The Hotel Mercurio is a LGBTQ Friendly 28 Room Hotel in The Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
The Hotel Mercurio, Puerto Vallarta is Recognized for Excellent and Friendly Service, Exceptional Value, Gourmet Breakfast and Unbeatable Location in the Heart of the Gay Neighborhood
Mexico Has New Sweeping Anti Smoking/Tobacco Laws Coming Into Effect
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Hello fellow travelers, welcome this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel show. I am your host Barry Kessler, and I am just so happy to be introducing you to my favorite vacation destination, and maybe even yours, Puerto Vallarta Mexico.
That music you were just listening to is performed by Alberto Perez, the owner of the La Palapa Group of Restaurants. Those are La Palapa, Puerto Vallarta’s Oldest Restaurant on the famous Los Muertos Beach, and The El Dorado Restaurant and Beach Club right next door so you can enjoy that fantastic view of the Los Muertos Pier all lit up at night in beautiful colors, or during the day in its grand splendor for breakfast, lunch or dinner, seated with your toes in the sand right at the water’s edge. It’s so romantic, it’s so, Puerto Vallarta my friends.
This week we are going to the Olas Altas area in the Romantic Zone to visit an LGBTQ friendly Hotelito called the Hotel Mercurio. I will be visiting with the owner of the Hotel Mercurio Paul Crist. Paul is from the US and he has a cool story as well as ideas for tourists, both gay and straight who come to visit this wonderful pueblito, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Information for Hotel Mercurio, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Address: Francisca Rodríguez 168, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
- Phone#: +52 322 222 4793
- Website: https://www.hotel-mercurio.com/
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Hotel.Mercurio/
- Book a Room at Hotel Mercurio, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We have lots of local and national Mexican news including national outdoor smoking rules affecting all of Mexico. Plus local Vallarta events coming up, some mail and more, so before we get to Paul and The Hotel Mercurio, let’s see what’s happening this week, the 23rd of January, 2023.
The Puerto Vallarta Travel Show Podcast Begins Year 7
2023…Hey, that reminds me to wish you all a happy new year. I hope to see you in Vallarta soon. This also marks the beginning of year number 7 for the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. Our first episode aired December 29, 2016, so thank you all for listening and being a part of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show Family. Share the podcast with a lover of Puerto Vallarta or a first-time visitor please. And Buy your tours from my friend JR at Vallartainfo.com.
Several months back I had Michael Tolleson Robles from Galeria Robles. Michael is the
incredible Autistic Savant artist who can whip up a masterpiece is just a couple of hours. If you remember from the episode Michael was talking about a restaurant and a chef, he was collaborating with to have open that restaurant, and now the news is out, the secret is out of the bag, the restaurant is D’Cortes, a fine restaurant which is now up in El Coloso. Chef Polo Cortes will be opening his newest restaurant right there on the second and third floors of the Art Gallery.
D’Cortes Website
I have some pictures of the progress in the restaurant in the show notes.
Malecon Sculpture Tour with Gary Thompson of Galeria Pacifico, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Remembering this is high season in Puerto Vallarta so the Sculpture Tour with Gary
Thompson occurs every Tuesday Morning at 9:30 sharp. They meet at the Millennium Sculpture which you will find at the North end of the Malecon, Where the Mc Donald’s is, the Street is Calle 31 de Octubre, right next to the Rosita Hotel, Pool. You can’t miss this glorious Sculpture. The tour, as I said, begins there.
Gary has his walking tour from the 22nd of November till the 18th of April. And he does it to benefit the Biblioteca Los Mangos, the Big Public Library here in Vallarta, and because he loves to it.
At the end of the tour he winds up at his gallery, Galeria Pacifico where he winds up his talk with usually another artist, along with a little refreshment. The last time I went it was Jim Demetrio who has several of his sculptures on the Malecon and of course, they are included in the tour. He asks for donations for the library so I’d suggest that you try to give 100 to 200 pesos, per person, as a thank you to Jim, for his time and dedication to Biblioteca Los Mangos.
