After a 50-minute taxi ride from Puerto Vallarta, a 30-minute panga boat ride (with nothing to hold onto!) and an energetic hike up a steep hill, arriving at Verana is a challenge that comes with an instant reward. An enchanting collection of hand-made houses awaits, embedded in the lush, terraced jungle landscape, and accompanied by stunning views of the Bay of Banderas and the small town of Yelapa below.
Created by Heinz Legler and his wife Veronique Lievre, a powerhouse design duo in the film industry, Verana started life as a truly offbeat boutique hotel. As Puerto Vallarta hit the map, it evolved into the type of place which attracts a faithful following of like-minded people: those with a love of beauty, intimacy and nature. You can book bird walks, whale watching and paradise picnics on a deserted beach - or just swing on a hillside hammock. But don't think you have to do without your creature comforts. With an open-air spa, a springwater pool, a candlelit restaurant and a yoga hut, this is a far cry from camping in the jungle.
Highs
- Location, location, location: it's totally secluded and surrounded by greenery, with a carpet of blue sea below
- The price includes all meals and the adventurous Mexican fare is excellent
- Staff are handpicked from the surrounding areas, and are welcoming to a fault
- You can enjoy a blissful massage in the open-air spa while the hummingbirds and butterflies fly above you
- Fantastic for honeymooners and weddings (houses are very private!); the couples' starlit aromatherapy bath is sublime
Lows
- Getting to Verana from Puerto Vallarta is convoluted and can be problematic if you land late in the day
- Steep hillsides and a rough 15-minute hike from the dock / beach are problematic for the less agile
- Chances are you'll wake early to birdsong and sunrise, but fresh coffee and biscuits will be waiting on your terrace
- We didn't see any scorpions, but we were warned to keep our shoes on at all times and not to leave clothes lying around
- There are no other eateries within reach if you want a change of scene - though we very much doubt you will
Best time to go
The hotel is open each year from October to August. Temperatures stay very mild year round: December to February is coolest (around 18C at night to mid 20s by day); March to May is a touch warmer; and late June-October is the hottest (around 30-35C during the day) and can be wet for short spells. January and February is whale-watching season.
Our top tips
- Don't bring expensive or flashy items - it's not that sort of place, plus there are no in-room safes (and in some cases no doors!). That said, there's one safe at reception for small valuables but don't switch off completely and leave them behind!
- Do bring comfortable walking shoes for walking the rocky route to the beach, and carry your flip flops for once you get there
- Beach Resort
- 10 rooms
- Restaurants and bar
- Over 16s welcome
- Closed: September only
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
Rooms
Verana's accommodation is as eclectic and unencumbered as the guests - so, how many walls would you like? Casa Piedra has all 4 for those who like to 'lock up' at night. Its traditional Mexican artisan style makes the cool, dark interior cosy and very comfortable.
In contrast, the multi-level Tea House is completely open. Relax on the Japanese-style sitting platform, gaze on the blue sea and green jungle, then pad across to your palm-fronded bedroom.Extremely popular with honeymooners, you needn't worry about passers-by: each house is screened to feel completely private.
At the top of the hill is the Casa Grande, with commanding ocean views, a jungle-facing patio and 12-foot ceilings. Villa Verana sits close to the water's edge and has a pool with sweeping sea views. V House is the largest, with three double bedrooms, which makes it ideal for groups.
Another favourite is open-sided Palapa, which is also very romantic, with enough loungers on the panoramic terrace to create a private sun-tanning circuit. We also liked the Bungalow (very private and well-appointed), and the Studio (2 patios and an open-air shower). We're yet to see Casa Colibri for ourselves; it has a sun deck with sweeping views and pops of colour against the cooling stones.
