Mexico Resort Archives - Five Star Vacation Rental

Time For an Exotic Getaway

We’re in the middle of a great ski season in our Big Bear, Park City, and Mammoth Mountain ski areas. If you haven’t already booked your ski getaway, let this be your friendly reminder to book your getaway while there’s still time. If you keep putting this off, you’ll end up missing it again this year. Don’t let that happen! Give us a call at 310-780-3411, and we’ll help you put together the perfect ski escape. ‘Nuf said.

If you’ve already skied to your heart’s content, then we’d like to take a few moments in this week’s blog to suggest you embark on a bit more exotic getaway. Grab your passport and get ready for some fun on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico!

Our luxury resort vacation rental condos in Villa la Estancia, Mexico are an amazing destination for your next vacation, family reunion, or just to getaway with a bunch of friends. The resort is located right on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, and enjoys some of the most moderate weather virtually year round. Villa la Estancia is an ideal place to plan a getaway for your large group as well, because we have 16 units in the resort. This makes your time away that much more enjoyable, so you can all congregate in one of the great gourmet restaurants on the property, or quickly assemble in the lobby to take day trips into the surrounding community. You’ll also want to schedule some time just laying on the beach as well. This is a truly relaxing destination where you can stretch out on the beach and just let the sounds of the waves lull you into a renewal of your spirit and a deep calm.

Be sure to arrive hungry, because you’ll find some of the most amazing dining both on site at Villa la Estancia and in the surrounding community. The short ride into Puerto Vallarta will reward you with a wide range of eateries from the most tasty little hole-in-the-wall, to some world class experiences that you’ll never forget. And we’re sure that whatever sort of eatery you choose, the table will growly strangely quiet once your meal arrives and you start to sample the amazing local cuisine. Hint: Order the lobster. You’ll be very glad you did.

Direct flights into Puerto Vallarta leave daily for the quick 3 hour flight out of LAX, and you can arrange connecting flights from virtually any southern California airport as well. The resort is a quick cab ride from the airport, and you’ll be feeling sand between your toes before you know it. Give us a call at 310-780-3411, and we’ll be happy to help you put together an amazingly exotic getaway for your family or group. View our available units at this link.

We can also help you plan your holiday in one our other destinations as well. Check out our luxury vacation rentals in Park City, Palm Springs/La Quinta, Southern California Beaches, Mammoth Mountain, and Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. We realize that you get very little vacation time each year, so we’re dedicated to ensuring that your time spent in one of our luxury rentals will be a great value for your and your family. Call us today at 310-800-5454, and we’ll help you plan the vacation of a lifetime.

Be sure to download our new IOS and Android apps. These are a great tool to let your view our properties and book them while you’re on the go.

More Rave Reviews About Villa la Estancia on ABC’s “The Lookout”

There’s been a lot of good attention paid recently to our Villa la Estancia resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Our blog a couple weeks ago noted that Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County” spent a fun getaway there and featured their visit on this season’s episode 10 and episode 11. We’re thrilled at all the great press, and excited to see more guests making plans for a memorable getaway to this amazing beach front resort.

We’ve been convinced of the value of Villa la Estancia since we first visited there nearly a decade ago looking for a new destination for our guests. The resort was growing and getting some of the overflow traffic from Puerto Vallarta just a few miles to the south. There are a number of things that convinced us to stake our claim here. We started with just one penthouse unit while the property was still under construction.

Fast forward several years. We now offer 16 luxury units, so you can imagine how excited we were when we saw Villa la Estancia featured on ABC’s program,”The Lookout.” The episode was filmed with an undercover crew, and they took a close look at several resorts along the coast starting in Puerto Vallarta and moving up to Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta. You can watch the entire episode at this link. Villa la Estancia ends up as the star of the episode. The undercover team was met with several disappointments along they way, but Villa la Estancia’s introduction included something akin to a heavenly choir. We know exactly how they feel.

Villa la Estancia’s construction quality is unrivaled. We’re accustomed to seeing great amenities and first class luxury in our resort properties, but Villa la Estancia really pulls out all the stops. Top quality granite counters and upgraded appliances are just the start. The furnishings are top notch as well. But as much as we love the luxury of this world-class resort, the real value for most of our guests is found in the surroundings.