If you haven’t gone, you have to go. It’s a couple of hours so be ready and properly fortified with water, and a good breakfast before you get there. It’s a good Idea. Been there, done that. And maybe I’ll do it again.
Reminder There Are Many Farmer’s Markets Along the Bahia de Banderas
Also, almost every day of the week, you can enjoy one of many Farmer’s Markets that travel around the bay. The most popular are the Olas Altas Farmers Market in Tile Park on Saturday’s and the Thursday evening Market at the Marina. Here’s a quick rundown from Vallarta Lifestyles.com….
- Bucerías Market
Wednesday from 9:00am to 2:00pm - La Cruz Market by Huanacaxtle A.C.
Sunday from 9:00am to 2:00pm - Art & Market Marina Vallarta
Thursday from 6:00pm to 10:00pm - Olas Altas Farmers Market
Saturday from 9:00am to 2:00pm - Riviera Farmers Market Nuevo Vallarta
Tuesday from 9:00am to 2:00pm - Mercado Artesanal San Pancho
Tuesday from 9:00am to 2:00pm - Mercado del Pueblo · Sayulita
Friday from 10:00am to 2:00pm - La Peñita Tianguis Market
Thursday from 8:00am to 1:00pm
I have a link and that list from Vallarta Lifestyles in the shownotes at ..
www.puertovallartatravelshow.com
https://vallartalifestyles.com/the-banderas-bays-farmers-markets/
Aguachili Festival
- Prepare your belly and palate next Sunday, February 5, so you can enjoy the 13th Ceviche and Aguachile Festival, an event that will take place in Puerto Mágico from 12 noon to 8 pm.
- There will be 9 confirmed restaurants, who will show off their recipes to delight the attendees, as reported by Edgar Cervantes, organizer of the event.
- There will also be mixology and craft beers.
- Prices range from 50 to 100 pesos, and admission is free.
- The last edition had the assistance of 2 thousand people, so this amount is expected to be broken since it is a long weekend
Charros are Coming to Arena Vallarta Jan 31-Feb 5th 2023
And if you want to have a true Mexican Experience and are a horse lover and lover of the beautiful clothing worn by the Charros and the Lady Horsewomen the Escaramusas. You don’t want to miss this riding competition.
It all takes place at Arena Vallarta, from the Banderas News…
11th Int’l Charro Tournament at Arena Vallarta, Jan 31-Feb 5
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – From January 31 through February 5 Arena Vallarta will host the eleventh edition of the Hacienda Serena 2023 International Charro Championship. This year more than 40 teams will compete, of which 16 come from the United States. There will also be 24 skirmish teams, 12 of them from the US, and more than 1.8 pesos in prizes to be distributed.
The centuries-old tradition of Charrería brings together working skills, training and discipline, horsemanship, music and dance, and symbolic reenactment of Mexican values and customs. Like its rodeo cousin in the U.S., Charrería turns cattle farming skills into competitive stunts. Contending teams show off techniques of jumping through the air onto wild mares, riding bucking broncos and bringing down rampaging bulls with lassos.
At a press conference, Alfonso Bernal Romero, organizer of the event, announced the details of this championship, which returns to Arena Vallarta with a record number of registered teams.
Each Charro team, made up of all men dressed in traditional clothing, compete in 9 different challenges to demonstrate their skills at horse training and commands, roping of horses and livestock, bulldogging, bull riding, forefooting, speed challenges and bareback bronc riding.
This year’s tournament will once again feature teams made up of 8 to 12 women dressed in ornate Adelita or Ranchera dresses, who will compete in the Escaramuza (skirmishes), which entails performing a variety of precision horseback riding techniques while riding sidesaddle.
The festivities kick off on Tuesday, January 31 with the traditional Verbena de Tradiciones Mexicanas (Traditional Mexican Street Party) at Los Arcos de Malecón in downtown Puerto Vallarta, featuring live music, a Xiutla Folkloric Ballet performance, Rope Flourishing demonstrations, and lots of family fun.
