Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico -- Unlock the secrets of a legendary love story that has enchanted hearts for generations.
Against the backdrop of the spellbinding Pacific coastline, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was quietly making waves as a sleepy fishing village in the 50s until Mexican creatives seeking freedom from city life began to inhabit the area.
Simultaneously, American authors and artists in search of refuge from McCarthy era censorship began to forge to Vallarta and found solace among the Sierra Madre mountains. Soon an orderless creative exchange flourished and together American, Brits and Mexican natives created what is now known as the charming city of “Gringo Gulch.”
It wasn’t long before Gringo Gulch became an artistic oasis and received the attention of Hollywood and gained free publicity around the world when American film director John Huston fell head over heels in love with Vallarta while filming The Night of Iguana. But it wasn’t until Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor set foot here that things truly took off and their fiery love affair catapulted Vallarta into worldwide fame like never before!
As the story goes, after falling in love on the set of Cleopatra, Hollywood darlings, Taylor and Burton, brought their romance to Vallarta in 1963 so that Burton could begin work on Night of the Iguana, shot almost entirely in the ocean side jungle of Mismaloya.
It had only been seven years that Vallarta’s infrastructure began to develop as the Mascota mule trail was replaced by a packed dirt road in 1956 and in 1958, 24-hour electrical generation arrived. A new airport arrived in 1962 connecting Puerto Vallarta with Los Angeles via Maxatlan, and the Mexican Aviation Company began offering package trips.
So when Hollywood arrived, hotels for cast and crew were in short supply and primitive to say the least and finding suitable accommodations proved quite challenging - which led production to choose an aged hotel fronted by a black and white striped lighthouse on Old Town’s Malecon as their headquarters.
When Elizabeth Taylor arrived to find a dirt floor and flying cockroaches in her “suite,” Richard Burton called his buddy John Huston and said “My friend, if we don’t find suitable accommodations for Elizabeth, I’m afraid I won’t be able to star in your film.” So, Huston immediately offered the couple his own rented villa on the hill in Gringo Gulch, Casa Kimberly, and the rest is history
Burton bought Casa Kimberly as a surprise birthday gift for Taylor’s 32nd birthday, just a few months after filming completed and a month before their marriage. The Burtons spent a lot of time in Vallarta over the years, bringing along the kids (she had three children plus the daughter she adopted with Burton), their movie star friends and Taylor’s ever present entourage.
Burton eventually purchased the house across the street and built another house around a large pool, connecting the two houses with a replica of The Bridge of Sighs in Venice, forever afterwards called “The Lover’s Arch.”
Known as “The Pool House,” this adjoining second home also became Burton’s poker lair when high jinx buddies like Peter O’Toole were in town or “the dog house” when Elizabeth saw fit to lock him out of the main house. Hence the neighbor’s name for the “The Lover’s Arch”: El Puente de Reconciliación or the “Bridge for Making Up”.
Today, their former abode has been transformed into Casa Kimberly hotel; an elegant nine suite boutique. Sleek and sensational, the Elizabeth Taylor Suite at this exclusive property is fit for a queen. Featuring a Swarovski crystal chandelier and an intricately designed pink marble bathtub shaped like-, yep you guessed it- a heart, -a human heart, not a Valentine heart! If that isn’t enough to sweep you off your feet, its Cleopatra Suite has a private patio with a sunken hot tub topped off by sweeping views over Banderas Bay. The hotel’s restaurant aptly named Iguana is open for everyone. All rooms have Taylor-worthy Bulgari bath products, indulgent baths, some with claw foot tubs, others with rain showers backed by striking tile walls under domed brick ceilings or hand-painted murals, each individually and opulently designed. Most suites also enjoy private Jacuzzi tubs discreetly set on terraces with breathtaking views.
The heart of Puerto Vallarta lies not only in the stories of love gone by or fiery romances, but on the cobblestone streets of its historic old town and love of its people and their country. Here visitors will find an array of galleries, architecture, boutiques, restaurants and bars where they can take in the vibrant culture of Mexico.
The city also boasts some fantastic beaches with plenty of activities to keep travelers entertained including scuba diving, snorkeling and kayaking. For those looking for more adventure, taking a tour through the tropical jungles surrounding Puerto Vallarta is sure to be an unforgettable experience – discover hidden waterfalls among the lush vegetation or take a boat tour out to Los Arcos National Marine Park for a day filled with swimming and whale watching.
Whatever your plan is: romance, adventure, relaxation, family or friends-look no further than Puerto Vallarta! This beautiful destination offers everything on enchanting sultry white sand beaches under the warmth of the Mexican tropical sun...it’s no wonder why lovers from throughout history have felt so inspired here!
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