The beach is simply amazing. The clean white sand stretches as far as you can see, and there’s really no place in the resort that’s more than a minute or two walk from the surf. We’re also seeing an increasing number of golfers staying at the resort because there are several world-class courses located nearby in Puerto Nuevo and Puerto Vallarta. We devoted a recent blog to our golfing destinations, and you can view that post at this link. Lovers of unique shopping and great seafood will love spending time in Puerto Vallarta with its fun shops and fresh lobster.

And if you’re really just in the mood for pure relaxation, there’s no better place than Villa la Estancia. The on-site spa will have you feeling like a star. And you can enjoy world-class dining in the resort’s restaurants as well. Use this link to view all our Villa la Estancia luxury vacation rentals. We also offer an all-inclusive option that will keep you well-fed throughout your stay. We have details about the all-inclusive option at this page.

Call us at 310-800-5454 and we’ll be glad to help you with your plans. You can also browse our properties in Big Bear, Mammoth, Park City , Palm Springs/La Quinta, Southern California Beaches, or Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. We realize that you put a lot of time and effort into planning your getaway, and we’re confident that your stay with us will be a great memory for everyone in your party.

New Year’s Resolutions From Five Star Vacation Rentals

In just a few days we’ll be ringing in the new year. It’s a time that most of us look forward to a fresh beginning. For most of us, we’re vowing to lose weight, spend less time watching television, and exercise more. Yawn.

But we here at Five Star Vacation Rentals want to encourage you to break out and make some new resolutions. Climb out of your yearly rut and embrace new resolutions. Exercise boldness! Here is our list of completely unbiased and self-serving resolutions. Please write these down:

1. Learn To Ski

There’s nothing to be ashamed of if you never learned to ski. Sure, lots of people were skiing before they could ride a bike, but that’s okay. This is why all the major ski resorts offer ski lessons for all age ranges. Make this the year that you finally strap on a pair of skis and learn why so many people are so passionate about this hobby. All of the ski resorts near our vacation rentals offer lessons for beginning skiers.

In Big Bear, Snow Mountain offers group and private lessons for both skiing and snow boarding. This is gonna be fun. Click here for more info. Here’s our page of Big Bear luxury vacation rentals. Most of them have hot tubs, so you can relax it the soothing warm water if you get any bumps or bruises.

Book your stay at one of our Mammoth Mountain condos first, then make arrangements for your ski lessons. Mammoth Mountain offers private and group lessons for both kids and adults. Visit their website at this link for more details.

Visit our Park City, Utah condo, and you’ll be facing some of the best skiing found anywhere. And they also have lessons for all age and skill levels. Here’s the link to their page. View more details about our Park City condo on this page.

2. Ski More Next Year

Already know how to ski, but haven’t been able to get away enough? Resolve that you will ski more, and we’ll help you with this resolution. January is one of our biggest months for skiing. There’s really nothing as relaxing or exhilarating as a good fast run down the slopes. You need to get away more often.

Big Bear is our most popular ski getaway. View our Big Bear vacation rental cabins at this link. We also have units available at Mammoth Mountain. Here’s the link to our Mammoth Mountain vacation rentals. And we have a great cabin available in Park City, Utah as well. Here’ the link to our Park City condo.

3. Golf More Next Year

You can golf year round at our Palm Springs/La Quinta and Villa La Estancia, Mexico properties. Once the snow melts, you can visit any of our properties. If your spouse loves golf, but struggles to find time for it, we can help. We’ll work with you to build a perfect golf getaway you can surprise them with for their birthday, your anniversary, or Valentine’s Day.

4. Take a Beachfront Family Vacation in Exotic Mexico

We have over a dozen luxury units available right on the beach outside Puerto Nuevo Mexico. Villa La Estancia is a world-class resort destination that boasts 2 gourmet restaurants on site, several pools, as well as a full spa. And just a short cab ride away, you can enjoy the local flavor of Puerto Vallarta with amazing food and great shopping including exotic products made by local artisans. All major Southern California airports offer direct flights, so you can be there within a couple hours and start enjoying the fun. Visit our Villa La Estancia page at this link for more details.