Throughout the 5-day tournament, attendees will also enjoy live music and dance performances, children’s areas, traditional food, charro accessories and souvenir stands, and more.
Ticket prices will be 100 pesos for Wednesday, February 1 and Thursday, February 2; 200 pesos on Friday the 3rd and Saturday the 4th; and 300 pesos on Sunday the 5th of February, final day.
As a thank you to attendees, tickets to all competitions automatically enter you in a raffle for a late model car to be given away on Sunday, February 5th. (You must be present – with ticket in hand – to claim your prize.)
Located in El Colorado, just 20 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Arena Vallarta is handicap accessible ultra-modern facility that boasts seating for 8 thousand spectators, public rest rooms, a 600 car parking lot, a commercial area, and stables for the horses.
I have a Google Map to get you to Arena Vallarta. You can take a bus, I’ll look for that link and put it in the show notes. So if you are in town, doesn’t that sound like fun?
I have a link to that article from Banderas News in the show notes
A couple of weeks ago we talked about the fact that if you looked inside a Police Patrol Truck in Vallarta, you were likely to see to cops riding in the front, and two members of the National Guard in the back seats with the big guns…well that is changing…..from Vallarta Reporter Online….
Police Patrols in Vallarta Have Been Demilitarized
January 17th, 2023,
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https://puertovallartareporter.com/puerto-vallarta-police-has-been-demilitarized/
So they are getting rid of those scary machinegun toting soldiers, removing them from view as not to scare the tourists who dare to smoke outdoors….Yup, all of
Mexico has begun Their Adaption of One of the Worlds Largest Antismoking Campaigns
From BBC News….
Mexico has brought into force one of the world’s strictest anti-tobacco laws by enacting a total ban on smoking in public places.
The step, which was first approved in 2021, also includes a ban on tobacco advertising.
Several other Latin American countries have also passed legislation to create smoke-free public spaces.
However, Mexico’s legislation is considered to be the most robust and wide-ranging in the Americas.
It amounts to one of the most stringent anti-smoking laws in the world. Mexico’s existing 2008 law – which created smoke-free spaces in bars, restaurants and workplaces – is now extended to an outright ban in all public spaces. That includes parks, beaches, hotels, offices and restaurants.
There will also be a total ban on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, meaning that cigarettes cannot even be on show inside shops.
Vapes and e-cigarettes are also subject to tighter new restrictions, particularly indoors.
The Pan American Health Organization has welcomed the step and applauded the Mexican government for implementing the ban.
The organization says that tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the world, responsible for nearly a million deaths in the Americas each year, either through direct consumption or exposure to second-hand smoke.
However, some smokers are dismayed at the draconian nature of the new law.
In essence, it means that many will only be allowed to smoke in their homes or other private residences.
Others have raised questions about the practicalities of enforcing the law.
With police corruption so rampant in Mexico, many fear that rather than issuing real fines or punishments for smoking in public, some officers will use it as a pretext for taking bribes.
And I have a link to that article from the BBC in the show notes…..
Smoking Rules COPRISJAL Commission For The Protection Against Sanitary Risks of the State of Jalisco
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https://puertovallartareporter.com/coprisjal-will-monitor-anti-smoking-compliance/
But not all politicians are cool with the newest measures…. From Vallarta Reporter dated January 18th 2023,
Governor Alfaro Pushes Back Against New Anti-Tobacco Measures
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Yes, there were many places around town that never closed during the pandemic. Bars in the neighborhoods that were owned by connected people with local connections were open so, yes, the editors note rings pretty true to me.
I have a link to that article from the story in Vallarta Reporter Online, in the show notes.
https://puertovallartareporter.com/governor-alfaro-pushes-back-against-new-anti-tobacco-measures/
My concern is that the tourist who is a smoker is now a target for a rogue cop or from someone who doesn’t like cigarette smoke, or that person.
