In the 1960s, Elizabeth Taylor had a famous fling with Richard Burton in Puerto Vallarta, and the house he bought her became legendary. Now, opened as Casa Kimberly, a nine-suite hotel, guests can live vicariously through the iconic actress by staying in her former residence.
The recent revival of glam in Puerto Vallarta is also felt with tucked-away, swanky jazz bars (El Patio de Mi Casa), secret beaches (Yelapa), and Hollywood’s comeback, especially in Punta Mita, home to Casita Mia de Mita, a private inn on a secluded beach where stars like Sofia Vergara have been recently spotted.
If you’re traveling with several friends, there are now more luxury villas than high-end hotels perched along the coast and equipped with private staff. They all have history, like beachfront, 10-bedroom Casa Septiembre, the former vacation home of director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) and Villa Mandarinas, a private estate designed by renowned architect Alberto Alvarez. Most rooms have a huge private balcony with unobstructed ocean views.