February demand in Puerto Vallarta is real

February in Puerto Vallarta is the month I pay the most attention to, because it is peak season and the market has nowhere to hide. If demand is real, you feel it in February. Bookings, rates, restaurants full, beach clubs buzzing, and yes, the numbers.

But here is where people get confused fast: occupancy is not a “Puerto Vallarta popularity score.” It is a math problem. Rooms sold divided by rooms available. So a destination can be absolutely slammed and still show a tiny year over year dip if more rooms came online or the comparison year was unusually strong.

Let me walk you through it in a way that actually makes sense.

February hotel occupancy, the cleanest trend line

If you want one simple, defensible way to talk about February demand, look at the full month hotel occupancy.

Puerto Vallarta February occupancy

Feb 2022: 73.6%

Feb 2023: 86.6% (up 13.0 points)

Feb 2024: 85.6%

Feb 2025: 86.4% (up 0.8 points)

That is the real headline:

February demand jumped hard from 2022 to 2023, and then stayed strong in the mid 80s through 2024 and 2025.

So why did 2024 go down a tiny bit

Because a one point move in the mid 80s is usually not a demand problem. It is almost always one of these:

More rooms existed in 2024Occupancy is a ratio. If new rooms come online, the denominator grows. Even if more travelers arrived and more total room nights were sold, the percentage can soften a touch because there is simply more inventory to fill.

2023 was a tough act to follow 2023 was an exceptionally strong comparison year in many leisure markets. When you compare against a standout year, a healthy year can look slightly lower on paper even while everything still feels packed on the ground.

Some demand shifts around the bay Travelers do not all pick the exact same area every year. Pricing, new inventory, group travel trends, and resort openings can pull some bookings into nearby zones without weakening the overall destination.

The most important point: moving from 86.6% to 85.6% is basically flat at a very high level. It is not a warning sign. It is the difference between “full” and “still very full.”

A bonus demand signal that smooths out the noise

If you want a view that is even harder to argue with, look at January and February combined. It smooths out week to week swings and gives you a clearer sense of peak season strength.

Jan to Feb occupancy

Jan to Feb 2022: 69.9%

Jan to Feb 2023: 84.8% (up 14.9 points)

Jan to Feb 2024: 82.3%

Jan to Feb 2025: 84.6% (up 2.3 points)

That is sustained demand. Not a lucky weekend. Not a one off event.

Why you might see different February numbers in other “official” reports

Sometimes you will see weekly monitoring snapshots (like a specific February week) that look a little different. That does not mean anyone is wrong. It usually means you are comparing different slices of time.

A single week can bounce around depending on weather, events, flight schedules, and which days land inside that week. The full month number is usually the cleanest “big picture” February reference.

Now, what about short term rentals

Hotels and vacation rentals are not the same thing, but hotel occupancy is still a strong proxy for destination demand. And when you pair that with short term rental performance snapshots, the story stays consistent.

Marketwide short term rental snapshot for Puerto Vallarta

Around 55% average occupancy Average daily rate around $202

One quick note here, because it matters: a marketwide average includes everything. Great locations, weak locations, brand new listings, owners blocking their calendars, and listings with terrible photos. In real life, the best walkable pockets outperform.

Airport demand is the other reality check I love

If you want a simple “is this destination still growing” signal, watch the airport.

Puerto Vallarta airport handled about 6.9 million passengers in 2025 and it was reported as a record year. That is not a small signal. That is sustained demand at scale.

And when you see an expansion plan that includes finishing a new terminal intended to double capacity, that is a long term vote of confidence. Airports do not build for fun. They build because the pipeline of demand is real.

Why the Romantic Zone keeps winning in this story

When a destination is running mid 80s occupancy in February, the most in demand neighborhoods usually capture the strongest pricing power and the most consistent booking velocity.

In Puerto Vallarta, that tends to be the Romantic Zone. People want walkability. They want to step out of the building and be in restaurants, galleries, beach access, nightlife, and that whole “everything is easy” lifestyle.

That is why, when I am helping buyers who care about rental performance, I focus on location first, building operations second, and then layout and finishes. The order matters.

The bottom line

February demand in Puerto Vallarta is still strong, and the trend line remains positive.

Yes, February 2024 is a hair lower than February 2023, but it is a tiny shift at a very high level. The bigger story is that Puerto Vallarta has been holding mid 80s February occupancy, and 2025 moved up again. When you combine that with strong short term rental pricing and a record level airport demand signal, it is clear this is not a one season market.

If you want a realistic rental projection

Tell me your budget range and whether you want a 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom, and I will send you a short list of Romantic Zone options that fit, plus a simple rental projection using conservative assumptions.

Will Hutt

Coldwell Banker La Costa

Cell and WhatsApp: +1-239-691-0782

Instagram: @BeachPleasePVR