I actually have had some experience in this sort of thing, having been a business owner in the city of Burbank California. For those of you who don’t know, before I got into the real estate business 12 years ago, I worked at our family jewelry store which my father opened up in 1967, I worked at Kessler Jewelers for 36 years as the resident gemologist, gem buyer, jewelry designer, appraiser since before I graduated from high school.
The city of Burbank enacted, just out of thin air and a vote, an outdoor smoking ban. This was in 2007 or so. You basically were not permitted to smoke within 20 feet of an open doorway. You couldn’t smoke in the street, although you could smoke in your car.
It affected businesses and housing projects like apartments and condos and their shared open spaces. Businesses, restaurants who had spent thousands of dollars building outdoor smoking areas were told oh well, at least you have a nice patio…right?
As a business owner I knew that authorities would abuse shoppers and diners. Maybe not directly, but indirectly. I also knew we would lose customers to our neighbor Glendale. Glendale, combined with the city of Burbank has the second largest Armenian community outside Armenia. And Armenians smoke. If The city Council of Glendale enacted this sort of law, they would be voted out of office so fast, they wouldn’t know what hit them.
But Burbank, naawww…One of my clients, a city councilman, a fire Captain with the city who worked his way up as a paramedic, came into the store, and as I was putting a new battery into his watch he asked me what I thought of the no smoking ban, and I said I didn’t like it. He looked surprised, and asked me why. I said I felt the threat to others, outdoors, dropping dead from second hand smoke was pretty remote. Then I asked him, Jessie, you’re a paramedic, how many dead kids were pulled out of Burbank pools last year? He says, too many. I asked him how many pools were filled in because another child could drown unnecessarily? None.
I even had a news crew from NBC Channel 4 down the street who had heard thee was a businessman who was against the outdoor smoking ban come in with a camera crew to interview me.
In the end, here’s what would happen. Someone would come to Downtown Burbank to watch a movie or have dinner with their family or friends. After dinner the smoker excuses him or herself and steps outside to smoke an after dinner cigarette. The smoker most likely doesn’t know this is against the law but is ticketed by a cop. The $50 ticket can’t just be paid by mail, no. The perpetrator must appear in court to pay the fine which, with all the court added enhancements has made that ticket $200. Combine that with a day in court, maybe forfeiting wages for a day…now do you think that this person is ever going to come to Burbank to eat, watch a movie or to shop again? No. And that’s what happened. People who think they are being treated like second class citizens will not return to your town. They will seek out places that value their hard-earned dollars.
So that’s my personal experience with what looks like the exact same anti-smoking ordinances I dealt with back in 2007 in beautiful downtown Burbank.
And hey, if you live in the Los Angeles Area and if you have ever had the pleasure of coming to Beautiful Downtown Burbank to eat, or to shop, or to even see a movie or a play, and you noticed that there are no parking meters on the streets, and no charge to park in the 6,000 public parking spaces in city owned parking lots and structures. That’s right. And you can thank me. One day I’ll tell you how a tip from the president of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce, and a $600 ad in the local Burbank paper made that happen.
So very interesting, maybe battle lines are being drawn here, who knows. Maybe they are all just blowing smoke.
Now tobacco smoke is very easily detected but Vape vapor, you can see it but not smell it. In the next couple of weeks I’m going to have my friend Fernando from Pacific Vape in Puerto Vallarta, talk to us about vaping. It’s a very interesting topic and Fernando has been in Vallarta a long time, He has some very cool stories and ideas and I think with these Anti-Smoking anti-tobacco laws coming into effect, Maybe vaping is the answer…..
Operation to Remove Homeless in Vallarta
We’ve discussed the homeless problem in Vallarta and it seems the police are being trained to step in and handle the issue….
So we will see what the special police force can do. Homelessness isn’t limited to your home town, it exists in paradise as well. What do you know?
