeep tours include lunch and drinks.

Hiking Tours
With more than 300 species of birds, the jungle of Puerto Vallarta is a great attraction in itself. Organized tours take visitors through the jungles of the Sierra Madre Mountains and into the valley. Contact your concierge for advice and suggestions if you prefer to embark on a private nature walk.

We also recommend a drive up the coast to Salulita for a beach lunch. Great beach towns can be found up the coast for miles. I would also recommend a drive to Punta de Mita for lunch or dinner. There are many great beach restaurants in Punta de Mita and your concierge will direct you. The Four Seasons is available for both lunch and dinner with a reservation through the concierge.

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