5. Teach the kids fishing, mountain biking or boating

Some of the best memories most of us have from our childhoods are when our parents taught us something new and fun. Big Bear is a great destination for this. There’s a virtually unlimited number of new activities you can do in Big Bear. Big Bear Lake has rentals for all sorts of boats to take the family out on the lake. You can also rent bikes at Bear Valley Bikes. Bear Valley Bikes have bikes suitable for mom and dad as well as the kids, so you can hit the trails and explore the forest around Big Bear. Heck, you can even have some fun teaching the kids how to bowl at The Bowling Barn.

6. Spend More Quality Time With Your Family

This is really what we hope to provide to all our guests. It’s fun to find an excuse to get away for a family vacation, but the only one you really need is the desire to spend some time with your family away from the pulls of work and your other commitments. Our kids grow up fast, and we miss too much if we don’t make plans to enjoy their childhoods while we can. Don’t let another year slip by without getting in some good vacation time with your family.

7. Be Thankful

We may be a vacation rental company, but we really feel we’re in the business of recharging batteries. In the pressure of our daily lives, we often get distracted by the temporary pressures that tend to drive much of the things we do each day. A family vacation gives us a chance to wind down, and embrace the things that are most important. We can look at our kids playing a game of checkers in the corner, and have our hearts fill with gratitude for the many gifts we enjoy. And that is the most important resolution of all. Be thankful for all that you’ve been given.

Five Star Vacation Rentals would like to thank all our friends and guests who helped to give us so much to be grateful for in 2012. We wish each of you a wonderful 2013 filled with prosperity and quality time to spend with your family and friends. Please call us at 310-780-3411, and we’ll help you put together a great vacation that will be a wonderful time for your family.

Looking For a Warm Christmas? Five Star Vacation Rentals Has the Answer

Lots of folks who live in Southern California have landed here from other parts of the country where the weather is not quite as nice as ours. Well, now that we think about it, NO place really has weather nearly as nice as ours, right? These transplanted Californians delight in some things that are completely foreign to us natives. For example, never once has your faithful blogger delighted in NOT having to shovel snow. In fact, he has never even held a snow shovel. But if you were born and raised in Minnesota, that simple statement would set your head spinning with a great big smile on your face. Southern California is sort of like the Emerald City to these folks. It’s a dream land where nobody really needs a heavy coat, black ice is something you get when you pour Coke into the ice tray, and the sun actually seems to shine brightly almost every day of the year. Yes, Toto, you really aren’t in, err, Minnesota any more.

Many of these folks become then envy of their less-fortunate relatives still trapped in the arctic climates from which they fled. And the contrast in the weather is never so dramatic as when the holidays arrive. Your weekly phone conversation with Uncle Julius in Minneapolis invariably covers exactly how long it took him to shovel out the driveway so he could find the car. And if he’s really lucky, he’ll tell about the wonderful new snowblower he just bought. You can smile and tell him about the wonderful new lawnmower you just bought. It’s quickly apparent that the two of you — though once neighbors — now reside on entirely different planets.

But the holidays are a time for gathering with friends and family from all the far flung areas they’ve landed. And it would be a crime NOT to offer a brief respite to those you love by hosting your own holiday get-together at one of our luxurious Southern California or Mexico vacation rentals. You’ll certainly be more popular with the snow-bound relatives, and you may decide to become a Realtor so you can profit from the relocation that many of them will begin planning as soon as they return home and their feet hit the hard, frozen soil. Be sure to tell them you can get them seats at the Rose Parade, and they won’t need a parka for it either.

We have some great choices for a warm-weather winter getaway. All of our vacation rental units are luxuriously furnished and promise to provide an amazing setting for your family and friends to enjoy the holidays together.

Our Southern California beach homes are located within walking distance of the beach and offer an amazing level of luxury. The beach homes are also ideally located to serve as a home base for visiting all of Southern California’s favorite attractions from Sea World, just a couple hours to the south, and Hollywood studios an hour or so to the north. Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm are even closer. Click here for a closer look at our Southern California beach homes.