I have some emails that I will have to get to next week as well as a big old list of stuff that I’ll put off till then. Let’s get to our guest Paul Crist and his Hotel, The Hotel Mercurio, an LGBTQ friendly place to stay, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Hotel Mercurio, LGBTQ Friendly Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
I met Paul at an event that our friend Dean Regher of Puerto Magico was having at his
chocolate making shop, Cacao Magico, back in the middle of the pandemic. It was a Facebook-live fundraiser featuring Fernando Gonzalez and Amy Armstrong, and it was
a great spot for me, because Dean had invited the who’s who list, which made it easy for me to corner my next interview. Well, Interviews. I booked several at this affair I’ll tell you, and one of them was a man I found very interesting, and that was Paul Crist. And
Paul owns and operates a hotel in The Romantic Zone of Vallarta called The Hotel Mercurio, which proudly declares itself as LBGTQ friendly, and truly is. Paul agreed to
meet me a couple days later at one of my favorite places in Vallarta, up in Paso Ancho, El Rio BBQ, which by the way is in the midst of their final season along the river….
So let’s go right now…riverside to a table in Colonia Paso Ancho, and the El Rio BBQ, and let’s meet my friend Paul Crist, Hotelier, and a really nice guy, and let’s find out more about The Hotel Mercurio, an LGBTQ Friendly Hotel, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
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Information for Hotel Mercurio, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Address: Francisca Rodríguez 168, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
- Phone#: +52 322 222 4793
- Website: https://www.hotel-mercurio.com/
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Hotel.Mercurio/
- Book a Room at Hotel Mercurio, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Paul’s Favorite Restaurants
Breakfast:
Dinner:
- Bravos, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Siam Thai, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Archie’s Wok, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Restaurant Palmar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Gay Bars:
- CC Slaughter’s Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- La Noche Bar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Chachalaca Bar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Garbo Bar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Apache’s Martini Bar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Anonimo Bar, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Favorite Day Trip
El Moro Paraiso, Paso Ancho
3 Day Trip
- San Sebastian del Oeste
Okay, thank you so much Paul. Links to Paul’s great information and suggestions can be found in the show notes for this episode as well as contact information, photos and google map to take you to the front door of the Hotel Mercurio, One of Vallarta’s fine LGBTQ friendly establishments.
Okay, that should do it for today…next week Stay tuned for more on the ground reports from Puerto Vallarta Mexico, with travel tips, great restaurant and excursion ideas and more. Until then, remember, this is an interactive show where I depend on your questions and suggestions about all things Puerto Vallarta. If you think of something I should be talking about, please reach out to me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending us your message.
And remember, if you are considering booking any type of tour while you are in Puerto Vallarta, you must go to Vallartainfo.com, JR’s website and reserve your tour through him, right from his website. Remember the value for value proposition. His experience and on the ground knowledge of everything Puerto Vallarta in exchange for your
making a purchase of a tour that you would do anyway, you’re just doing it through him as a way of saying thank you. It costs no more than if you were to use someone else so do it. Really. And when you do take one of these tours, email me about your
experiences. Maybe you can come on-board and share with others what you liked or didn’t like about the tour. Again, contact me by clicking on the Contact us tab and sending off a message. Don’t forget his maps, his DIY tours and his revitalized Happy Hour Board. I have links to all of those in the show notes.
And once again, if you like this podcast, please take the time and subscribe and follow share with a lover of Puerto Vallarta or give me a good review wherever or however you happen to be listening. That way we can get the word out to more and more people about the magic of this place. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Remember I made it easy for you to do just that with each episode I create. But if you haven’t been to my website, you really need to have a look there. I have the links to the places we talk about, interesting pictures and the more all right there in my blog-posts and show-notes for each episode of the show so check them out for sure if you haven’t already all-right? All right.
Thanks so much my buddy Paul Crist from the Hotel Mercurio, a sweet LGBTQ friendly oasis in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. Right in the middle of the action. A great location. I have links and pics and maps in the show notes.
And thanks to all of you for listening all the way through this episode of the Puerto Vallarta Travel Show. This is Barry Kessler signing off with a wish for you all to slow down, be kind and live the Vallarta lifestyle. Nos Vemos amigos.
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