Hyatt Dorado or Cerromar?
 

I'm looking for a nice villa/cabana by the ocean. I heard Dorado has some nice ones. Any first hand advice? likes or dislikes?<BR>

Stayed at beachside upper and beachside lower rooms, great right on the ocean. never been to a villa, id take dorado over cerromar unless you have kids

Adults only - Dorado<BR>Children along - Cerromar

Dorado is much nicer than Cerromar. The beachfront rooms( lower units) are really nice and open up to gardens and beach. Beautiful! i would caution you about using the Cerromar river pool. I'm in PR right now and the local press is reporting some sort of salmonella contamination in the water. yuck! I'm not surprised. The water in the river pool has always looked murky to me.

Been to both. Cerromar is more active, better for children. Dorado is more quite and has good beachfront villas. No matter in which one you stay , they are both hyatt. If you stay at cerromar you can use the facilities at Dorado. the hotel are located side by side and they offer a trolley that can transport you between the two properties. My favorite is cerromar. Dorado is two quiet.

thanks for all the great advice :) we're planning a trip in March I guess rates will be pretty pricey huh! but if its as nice as its being described I guess its all worth it.

I don't know what rate you're being quoted for March . I always go in the summer and with AA discount coupons, so I end paying around $150/night for the beachfront rooms. It's nice but I wouldn't pay the approx. $400/ night(no food) that they probably want for high season. Is not that nice and be aware that service is pretty bad.

Is it true about the river pool at the Hyatt Cerromar ? Please reply asap!

There is no salmonella contamination in the water and believe me with all the clorine in that pool water has, they are dead. I live here in puerto rico so I know. The river pool is beautiful with 3 small slide and a cave with waterfalls. I like going there.

I recently returned from a two week trip to Puerto Rico where I stayed at the Hyatt Dorado, Hyatt Cerromar & Wyndham El Conquistador. Overall, I would probably not return to either Hyatt properties until they actually do a renovation. Both properties look run down and in desperate need of basic upkeep. Rust, mildew and grime everywhere. Definitely not worth staying in just for the river pool. Dorado Beach was a it nicer, quieter and a nicer beach. In addition, due to special rates for locals and the local holiday, there was an enormous amount of local presence and a LOT of kids. Wyndham was nicer. Rooms were in great condition, great amenities and a great resort feel. Although the beach requires a boat ride, it adds a little sense of adventure that's rewarded when you land in Palomino Island. In addition, the Golf Courses in all the resorts were in great shape and worth playing! That's my 2 cents!

whats wrong with the locals? It seems you dont care how much you spend on a hotel if you visited the Conquistador hotel. You really seem like a very picky person. Next time spend your vacation at the Ritz but you might also find something wrong with it too.

Nothing against the locals, however, the hotel does not prevent registered guests from bringing their relatives into the resort to use resort facilities. This adds to the overcrowded facilities, especially the river pool. If receiving value for my dollars is indicative of being picky, then that's ME. At the same time, I can't imagine a hotel charging an exorbitant amount of money for a marginally acceptable room. The El Conquistador was much better in all regards except the fact it's not beach side. Also, under no circumstances should anyone go to a restaurant called "La Conquista". The concierge recommended it and it was HORRIBLE. I've had better meals at road side Lechonera. Anyway, just an additional 2 cents.

By the way, La Conquista is in Fajardo near the El Conquistador.

I agree with the comment from the person who mentioned that the hotel was open to locals and resulted in too many kids and crowding. Free your mind from this being an ugly comment, if you pay the high cost of a hotel room you should know the facilities are for the residents and not the local community. Kids are enough of a problem with their yelling and running around the halls and complex, who needs another 50 kids. Just like non-smoking rooms, they should allow all those people with kids to have a section of the hotel for themselves so they can all enjoy the pleasures of their kids together and leave the rest of us to have a nice quiet, laid-back vacation.

In response to Rae and Stan. The Hyatts in Puerto Rico sell yearly memberships (at very high prices) to 'locals' (At least they did about 10 years ago when I lived in PR).<BR><BR>Local corporations also buy memberships and give them as incentives to their best executives. It allows them to book tee times and use the hotel's facilities. <BR><BR>It's not that the resort allows anyone to walk in. You have to pay a very expensive yearly membership to enter the resort grounds. FYI, the Caribe Hilton also had a similar program.