A group of us girls went to Palladium for one week. When we booked it we did not know that we had an upgrade to the Royal Suites, thank god we did. It was luxury, we had our own pool, no children, an awesome restaurant with a menu that changed everyday and a pool bar that was never busy. There were always chairs by the pool, no matter what time we went down there. We wandered around the resort one day and night and it was chaotic, the family pool and the buffet were so busy we decided we wanted to just stay on the Royal Suites side. They are a bit under staffed but we were treated exceptional. The beds were comfortable, the jacuzzi was amazing, the view from our balcony was great (besides the scorpion that fell on my finger) and very big. Room service 24 hours a day, and quiet. We loved it, had such a great girls vacation, if we ever go back it would definately be in the Royal Suites... my only complaint is how huge the resort is, we didn't even see all of it.. However, loved it!

We did go to PV and it cost 35 US each way, good deal and to Sayulita-go there, it is so gorgeous and refreshing there. We were sorry we could not have more time there.

We stayed seven nights. There were 11 people in our group. We plan on returning because of the great service and the fun we had! If you understand Spanish everything is even better...

Rooms - We had 5 different rooms in 2 buildings. They were ALL clean and everything worked fine! Who goes to Mexico to hang out in the room? Not us! The maids were great!

Food: We tried the Mexican, Italian and Bar BQ - They were all great - Get the SPECIAL coffee at the Mexican restaurant after dinner. We arrived on a Tuesday and got what we wanted for the restaurants...The Buffet and snack bar were great. Especially for those who like Chilaquiles and are used to Mexican breakfast. If you think taco bell is Mexican - yes, you will be disappointed. When we had dinner at the buffet there was always plenty and no lines. Service was EXCELLENT and we handed our tips to the waiters. They will remember and give most excellent service- regardless...

Entertainment: The Mariachis were great and if you understand Spanish, their jokes are hilarious. Ay gordo! I only saw 2 actual shows by the dance troupe but the others in my group like the ones they saw too. Again, not here for that either, but it was fine.

Zoo: Fine and check out the crocks by the entrance of the resort.

Tours: Book all your tours through Victor at the tour desk. We found his tours cheaper and easier to book rather than through our Funjet guy. He will take care of you. We did his Zipline, PV tour (included a tequila distillery) and ATV tour. They were all great.
You are 45 minutes North of PV and 25 minutes from Bucerias. The flea market was great for shopping in either town.
The bus is 12 pesos or $3 U.S. dollars for 2 people...that was an experience at least. We used the resort cabs for a couple of things and had them come back to pick us up. They were great. Cheaper cabs are outside the gate and you can bargain your fare.

We also did a couple of things without guides but it was probably easier for us who speak Spanish. The bullfights can be booked through Victor and we did. Only 4 of us went. They're going to kill the bull if you go or not so we know the culture and had a good time. It's ALL tourists. We also went to a Charreada (Mexican Rodeo) in La Cruz de Hua. and that was very fun and the music was great. We were the only tourist but we still had fun.

The bars had fast moving lines if they had any at all. The beach and pools always had open loungers in the shade and sun. The ocean was filled with seaweed but I don’t do salt water so that didn’t bother me.

With what we paid, I think we seriously got our money’s worth after considering all we ate, drank and were entertained.

My fiance and I stayed at the Palladium from April 26-May 3, 2008 and we had a great time. We are a couple in our mid 20s and this was our very first vacation. I did a lot of research before booking and although I was a little scared of the negative reviews, the trip was awesome!

Rooms:
We stayed in the regular "superior" rooms and it was great. Our room was 1308, which means the first building, the third floor and the eighth room. It had vaulted ceilings, 2 double beds, recessed lighting, tiled floors and nice decor. The room came with a small safe, a mini fridge stocked with 3 pops and 2 bottles of water, a coffee maker and also air conditioning. 2 bottles of water wasnt enough so we asked for more and we always had at least 4 bottles of water in the fridge.The beds were a little hard but I didnt notice because I was sleeping. They are on a concrete slab but the beds were comfortable enough. I was completely happy with our room!

The bathroom was big with nice marble tiles and 1 sink. Every morning the maid would make a swan design with the towels.

We had a great balcony with an amazing view of the ocean and the adult pool. It was always quiet and peaceful.

We always tipped our maid at least 2 U.S. dollars or 200 mexican pesos every day.