PuertoVallarta_Beach_From_Balcony — This is your view from the balcony at Villa La Estancia. Notice that there's not a snow shovel in sight.

If you have a very large group, our best accommodations may be with our Villa La Estancia Mexican resort vacation rentals located right on the beach in Puerto Nuevo. We have 16 units available in the resort, so we can accomodate a group of virtually any size. The resort is located just a few minute’s drive from the Puerto Vallarta Airport, and all southern California airports offer direct flights. Trust us, Aunt Mildred from Detroit will rewrite her will to include you after she spends an hour in the on-site spa at Villa La Estancia. In addition to the ocean swimming and boating, all the golfers in your group will enjoy the championship golf courses nearby as well. Good luck getting them all back on the plane to Minnesota after that! Click here to view our Villa La Estancia vacation rentals.

Our Palm Springs/La Quinta vacation rentals are a special delight during the holidays. Palm Springs pulls out all the stops at Christmas time, and the entire family will delight in great shopping, shows, and amazing restaurants. Our vacation rentals are right on the golf course, so you can have everybody back east dust off their clubs and enjoy a few rounds while their neighbors back home will be lifting nothing but their snow shovels. It makes for a perfectly delightful time. You can look at our Palm Springs/La Quinta properties on this page.

Give us a call today at 310-780-3411, and we’ll help you plan your ideal family vacation. Your vacation time is very special, so don’t gamble with it. Our goal is to offer you a level of luxury that you just won’t find anywhere else.

Spotlight on Villa La Estancia in Mexico

Plan something new for your fall or winter vacation this year. We have luxury units available right on the beach in the Villa La Estancia resort in Nuevo Vallarta. There is a wonderful assortment of activities and shopping available, and there’s always the option to just spend a few days relaxing on the beach.

The Fall weather is delightful with temperatures averaging in the 70’s and 80’s. Getting there couldn’t be easier. Flights are available to the Puerto Vallarta airport (PVR) from San Diego, Orange County, and LAX. Direct flights arrive in about 3 hours, and the resort is a 10-minute cab ride from the airport. Here are a few suggestions for your trip:

Make it a golf vacation

Vista Vallarta Club de Golf has grown in the past decade to become an international destination for golf enthusiasts. Opened in April 2001, the first course at Vista Vallarta is a Signature Design by Jack Nicklaus. Since this course is located on the property’s highest elevation, golfers are treated not only to world class golf but will enjoy breathtaking views of Puerto Vallarta, the Marina and Banderas Bay as well.

Also on the property is a beautiful course designed by Tom Weiskopf. Built on the property’s lower west end, golfers won’t believe they have simply taken a different turn from the club house.Here the terrain is extreme with dense jungles, deep ravines and swift creeks. Both the Weiskopf and Nicklaus courses are designed with scenery unlike any you’ll find in the United States. Pack your clubs, and give us a call. We’ll give you all the details for reserving your amazing golf vacation. For more information about golfing at Vista Vallarta Club de Golf, visit their website at http://www.vistavallartagolf.com/indexen.html

Make some new aquatic friends

The Aquaventuras Park is a short drive from our resort at Villa La Estancia, and it’s well worth it. This is a wonderful water park that features up close swimming with dolphins. It’s really an amazing adventure. Testimonials on their website help capture some of the fun in store for you there. Anne from New Jersey writes,

Dancing in the water with a dolphin was unbelievable. I will never forget today!

Jocelyn Limos described her adventure this way:

If you love dolphins like I do, then this is something you need to do for The Experience of a Lifetime. I would do this over and over again. Thank you for my dream come true!

We expect you’ll be writing your own testimonial of the amazing experience you’ll have spending some time with these wonderfully intelligent and affectionate creatures. Aquaventuras Park offers some great discounts for advance booking, so call us at 310-780-3411 first, then visit their website to book your tickets and start planning your exciting getaway.

