Archive Issue 20 Rivera del Rio

BOOK IT: RIVERA DEL RIO IN PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO By Aaron Drake

58 | Gaycation Magazine www.gaycationmagazine.com

RECOMMENDATIONS OF LGBTQ-FRIENDLY HOTELS AND RESORTS THAT HELP YOU ENGAGE WITH THE IDENTITY OF A DESTINATION.

Book it!

It’s no secret Puerto Vallarta is one of the world’s top gay destinations. The bigger secret is how to unwind and experience the city away from the throngs of international tourists. I visited earlier this year for Puerto Vallarta Pride—which was surprisingly a very family-friendly affair—and stopped at many of my favorite haunts throughout the city: I tipped the strippers at Blue Chairs, soaked up the rays on Playa Los Muertos and gorged on Mexican cuisine around town. But the unexpected highlight of my trip was my visit to the boutique hotel Rivera del Rio.

Just a few minutes stroll from the Zona Romantica, which is Puerto Valllarta’s gayborhood if you’ve never been, Rivera del Rio is perched on the side of the Rio Cuale on the last remaining dirt road in Old Town. You might even pass by it if you’re not looking for the address. Once you climb the hotel’s main steps to a lobby decorated with an array of eclectic antiques, you will probably begin scratching your head as to whether you’re still in Mexico or if you’ve stepped foot into some cozy hotel in a faraway land.

I was greeted with a margarita, tortilla chips and guacamole by the hotel’s owner, Alexander Andriadis (which quickly reminded me I was indeed still in Mexico). He ushered me on a quick tour of a handful of the hotel’s eight guest rooms before each was to be occupied by incoming guests for the night: Four rooms, one honeymoon suite, along with one larger suite and a penthouse suite (named for the master of the house), the last two being large enough for groups of friends traveling together. Each room possesses its own personality and unique layout, but all include the necessary basic comforts—lavish king or queen-sized bed, private patio, air-conditioning, complimentary wifi and toiletries, full kitchen or kitchenette and room service. Yet each was made more stunning than the last with accents like marbled fireplaces, clawfoot tubs, panoramic views of Puerto Vallarta’s colorful houses and distant mountain jungles, and a rooftop terrace with an inviting pool and spa.

Andriadis shared how he inherited the hotel from his grandmother, “Silver” Maria Cortez, who originally designed the hotel as the family’s private residence when she first came to Puerto Vallarta. When Alexander took over, he spent three years turning it into the intimate boutique property with added guest amenities that

RIVERA DEL RIO IN PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

By Aaron Drake

visitors will get to experience when they arrive. “We are in the heart of Puerto Vallarta and people who stay with us, stay with us to have luxury but also to get to know the real Puerto Vallarta and see how the real people live, while staying in a small fairytale castle,” Andriadis muses.

Rivera del Rio has been digs for Hollywood royalty vacationing in Mexico in the past, such as Raquel Welch and Liza Minelli, and as a backdrop for a Vogue photo shoot. The hotel lends itself enough anonymity for guests to enjoy some peace and relaxation yet still be within walking distance of the city’s main attractions, beaches and the best dining and bar crawling options available for those who might fancy a night of drinking or dancing. The hotel’s concierge can suggest and help you arrange any activities, from zip lining to parasailing, or you can simply choose to beat the heat poolside with a book, opt for an in-room massage or even go shopping with a chef at the nearby local market for the ingredients you’ll need to cook up your own Mexican treat. This is certainly an ideal spot for a Mexican honeymoon or

Gaycation Magazine | 59www.gaycationmagazine.com




Aaron Drake is Executive Editor of Gaycation Magazine. He has contributed to The Advocate, Out Traveler, Man About World and Amtrak Ride With Pride. When he’s not writing and traveling the globe, you can find him remodeling his house with his hubby or playing with his two mischievous dogs. Follow his travels and travails on Twitter and Instagram at @theaarondrake.

weekend getaway, as the hotel will work with you to tailor your stay to whatever your special occasion or interest is in experiencing while you’re in Puerto Vallarta.

Owner Andriadis also shared that the hotel’s upcoming third anniversary on Oct. 30 will double as the opening of a second property in Puerto Vallarta, tentatively called Garlands del Rio. “We have two guest musicians performing, Marta Woodhull will be debuting songs from her new album release and John Philip Shenale will perform a solo set of his new music for acoustic piano and electronic instruments,” he says. Marta Woodhull is a Grammy-nominated vocal arranger (We Are the World TV Soundtrack}, singer-songwriter (Melrose Place) and most recently directed Benicio Del Toro singing in his new film, Escobar: Paradise Lost. John Philip Shenale is a critically acclaimed string arranger (Tori Amos), orchestrator (Royal National Theatre), keyboardist (Carlos Santana) and film and TV soundtrack composer (Sons Of Anarchy).

After the quick tour, myself and my fellow travelers took to the sidewalk outside the hotel for a light dinner overlooking Rio Cuale. Locals walked by with their dogs, a father waded the waters with his son while enjoying the setting sun and welcoming what was the beginning of another warm night; it was enough to get your blood pumping for a night out on the town. For me, enjoying a glass of wine and company of other visitors was enough for the moment. It was very easy at Rivera del Rio to be made to feel like a local, yet with just the right amount of individual pampering to feel like an honored guest. Isn’t that how you want to feel every time you go on gaycation?

Rivera del Rio, 104 Rivera del Rio, Puerto Vallarta, 48380, Mexico, +1 480 233 1420, [email protected], RiveradelRio.com


Documents

Archive Issue 20 Rivera del Rio