Pools and beach:
We only went in the adult pool, which was amazing. There are no kids allowed at the adult pool, which was nice for people wanting to get away from it all. The adult pool had an amazing view of the beach and ocean and there was a bar right there for easy access. There were lots of lounge chairs although there could be more palapas and shade areas. If you get to the pool before noon, you can always find a nice shady area so you dont get too hot.
There are 3 pools at the resort although one of them is only for the people who stay at the royal suites. The main pool looked like a lot of fun with lots of kids, activities, music and the snack bar. All the pools were right on the beach and they all had lounge chairs and bars nearby.
The beach was a little disappointing. But I knew that going there. The sand was nice but the water had lots of rocks and a lot of seaweed. There was only one area for swimming and the danger flag is almost always up. You can still go in the water when the red flag is up but you must be in the swimming area.
The beach had a lot of lounge chairs but again could use some more shady areas. There was a bar right on the beach and a place to get boogie boards, surf boards and other water sport eqiupement. They were a few merchants on the beach but they had their own area off to the side. The would come around to ask if you wanted a dress or braids but I never felt bothered.

Restaurants and Buffet:
You get 3 restaurant dinner bookings for a one week stay. We went to the Mexican, the italian and the beach bbq and Viva Mexico was the best! The make the salsa in front of you and the food was excellent. The service was great. All the restaurants were great, with awesome views and good food. I wish I could have gone more. There was also an oriental restaurant but we didnt have the chance to eat there although I heard it was great too.
The buffet was alright. You do get a little sick of the food but it was decent enough. It was never busy and there were always tables. The worst part was breakfast. It was always insanely busy and the food wasnt good at all. We actually only went the first morning we were there and then again in the middle of the week but decided against getting up to go again. The buffet times are 7-1030, 1230-3 and 630-10. There are always snack places around the resort if you get hungry in between those times.

Entertainment:
I loved the entertainment. There was always live music and nightly shows to look forward to. The entertainers were so happy to be there and they really enjoyed their jobs. They speak english but really fast do you have to really listen to what they say. Nights were always so much fun. They had a disco but we only went once. They played mexican dance/techno music that I didnt enjoy. One night they had a beach party and that was awesome! It would have sucked for the people in building 2 as it was right outside their building but we had a great time doing the limbo and dancing! Overall, I was entertained and the entertainment was great!

Lastly:
The resort is really spread out and there is a lot of walking so it isnt for people with limited mobility.
There is no atm at the resort so bring money or you can take a cab to the nearest atm for 10-20 u.s. dolllars
The grounds were amazing and so beatiful. Lots of lush gardens, plants and flowers.
There was a zoo with monkeys and other animals that were neat to watch.
Tip the maids, the bar tenders and the servers. The work really hard and dont get paid well so make sure to tip them. Get small bills and mexican coins. They really appreciate the tips. We tipped the bartender 5 bucks and everytime we went up for drinks, he had our drinks ready for us.
There are excursions to go on but they are pricy. Some people we met went on a safari tour for 98 bucks each, but they said it was well worth it.

I had a great time lying by the pool and watching the shows. I would recommend this hotel to everyone but keep in mind that the beach and water is rocky and there is a lot of stairs. Keep a fun loving attitude and that is exactly the time you will have!

The Palladium is a very nice hotel. It is not five-star as some places will claim. It is very clean and great for a vacation with girlfriends. Lots of young people there to have fun with.

Food:
The main buffet is great. Unlike many resorts, they have a HUGE selection of salad fixings. Green lettuce, lots of veggies and dressings. Every day there is something new for main courses. Also a great nacho bar every day.

Viva was good the first night and not the next. The pumpkin soup was amazing. The stuffed crab was good and the Mexican platter was very good. Service and food were great the first time we ate there. The second our waiter was cold as was our food.

Portafino was amazing. The ceaser and stuffed mushroom salads were out of this world. The soups were OK. We had the vegetable lasagna and beef dish. Both were great. Service there is amazing. Must get Spanish coffee here. Delicous and un presentation.

The beach BBQ was good. The meat was very tender, but if you don't like meat, there is not much to choose from. Also, bring bug replant of the sand fleas will eat you alive.

Bars:
Lobby bar: rude staff, watered down drinks.
Secret bar: fast service, cold beer.
Beach bar: OK, nothing special.
Hemmingways: The place to be. Adults only, amazing mojitos and Marcelino, the funnest bartender in Mexico.

Pools:
Main: overrun with kids. Loud.
Adult: amazing! So great to get away from the kids and awesome views.

Zoo:
Very fun for all ages. I work at a Zoo in the US and can say that the animals look very well cared for.

Entertainment:
The shows were actually very good. Much better than I have seen many places. Great dancing. make sure to catch at least one.

Gym:
Much better than most. Lots of equipment. Only downside was it was not air-conditioned.

Things to bring:
Bubba keg cup (available at Wal-Mart) to keep your drinks cold.
Portable alarm clock as your room does not have one and we did not receive the wake-up calls we asked for.
Bug spray.

Overall this was a really nice hotel.