Pry yourself away from the beach and do some shopping

There’s nothing wrong with spending all day every day on the beach (bring sunscreen!). After all, it’s a vacation, and you should have the freedom to just relax. Despite the amazing beauty of the pristine beach right in front of our resort, we recommend that you set aside at least one day to experience the great shopping, food, and culture in the community surrounding Villa La Estancia. A quick cab ride into Puerto Vallarta will bring you to beautiful shops and world-class dining. Local artisans have their wares on display daily, and we can’t let you go home before you sample at least one of the local restaurants with an ice-cold beverage of your choice. As with most of our Five Star Vacation Rental getaways, the only problem you can expect is that you’ll regret you didn’t book your stay for longer.

But wait, there’s more!

We’ve only just scratched the surface of all the fun things for you and the family on your Villa La Estancia vacation. In a future blog we’ll give you details on horse-back riding, boating, fishing, and other fun things. But don’t wait for us to write about it! Call us and book your vacation, so you can dive into your own Puerto Nuevo adventure.

We have over a dozen units available for rent in Villa La Estancia ranging from our luxurious penthouse suite to lower level suites overlooking the pool. Whichever unit you choose, you can be confident that your suite will be clean, comfortable, and luxurious. Our mission is to make sure your precious vacation time is always enjoyed to the fullest. View our Villa La Estancia properties on this page, or call us today at 310-780-3411 to book your Nuevo Vallarta vacation.

And don’t forget that we also have Five Star Vacation Rentals available in Park City,Palm Springs/La Quinta, Southern California Beaches, Mammoth Mountain, and Big Bear. Each of our destinations offers a wealth of activities for the entire family, so call us to book your next vacation.

Plan a Great Family Getaway to Villa la Estancia in Mexico

VLE1704_6 — View from one of our Villas. Don't you wish you were here?

You’re looking at the calendar and trying to decide on a vacation destination for this summer or next winter. There are so many choices. How about trying something exotic this year with a resort getaway to the beach at Villa la Estancia in Mexico? There are lots of good reasons.

Villa la Estancia is consistently one of the highest rated destinations in all of Mexico. Guests seem to have nothing but rave reviews online: “We had a king suite and lived like rock stars.” is one of our favorites. The staff is carefully chosen and trained to be mindful of your every need. Your stay will be one the entire family never forgets.

Located right on the beach in Nuevo Vallarta, Villa la Estancia is is the picture of beach-side luxury. We have 16 units to choose from, with a good range of pricing too. The resort has a a huge spa with a 17,000 sq ft facility which features 14 indoor treatment suites, two exclusive VIP treatment suites with private Jacuzzi and shower, a spa retail shop, a full-service beauty salon and a fitness studio.

VLE1704_3 — Your luxury home away from home. You won't want to leave.

Each of our units is furnished with all the luxury appointments. If you want to forego the restaurants, you’ll have a full kitchen to cook your own meals. If you have a good day fishing, you may want to bake up a gourmet fish dinner for the family. The suites all have a great floor plan geared toward accommodating large groups or more than one family. And since we have so many units available, it’s ideal to book your larger family reunion or church retreat into several of our units. Take a virtual tour of one unit 1502 here.

Pack your golf clubs and enjoy a round or two while you’re away as well. There are plenty of other local activities to keep the entire family busy. Choose from horseback riding, surfing, shopping, historic sites, museums, ATV rentals and boat rentals. We think you should stay at least 2 weeks to take it all in. But that’s just us talkin’!

The on-site restaurants are world class, and you can enjoy the full resort experience with the gourmet selections available from room service. We’re especially fond of the La Casona restaurant. It’s the only restaurant in Nuevo Vallarta to feature Kobe and Angus Certified Beef.

puerto_vallarta_cathedral_guadalupe — Enjoy the Festival from December 1-12th.

Villa la Estancia is a year-round resort, so if you can’t make it this summer, we’re accepting reservations for your winter vacation. And winter is a very special time to visit.

Each year the nearby historic Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe hosts a 12 day festival starting on the first of December. The festival is a great time to visit with lots of family fun, food vendors and a great fireworks display to culminate the festival. Be sure to book your stay early as the festival is very popular!

We have a variety of units available, and Villa la Estancia offers our guests a great all inclusive package that lets you take care of meals and gratuities. There’s more information about the all-inclusive plan here. Call us at 310-780-3411 or visit our Villa la Estancia page here to view all our units.