However many rooms (and walls) you've got, the warm, candlelit evenings and the cacophony of the jungle seem to melt behind the palapa fronds, wooden decks and mosquito nets blowing in the Pacific breeze. You won't find any of the usual diversions: phones or TVs. But you will find bathrooms lavishly stocked with hand-made soaps and lotions, hot showers, and plenty of purified drinking water. There's reliable electricity and hundreds of candles dotted about the resort.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Mosquito net
- WiFi
Eating
Rates are full board and you won't want to skip a single meal. Food marks time in the jungle, and a typical Verana day goes something like this. As the sun slants through your walls (or lack of them), a tray of coffee is quietly laid out on your private patio. When you're ready, the terrace restaurant serves an invigorating breakfast : a home-grown fruit platter, plenty of fresh juice, eggs cooked to order, perhaps a serving of huevos rancheros.
If you're staying put for lunch, the pool restaurant offers healthy Asian-inspired fare: coconut shrimp soup, spring rolls, fresh watermelon. If you have activities planned, you'll get a specially prepared picnic: ceviche, cous-cous, carrot salad and cold beers.
Pre-dinner drinks involve excellent tequilas, including some only found in Mexico - ask for a sampler or join one of the Tequila classes. Dinner is served at candlelit tables on the terrace. It's a fixed (and fairly limited) weekly menu, offering regional Mexican dishes with an international twist. You might get coconut prawns served in curry with ginger mash or even filet mignon - all excellent. Adventurous appetisers and desserts include a delicious chocolate and chilli cheesecake. Everyone raves about 'Taco Tuesdays' (with 15 or more gourmet salsas), so try and include one in your stay.
Features include:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Room service
Activities
- Arrange a trek along the Pizota or the Rio 'El Tuito' bird walk, or hike to the Tecumata waterfall and other self-guided hikes
- Enjoy a paradise picnic on a deserted beach and take Verana's snorkelling gear with you; many honeymooners rate this as the highlight of their stay
- Indulge at the Jungle Spa: blissful massages, delicate pedicures, a great coconut-sugar scrub - and the starlit, candlelit aromatherapy bath (an absolute must for honeymooners)
- Coastal outings with seasonal itineraries run each day, involving snorkelling, paddleboarding and boat trips to remote villages - the best way to spot the whales, dolphins, manta rays and more that frequent the waters here
- Learn the artistry behind Verana's cuisine with a private cooking class making moles, salsas, tortillas, and horchata
- Go fishing at dawn on a panga using poles or lines - a fun 3-hour trip, but rough seas can mean choppiness or even cancellation
- Visit the town of Yelapa, a 30-minute walk away; it's quite touristy, especially when the tour boats come in, but it's the closest beach and we had fun browsing for trinkets and delicious pecan pies
- It's really worth getting up for the early morning yoga class, before a day of snorkelling off the jetty (free) or renting sea-kayaks (watch out for speeding pangas driven by 16-year-olds!)
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Boat trips
- Cooking classes
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Plantlife / flora
- Sailing
- Snorkelling
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Well being
- Whale watching
- Wildlife
- Yoga
Kids
Children over the age of 16 are welcome; realistically it will only appeal to more adventurous, mature teens. To maintain a tranquil and discreet atmosphere, parents are asked to keep an eye on their kids, especially around the pool, and not to let them wander in on other (open-plan) houses.
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Verana is located in the jungle above Yelapa, a remote fishing village 50km south of Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco, on Mexico's Pacific Coast.
By Air
Puerto Vallarta (50km away) is the nearest domestic airport; there are regular flights from Mexico City International Airport.
From the Airport
Verana is only accessible by boat. From Puerto Vallarta, take a taxi or pre-order Verana's transfer service (which can pick you up in town or near the airport) to Boca de Tomatlán (60-90-minute journey). Once in Boca de Tomatlán, you take a 20-30-minute sea crossing - Verana's designated boat collects guests at 1pm, 4pm and 5:30pm (don't land in Puerto Vallarta after 4pm or you'll miss the boat!). Once on dry land, it's a steep 15-20-minute uphill climb to Verana (mules are available to carry luggage).
Getting Around
If you want to walk from Verana to Yelapa, it's around 20-30-minutes to town and 40-minutes to the beach, down the hill and along the coast.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Mexico and getting around
Airports:
- Puerto Vallarta International 50.0 km PVR
Other:
- Beach 1.0 km
- Shops 2.0 km
- Restaurant 2.0 km